Could Croke Park host the Olympic Games?

Dublin, 4 June 1923- The GAA wishes to make Croke Park a national stadium, but is it suitable to stage the Olympic Games?

Speaking on the 2nd of June at the opening of a Croke Park fete which is being held to help clear off the debt on the headquarters of the GAA and which will run until June 18th, the President of the Association, Mr. Dan McCarthy TD, remarked. ‘We want to have Croke Park so well equipped that our representative on the Olympic Council may be able in the near future to suggest that the great games should be held in the Irish capital. That is our ambition in the Gaelic Athletic Association.’

The GAA was the largest national organisation in the country, Mr. McCarthy said, but owing to internal and external difficulties, it had gotten into debt, which with the aid of the people, would be addressed.

One of the other speakers at the event was the Postmaster General and TD, Mr. JJ Walsh, who added that their aim was to place Croke Park on a level similar to the sports grounds in other capital cities. 

Features of the fete will include ceilidh, ballroom, concert hall, American lounge, tea gardens, hobby horses, swing boats, football and hurling competitions, and wireless concerts conducted by Mr. J.J. Kearney.

Music was also provided on the opening day by the Artane and Carriglea Bands, with the bands of both the DMP and the Civic Guard also due to perform.

British Pathé footage young athletes compete at the Post Office Sports in Croke Park, 1922

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]