If Michael Cusack were alive today, he would probably not be allowed into Croke Park. Although he was the first to come up with the idea of a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), he later described its executive as “a miserable, mischievous and traitorous gang”.

He wrote in his newspaper, Celtic Times, in 1887 that they were a “junta of knaves and fools” and an “incapable set of idiots”.

For using language like that today the GAA’s leadership would presumably ban him from entering Croke Park.

We can assume that, because last week there were barricades at the stadium in response to a peaceful protest by many of its most respected members.

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Unlike Cusack, they offered no insults to the GAA leadership. They were mannerly, orderly and reasonable.

They wished to hand in a letter protesting against the organisation’s sponsorship links with the insurance company Allianz, because of its alleged investments in Israeli war bonds.

The letter was signed by what was described as “hundreds of All-Ireland winners”, many of whom were at the protest.

When protesters wish to deliver a letter to an........

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