Maurice Davin

Maurice Davin (1842–1927) was an Irish farmer who became co-founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association. He was also the first President of the GAA and the only man ever to serve two terms as president.

Biography

He was born in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. He became an extremely talented athlete and achieved international fame in the 1870s when he held numerous world records for running, hurdling, jumping and weight-throwing. In fact at a time he was regarded as the best athlete in the world.

From 1887 he actively campaigned for a body to control Irish athletics. Athletics in Ireland at the time was controlled directly by an English association which excluded the masses from most competitions.

Davin wrote "the laws under which athletic sports are held in Ireland were designed mainly for the guidance of Englishmen, and they do not deal at all with the characteristic sports and pastimes of the Irish race. Irish football is a great game" he wrote, "but there are no rules for either hurling or football and they are often dangerous."