Hurling - Quotes

Quotes

Yesterday, Tuesday, a hurling match took place in the Phoenix Park, which was honored with the presence of Her Excellency, the Countess of Westmoreland, and several of the nobility and gentry, besides a vast concourse of spectators. Much agility and athletic contention was afforded, until the spectators forced into the playing ground. Colonel Lennox, Mr. Daly, and several other gentlemen, most obligingly used their endeavours to prevent any interruption to the players, but to no effect. This active contest ended without either side claiming triumph and remains to be yet decided. — A report from the Dublin newspaper Hibernian Journal, 17 October 1792 On Christmas Day and during the Christmas season we used to have hurley matches, and the whole village used to be mixed up in the game. Two men would be chosen, one from each side, for captains. Each of them used to call up man by man in turns until all who were on the strand were distributed in the two sides. We had hurleys and a ball. The game was played on the white strand without shoes or stockings, and we went in up to our necks whenever the ball went into the sea. Throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas time there wasn't a man able to drive his cow to the hill for the stiffness of his back and his bones; a pair or so would have a bruised foot, and another would be limping on one leg for a month. — Tomás Ó Criomhthain reminiscing about his youth on Great Blasket Island in the years before the regularisation of hurling rules. Translated by Robin Flower There was a grand Hurling Match in the neighborhood of Gort in the county for a considerable sum of Money between the Counties of Galway and Clare; the Hurlers of the latter made a very handsome appearance. They marched from Gort to the Turlough, two miles (3 km) distant, preceded by the Band of Musick, a French horn, a Running Footman and a fellow in Antic or Harlequin Dress. None of the Hurlers was hurt, the greatest harmony having subsisted. The County of Clare Hurlers were elegantly entertained at Crushenehaire the Night following and a Hundred guineas was proposed to be Hurled for, but the time and place not yet agreed. The above procession closed with many Carriages and Horsemen, the numerous company at the Turlough made a fine appearance. — The newspaper Pue's Occurrences, 16 October 1759 27 June 1827, Feast of Saint Peter and Paul. A holiday... Hurling on the Fair Green. It was a good game. The sticks were being brandished like swords. Hurling is a war-like game. The west side won the first match and the east the second. You could hear the sticks striking the ball from one end of the Green to the other. I was watching from the top end myself with Doctor Céatinn and two priests. The well-to-do young men and women were strolling up and down the Green and on the level causeway in the center. — From the Irish language diaries of Amhlaoibh Ó Súilleabháin, a 19th century schoolmaster and politician from Callan, County Kilkenny. Translated by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.