How even the President couldn’t beat ‘the Ban’

The photograph above was taken 74 years ago today: it shows the then President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde, flanked by Éamon de Valera, the Taoiseach of the time, and Oscar Traynor, then the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, at an international soccer match between Ireland and Poland.

It’s a fine snapshot of some of the big political beasts of the time but it also contributed to Hyde’s removal as patron of the GAA.

The ensuing controversy led to Hyde’s enforced departure because he was in contravention of the notorious Rule 27, or ‘the Ban’, which stated: “Any member of the Association who plays or encourages in any way rugby, football, hockey or any imported game which is calculated to injuriously affect our National Pastimes, is suspended from theAssociation.”