The GAA Archive holds a number of interesting GAA related documents. Each month staff at the GAA Museum choose one such document which is then displayed here as the 'Document of the Month'.

The document of the month chosen for April 2010 is the statement issued by the GAA in the aftermath of the 1916 Rising. Following the Rising a Royal Commission was established in Dublin; Mathew Nathan, Under-Secretary for Ireland, gave evidence to this Commission, accusing the G.A.A. of being involved in the planning and execution of the Rising. The Governing Body of the GAA, the Central Council, met on the 28th of May 1916 and discussed the series of ‘allegations and press reports made before the Rebellion Commission’. It was decided to issue the below statement to the media and the Chairman of the Rebellion Commission.

Please click on the provided link to view the document in full

Three issues are dealt with in this statement: 1. The GAA denies allegations, made by Mathew Nathan, that the Association was opposed to the visit of Herbert Henry Asquith, British Prime Minister, to Ireland in September 1914; 2. The GAA denies that it is a political organisation but reaffirms that it’s individual members are at ‘perfect liberty’ to join any political organisation they may choose; 3. The GAA denies that the police and military are not admitted to GAA gatherings but that the police and military ‘have always been admitted…provided they were prepared to pay the fee charged the general public’