source kilruanemacdonaghs

St. Patrick’s Day is just a day away.  It’s the quintessential day to celebrate Irish culture. It is a culture that goes beyond green beer and the wearing of the green.  It is  steeped in tradition and celebrated through song and sport. Sadly, at one time it was all but gone thanks in part to the British colonization of Ireland.

Sports like football and hurling are largely responsible for the revival of Irish culture and nationalism during the 19th century when their culture was being squashed by the British.  In 1884 a group of Irish nationalists established the Gaelic Athletic Association to revive Irish nationalism and culture. The association developed a network of teams throughout Ireland and set up matches between them.

The game of hurling is uniquely Irish as its roots are firmly planted in Irish mythology. The ancient game was played by warriors some 2,000 years ago.  It is similar to hockey or lacross as it is played with a stick called a hurley and a small hard ball called a sliother.  The game is fast paced and physically demanding. Players bump into each other and it is not uncommon to be hit with the sliother.

It has established a following outside of the Emerald Isle with Irish immigrants bringing the game and their culture to new shores. There are established clubs in the Irish communities in Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia, with other clubs in Florida, California and Washington state. 

The first match in outside of Ireland was held in Boston in 1886. It was the match between Kerry and Galway with recent immigrants picking teams based on their home counties.

Tags: irish sports, hurling, irish culture, gaelic athletic association, gaa
Categories: Sports