Gaelic Games in Society

'Connolly and Dolan set Gaelic games in the context of the development of sport worldwide, including trends towards less violence among players and spectators. Yet they also show how the GAA has been tied up with power relations within Irish society, between players and administrators, and in rivalry with soccer and rugby. A model of sociological history.'

-Stephen Mennell, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University College Dublin, Ireland 'Connolly and Dolan draw on a wealth of historical documents and skilfully employ key concepts in figurational sociology to analyse a range of developments in Gaelic games that have long been the subject of media and public interest and the focus of heated debate within the GAA.'

-Paul Darby, Reader in the Sociology of Sport, Ulster University, UK 'Ireland is as central to our understanding of global sport as sport is to our understanding of both Irish society and the theories of Norbert Elias.Gaelic Games in Society is a critical synthesis of history and sociology and continues the rich tradition of figurational analyses of the development of particular sports. This fascinating work will sit comfortably alongside the best.'

-Dominic Malcolm, Reader in the Sociology of Sport, Loughborough University, UK

In this book John Connolly and Paddy Dolan illustrate and explain developments in Gaelic games, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), and Irish society over the course of the last 150 years. The main themes in the book include: advances in the threshold of repugnance towards violence in the playing of Gaelic games, changes in the structure of spectator violence, diminishing displays of superiority towards the competing sports of soccer and rugby, the tension between decentralising and centralising processes, the movement in the balance between amateurism and professionalism, changes in the power balance between 'elite' players and administrators, and the difficulties in developing a new hybrid sport. The authors also explain how these developments were connected to various social processes including changes in the structure of Irish society and in the social habitus of people in Ireland.

Auteur

John Connolly is Senior Lecturer at Dublin City University, Ireland.

Paddy Dolan is Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Social Policy at Technological University Dublin, Ireland.

Résumé

In this book John Connolly and Paddy Dolan illustrate and explain developments in Gaelic games, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), and Irish society over the course of the last 150 years. The main themes in the book include: advances in the threshold of repugnance towards violence in the playing of Gaelic games, changes in the structure of spectator violence, diminishing displays of superiority towards the competing sports of soccer and rugby, the tension between decentralising and centralising processes, the movement in the balance between amateurism and professionalism, changes in the power balance between 'elite' players and administrators, and the difficulties in developing a new hybrid sport. The authors also explain how these developments were connected to various social processes including changes in the structure of Irish society and in the social habitus of people in Ireland.

Contenu
List of AbbreviationsPrefaceChapter 1: Introduction: Gaelic games in societyThe study of Gaelic games and Irish societyNorbert Elias and figurational sociologyData sources, analysis and synthesisInvolved detachmentChapter overviewChapter 2: Gaelic games and player violenceIntroductionRule convergence and game standardisationThresholds of violenceFigurations of IrelandChapter 3: Spectators, emotions and the individualisation of violenceSpectator violence and Gaelic gamesCivilising processes, emotions and forward panicsCollective impulses and violent actionsDeferred satisfaction and social protectionIndividualisation of violenceConclusionChapter 4: The sociogenesis and development of the GAA: Centralising and decentralising tensionsThe sociogenesis of the GAACentralising and decentralising tensions and county committeesWe-identifications and intra-organisational tensionsA decentralising spurt: the formation of provincial councilsAdvances in processes of integration and mutual identificationThe advance in the power sources of the central unitsCentralising spurtsConclusionChapter 5: The amateur-professional tension balanceThe amateur ideal and the GAABureaucratisation processes, advancing seriousness of involvement and the erosion of amateur structuresAdvances in professionalisation: From the 1960s onwardExplaining th eerosion of amateur structuresThe persistence of amateur structuresConclusionChapter 6: The amplifying of professionalism and amateurism, and the emergence of 'Player Power'Competitive tensions and amplification processesSeriousness of involvement and the amplification of professionalism and amateurismThe figuration of players and administrators and the amplification of professionalismThe amplification of amateurism and 'Player power'ConclusionChapter 7: Integrating Irish youth, national identification, and diminishing displays of superiorityTowards social controlsMovements in the balance of social controls and self-controlsDiminishing displays of superiorityConclusionChapter 8: Cultural hybridisation as an essentialising strategy: The development of a new sport -- International Rules FootballIntroductionCultural hybridisationOrigin mythsSportisation of International Rules FootballHybridity as national we-feelingTensions and cultural perspectivesHabitus formation and athletic we-feelingsConclusionChapter 9: Conclusion: Some thoughts on contemporary developments
IntroductionGender, Gaelic games and a developmental approachInter-organisational sporting competitionOrganising dynamicsConclusing remarks