Why do so many GAA clubs have crosses in their crest?
my own club has 7 of them lol.
Catholic ireland?
A lot of crests have only been created recently, is the church really as big a thing these days in Ireland?
If you don't like them, complain to the club.
Its not that I don't like them, im just curious as to why they are in so many crests.
Not sure how many clubs formed in the past few years have crosses in their crests(can't be that many) but I would assume, as with anything in a clubs crest, it's part of their historic identity. I'd suggest seven crosses in the case of your club could be linked back to something specific.
I am not sure how prevalent it is. The tour clubs I am most associated with and aware of have no crosses but other images linked to the parish/their history.
You will sometimes find an explanation of a clubs crest on their website or social media pages.
Wait until the OP hears what you get for winning the all-ireland!
do many ? None of the four clubs in my vicinity have a cross, even the one named after a saint….
Reminds me of the story of the nun and her sister and in an old hotel they encountered a poltergeist…. The sister said to the nun… “ quick, show it your cross !”.. so she did…
Teams are traditionally parish based and it was an exclusionary sport for non catholics for a long time. The GAA are very much part of catholic conservative Ireland
Northern Ireland have a cross as their crest, obviously the Catholic hand at work, lol.
After you sort out the crosses, try fixing all the clubs that honour John Mitchell, the Fenian. His later life in USA hasn't stood the test of time, and its a shame he hasn't been woked off the planet.
it was an exclusionary sport for non catholics for a long time.
I somehow think Sam Maguire, a Protestant from Co Cork, never got that memo.
The GAA never exluded non Catholics, non Catholics excluded themselves because they were anti Irish.
The parish was used a convenient unit of coverage for Ireland, as Catholic parishes had been designed for every district within the previous century. The GAA also use the counties designed by the British, because they were convenient.
That is a bit disingenuous and revisionary. Are we now saying that the local priest was never involved in GAA and "foeigners" who also played their own games were welcomed with open arms?
Oh but <insert 1 non catholics name here> played GAA so that proves the point.
Protestants obviously love a good cross too. They are Christians after all.
Why are so many clubs named after saints... There's a cross on the crest of my local club. I'd love to see a crest with seven crosses on it though,
I don't think there was any distinction made between whether those foreigners were Catholic or anything else..
A lot of clubs have st brigid crosses on the crest.
The GAA were, not are.
Of course priests were involved, as were Protestant clergymen and nowadays an Imman or two. The rules about playing other games applied to Catholic, Protestant and dissenter alike. Quite different from Protestant controlled local authorities who specifically discriminated against the GAA in their provision of grounds etc.
As for the Conservative Ireland thing, the GAA were representative of Ireland, when it was conservative then it reflected that, when Ireland became less conservative then the GAA did too.
Crests are often legacy items which is what the OP was asking
Is that a problem of some sort?
BTW, you do know that the CoI also recognises her as a saint, next time you're in Dublin you could drop out and say a wee protestant prayer in St Brigid's in Castleknock.
You could also say a wee prayer in the CoI Cathedral of St Brigid in Kildare.
No need to thank me, I enjoying helping people out.
Someone's cross...
im not a protestant.
Think the real question is why most club crests are so bad. Like there's some terrible ones. St Joseph’s Doora Barefield in Clare have one if the worst. There's a dog type head on it that's just so badly designed ,it sparks sniggers. There are crosses because we are a Christian country. Thats fairly obvious. There are some good ones too. Again Clonlara in Clare have a Ferrari type prancing horse on its own and it's cool. But normally a club has the tried and trusted crossed hurleys, football, some obscure or obvious landmark and then some other weird busy thing.
Incidentally as we are also talking about Christianity and crosses. Who was the last Protestant captain of an All Ireland finalist? My guess is there has been none and that stat is telling. I'm open to correction
In all my years actively involved with the GAA, no true Gael has ever complained about crosses being on club crests.
the opposite in fact. People like having the crest and a little bit of reference to the spiritual side is no harm.
I wasn't complaining. Also how do you know people like crosses on the crests? Seeing as hardly any young people go to mass anymore or are religious in Ireland, there is a good chance the crosses might disappear in years to come if the crests are redesigned.
I didn't say you were.
I'm just pointing out that a cross, and even St Brigid are not exclusively catholic things, as you were having a go at the catholic heritage, when the CoI and maybe various other religions too also use crosses and recognise St Brigid and perhaps also her cross; which is of course pre-christian.
How long before winning a "celtic cross" is deemed offensive and not inclusive enough.
Do you find them offensive….or what is your point..?
