Croke Park is the home of the two ancient national sports of Ireland - hurling and gaelic football - and is symbolic of Irish language, culture, heritage and our long history of resisting oppression, one stand of the stadium having been built upon the rubble of the GPO destroyed during the Easter rising of 1916.
The body in charge of gaelic games - the GAA - has long ruled that those that played British sports or that worked for the British government (pre-freedom) were prohibited from joining the GAA or partaking in gaelic games. They also prohibited gaelic grounds and facilities from being used for British sports such as soccer and rugby (concerts and even American Football was OK!).
A recent landmark vote by the GAA paved the way for the temporary use of Croke Park for soccer and rugby while Lansdowne Road, the stadium of the IRFU and FAI, is redeveloped.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1920)
In 1920 after an IRA hit on British crown agents the British army forced their way into Croke Park during a match between Dublin and Tipperary, barricaded it shut and started firing into the crowd randomly, killing 14 civilians (including children).
In a few weeks time England will be playing Ireland in a six-nations rugby match at Croke Park. Most English travelling fans will be oblivious to the history of the stadium and the significance of the event. I for one shudder to imagine the sickly thought of the British national anthem being played on that hallowed ground before the match. Dublin rioted not so long ago when the Orange Order came to Dublin to celebrate their 'culture'. I fear Dublin will again succomb to such violence. Watch this space.