User:Davinj

User : Davinj

Topic : Maurice Davin ( 1842 - 1927)

Maurice was a founder and First President of the Gaelic Athletic Association ( GAA ) in Ireland and hailed from Carrick- on Suir, in South Tipperary Ireland. The GAA is currently a world class organisation which caters for the games of Hurling & Football in Ireland. These are Games that are very skillful and growing in popularity world wide as time goes by. However, the main Irish Stadium in which the games are played called CROKE PARK, in Dublin Ireland will soon become known on a wider scale as it open's it's doors to Soccer and Rugby Football. It will have visits from the National teams of France, England and Germany amongs others in the coming months.

But what you say is my point?

Well, Maurice Davin was a modest man, who left it to others to sing his praises, but alas nobody did. That was when Seamus O Riain, a former GAA president from Tipperary took it on himself to rectify this wrong and wrote the Biography of Maurice Davin, which he published on the 4th of October 1994, and launched it in Croke Park.

Now as GAA people began to read about the skills, talents and endeavour of Maurice in the founding and survival of the GAA, they began to realise that his contribution was immense. Indeed some would go so far as to say that only for his involvement the Organisation would not have survived.

The GAA themselves finally began to recognise this fact and following the restructuring of the CROKE PARK stadium, they renamed the former Canal End of the ground as " The Davin Stand" on the 5th of April 2006. He now takes his place in this great stadium with other great founders such as Michael Cusack.

Let me now " square the circle " so to speak about the relationship between Maurice Davin, Lansdowne Road ( the previous Soccer / Rugby Stadium ) and Croke Park ( the now Soccer / Rugby & of course GAA Stadium)

Well this part of the story goes back to Maurice and his brother's Pat & Tom who were world class athletes in the 1870's. Henry William Dunlop an outstanding young athlete with vision, created a purpose built sporting venue at Lansdowne Road in Dublin and All Ireland Athletic Championships were held there.

I will continue this story later.