Irish Beer and Hurling

While it’s true that I’m not likely to develop a true beer belly due to the simple fact that I don’t much care for the taste of beer, I did the honorable thing on a February trip to Ireland by actually drinking a couple of beers. And in their natural environment no less (pubs). Sorry to disappoint, but I didn’t do the American version of hurling, as in puking. No, in one of these pubs I received some instructions to the high Irish sport of Hurling, in which people run around and try to maim each other with sticks. This is much more barbaric than American Football where they run around and try to maim each other without sticks.

Shortly after this pub session, it was off to the Cork, Ireland hurling stadium for a match between Cork and the underdog Offaly. The Offaly team made only one mistake, namely they forgot how to play the game after the tied first half. The picture shows the basic points: a fan cursing at the referee, a Cork player down on the ground (not dead yet), and an Offaly player using his “hurley” to pick up the ball. You can’t grab the ball off the ground with your hand. But — and this is an important part of the game — you can catch a ball in the air with your hand while other players smash the ball (and hand) with their hurleys.

The game rules have elements of soccer, rubgy, lacrosse, football, and street brawl. There is a goal like a soccer goal, with goal posts above that. Get the ball in the goal for 3 points, or hit it above the goal but between the posts for 1 point. The players are actually amazingly accurate and can often score from 50 yards out as long as they’re not being clubbed at the same moment.

Afterwards I tried to enlighten a couple of the locals on a rule change that would make the game more exciting. My proposal: don’t let the other team score off the “free” hit that occurs whenever there’s a penalty. At least for fouls away from the goal. Currently, if someone pulls an opponent’s shirt at mid-field (mid-pitch), the team gets a free shot from there on the goal and they usually score a point. The lads didn’t yet embrace my idea so I will have to continue to slowly help them out of this darkness. I’m sure they’ll appreciate my efforts since having seen one match, I can speak as an expert.

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