|
History of Hurling
Hurling was cited in the Brehon Laws during the 8th century as a way to settle disputes, either one on one, or sometimes entire villages fought each other. Of course Brehon law covered compensation for the families of anyone killed during these match ups. Eventually hurling evolved into a feis game that grew in popularity through medieval times.
The medieval version had two teams working with hurleys (sticks) to get the sliotar (small ball) past the other team's goal. The ball was made of bronze, leather-bound wood, or hard-packed hair wrapped with twine. The best wood for the hurley was ash, a tapered stick to scoop the ball on one end, the other end wrapped with metal for a good gripping handle.
There were many futile attempts to outlaw hurling, either because of the risk of life and limb, or because it became so closely linked with faction-fighting. The Galway Statutes around 1527 finally succeeded in banning the sport, at least for awhile, and it was replaced by Gaelic football.
Two hundred years later, hurling came back with a vengeance, taken up by the gentry, who organized teams and leagues and toned down the original version by establishing strict rules. The Great Famine, however, put an end to the sport's renaissance.
The game returned once again when, in 1884, the Gaelic Athletic Association made it the official game of Ireland, with established rules governing the leagues and games.
About Hurling
Hurling is a game similar to hockey, in that it is played with a small ball and a curved wooden stick. It is Europe's oldest field game. The stick or "hurley" (called camán in Irish) is curved outwards at the end, to provide the striking surface. The ball or "sliothar" is similar in size to a hockey ball but has raised ridges.
Hurling is played on a pitch approximately 137m long and 82m wide. The goalposts are the same shape as on a rugby pitch, with the crossbar lower than a rugby one and slightly higher than a soccer one.
You may strike the ball on the ground, or in the air. Unlike hockey, you may pick up the ball with your hurley and carry it for not more than four steps in the hand. After those steps you may bounce the ball on the hurley and back to the hand, but you are forbidden to catch the ball more than twice. To get around this, one of the skills is running with the ball balanced on the hurley To score, you put the ball over the crossbar with the hurley or under the crossbar and into the net by the hurley for a goal, the latter being the equivalent of three points.
Each team consists of fifteen players, lining out as follows: 1 goalkeeper, three full-backs, three half-backs, two midfielders, three half-forwards and three full-forwards.
Players wear a jersey with their team colours and number on the back. Both teams must have different colour jerseys. Teams are allowed a maximum of three substitutes in a game. Players may switch positions on the field of play as much as they wish but this is usually on the instructions of team officials.
Officials for a game comprise of a referee, two linesmen (to indicate when the ball leaves the field of play at the side and to mark '65'' free shots and 4 umpires (to signal scores, assist the referee in controlling the games, and to assist linesmen in positioning ''65' frees).
A goal is signalled by raising a green flag, placed to the left of the goal. A point is signalled by raising a white flag, placed to the right of goal. A '45'/'65' is signaled by the umpire raising his/her outside arm. A 'square ball', when a player scores having arrived in the 'square' prior to receiving the ball, is signaled by pointing at the small parallelogram.
Hurling Team of the Millennium
|
Goalkeeper |
Tony Reddin |
Tipperary |
|
Right Full Back |
John Doyle |
Tipperary & Holycross |
|
Full Back |
Nick O'Donnell |
Wexford & St. Aidans |
|
Left Full Back |
Bobby Rackard |
Wexford & Rathnure |
|
Right Half Back |
Paddy Phelan |
Kilkenny & Tullaroan |
|
Centre Back |
John Keane |
Waterford & Mount Sion |
|
Left Half Back |
Brian Whelehan |
Offaly & Birr |
|
Midfield |
Jack Lynch |
Cork |
|
Midfield |
Lory Meagher |
Kilkenny & Tullaroan |
|
Right Half Forward |
Christy Ring |
Cork & Glen Rovers |
|
Centre Forward |
Mick Mackey |
Limerick & Ahane |
|
Left Half Forward |
Jim Langton |
Kilkenny & Eire Óg |
|
Right Full Forward |
Eddie Keher |
Kilkenny & the Rower Inistioge |
|
Full Forward |
Ray Cummins |
Cork & Blackrock |
|
Right Corner Forward |
Jimmy Doyle |
Tipperary & Thurles Sarsfields |
| 
|