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Paul Rouse: GAA must do more to stand against cowards who claim the tricolour for exclusion

The Association's capacity to bind communities together is vital in a changing Ireland.

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025 - 06:33

Paul Rouse is an historian, author, broadcaster… and former Offaly football boss. He specialises in sport and Irish culture.

There is no surprise in the news that the GAA is again moving to amend a rule which says that the gear worn by its players is “of Irish manufacture”.

Rule 1.14 currently reads: “All jerseys, shorts, stockings, tracksuits (tops and bottoms) and kitbags, worn and/or used for official matches, in pre-match or post-match television or video interviews, player walk-ups and photographs, shall be of Irish manufacture. This requirement shall also apply to replica playing gear.” The idea that this rule exposes the GAA to a multi-million euro fine under EU competition law is not a new one and the proposed amendment would see the words “of Irish manufacture” replaced with “manufactured by a GAA licensed kit manufacturer”.

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