On Saturday 1 April a ground-breaking new initiative led by the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool and the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) was launched, aimed at bringing together representatives of the pro-Union community in Northern Ireland with those of the GAA.
Thinking Futures: Building Recognition, seeks to remove barriers to discussion, discourse and debate, and aims to foster parity of esteem and mutual respect.
The event, which took place at Croke Park, Dublin, involved discussions and panel sessions between GAA members from sporting clubs around Ireland together with people from the Protestant community in Northern Ireland. Bringing these groups together aims to foster discussion on issues around identity and attitudes to reconciliation, as we approach the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
The GAA is Ireland's biggest sporting organisation with 1,600 clubs in all 32 counties in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It encourages the playing of Gaelic sports, such as Gaelic football and hurling, on an amateur basis and also works where there are large Irish communities around the world where there almost 500 active clubs.
Gaelic Athletic Association President Larry McCarthy said: "While the GAA is best known for its promotion of sport and culture, we pride ourselves on our wider contribution to communities. Inclusiveness and respect are two of the GAA's core values and we work hard to bring those to life in all we do. The launch of our new 'Where We All Belong' manifesto celebrates these values. But it is also a call to action, for the GAA is aware that, for some, barriers exist to engaging with Gaelic games.
"We continuously attempt to break down these barriers and introduce as many people as possible to what we believe are the best games in the world, and offer them the opportunity to both contribute to and benefit from a community-based, volunteer-led organisation that has enhanced countless lives.
"We are open to new discussions and welcome the opportunity to participate in conversations and I hope that today can be the start of something significant. I thank the University of Liverpool and the Department of Foreign Affairs for their support of the initiative, and I sincerely hope it gets a level of engagement and traction that can make a difference to our society."
Commenting ahead of the event, Professor Peter Shirlow, Director of the Institute of Irish Studies said: "Through our events we hope that communities can engage with and listen to one another to understand the different views they hold, creating a stronger inter-community voice that challenges prejudiced behaviour and attitudes.
"These conversations based upon fact and experience can help the GAA community in its wider understanding of barriers to engagement and participation. Similarly, these conversations will also be an opportunity to challenge the suspicion, and at times hostility, towards the GAA that exists in some communities.
"Prejudice is rarely based on fact, but conversations and events such as this narrow the ground between communities and aim for a shared understanding."
