Sport and community relations in Northern Ireland

Abstract

This paper sets out some of the policy implications of a study aimed at discovering the role played by organized sport in Northern Ireland's community structure. Information was obtained through a sample survey of 16 governing bodies of sport. It reports on three interrelated elements of the original investigation. The first sets out the overall demographics of sport in the Province, the second reviews governing bodies' responses to political circumstances and the third elicits responses concerning the relationship between sport and community relations. The results reveal that sport in Northern Ireland is bound up with aspects of political conflict. Evidence is presented which contests the belief that a considerable amount of cross-community development takes place through sport. The paper concludes by outlining the implications of these findings for policy development aimed at the ameliorating of community divisions.