History of hurling facts for kids
The history of hurling is very old, going back more than 3,000 years! We don't know everything about its past, but stories about stick-and-ball games appear in old Irish mythology. Hurling is similar to games like shinty played in Scotland, cammag on the Isle of Man, and an older game called bandy from England and Wales. There's even a game called Knattleikr that was played in Iceland long ago, which some believe came from the Gaelic areas.
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Hurling in Ancient Ireland
Hurling is older than written history itself. People think it was played even before the Celts arrived in Ireland. It has been a special Irish sport for at least 3,000 years. The first written mentions of hurling are found in ancient Irish laws called Brehon law, dating back to the 400s.
Famous Irish legends also talk about hurling. The hero Cúchulainn is said to have played hurling at Emain Macha. Stories about Fionn Mac Cumhail and his warrior group, the Fianna, also mention the game.
Old laws called Meallbreatha even described punishments for hurting a player during games that looked a lot like hurling. The Seanchás Mór commentaries on Brehon Law said that a local king's son could have a special bronze hoop on his hurley stick, while others used copper. It was against the law to take someone's hurley stick away.
Hurling in the 14th and 15th Centuries
In the 1300s, a set of rules called the Statutes of Kilkenny tried to stop people from playing hurling. They said it was too violent. These rules suggested that English settlers in Ireland should practice archery and fencing instead, to help defend against Irish clans.
A grave marker from the 1400s in Inishowen, County Donegal, shows carvings of a sword, a stick for playing shinty, and a sliotar (the ball used in hurling). This shows how important these stick-and-ball games were.
Hurling in the 16th Century
In 1527, a rule in Galway City said people should not play hurling with "hookie sticks" or play Gaelic handball outside the city walls. Instead, they were told to play the "great foot balle" (football).
Later, in 1587, an English official named William Gerrarde complained that English settlers were learning the Irish language and playing hurling. This shows how popular hurling was, even among new settlers.
Hurling in the 17th Century
The writer Leigh Hunt mentioned in 1835 that hurling was played in London in the early 1600s. The first detailed description of hurling in Ireland came from an English visitor, John Dunton, in 1698. He compared it to an English game called Pall-mall.
Teams of 10, 12, or 20 players would hit or carry a ball made of animal hair with curved sticks. The goal was to get the ball through a hoop in the opponent's area. The first team to do this won. These games were often challenge matches between different towns or areas. Players sometimes got hurt, but they usually took it well.
Hurling's Golden Age: The 18th Century
In the 1700s, there were two main types of stick-and-ball games in Ireland. In the north, it was called camán (or commons). It was played in winter with a hard wooden ball. Players hit the ball with a narrow stick and couldn't pick it up (like modern shinty).
In the south, the game was called iomán or báire and played in summer. The ball, called a sliothar, was made of animal hair. Players could carry it on a wider stick, called a hurl, or hit it.
The northern game was mostly for common people. But the southern game was often organized by wealthy landlords. They provided the playing fields, chose the teams (usually 21 players), and even bet on the games. Hurling matches were often part of big events like fairs. Crowds of up to 10,000 people would come to watch! The southern parts of Ireland had flat, dry land and many ash trees, which were perfect for making hurls. Because of this, the 1700s are often called "The Golden Age of Hurling."
There were even matches between different counties. Lady Morgan, a writer, described how hurling matches were like the "Olympic games of old Ireland." Teams from different counties would challenge each other. Important ladies often acted as umpires. Young men from rich families and strong young men from the "mere Irishry" (common Irish people) all played together.
One famous match in the 1700s involved players from County Sligo and County Roscommon. The winner would get a ribbon or a simple prize from a "Queen of Beauty." In this match, the winner was Walter MacOwen, a handsome and strong farmer.
The game usually ended when one team scored a goal. This could take a few minutes or several hours! Often, they would play a series of up to three games, with two goals winning the match. The hoop wasn't at the very end of the field; teams could score from either side.
A báire team often stood in three rows of seven players. The front row, called the phalanx or an bulc, had strong men with different sticks. They weren't allowed to carry the ball or raise their sticks high. They acted like a scrum, pushing forward with the ball. The second row were called whips or fuadaigh, and the back row included the captain. These players had lighter sticks and could lift them high and carry the ball, but not handle it with their hands. There wasn't a special goalkeeper, but the captain often took on this important role.
The captain chose the team and had complete control over where everyone played. If a player was dismissed for dangerous play, it was often a lifetime ban. The two captains usually acted as umpires. Sometimes, a third person would help if they couldn't agree. This gentlemanly way of controlling the game meant that serious injuries seemed less common than before.
Hurling in the 19th Century
Big changes in Ireland, like the Act of Union in 1801 and the Great Famine, caused a decline in sports. The relationship between landowners and common people also changed, so the wealthy stopped supporting the game. Both types of hurling almost disappeared, surviving only in a few areas around Cork city, south-east County Galway, and north of Wexford.
In 1884, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) was created to bring back traditional Irish sports. Michael Cusack simplified the rules based on the iomán version of the game that he knew from his childhood in County Clare. This helped create the modern rules of hurling. Cusack also promoted hurling as a part of Irish nationalism and started a newspaper called Celtic Times to support it.
Hurling in the 20th Century
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The 1900s saw hurling become much more organized. The All-Ireland Hurling Championship and provincial championships were created. Cork, Kilkenny, and Tipperary were the strongest teams in the 20th century, each winning more than 20 All-Ireland titles. Other strong hurling counties included Wexford, Waterford, Clare, Limerick, Offaly, Dublin, and Galway.
- In 1969, Micheál Murphy was the first hurler to wear a helmet during a game. He wore it to protect a skull injury while playing for UCC in the Fitzgibbon Cup.
Hurling in the 21st Century
As hurling entered the new millennium, it remained Ireland's second most popular sport. A new system with more qualifying games and a round-robin format made the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship longer and more exciting. Kilkenny has been the most successful team so far this century, winning 11 All-Ireland titles. A strong Limerick team has won five All-Irelands.
New championships like the Christy Ring Cup and Nicky Rackard Cup were started. These gave weaker county teams a chance to compete and even play in Croke Park, a famous stadium.
