Analysis: being a GAA supporter means being part of a strange yet powerful phenomenon where you're bound by an attachment to your local area
It's a genuine mystery for non-GAA fans why some people follow Gaelic games so obsessively. What is it about Gaelic games that possesses otherwise composed individuals to shout, be preoccupied with statistics, spend money travelling to games and even arrange social events around the GAA calendar?
Gaelic games are a domestic sport and supporters are bound by an attachment to their local area. The fundamentals of the GAA dictate that supporters follow the place that they are from and opting to support other teams on the basis of success is generally frowned upon.
GAA matches are more than just head-to- head encounters between two teams: they are battles between communities and identities, which is also the reason that fans are willing to sacrifice so much on behalf of their team. Place is a concept closely related to fan experience and affection for a team and affection for a team and Gaelic games are a safe space where supporters are encouraged to express their bond with a place and its people.
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From RTÉ Brainstorm, how county boundaries influence who we are
Loyalty is an enormous factor in why GAA supporters continue to follow their team. Team loyalty is a highly developed attitude that is persistent, resistant to change, creates biases and guides behaviour. Successful results contribute to supporters' satisfaction, but it is tradition, history and players that justify long term loyalty towards a particular team. Identification with a GAA team is usually a lifelong affair - literally so as people’s loyalty towards a team can continue after death by mentioning and performing these GAA affiliations at funerals, in obituaries and even on tombstones.
The activity of going to a GAA match is an opportunity for fans to be present during a particular moment and they can also feel a strong sense of consuming games with a superior experience. The GAA itself plays up to this notion with its marketing campaigns such as 'Where we All Belong’. In 2012, the GAA adapted the slogan ‘Nothing Beats being There’. In short, the GAA is generating FOMO - Fear of Missing Out - that all-consuming feeling caused by a compulsive concern that you are missing an opportunity for a socially rewarding experience often seen elsewhere on TV or social media.
Rituals abound throughout the GAA for players in particular as they try to gain control of an otherwise unpredictable future. Attendance at GAA matches also allows fans the opportunity to perform similar rituals to confirm group solidarity, demonstrate commitment and experience a sense of achievement.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Brendan O'Connor Show, Prof Aidan Moran on the psychology of sports fans and the effects following their favourite sport can have on them
Packing match day sandwiches, filling the flask with tea, parking in the same area, sitting in the same part of the stand, wearing the same outfit: these are all repetitive sequences of activities that give supporters consistency in their match day experience. GAA supporters are a passionate bunch of people who will do anything that may give their team an edge, regardless of whether it has any basis in reality or not.
The unique situation caused by the pandemic, with club matches streamed online and All-Ireland finals being played in empty stadiums, forced supporters to change their usual match day routines. The presence of GAA supporters in the grounds constitutes the tangible, physical manifestation of rivalry between two teams.
Empty stands dismantled the prestige and intensity of GAA games and exacerbated the social, emotional and indeed financial importance of fans within the GAA environment. In many ways, the absence of GAA supporters from matches may have heightened their deep-rooted connection to their teams and sense of belonging to a community as supporters highly anticipated their return to the stands and terraces.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Sarah McInerney, getting in touch with elderly GAA fans during the lockdown
It must be acknowledged that not all GAA fans contribute to the formation of an admirable collective of passionate individuals. The divergent personalities and characteristics of GAA fans mean that the behaviour of many impacts negatively on Gaelic games as they choose to engage in socially disruptive activities. Racist incidents, online abuse of individuals and fans involved in violent incidents during and after matches is a shamefully regular occurrence in the GAA.
But for most fans, supporting their GAA team is a meaningful and stable element of their lives that has a positive impact. GAA matches are an important social outlet that allow supporters to meet regularly, validating the community to which they belong. Watching and attending matches brings entertainment, stimulation and an escape from everyday life. Being a GAA supporter means being part of a strange yet powerful phenomenon.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
