The game of hurling is as old as the history of Ireland, well before early Christian time. Reference was made to the game in old Gaelic laws. The sport was said to be played by the ancient Gaelic hero, Cuchulainn, the son of the gods Lugh and Deichtine. From the time of Cuchulainn to the Fenians, the sport was used to refine the art of war. It was once banned under the Statutes of Kilkenny (1366), a group of laws laid down by the English for Ireland to be more loyal to their Crown. This introduction not only threatened the sport of hurling, but it also had a bad impact on the Irish way of life and its culture.
Each player uses a wooden stick called a hurl, and a ball about the size of a baseball (and as hard) is called a sliotar. This can be carried by hand but after four steps must be passed or bounced on the end of the hurl. It can also be hit in the air with the stick, on the ground or kicked or slapped with an open hand. Touch to touch shouldering is allowed, and it is a very injurious sport. No protective padding is worn.
By the 1800’s its popularity began to decline, but with the persistence of the Irish and the naming of the game as a national pastime, it once again became a favorite. Today the tradition continues, and many schools teach it at a young age, passing on traditions that go back 2000 years. The rivalry also continues as each county and each province participates, and it remains Ireland’s greatest spectator sport. Source: www.yourirish.com
