Rugby Triumphs over Politics at Croke Park
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by user Alex Holowczak
This weekend, something happened that would make some veterans spin in their graves.
The story began in the aftermath of World War I. The IRA wanted independence from Britain - mainly the English - and were fighting a bitter war.
The Gaelic Athletic Association is the body that presides over Hurling and Gaelic Football. The main venue for the games was at Croke Park, so called after Thomas Croke, an early leader of the GAA.
On November 21, 1920, a Dublin-Tipperary Gaelic Football match saw the British forces enter Croke Park and shoot dead 13 spectators and the Tipperary captain, Michael Hogan. This was Bloody Sunday.
The Irish eventually became independent from Britain in the main, but even today their country is torn between the Catholic Republic, and the Protestant North. The Irish province of Ulster is split over the two countries.
Croke Park became the ultimate place for celebration of everything Irish. Everything their own. It became used for the GAA and nothing else. With a stadium of 82,300 people it is one of the biggest in the world. The Hogan stand is now called after the events of Bloody Sunday. The uncovered terraces on Hill 16 was built from the Easter Rising in 1916. It was steeped in Irish history.
Whilst every other sport in Ireland split up internationally, i.e. into Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, Rugby remained brilliantly unified, and it is a united Ireland team that represents them.
Traditionally, all the rugby and football matches were played at Lansdowne Road. But in 2005, it was decided it had to close for renvoation. So the IRU had to find a new home for their national team.
Also that year, an historic decision was made at Croke Park. It would be open for other sports for the first time. This meant that it would host football and rugby, and it was agreed that Ireland would play their home Six Nations games there in 2007. It was a decision that I think has ruined the point of the stadium - the ultimate in everything Irish - everything anti-English.
After nearly beating France at Croke Park in Rugby two weeks ago, the ultimate meeting happened yesterday. Ireland would play England at Croke Park in the Six Nations. It was astonishing to think that the English would be welcomed to a stadium built exclusively to be something against them.
Yesterday it happened. The Irish fans were impeccable. The planned IRA protesters stayed away. There was no booing in the English Anthem as had been feared. The whole occasion started brilliantly. The Irish were fighting back the tears during the Anthem. Ireland of course, has two anthems, one for the Republic, and "Ireland's Call" for the whole of Ireland (which nobody really likes).
The Irish froze at Croke Park last time, but this time they were sublime. Lead by Brian O'Driscoll, the Irish outclassed England in every department. England's poor play was summed up when an intercepted pass was converted into a try near to the end. Ireland had routed England 43-13. It was the biggest Irish win ever against the English.
But for me, it is a shame. There are other stadia, albeit not very good in Ireland, but now I think that Croke Park is ruined. It stood for Irishness, it is the home of the GAA. Then they let rugby in. It would be like seeing the Mets playing all their games at Yankee stadium while Shea was being redeveloped.
That said, the fans of rugby should be hugely congatulated. If this were Italian Football, it would never have happened. The politics of the occasion, no matter how overwhelming were put to side, and sport prevailed. This has set a wonderful precedent, and I hope that this example can be seen far and wide.
