 Croke Park will host the Ireland v England Six Nations match |
England have asked former Ireland star Conor O'Shea to explain the political significance of Croke Park ahead of Saturday's Six Nations visit to Dublin. O'Shea, whose father Jerome won three All-Ireland final medals with Kerry (1953, 1955, 1959), will address the England squad on Monday.
The stadium is the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association which only lifted its ban on non-Gaelic sports in 2005.
In 1920, British soldiers killed 14 people inside the stadium.
The Hogan Stand is named after one of the players killed on what became known as "Bloody Sunday".
Up until 1971, any member caught playing, or even watching, "foreign games" such as soccer or rugby, could be banned or suspended.
Ireland's usual rugby stadium, Lansdowne Road, is being redeveloped.
"We would like to add our thanks to those of the Irish Rugby Football Union in appreciation to the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) for allowing rugby union to be played at one of the best sporting venues in Europe," said an RFU spokesman.
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