National Athletic & Cultural Association of Ireland

History:

The origins of the N.A.C.A.I. are to be found in the Gaelic Athletic Association, which was founded in 1884.

The GAA was founded at a time when the majority of Irish people largely comprised of workers, both urban and rural, small farmers, artisans, etc. were specifically excluded from the social, cultural and sporting life of the country. The laws of the major sporting organisations at that time, were framed by, and in the interest of the aristocracy, the wealthy landowners, the establishment clergy, the members of the legal profession (judges, magistrates, etc.), the wealthy merchants and sons of these people.

The GAA set out to correct this situation by beginning a process of national regeneration through a program of sporting and cultural resurgence. They revised and drew up the Laws of the national and traditional games, in particular athletics, with its wealth of throwing and jumping events stretching back into the mists of mythology. They confronted the pillars of the sporting establishment in Ireland and laid down the principles, which have informed Irish sport to this day, in particular the N.A.C.A.I. - sport is more than just playing the games - it is a social and cultural experience.

In 1922 the N.A.C.A.I. was formed under the patronage and with the approval of the GAA in order that Irish athletics could participate in International competition under the banner of Ireland for the first time since the revival of the Olympic Games.

Ireland had never officially been represented at the Olympic Games. Despite that, Irishmen, competing for other countries (mainly United States of America), had won gold medals and set Olympic and World records at every Games since 1896.

In 1923, under N.A.C.A.I., Irish athletes participated for the first time in the Olympic Games as Ireland - the venue was Paris.

In 1928, Pat O’Callaghan (Hammer), won Ireland’s first official Gold Medal in Amsterdam.

In 1932 Pat O’Callaghan (Hammer), and Bob Tisdall (400mH) both won Gold Medals in

Los Angeles.

In 1936, Pat O’Callaghan, the best Hammer Thrower in the World and unofficially the World record holder as well as Olympic defending champion, was unable to compete in Berlin. This was because by then, the N.A.C.A.I. and Ireland had been banned by the IAAF and the Olympic movement, because of political interference by outside forces on the issue of Irish sporting unity.

Denied of International competition, N.A.C.A.I. turned to the roots of sports - family and community. The Association vigorously Promoted itself at all levels, from local sports to National Championships and boast of over 300 affiliated clubs all over Ireland by the early 1950’s.

The N.A.C.A.I. continued to be deprived of all international contact until 1974 when an N.A.C.A.I. team was invited to Paris by FSGT to participate in Cross Delalune on March 20th, 1974. In 1987 through an accord signed with BLE the N.A.C.A.I. can now avail of all opportunities to compete in World Championships and Olympic Games.

In 1975, N.A.C.A.I. was accepted as member of C.S.I.T. (the International Workers Sports Association) at a congress held in Jerusalem, Israel.

Thus, the N.A.C.A.I., with its roots in the 19th century revival of the Irish people’s rights to organise and participate in their sporting codes, finally, in 1975, nearly half a century later, found its place within an international movement that fulfils all the aspirations of its founding fathers.