Colm Bradley has outlined some ways he thinks the GAA can remove the barriers to Unionists joining. Just over a year ago I outlined that the GAA has a de facto ban in Unionists joining. Unfortunately Google hasn't cached it, so some of the substantive points are below the fold. The main contention I have though, is that the GAA is explicitly a political organisation, and should not be treated as a sporting organisation unless and until it sheds the vestiges of a political pressure group.

Follow up:

It's rule on membership states that:

Membership of the Association shall be granted only by a Club, to persons who subscribe to and undertake to further the aims and objects of the Gaelic Athletic Association, as stated in the Official Guide.

The basic aim states:

The Association is a National Organisation which has as its basic aim the strengthening of the National Identity in a 32 County Ireland through the preservation and promotion of Gaelic Games and pastimes.

Rule 15 states:

The National Flag should be displayed at all matches. Where the National Anthem precedes a game, teams must stand to attention facing the Flag in a respectful manner.

I cannot subscribe to uphold the aims, objectives and as a result the rules of the GAA because I am a Unionist. No Unionist could do so based on the evidence on display in the GAA's rules. Unionists are as a result banned from membership (I note that a former DUP Council candidate is a former GAA member. Has he had some sort of Road to Damascus conversion, or was he simply ignorant of the GAA's rules?).

Nicky Brennan may be genuine in his sentiment, but his organisation needs root and branch reformation if it is to be non political and non sectarian in any meaningful way. The GAA is a success story of amateur sport, but it is also a very real impediment to a shared future in Northern Ireland.