Gaelic Games in Society: Civilising Processes, Players, Administrators and Spectators

Description

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. Front Matter ....Pages i-xv Introduction: Gaelic Games in Society (John Connolly, Paddy Dolan)....Pages 1-18 Gaelic Games and Player Violence (John Connolly, Paddy Dolan)....Pages 19-38 Spectators, Emotions and the Individualisation of Violence (John Connolly, Paddy Dolan)....Pages 39-68 The Sociogensis and Development of the GAA: Centralising and Decentralising Tensions (John Connolly, Paddy Dolan)....Pages 69-91 The Amateur–Professional Tension Balance (John Connolly, Paddy Dolan)....Pages 93-115 The Amplifying of Professionalism and Amateurism, and the Emergence of ‘Player Power’ (John Connolly, Paddy Dolan)....Pages 117-138 Integrating Irish Youth, National Identification and Diminishing Displays of Superiority (John Connolly, Paddy Dolan)....Pages 139-160 Cultural Hybridisation as an Essentialising Strategy: The Development of a New Sport—International Rules Football (John Connolly, Paddy Dolan)....Pages 161-179 Conclusion: Some Thoughts on Contemporary Developments (John Connolly, Paddy Dolan)....Pages 181-190 Back Matter ....Pages 191-213