Americans Go to a Hurling Match for the First Time!

#hurling #hurlingmatch #ireland
We went to our first hurling match! What's hurling? Well, we're hoping those who comment on our videos do a better job than us on explaining that. What we can share is that it is the fastest and oldest field game known to man. It's been around for 3,000+ years and originated in Ireland.
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Have you been so focused on your regular day-to-day that you've forgotten what you want out of life? A few years back we were in the same place...maybe worse. We're Chris and Melissa. We ditched the suburban house to travel, pursue our dreams and embrace midlife. We're sharing our nomadic journey in hopes of inspiring yours. Be sure to take a moment and subscribe to keep up with our #slowtravel adventure. We typically upload videos every Friday.

[@mikefeeney9587]

I have viewed many contributions of visiting Americans to Ireland and I have to say you as a couple have been by far the most engaging and enjoyable I've had the pleasure of seeing. You are a credit to a country that in recent times has lost the respect of much of the free world. You are a breath of fresh air. Although I'm an Irishman who has lived in Australia for almost 50 years in my breast beats the heart of an Irishman. If you ever venture Downunder I'd love to meet you... you are a credit to your sorely put-upon country who future I worry about after the Mid-terms.

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Thank you for the kind words Mike. Ireland is a delightful place and we have a few more videos coming out on our 3 month stay. We too have been concerned about things in our home country for many years. One can have pride in one's country, but that does not equate to me thinking that it's a better place than any other place. There are amazing things about most places we're learning. There are problems everywhere as well however, some places have bigger problems than others. :)

[@emmasweeney3655]

@@chrisplusmelissa that's so kind to say about my country I also learn Irish at school like yellow=Buí orange=Oraíste and oh should I give a whole lesson if I get more than ten likes and remind me to I will for sure also I play hurling

[@jojohynes629]

I’m Ireland we curse for emphasis rather than offensive ;)

[@norawhite6612]

We do not curse in our own language, just the in english language.🥳🇮🇪😂

[@kerryevans1562]

Maith sìbh Fair play to ye for the Gaa experience In Hurling part of the fabric of Irish life.. Your quirky sense of playful humour will play well here Your willingness to delve deeper into Irish culture Is impressive Being so opeminded helps considerably and your apprication of 🥓 bacon .. Love your Kinsale Off season content .. Those of us who were former emigrants to your country will always remember the kindness of strangers stateside Back in the 80ties..

[@liamK1916]

Awesome. The inter county matches in spring and summer are normally a lot busier. Glad to see you had fun 😂 ☔️

[@seanoroideain3994]

That was a very nice introduction to hurling for those that have never seen it. Very good to see you both engaging with Irish culture, fair play to ye both. Just for info, in addition to a club match, there are also competitions between county teams (which are comprised of the best players from each club playing for their county against other counties) culminating in the Hurling All-Ireland Final in Croke Park (the hurling equivalent of the super-bowl), in front of 80,000 excited fans. The colour, pageantry and the players' sheer athleticism and speed is incredible! The female version of hurling is called Camogie. Mostly the same rules Check out also gaelic football which has many similar rules, same pitch, 15 a side, 4 steps, hand pass, same goal types.....but crucially a large soccer type ball and no hurley sticks! Again the inter-county version of the sport culminates in the all-Ireland final. Even if ye're not in Ireland, find an Irish bar and they'll have those all-Ireland finals on TV live. The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) will have details on its website. There's also many gaelic football, hurling and camogie clubs in the US and many other countries. Indeed New York and London compete in the inter-county gaelic football competitions as counties. Thanks for showing this sport we're very proud of it. Oh and the all-Ireland finals have marching bands!

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Thank you for the information! Looks like we have a lot of unfinished work!

[@jeanninekalua9016]

Wow, looks so fun! Thanks for taking us along with you!!

[@TheKennyboy92]

This is such a cute vlog 🥰 . Glad you enjoyed the hurling match!

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Thank you! Glad you liked it!!

[@hughraftery]

Glad you enjoyed the game. Looks like you got some typical Irish weather....changeable! 😄

[@artificialartist2]

Great video on explaining and showing us the sport of Hurling in Ireland! Here in the states hurling is not a team sport, but rather something you did behind the bar, :) Loved hearing the comments of the locals too. All in all, it looked like a great time. Thanks for taking us along.

[@saoirseclarnimhuiris7910]

In Gaeilge hurling is iománíocht, the "ladies" version is camógaíocht, the "stick" is a camán, and the wee ball is called a sliotar...Éire go deo mo chairde 😂😂😂😂 🇮🇪

[@jpkac]

In Ireland now, wow? You guys do get around. Love your vids. Have been following since Vancouver. Nice to see your subs increasing. Looking forward to seeing more.

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Yes, well, we WERE in Ireland for 3 months. Left yesterday because our Visa was up. Thank you for all the support and encouragement!

[@toehoker9199]

Really loved your analysis of the game, mixed with fun and laughter, your more than welcome to Ireland anytime, you guys are well matched love it from Ireland ❤🇮🇪

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Thank you so much! Ireland is a special place for sure.

[@alexisohara164]

Best way to experience the game and explain. Actually got into thickness of it. Having the crack. Up cork

[@Stephrp613]

love hurling! the voice of the guy routing for the team was great! LOL

[@thetwoboyos8366]

If that was your first time watching a hurling game.. you definetly got a good grasp of it.. well done... It is a very fast game and can at times be a challenge to keep up with... Very enjoyable video.. Hope you both enjoy your stay in Ireland,👍🇮🇪

[@chrisplusmelissa]

It was our first time watching a game... we'd seen clips of it on youtube during our research... but it's completely different in real life! It was so cool!

[@brianmccarthy1322]

Up Rebels (Cork). Got a real stick with autographs and sloither last time I was working in Cork. Long story, a Canadian taking care of 1 plant in Boston and the sister in Cork.

[@johndoyle2397]

I watched a previous vlog by you guys and you, wife was so impressed by the towel heater in your hotel bathroom! I have one of those in my bathroom and i live in social accommodation

[@Charleyssmain]

You should definitely go to a cork county final.They have great atmosphere,stadium is full,there is a BAND!And all the shops are open 😊

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Perhaps some day we can make it to one.

[@johncallaghan1787]

Try going to big game in the All - Ireland involving 2 County teams at Mens Senior level. See how skilful and fit they are at that level.

[@griffkelleher193]

Myself and my buddies were at that match. That's us behind ye at about the 12 minute mark. Mon Tracton! Mad how this came up on my recommended

[@chrisplusmelissa]

That is wild! Can the algorithms really be that smart (or creepy?) :D Hurling is awesome.

[@RGK147]

Well done for learning the rules first unlike most other reactions I've seen that spend the whole game confused and complaining how it makes no sense 👍

[@chrisplusmelissa]

We loved it... it's not often you get to see a new sport. We hope to watch more of it some day.

[@gallowglass2630]

You brought luck to ballygiblin they won a national title today against a team from i my own county unfortunately wasn't close either.

[@chrislukenbill8540]

That was a blast...I had no idea that was a thing. Melissa is right, that extremely Irish dude behind you made the game!

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Is was super fun... we want to see more of it!

[@gallowglass2630]

Parents at sports events like everywhere else in the world can be more of a hindrance than a help ,but in that case it was great to see the passion..A lot of non irish just assume that as ireland is a european nation its all about soccer ,and while soccer is massive hurling and the other irish sport of gaelic football is as strong if not stronger.In that area hurling is no1 and where i live its gaelic football

[@Granuaile1]

Two things you need to see-an inter county match and the women’s game called Camogie (same as Hurling).

[@chrisplusmelissa]

That would be awesome. Maybe some day.

[@PEBelarus]

I love listening to you guys talk. Upper Midwest accents and you're just so friendly. Are you Canadian? So nice. But I love Chris's questions so much. Do you think we drink a beer before going to a hurling match? So good It's so good. Thank you for this video because I also think that hurling might be the ultimate sport.

[@chrisplusmelissa]

We are from the upper midwest for sure... Minnesota to be exact. It is such a cool sport and someday, I hope to see a game (or is it match?) in one of the more advanced leagues.

[@carolinebarrett4736]

Hey there! I’m a Newly subscribed Irish person- u guys are so adorable 🥰🥰🥰

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Hello Caroline! Thank you for subbing and for the nice comment. Your country is lovely.

[@carolinebarrett4736]

@@chrisplusmelissa awwww 🥰 so is yours 🥰🥰

[@LinsteadDM]

Reminds me of the Rugby games I went to in Cardiff, I kind of knew what was going on but not enough that I was 100% on what was a foul, how scrums worked, or anything beyond scoring. I really loved watching the games but yeah those were an adjustment.

[@gallowglass2630]

Hurling is fairly straightforward there are only a few things you need to know ,you can not throw the ball carry it more than 4 step ,pick the ball off the ground with the hand and handle the ball more than twice in one possession.They are more rules but thats the essence Rugby on the other hand you could watch it for years as i have done and still not fully understand it.They are 72 different violations in the scrum alone and thats just the existing rules ,the governing body change the rules all the time.

[@thomasenright5282]

There are bands, but most of the time for them is normally the finals.

[@gallowglass2630]

We use game and match almost interchangeable.The main TV programme covering the elite games(Nobody gets paid) is called the sunday game and there was a documentary on the sport called the game.We tend just to use match for soccer and rugby ,hurling and gaelic football either can be heard. We wouldn't call the playing area a field almost always a pitch alright. I don't what grade that was probably junior which refers to the quality not the age group,but you can be certain that all the fans knew the players of the teams they came to support .As regards bands we do have bands but not at that level remember thats just village level when i say villlage level not playing it down its the bedrock of the game,but the resources wouldn't be there to have a band playing.

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Thank you for all the info... we hope to watch more of this exciting sport.

[@gallowglass2630]

@@chrisplusmelissa I am glad you got to a hurling match or any Gaelic sport.Together with the session in the galway pub you are getting an authentic irish experience

[@user-px4lx4rp4f]

Great video!! You need to check out Gaelic Football games too!!

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Thank you! We'd like to check out Gaelic Football some day for sure.

[@djbillybopdjbillybop2817]

I have to Sub after this great Video guys.

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@kroche90]

A 65 is what happens if the defence puts it wide. It would be a corner in soccer terms. The player can take 3 steps with the ball in hand, so timing when to put the ball into your hand to get past a defender is key. Too early and you are called for carrying, too late and the defender has access to the ball before it goes to your hand.

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Ahh... thanks for the info... we're hoping we get to make it to another Hurling match some day.

[@philipbohan1007]

Ok Lads, this game is the oldest and fastest field game in the world. There are comparisons with Pelote, played in Florida and the Basque region of France and Spain. The game was played to learn the skills used in battle in ancient Ireland but became a sport that has been played for 2000 years. We've so many world class golfers who learned their hand to eye skills playing hurling, Paul McGinley credited his Ryder Cup winning strategy along the values of the GAA, bringing the parish/local ethos into the team club room - empowering all the players and encouraging a community unified team ethos. The modern version of hurling has been played in an amateur organised game for over 140 years. This game is one of 4 Celtic sports that are indigenious to Ireland - Hurling (precursor to ICE HOCKEY fact, hurling played in the winter in Nova Scotia with Camans {sticks curved historically similar to a hockey stick or west of Scotland - Shinty stick (Gaelic Game similar to hurling)} by Irish imigrants that became the sport of Ice Hockey! Gaelic Football, originally the ancient game of 'Caid' ironically viewed by William Webb Ellis (pioneer of the game of rugby) in south Kerry as his father was a British dragoon stationed there in the 19th century. The game of Caid had the ball kicked in the air as part of the game and Webb Ellis brought this to rugby school allowing the game to take on new skills. Garryowen, an Irish rugby team exemplified this skill and gave the name to the rugby game. Also this game influenced AFL in Australia as ex pats who were interned or emigrated to there in the 19th century brought there game along with aspects of rugby and made Australian Rules Football. Also the game of basketball has similarities with Gaelic Football in the hand passing side of the game. Rounders was played in the ancient Tailteann Games, older than Baseball but strikingly similar rules, since there are over 100 million US citizens claiming Irish heritage you could draw conclusions as to how baseball came about from these ex pats - Boston Red Socks having an Irish American heritage and one of the oldest baseball teams! Handball, a game that played with a small rubber ball (smaller than a tennis ball) in an arena not dissimilar to a squash or raquet ball court, this game is very strong in south Leinster and Munster in Ireland and is played on 'Ball Walls' used to enhance skills for hurling players. Look it, we are a very sporting nation. All of the Gaelic sports are played in an amateur capacity under the auspices of an organisation rooted in amateurism, but crucially embraced by a huge number of clubs/teams/parishes all over Ireland that promote these values. The GAA are an organisation that encourage all forms of Celtic culture music, drama, dance open to all and include all persons/creeds in recent years (excluding the troubled years in certain parts of our country). Most Irish children play all sports - soccer/GAA/Rugby/Basketball and the skills they learn have encouraged players to excel in all these sports at a national level. Our soccer team would have had players - Roy Keane, Dennis Irwin, Robbie Keane, Liam Brady, Kevin Moran who all played GAA, you could argue that their physical put them under pressure nature was learned in the physical side of Gaelic games. Our rugby team who were number one in the world (aprox 50,000 registered rugby players in Ireland compared to 2.2 million in England!) have gotten so much talent from the GAA pool of players, learning their fielding and kicking skills from the GAA . Brian O'Driscoll (Gaelic footballer), Paul O'Connell (hurler), Keith Wood (hurler), Ronan O'Gara (Gaelic footballer) to name a few rugby greats. We are a very small country but our sports players have been enriched by so many codes that embrace amateurism and fair play, exemplified in Celtic sports, sermon over - enjoy!

[@chrisplusmelissa]

We hope to catch another game some day. It was really cool.

[@heffo67]

Jaysus I hope ye were at Cork v Tipperary on the 23/4/23. (very close to a) Full house in that stadium. Two of the oldest rivals in the sport. Cracking game. Had everything. Both teams level at the end. Beautiful stadium, in a beautiful spot, wonderful steep sides and an ideal place to watch a game, I adore that stadium. Even the 'piss stink under the terrace' old one before they knocked and rebuilt it...but a bitch of a place to get to and worse to get out of.

[@emmasweeney3655]

Omg omg I'm so happy you watched galway I live there! Also I play hurling I've got a huge story about it but it's too long

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Galway is lovely!

[@garyhynes6574]

You two couldn't look more Irish...pure north west European...

[@Antawnyoo]

They cheer (and curse) in Gaelic, right?

[@BrianBell4073]

Go to Croke Park for an All Ireland. Amatuer game with 93000 people showing up to shout for their county.

[@1funkyflyguy]

You recorded really good sound quality on this video log.

[@chrisplusmelissa]

We always try to do a good job with audio.

[@knightamongknaves]

like Lacrosse but without the nets on the sticks

[@columbannon9134]

The band's play on the field on the bigger teams (from the counties)

[@catherinefaherty8065]

I'm from Galway Ireland

[@kennethoriordan7838]

I really hoped ye enjoyed Ireland, hurling is almost a religion here, I reckon everybody in Ireland has held a hurl (cumann is the irish word for it) before their 3rd birthday, when my son had his first birthday I got him a hurl,

[@chrisplusmelissa]

We loved Ireland! And Hurling!

[@patrickbridgeman6776]

Hope you got the bug for the hurling best sport in the world, be great to see it catch on in the states , glad you enjoyed it more fitting in the rebel county

[@chrisplusmelissa]

We so much want to go to another match some day.

[@patrickbridgeman6776]

@@chrisplusmelissa go to a game between limerick versus cork or kilkenny then you will see the real hurling.

[@clodagh22]

Firstly BAT! It’s puk the ball

[@clodagh22]

People who know how to play👇

[@riceire2445]

It's similar to lacrosse

[@ocodeskamcdbsm]

Im from Cork, i have been to the US nearly 15 times. I like your videos on our beautiful country. The game y'all were at, I saw my brother and nephew in the background. They weren't supporting either team but they were both part of the backroom teams for the cork minor hurlers and the cork camogie (hurling for women) and in the last 2 years, both teams won the All Ireland Championship. I Hope all of y'all's time here in Ireland was "Mighty Craic" and y'all had no bad experiences. Ireland is generally safe but sadly we have a**h***s who just want to make other people's lives a misery. Fingers crossed, y'all didn't come across any of those Irish people.

[@chrisplusmelissa]

We had mighty craic time and did not encounter one a**h**s Irish person. :)

[@ocodeskamcdbsm]

@@chrisplusmelissa great. All we want for people who are coming to the island is to have craic, see the majestic sights and enjoy the people because we are genuinely a nice bunch it's just sad, that some can ruin trips for our visitors. Glad to see ye made it down South.

[@klondikechris]

The fastest bobsled track, to the fastest game.... you guys living the fast life??? :)

[@cheiftain732]

65 yards .

[@johndoyle2397]

Did you guys actually move to Ireland?

[@chrisplusmelissa]

We did for 3 months last year. It was a fun time. :)

[@johndoyle2397]

@chrisplusmelissa aaw well I hope you loved it. Damn fine looking woman Melissa

[@johndoyle2397]

Wait hang on a minute. Have you moved to Ireland?

[@chrisplusmelissa]

No. We just stayed there for 3 months awhile back.

[@kathrynboyd4448]

Its nothing like Baseball

[@simonmccullagh278]

🇮🇪

[@Anthony-oq9qc]

Buy food before hand put into her bag

[@m.p.7075]

It's really not at all like baseball 😂😂.

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Nope...only the swinging and hitting of the "ball" ... sorry, I know it's not called a ball but I do not remember what it is called. :)

[@daithipol]

True GAA players walk off before the anthem is finished. 😢

[@kathrynboyd4448]

not a stick its called a hurley

[@colmcronin7306]

Come on bro - give us the title of fastest game on grass. I want evidence if not.

[@garyhutton2654]

I must say that you have been very kind and engaging, many thanks to you both most sincerely. I'm Irish that was a normal of the mill stadium but lovely. It wasn't a top tier game but tough.. When you go around the world to different countries please be as respectful as you were to us. If your Irish Americans please do not be ever unkind, that's not us.. Show the world us please thank ye xxx❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Respecting someone else's home is important to us. Thank you for the kind words.

[@garyhutton2654]

@@chrisplusmelissa oh I know kind good people when I see them that's you both enjoy

[@cheiftain732]

Or is it a war . Its all . Everybody use harry potter 🤣🇮🇪 its the best sport on earth . I know america would love it if they got the rules down .

[@cheiftain732]

Your in ireland . You do what you want . Forget whats exepted sure it will be grand . Get a blond in a long black dress into you . Guinness time

[@billabong9215]

That fella screaming near ye, would put anybody off going to a game. Sorry about him.

[@chrisplusmelissa]

No problems. It didn't bother us at all.

[@jpnedlo7229]

Was this made after kissing the Blarney Stone

[@chrisplusmelissa]

Yes.

[@maryhoconnor1554]

𝖨 𝗅𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝖨𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗒𝖾 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗈 😂😅😅