The London Olympics 1908: The Games of the Irish Diaspora

The Olympic Games of 1908 featured Irish-born emigrant athletes representing the United States, Canada and Great Britain whilst Irish-domiciled athletes also represented the latter. The competitors of the Diaspora enjoyed an exceptional success rate especially those representing the USA and Canada. The USA success in athletics was powered by members of the Irish-American Athletic Club (I-AAC). Some members visited Dublin after the Games for an international athletics match against Ireland and were exposed to the politics of the sport in Ireland as two rival associations strived to control the sport, the nationalist Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and the politically more conservative Irish Amateur Athletic Association (IAAA). This division is reflected in the complex reception that these athletes received on their return to Ireland as Irish domiciled athletes who competed successfully in track and field representing Great Britain returned to Ireland without fanfare. Martin Sheridan and the New York-native John Hayes were wined, dined, and eulogised in their public appearances across the country with Sheridan using his appearances as a platform to support the position of the GAA and express his nationalist sentiments.