| （1.Center Research of Sports History and Culture，Shanghai University of Sport，Shanghai 200438，China；2.School of Bangor，Bangor University，Welsh，UK.；3.School of Physical Education，Jiangxi Normal University，Nanchang 330022，China) Abstract: The authors collated the social background, realistic environment, organizational structure and objectives, development course with respect to the establishment of Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), a nongovernmental or-ganization in Ireland, then, analyzed reasons for the successful development of and future threats possibly faced by GAA by means of theoretical analysis and model analysis, and revealed the following findings: the establishment of GAA had its historical inevitability, was the product of Irish people resisting British cultural invasion, and also the realistic choice of Irish people’s sports lifestyle; in the 129-year long development course, the identity chosen by GAA was always closely related to the nation’s future and fate as well as social development; it assisted to realize the objectives of national culture and social needs via serving the country and society, and therein sought for a real-istic path for its own development, but its nationalistic instrumental rationality and governance behaviors are some-thing we should properly dealt with during learning.
Key words: sports management；nongovernmental sport organization；GAA；nationalism；Ireland |
