Rule 27 of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), also known as "the Ban", was a rule in force from 1905 to 1971 that banned members of the GAA from playing or watching other sports such as rugby, soccer or hockey.
The text of Rule 27[1] originally read: Any member of the Association who plays or encourages in any way rugby, football, hockey or any imported game which is calculated to injuriously affect our National Pastimes, is suspended from the Association.While potentially applying to any non-Irish sport, in practice the rule was mostly applied to English sports: rugby, football (soccer) and hockey were named initially, with cricket being added shortly afterward.
[2][3] GAA members were prohibited from playing, watching or attending any event associated with these sports.
[3] On 13 November 1938 Douglas Hyde, then President of Ireland and a patron of the GAA, attended an association football match at Dalymount Park between Ireland and Poland with the Taoiseach, Éamon de Valera.
[3][1] The GAA did not accept the principle that the President should be allowed to attend any sporting event until 1945.