Already, by this time of the calendar, the New Year's Resolutions have well fallen by the wayside, writes An Fear Rua ....

However, like the great Abe Lincoln of old, there are certain 'truths that we hold to be self-evident', that remain steadfast whatever the season, whatever the time of year. These include the little known Ten Commandments of the GAA.

We are grateful to Professor Amhlaoibh Ó hAimheirgín of the Royal Irish Academy for drawing the Commandments to our attention. For the past fifteen years, Professor Ó hAimheirgín has been working on a monumental 'Life and Times' of the Reverend Sigerson MacDónaill, a native of Patrickswell in the county of Limerick - the so-called 'eighth man' who was present at the foundation of the GAA in back 'shnug' of Hayes's Hotel in Thurles, in 1884. Most accounts of the foundation of Dis Great Assooosheeayshun Of Ours refer to only seven people being present at that historic meeting. It may be that MacDónaill has been airbrushed out of accounts of the meeting because, apart from the Commandments, among the items found by Professor Ó hAimheirgín in his voluminous papers was a collection of rare Victorian vintage erotica.

***** The Ten Commandments of the GAA *****

First I am the Lord, thy Association, thou shalt not play strange codes before me.

Second Remember that thou keepest Holy the Croke Park ground.

Third Honour thy Manager and thy Referee even when thy Manager leaveth thee on the Subs' bench or the Referee showeth thee a Red Card.

Fourth Thou shalt not covet thy neighbouring county's All Ireland titles even unto their Under 21 B Special Hurling Competition.

Fifth Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's place on the team in the County Final even though thou hast been playing in that position in every game, except unto the Final.

Sixth Thou shalt not kill, except in the final minute of injury time when thy team is losing by a point.

Seventh Thou shalt not take the name of Tommy Lyons in vain.

Eighth Thou shalt not steal even a few metres on thy opponents when awarded a free, yea even when the Referee is not looking.

Ninth Thou shalt not bear false witness in front of a disciplinary hearing, especially when the Referee's report and the video evidence blatantly contradict thee.

Tenth Thou shalt not commit adultery with a member of thy local camogie club or ladies football team or vice versa


The Reverend Sigerson MacDónaill with his faithful companion Miss Martha Delahunty, a member of a very respectable Newcastle West family of drapers and publicans. The happy couple are believed to be on their way to the All Ireland Football Final of 1887, when Limerick defeated Louth by 1-4 to 0-3. The winning goal was scored by William J Spain, who later won a hurling medal with Dublin. The referee, John Cullinane, had just been released from prison for his activity in the Land War.