
44. The GAA in the USA
From Transatlantic: An Irish American History Podcast by Fin Dwyer & Damian Shiels
April 12, 2026 · 56 min
About this episode
This episode explores the history and impact of the Gaelic Athletic Association in the United States, featuring a conversation with Bennett Burke.
The Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the defining organisations in modern Irish history. Founded in 1884, it became the bedrock of community life across Ireland and played a significant role in the country’s political and cultural story. Its importance was starkly illustrated on Bloody Sunday in 1920, when Crown forces attacked spectators at a match in Dublin. In this episode, we turn to the history of the GAA in the United States. Bennett Burke, Public Relations Officer of the United States Gaelic Athletic Association, joins Fin and Damian. Their conversation traces the story of Gaelic games in America from their earliest beginnings to the present day. They discuss how the games took root, the challenges they faced, and the role the GAA played in the lives of Irish emigrants and their descendants across the US and North America. The USGAA governs Gaelic football, hurling, and camogie in the United States (except metro NYC), Mexico, and the Caribbean. Visit https://usgaa.org/usgaa-interactive-map/ to find a club near you US GAA Homepage New York GAA Homepage The "Mayo Curse" Video Footage of the 1947 All Ireland Football Final in New York Michael O'Hehir speaks…
People in this episode
Hosts: Fin Dwyer, Damian Shiels
Guest: Bennett Burke
Topics covered
- Gaelic games
- Irish emigrants
- GAA history
- community life
- sports in America
Keywords
- GAA
- Gaelic Athletic Association
- Irish history
- sports
- emigration
- community
- Bloody Sunday
- Gaelic football
- hurling
- camogie
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Gaelic Athletic Association, United States Gaelic Athletic Association
Books & works: Mayo Curse
Places: United States, Mexico, Caribbean, New York
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