Hurling......NOT Curling

bri2327

Anyone ever had the opportunity to watch hurling ? Absolutely amazing sport. These photos are from my most recent trip to Ireland. The team we went to see was from Kilkenny. They are considered the best in the sport, and what is very cool is these guys play for next to nothing monitarily speaking...it is more for recognition and pride. They all get their teeth knocked out in the game, then spend the night out with the locals and go back to work in the morning at their regular jobs......I would like to see some athletes here get a day job in a factory !

Wabittwax

Cool pictures. From those photos, Ireland kinda looks like California with the green mountain sides.

JrMacdaddy

I've seen it played a few times. I seem to remember Wide World of Sports having it on many years ago.


Fun to watch.

baseballjeff

Thanks for sharing the pictures!

I sure hope you enjoyed a Guiness while you where over there!

manofsteele

man those are some mean ass sticks. that would HURT if you caught it in the face!

bri2327

I caught a few in the face when I was a child.....used to spend summers over there back when I was 6 through maybe 12 years old......played alot with cousins and local kids, and have several scars to prove ! ACtually I still have my first hurling stick my uncle bought for me over there when I was 7 or 8.

And it is no exaggeration to say that after ever game if you comb the field you will find teeth, it is really that brutal at times.

I just think it is so great that these guys play for the love, and actually are members of the community. I guess the only resemblence we have had to that would be something like the Brooklyn Dodgers back in the 40's and 50's where they guys lived, shopped, and hung out in the neighborhoods near Ebetts field, knew the people coming to the games, drank with them after, and often worked aside them in the offseason since they didnt make crapola during the season.

For any golf fans out there, here is a couple of pics I took from Ballybunion golf course in Ireland. Most of the greats here from Nicklaus to Watson to Woods play here yearly before the British open and rave about it maybe being the best links course in the entire world. The statue is of Bill Clinton who was honored over there and still comes to play.


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