It's great to see the presence at this year’s Websummit of so many from the sports community such as Tony Hawk the renowned skate boarder and Paul McGinley the winning Ryder Cup Captain who’s hometown is Dublin and also Conor McGregor to name but a few.
So as they say here in Ireland, there will be no room for slack at this year’s events -'No hurlers on the ditch'. Since there are so many notable sports people attending this years Websummit, we are going to discuss Hurling one of Ireland's most renowned Irish sports which is always the basis of intrigue and enquiry for visitors to Ireland.
Tony Hawk being presented with a commisioned skateboard made from tradtional hurleys
History of Hurling:
Hurling is reputed to be the world's oldest field game which was brought to Ireland by the Celts. It has featured as a field game for at least 2000 years. There are literature references to it from the 7th and 8th centuries. Hurling is also mentioned in the legends of the mythical Irish warrior Cuchualainn.
Over the years there have been attempts to ban the game. For instance, at the time of the Statutes of Kilkenny in 1366 it was outlawed as there was a view that it groomed the Irish for battle. In 1918 the British banned it when it was felt it was too nationalistic a game!
The Golden era for Hurling is felt by many to have been the 18th Century when it was supported by the landed classes but as the Irish land agitation struggles took hold, support was withdrawn. The Great Famine had devastating impact on the game.
It's revival came with the establishment of the GAA - the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884. New regulations were laid down and a National League was established.
Hurling-the greatest sport on earth-here's why - You Tube Clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i3-Qk7FNeQ
How to play Hurling:
It is played with a stick called a Hurley which is made from ash. The ball is called a Sliotar (slither) made from stuffed leather and is smaller than a baseball and close in size to a tennis ball.
The top speed of a Sliotar is reckoned to be around 177 miles per hour.
Today there are 15 players on a team, however until a rule change in 1898 there used to be 21.
The All Ireland Final is played annually in September in Dublin's Croke Park which is the Irish Mecca for Gaelic Games.
Corke Park, Dublin Ireland, Home of the GAA
To chat with our experts on all things hurling, the websummit and setting up business in Ireland, why not drop by our breakfast to speak with a representative of IDA Ireland. Our breakfast wll run from 8-11am every morning during Websummit.
