The Local Determinants of GAA Membership in Ireland

The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is the largest sporting
organisation in Ireland and is responsible for the promotion of the
Gaelic games of hurling and football. It is an important part of the
Irish culture and plays an influential role in society (GAA, 2024).
Unlike other sports, the GAA is an amateur organisation with a strong
volunteer ethos. Even those playing at the highest level are unpaid
(GAA, 2024).
The purpose of this study is to examine the local determinants of GAA
membership at the electoral division (ED) level in Ireland. International
research suggests that factors such as education, income and
employment status impact on sports participation (Farrell and Shields,
2002; Wicker et al., 2012), with the determinants varying in importance
across different sports (Breuer et al., 2011). While locational
determinants of sports participation have been studied internationally,
they have not been studied in the Irish context, and more specifically,
in the context of the GAA. Given the cultural heritage and the amateur
nature of the GAA it is likely that distinctly local factors will have a
significant impact on membership in Ireland.
By combining GAA membership data with the Central Statistics Office
(CSO) Small Area Population Statistics (SAPS) for 2022, this study
conducts an econometric analysis to examine how factors such as
employment status, education, health status and diversity impact on
GAA membership in Ireland’s electoral divisions. The findings will be of
use in developing strategies for growing local participation in the GAA
going forward.