KIWI reacts to HURLING for the FIRST TIME | Distracted Reactions Lounge

[@LFire12]

Hell of a lot to unpack and others will no doubt add more but....the Irish National Game. Thousands of years old. Fastest field sport in the world. Helmets are only a relatively recent thing, despite the danger. Not professional, players play for their clubs and counties and are incredibly fit. Players (male at least) are pretty big on average, think around 6'4. Scoring is two tiered like rugby. A goal is worth 3 points, an 'over' (the bar) is 1 point. Hurling is the English word, Iomainiocht is it in Irish, and it literally refers to players hurling the ball down the field. The ball is rock hard and called a sliotar (slith-ar) so catching it is a feat in itself at high speeds. The sticks are called caman (Com-awn). You can run with the ball in hand for a few steps then must either pass (by hand pass or stick) or balance the ball on the stick (which you can do as long as you like/or lose it).

[@DistractedSports]

Cracking explanation. Thank you. Looks like an amazing sport.

[@DubSun33]

Not sure about the average height, 6'4"? But otherwise spot on fella.

[@zombievikinggaming4258]

@@DubSun33 6'2" seems the high end average and 5'10" seems the low end average. Midfielders tend to be bigger on average like 6'2-6'3" with wide defenders being smaller at like 5'10"-5'11"

[@TheDiablosix6six]

Everything is right except the 6'4!! I'd say average around 6ft!! Some taller, some smaller, depending on their position!!

[@Acmhainni]

I'd agree with most of the above with a couple of caveats: You can 'solo' the ball too, which is hopping it off your toe or stick every 4 steps, or it's a free for carrying (think basketball). It's fairly widely acknowledged that if you can't hurl by the time you're four or five, you never will, the skill level is so high. There's no throwing. If you want to hand pass to a team mate, you've to literally slap the sliotar through the air. And the general consensus is they made shit of the whole game when they made helmets mandatory. But to be fair, most of the best players still have teeth now.

[@diarmuidkelleher5319]

In fairness, you should try and watch a full match to get a real appreciation of the reason we are so proud of this sport. Once you start to understand the rules, it is a thrilling sport. Genuinely the skill, speed and scoring are higher than any other field sport I know. Add to that the fact that players are 100% amateurs who play for their own parish or town club and, if good enough, their own county, brings huge passion and pride to players and supporters. Most players start around 5 years old, and it takes a lot of years to develop the skills, which is probably the reason why it isn't played that much outside Ireland. Also, sometimes I think people watching video clips like this one, see it as a bit of a novelty sport, which it certainly is not. Just like football, or rugby it has all the tactics, controversies, atmospheres, and rivalries that get the bloods flowing and the back pages rolling.

[@DroneFoxIreland]

GAA sports are a huge part of Irish culture. Many kids start playing these games at an early age. All the more impressive that Ireland can compete at a world level in other sports.

[@aidanmasterson50]

Way more people play that than Rugby in Ireland. I remember in a movie Jason Stratum described it as a cross between hockey and murder. Played for thousands of years but Helmets only became mandatory in 2010.😊

[@april-tui3524]

😂 😂😂 hockey and murder

[@paulmcgrath6118]

It was blitz, good film 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@m4cker]

Think most you questions have been answered with the exception of the Hurley's themselves. The Hurleys are usually between 30 & 36 inches for men and will have minor variations in shape depending on player preference and skill level. You can pick up a cheap youth hurl for around €30 with new composite hurleys coming in around €35-€45. For a custom made Hurley you are probably in the region of €60-€80. Most high-level players will tend to have a particular manufacturer or guy that they like the feel of and will then further customise by sanding and shaping the wood to their specific liking. The hurleys have traditionally been made of Ash but there has been a fungal decease effecting local ash forests so imported Ash and other woods in addition to composite are becoming more commonly seen.

[@dondavern6077]

Great content. Love your analysis and work with Two Cents. Subscribed and keep up the good work….from another guy from Munster.

[@anthonyohuaithne6208]

Coming from a rugby background as you from an Irish background I feel we have things in common. I have not invested much in hurling. But I will back up the title to the video to say it is by far... Let me say that again... By far the most skillful game in the world. Last summer I was out cycling and came accoss a player in Cork hitting the ball of the wall in front of him in a way that I thought was not human. These guys have years and years of learned skill

[@NeverMakingVideos]

Hurling has a couple of transferrable skills too like. I played as a kid, then switched to rugby in secondary. One "skill" in particular that helped out big time was a complete absence of fear when playing rugby, from the start. As a kid, it took a wee while for me to get over the panic of hurls flying at you, blocking shots or fighting over the sliotar on the ground - especially after a couple broken fingers. Making or receiving tackles, with no weapons in sight, was nothing in comparison - even with playing most games as a forward. I never had much skill on the ball, and my kicks usually looked like I had my eyes shut, but I had no problems going for the biggest lad on the other side. Can't help but thank hurling for that spark of madness

[@robbie4084]

The hurl is made from Ash so it's flexible to a point You can't pick the ball off the ground directly with your hand Some guys can hit that ball over 100 meters The clash of the ash is a common phrase for hurling The soil level is genuinely off the charts The catching, scoring In the bet is a goal (3 points) In between the posts above the net is 1 point. You can shoot from anywhere The speed of the game is incredible They are very fit, And it's an amateur spoor to Please have more of it on your channel Slante

[@thebluehurricane]

In relation to "egg and spoon", a player can only take 4(ish) steps with the ball in hand therefore if you want to run with it you transfer the ball to the hurl(stick). You aren't allow to pick the ball from the ground with their hand so you use the hurl to get it up. Scoring - a goal (3points), over the bar and and between the post 1 points

[@abrahamtomahawk]

Hurling's an awesome sport. There's a similar sport in Scotland called Shinty (though it's a much smaller Highland sport). Shinty's played more on the ground, but is similar enough that there's internationals between Scotland and Ireland with composite rules. I played in a number of these games in my teens (as part of a Scotland U17 squad touring Ireland), and they were great fun (still got the scars though). We went to the Leinster hurling final at Croke Park as well which was absolutely nuts (70,000ish crowd) If you want a funny Irish take on hurling look up Tommy Tiernan's skit about it.

[@LimaBear1235]

Croke Park can hold 82,000 people and it is absolutely full about 8 times a year for hurling and football matches. Its one of the spiritual homes of Irish people. Its also the site of one of the massacres carried out by the British State while it occupied Ireland, they shot indiscriminately into the crowd from an armoured vehicle during a match.

[@LimaBear1235]

I have huge respect for England rugby, they came to Ireland to play during the troubles when Scotland and Wales would not, and the English team were the first team (alongside Ireland obviously) to play any sport besides hurling or football in Croke Park. They showed huge respect and class on the day. It was a huge and controversial moment that was a part of our healing process.

[@InGreenAndRed]

Shinty and hurling are at their core the same sport that developed and became codified separately. Before there was the concept of Ireland and Scotland, the Gaels that inhabited the Scottish Highlands and Ireland were essentially the same people/nation.

[@gallowglass2630]

That must have been Wexford V galway though there was 60 000 though,which was a huge crowd for a leinster hurling.

[@jerryhiggins7557]

@@LimaBear1235 The armoured cars never entered Croke Park, that was a bit of artistic license by Neil Jordan for the film. There were armoured cars outside Croke Park and one of them did fire but over the heads of the crowds trying to escape the shooting inside.

[@readesiun988]

Mate, you can go see it in New Zealand, in Auckland, it has the same rules as Irish football, GAA. It is armature, GAA is the most popular sport in Ireland and ancient. The sticks are called hurleys in English and the ball is called a Sliotar, the hurley is made from ash and the Sliotar is made with a cork core wrapped in leather. The Sliotar can be caught with the hand but you can not take more than four steps with it in hand, so to take more steps, you must place it on the hurley by bouncing or balancing . You can also hit the Sliotar with an open hand. But you can only handle the Sliotar twice at any one possession. You get 1 point for hitting it over the bar and a goal under the bars in the net is 3 points. The goal keepers hurley base is twice the size as a normal players. It is a fantastic game, very fast and you have to be tough. The helmets are a resent addition. Most kids in Ireland are given a hurley as soon as they are able to walk and as such are highly skilled with it by the time they play in school, obviously some exceptional players emerge and will go on to represent their counties.

[@Alaster-]

Just going to add, the Sliotar is always in play, so catching and holding mean your hands are become fair game for the opposition to belt the crap out of! And while trying to catch, you'll need to hold your Hurley to protect your catching hand.

[@ddr.5959]

@@Alaster- That is interesting. I've never seen anyone strike an opponents hand while carrying the ball.Catching it yes but carrying it never. Apart from watching it on telly when I was a goalkeeper, in my youth, everyone tried to take my hand off when I was trying to catch it but nobody every tried to take my hand out when I tried to move and clear it. Opposition players always tried to hook, or block, my hurley but, never my hand. I do remember a team mate having his hand struck while running with the ball and a foul been given for it. I was one of those country guys that played the game more than reading the rules and we learnt as we went along . That's Kilkenny for you I suppose. Which rule are you referring to? Also if you could provide some video links to that in action I would be thankful.

[@Alaster-]

@@ddr.5959 To be honest, my very limited knowledge comes mainly from a good mate I shared a house with for some years a long time ago who happened to be Irish (and mad keen on Hurling). There were no local comps near us, so we'd go down to the local oval with his gear and we used to train the basics - Hurley use, hand passes etc, including protecting your hand when catching. He was adamant about protecting your hand when it had the Sliotar (and catching) and to move it onto the Hurley asap as the Sliotar was always in play and fair game for being hit. I'm guessing there's some sort of gentlemen's agreement to not hit hands in many levels, and most players are smart enough to not get their hands in a position to get hit.

[@diarmuidkelleher5319]

@@Alaster- As the great Christy Ring said. "Never take your eye off the ball, even when it's in the referees pocket"

[@GravyDog]

Nice video Tony. I grew up in Australia, live in NZ now (50 years later). Had the good fortune of having "Nine's Wide World of Sports" on free-to-air telly, with Hurling, Gridiron, Gaelic football, NBA basketball, FA cup soccer, AFL, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse ...you name it. As an Ozzie kid you had exposure to sport from all around the world. Nowdays unless your parents can afford SKY you're shit outta luck.

[@melgallagher7071]

Rugby and hurling , the only 2 sports worth bothering with ! 😂

[@barrysorensen6999]

Great video, and love your Rugby content... Here are some hurling basics.... Game is played by 15 v 15 players, 1 goalkeeper and 14 outfield players on each side. There is 1 goal area at each end (that part you saw with 2 goals was just for warm up to save the main goal area). You score 1 point by going over te bar, and 3 for a goal. The pitch is approx 145m long by about 90m wide. The ball (called a sliothar - pronounced Slith-ar) is hard, the sticks are called hurleys, or hurls, depening on what part of the country you are from. The sliothar cannot be picked off the ground by hand, and a player cannot run with it in hand but can pass/move the ball with an open hand or with the hurl. They can run with the ball on the end of the hurley (egg and spoon part). The game last 70 minutes, 35mins per side and it generally goes about 200kmph for the entire time. Players vary in size but all are strong, fast, and tough as teak. Shoulder to shoulder physical contact is allowed, but much more happens in the course of a game. The lads in the white lab coats are called stewards and they are needed to call on whether a ball goes over the posts or wide (the ball moves so fast its neededed, like touch judges at a penalty or conversion in Rugby). There is also a referee and 2 line judges in the game. There so much more to the game but thats a good starting point.

[@barrysorensen6999]

@@fomora12 You're absolutely right. I had a total brain fart and have no idea how I came up with Stewards. Umpires is correct.

[@martintoland1595]

@@fomora12 They're..(the guys in white coats)..called a helluva lot of things🤐🤫🤣...depending on the intensity of the game..usually with some optimistic reference to an "Opthalmist" "Optometrist" or needing😎..not a "hurl" but a stick of the "White" variety.!!!😡🥵😡

[@paureh9573]

John Wayne was brought to a hurling match while making "The Quiet Man" in Ireland. When asked if he'd like to be down on the pitch playing, he said " Well I ain't going down there without one of those durn sticks!" 😂

[@djjayireland82]

That sliding flick up and the pop over the bar was just sublime

[@eamonnoneill1340]

This hurling and Gaelic football is the reason why Ireland haven’t dominated world rugby for the last fifty years because most of the best athletes in Ireland play these sports

[@BMW2002M10]

Not really, it just took ages for IRFU to get organised! Other unions took it way more seriously far earlier than the professional era. Irelands rise in last 20 odd years as had no negative impact on GAA.

[@Ronny.81]

​@@BMW2002M10 many of the current irish rugby team were ex Gaelic footballers ,so to say it hasn't impacted the gaa is probably not correct,as I'm pretty sure some of these players may have played county football or high level club football.

[@kevinbury3617]

and football...well be better

[@ianhamilton403]

Put it this way every town and village has a gaa club...some only a few km apart...not very many rugby clubs about compared to gaa....as a child you are almost guaranteed to play gaa if you live here.....

[@DenisCarton-rc6gc]

I also reckon that hurling is the reason why the Romans never invaded Ireland. They sent over a scouting party who saw a hurling match and said, Bloody hell, they do that for fun?? We're not going to take on that lot ".

[@mjk4250]

For life you play where you are born - for your local parish club/county. Players are not paid, you play for the pride of your locality. Boys & Girls(Camogie) start learning from 5/6 years old. My Daughters & Son love playing because of the physicality & the excitement. As mentioned below its over 3K yrs old (pre the Celts).It was used to train warriors for battle (men & women). There are many accounts of Hurling being played in between opposing armies. They would wait until the game was finished to commence the battle. Only the best were chosen & was considered a great honour. Players were often killed. If you ever get the chance to come to Ireland in July, nothing beats the excitement of Croke Park on All-Ireland Final day.

[@frankey2356]

MJK that's not true. You can play for whoever you want. My Da was born in Tipperary, but because of his job played in both Galway & Wicklow. But his heart was always in Tipp.

[@mjk4250]

@@frankey2356 you can appeal to the county board once a year for a transfer to play for a different club or county but it has to be reviewed by county. It is not always given.

[@garypatterson9593]

Mate it's the greatest sport ever, super fast and rough AF. Combining skills from hockey, handball, rugby, football and then they give you a weapon as well. I lived in Ireland for 4 years '96-00 and watched it religiously. Back then hardly any players wore helmets and there was a lot of blood. But they hardly sub off!!! I still have a couple of hurls and a sliotar. I can't work out why it hasn't gone globe as its a total gladiator sport! The kids start young and the one thing you never do is pull away as that's when you get clattered in the head!! 😂😂

[@veronicamacgreevy6532]

Hurling has been around for over a 1,000 years it's skills are hurling and there is a woman version camogie

[@hughmcnamara1790]

You got to see Clare win the All Ireland in 1997 . Hon the Banner

[@niallcurran7894]

Its played in the US and London. Mainly Irish GAA (gaelic games organisation) teams abroad. It might become semi pro in the near future. Other than that the breakdown of the points and rules have been explained below. The sticks are made from Irish Ash. Really strong wood. Although the Ash in Ireland is suffering from some disease lately, so Polish ash it's being used as a replacement for now.

[@darren806]

That's gas, I'll have to mention that to any Irish lad complaining about the Polish now

[@padraicnangle7093]

If only I'd seen this earlier. There was a big gaa tournament in Hamilton over the weekend involving 400+ Irish people from all over NZ playing hurling and football both men's and women's

[@darren806]

Tony, this was great, I hope you watch some more hurling highlights so you fully understand the game. It would be class to see you follow up this video in the future, maybe A New Zealanders Intro to Hurling!

[@emeidocathail7808]

Both of my sons played hurling and Gaelic football (and rugby) .. we live near Na Fianna GAA club .. one of the biggest in the world and every evening and all weekend there are hundreds of kids out training and playing .. it’s much more than just the sport .. culture, identity, community, mentoring, friendship and yes, networking.

[@darren806]

Fantastic club... From a former na Fianna player now living down under 😅

[@McCRBen]

@@darren806I also played hurling for Na Fianna decades ago. Now living in Brisbane.

[@jerryoconnor-ps8bb]

Hello from Ireland 🇮🇪. You did an excellent job on hurling. It's virtually impossible to know everything about something totally new to you. New subscrber. Football (soccer) is my number one sport, rugby is number two and hurling is the third. Oh BTW, we kicked your ass in the Autumn series 😅. But I have no doubts that the All Blacks will be back with a bang. Looking forward to watching your videos on rugby.

[@ofaoilleachain]

Iománaíocht(hurling), evolved into ice hurling when the Irish went to Canada during the famine, which eventually evolved into hockey which you see in other countries today. Hurling itself is a 3200 year old sport

[@murraymicha]

I think you'll find Canada's "First Nations'" invented ice hockey ...

[@ofaoilleachain]

@@murraymichaOut of thin air?

[@bryanellis459]

A goal is worth 3 pts, 1 pt for a shot over the bar. You can hold the ball, but can only carry for a few steps, and can't pick it up off the ground. Players are amateur, often farmers/from rural communities. There is a version of it called "shinty" in Scotland, though there are differences.

[@stuartie4065]

Also you can only hold the ball (sliotar) in your hand twice each possession, then you have to hit it away or the ball has to touch the ground. Furthermore the shank shot was actually a hook, where the defender put his stick (hurl) in the way of the other players hurl to distrupt his swing

[@neilmontgomery3470]

There is a Scottish version of this called Shinty which would have evolved from hurling but is a bit different now. The general athleticism and hand to eye coordination learned though playing Gaelic sports at early years does transfer to other sports like rugby.

[@oldmanwillyboy2786]

Aye, but the Picts were playing a form of Shinty before the Celts invaded Ireland and Mainland Britain!

[@christianmccann9400]

​@@oldmanwillyboy2786 hurling 3500 years old .. it predates the celts in Ireland and Britain pal

[@countycricklewood]

That’s why Irish players are usually good jumping for the up & under in Rugby

[@oldmanwillyboy2786]

@@christianmccann9400 Evidence of Shinty in the Pictish Shetlands, the oldest continuously occupied Human site in Britain & Ireland, +8000Bc.........Pal

[@higuk999]

​@@countycricklewood depends on the player, Rob Kearney played garlic football at a high enough level which definitely helped him however I'm not sure keenan has much of a gaa background

[@declancronin437]

A hurling pitch is the same size as a gaelic football pitch which is 140Mtrs x 90 Mtrs. The scores are 3 points when you get it past the goalkeeper into the Net and one point when it is over the crossbar and between the posts. The team that gets the most scores win. The ball is called a sliothar and it is roughly the same size and weight as a base ball. The players are not paid as it is an amature sport but players are heros in the local communities. A good strike of a ball with a hurley can propel the ball over 150 km/h (93 mph) in speed and 110 metres (361 ft) in distance. If you don't learn the proper technique in catching the ball you can break your fingers. A senior game lasts 70 minutes, 35 minutes each half. The final score in last year's All Ireland Hurling final was Limerick 1 Goal and 31 points = 34 points to Kilkenny 2 Goals and 26 points = 32 points, that is 60 scores in 70 mins of play, it is a high scoring game. It is unique to Ireland as it has it origins in tribal warfare and was banned by both the Norman's and British which made it more popular.. 🇮🇪 Hurling is in our folklore in myths and Legends. Hurling is one of the oldest field games in the world and is traced back for at least 3000 years in Ireland with the first literary reference dating back to 1272 BC. There is some hurling sticks in our national museum dating to the 8th century. Hockey is supposed to have come from hurling as a lot of Irish who went to UK, America and Canada set up clubs and adapted it to the local environment..

[@fromthemarkrugby]

I had to come watch this when you mentioned it on the podcast. Very enjoyable viewing.

[@philflynn9161]

Really enjoyed this❤ took my Canadian wife to a hurling game recently. She loved it!

[@TheSockWomble]

At a match years ago my uncle was asked if there were any rules on the field and he said don’t knock out the ref 😂. My father and him were great hurlers back in the day from what I was told.

[@martinacummins9105]

Watch today's match clare against Cork. Absolutely brilliant.

[@thetrickster42]

It’s 3 points for a goal, a point for between the posts (so probably similar to AFL). They can carry the ball in their hand for 4 steps but then they’ve gotta put it on the hurl. I as an Irishman also have a hard time following the ball 😂

[@roryscullion5121]

Basics of hurling. Scoring - 3 points for a goal (under the bar between the posts) and 1 point for a ‘point’ (over the bar between the posts). You can pass or score with your stick (called a hurl, hurley or hurling stick in English or a camán in Irish), your hands or your feet. The people on either side of the goal are called umpires, they each have a white flag to indicate a point being scored and a green flag to indicate a goal being scored. If the ball (sliotar in Irish) goes wide of the goal having last touched a defender, the attacking team restarts the game with a free hit from the 65 metre line (that’s inside their own half of the field, 65 metres from the opposition goal) and they can either shoot directly or pass to a teammate closer to goal. A 65, as it is known is usually taken as a direct shot, and more often than not results in a point for the attacking team. In open play, shots (and even points) are taken from greater distances than this (often due to the angle the players are shooting from). The sport pre-dates recorded history in Ireland and is played in many places where there is a large Irish diaspora such as USA and England. The New York GAA team (football) play in the Connacht football championship and will also play in the Connacht Hurling championship this season (2023). London have played in Connacht for many years in both codes. Neither side is particularly good, usually going out in the preliminary round of the Connacht championship in both codes. They rarely make to the All-Ireland series, which would be the later rounds of the championship that involves county teams from the other three provinces (Leinster, Munster and Ulster respectively). The current All-Ireland Hurling champions are Limerick (from Munster). The most successful county is Kilkenny (from Leinster) with 36 titles. I’m football Kerry (Munster) are both the current champions and the most successful with 38 titles. Gaelic football is played in almost every country with a decent size Irish expat community with hurling being played to a much lesser extent in these communities, probably due to the much higher skill level required for hurling (that’s not to say football is not also a skilful sport). All sports governed by the GAA are amateur. Croke Park is the largest stadium in Ireland, by a long way, and is the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association or Cumann Luthchleas Gael in Irish) headquarters.

[@philipmccarthy6175]

A unique sport that incorporates all the skills needed to create the greatest field sport. Other sports require some of those skills but none require all the skills that are needed to play this fantastic game.

[@karlt1180]

Two scientists in lab coats... 😂 They're the umpires.

[@IrishInsomniac76]

A lot of people don't realize that ice hockey was invented in Canada by Irish people trying to play hurling but because they were playing on ice they had to play the ball on the ground.

[@robertlonergan9401]

Brilliant bullshit! Have you been on the jazz cabbage?

[@charmichealsueflipflop21]

true

[@IrishInsomniac76]

​@@robertlonergan9401 Google it if you think it's BS. KZbin won't let me add the URL to the source to confirm it

[@gallowglass2630]

Yes but hurling was more of a ground game originally

[@philbradshaw7650]

I heard Scottish people playing Shinty on ice. Shinty is played on the ground with similar shape to ice hockey stick

[@conorcahill5422]

As famous actor Jason Statham once called it, it's a 'cross between hockey and murder'.😉

[@johnwhelan3]

There's a few clubs in Auckland that play hurling, I think they play in Seddon fields, if you want to check it out

[@oldmanwillyboy2786]

Hurley Sticks are superb "Equalisers" in a scrap! I have several! In the Cars, at home, and they're perfectly legal, as long as you have a ball next to it!

[@PaddyIrishman]

The guy doing the commentary at around 5:40 was previously a teacher at my old school, Marty Morrissey. The second guy at 6:00 is my dads cousin, Ger Canning.

[@connla]

Mum was the doctor who was on duty in the stadium in Semple Stadium Ireland for when matches were held there during the late 90's and the stories she would tell me. The Hurlers would come in with insane injuries during the match and argue with their wives over being able to work the following week (the players are not professional) while my mum is trying to get the chunk of hurley stick pulled out out of their shinbone. The Sliotar (the ball) is stupidly hard. Not quite Cricket ball hard, but close, what makes it arguably more painful is it has these thick black ridges running around it which means it hurts a lot more when you get clobbered by one. Its a cultural touchstone in Ireland, especially in smaller towns, there's no shortage of hurlers who functionally 'retire' to become a local barber or other small business owner and it's because they played for tipperary or kilkenny for example (two of the biggest county teams) that you went to them over other people, a lot of good will is traded on someone's time representing their county. My dad insisted for years I got my haircut by a former tipp player. If you were on the school hurling team as a kid you got away with so much, we had a local rugby club, but you wouldnt have a school rugby team for most of the schools, but they'd have a hurling team. Only the boarding schools and bigger city schools would have a rugby or football team.

[@connla]

The Sticks are traditionally made out of Ash wood, often with a metal band wrapped around the part for hitting the sliotar. So despite not being a girty as a cricket bat, they can give quite a wallop. They also have a very distinct sound when they strike the ball or another stick dubbed the "The Clash of the Ash"

[@lostcarpark]

Great reaction video. Glad you seem to have enjoyed it. Hope you want to see more! I suggested doing videos about sports you don't know and hurling in particular on your "other sports" poll. Don't know if that was any inspiration for this.

[@gerardodwyer5908]

Entertaining. Pure comedic analysis. Game played all over the world. But only at Championship level in Ireland. Check out your local GAA club in Kiwiland. Give it a lash.

[@quaidbergo]

Not sure if it's been answered elsewhere, fecked if I'm reading all these comments 😅 you can take 4 steps with the ball in your hand but in reality you can take a few more than that, it's rarely strictly enforced and you can get away with 6 or 7 quite easily. Then you pass to a team mate or you can "egg-and-spoon" it OR as has become more common in recent years, strike the ball against the ground with the hurley and catch it again, like a bounce in Aussie rules or basketball. One catch to all this is that you can only handle the ball twice in a possession, once to pick it up and once more after an egg-and-spoon move (called a solo run), if you catch the ball a third time in one possession it's a foul unless you do a handpass as your 3rd hand contact, then it's not counted as a catch. That's why hitting the ball against the ground and back to yourself is useful cause its "resets" your catch count. That's a more advanced level of the rules 😄 But yes it's the sport of kings. Greatest in the world bar none. Luimneach Abú!

[@RoyBattyLives]

2 scientists in lab coats 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣lmao

[@starlightsky222]

Love this 😍 fastest sport ever hurling & camogie Thanks for showing our galway team Great content Much love from galway 🫶🏼☘🇲🇹

[@DavidDArcy1975]

i used to love playing hurling, best sport in the world. i even managed to score a county championship winning goal from about 40 yards out when i was playing u12's...lol, still remember it vividly 36 years later. i believe they play it in Chile and Argentina too where there are major Irish historical connections Go n'éirí an t-ádh leat Respect & Peace

[@MasculinityMindset]

The main guy commenting is, Ger Canning, an Irish legend, he's my second cousin. I see him at all the funerals 😄

[@damianodonnell5844]

Fun fact tadgh furlong current tight head prop for Ireland used to play Gaelic football( a cousin of this game) before joining rugby

[@jameselectric1]

You'll have to have a crack at it now man!

[@EyeInTheSkypaulmcmenamin]

Between the posts is 1 point, below the posts and into the net is a goal which equals 3 points. The ball is called a sliotar (pronounced schlit-orr) and is made of cork and leather and it bloody hurts if it hits you, and the helmet is optional but most play it. The stick is called a Hurley and it's made from an Ash tree reinforced by a steel band, that also bloody hurts if you're clipped with it. Before Ireland gained independence the IRA used Hurley's to drill with since they didn't have enough rifles for every man so it was also seen as a symbol of resistance as was the GAA in general really.

[@davidjenkins2636]

I am a referee in Hurling and the Hemlet is not optional, it is compulsory, if you don't wear it you don't play and if you take it off deliberately you get a yellow car, if your opponent interferes or pulls it off you the get a red card for that offence

[@dneary]

4:40 The extra posts are because on All Ireland Final days, they play a kids' version on a half pitch at half time. Between the posts and over the net is 1 point, in the net is a goal (3 points) - so a bit like behinds in AFL. And no, they're not professional - lots of farmers, school teachers, police officers, ... The game is played grass roots at the parish level, then the best players in the county make up the county teams. There are 34 counties (32 counties in Ireland, plus London and New York with teams) and only about half of the counties have a strong hurling tradition. A variant of this game is also played in Scotland.

[@dneary]

The field is at least 130m long, and 60m wide - and hurlers can score from up to 100m out!

[@dneary]

You're allowed to catch the ball in your hand, for up to 5 steps, twice in a carry - so you catch it, start egg-and-spooning it, then you can catch it one more time for a few steps, then either pass it (hand pass, hit it with the stick, or kick pass) or go back to egg-and-spooning.

[@daveflynn4705]

They're 24 gaa clubs in New Zealand. Playing the 3 codes football, hurling and camogie. Based around Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.

[@peterpauldonoghue7024]

Hurling Is one of the oldest sports played in Ireland 🇮🇪. And as far as I know played only by the Irish , games are played around the world wherever the Irish have settled UK and USA The pitch ( field ) is massive about the size of 4 soccer pitches 160 yards x 100 yards ( 140 x 90 meters ) The game is played with a ball ( sliotar) and an Ash wood Hurley stick ( Carman. The sliotar is hard like a chricket ball ! Made from solid cork , fabrics and covered in leather - with stitching. The Hurley costs about €30 and are easily broken during play The ball can reach speeds of over 150 km/h ( 95 mph) . Yes it is one of the must skilled games in the world .. but, it is one of the best games in the world to watch And even better to play You cannot pick the ball off the ground using your hand . You cannot run with the ball in your hand - only taking a couple of steps - hence the ‘egg and spoon’ race :) A goal wort 3 points is scored if the ball is placed in the net while a point (1 point) is scored if the ball goes over the crossbar between the two uprights.. the ball can be kicked , Hand passed or whatever but not thrown . Please watch a full game - you won’t be disappointed Any questions please ask 73’ Peter ☘️🇮🇪

[@TheKennyboy92]

The best compliment you can give is saying 'the whole world should be playing this'. There are people who play it around the world but not the same level as in Ireland.

[@countycricklewood]

It’s because of our Gaelic games that Irish rugby players are so good in the air! Jumping high to catch the slither

[@casperbachjunckerkennild2592]

As a young lad playing cricket, we used to play some hurling-like games as a warm up excecise - using cricket balls and bats - and had a lot of fun. Using the game to train skills and hand-eye coordination, even though we were not able to pick up the ball we the bat 😂

[@adrianwall4294]

The hockey-crossed-with-murder quote actually comes originally from George Bernard Shaw. Gaelic games are played all over the world - anywhere you find Irish people. The US has hundreds of leagues, as does the UK. New York, Warwickshire and London compete in the All-Ireland championships in both codes every year. My sisters played for Luxembourg ladies in the Gaelic football world championship maybe 15 years ago. Like other posters here, I'd suggest watching an actual match, or extended highlights, to get a proper feel for the game. That video isn't great. I'd recommend any of the last 10 All-Ireland finals, the 2009 and 2010 finals, and the 1991 Munster final replay if you really want to understand why it is absolutely the fastest and most skilful open field team sport on Earth. In recent years, the fitness and skill levels have gone off the charts. The current All-Ireland champions, Limerick, are doing things never seen before on a hurling field. One reason for this is that sports science has become a massive thing in Ireland over the past 20 years or so.This has benefitted all of the sports we play, including rugby.

[@paulnash5500]

Wow, very skilful and fast. Tough guys.

[@IrishInsomniac76]

To answer some of your questions. Hurling and Gaelic Football are played by amateurs and they are the most popular sports in Ireland. They are more fit than muscular. A goal (in the net) is worth 3 points and a shot over the crossbar is worth 1 point but the scoring is shown in goals and points so it might be something like 3-15 which is 3 goals and 15 points where the total is (3 times 3) + 15 = 24 points. It is called hurling as the sticks they use are called hurleys or hurls depending on your county

[@oldoddjobs]

Fair play Tony

[@dermotgilligan6328]

I've never laughed as hard in my life ... Ya mad bastard

[@jamplays9596]

3 clips in a row of cork conceding

[@lenakavanaghrattigan9522]

You get a point for when you get it over the goal. Then, if you get it in the net, it's a goal. The ball is a 10:32 silter, and it is very hard. And the stick is called a hurl

[@Haze-sey]

Played it as a teen 😂 That was fairly civilised what you watched. Seen girls get there shins hacked and noses broken regularly (even through helmets when they were recommended later on). Great game, was used to train up warriors 😉

[@sykram]

Jason Statham in one of his action movies where he knocked 7 shades of shite out of a gang of thugs with a hurley stick, describes the game of hurling, as a cross between, ballet and murder. As an Irish man that made me chuckle 🤭

[@sgreaney1]

Hi. Hurling is a sport just played in ireland it is a very skillful game I have been playing a long time and it is great fun

[@ProTantoQuid]

There are about 2300 GAA clubs in Ireland, some quite small, but the largest (Kilmacud Crokes in Dublin) puts out around 130 teams. There are over 300 clubs outside Ireland, including over80 in GB, 70 in Europe, 150 in N America. It is a wholly amateur sport. Clubs are largely parish-based at club level and the higher level is county based. Maximum pitch size is 145m x 90m. Teams have 15 players and up to 15 substitutes of whom 6 may be used. There is a female version of hurling called camogie.

[@stpatrick614]

A hurley is made of ashe. The sliotar or ball is not as hard as a cricket ball but is the same size. You can score from anywhere. Over the bar and between the posts is 1 point. Under the bar and into the net is 3 points called a goal. 15 v 15 sided game with substitutes.

[@maeliosastafford4590]

So many questions there mate. I will answer a couple. The scoring is like AFL...3 points for a goal ( ball in the net...1 point for over the bat between the posts. It is the fastest field game in the world. The pitch is 120 to 140 metres long by 70 metres wide. It's a 15 man game like Gaelic Football and Rugby union. The ball is not as hard as a cricket ball.. but solid....cork and rubber bound in leather. The great point scorers can take a point from 80 metres sometimes. Anyway if you are interested...between all us Irish...we can enlighten you.

[@stephencorrigan6276]

The Hurley or stick is made of Ash (hardwood)and the ball is solid like marble 😂

[@keithscanlan14]

Best sport in the world hands down we live for the spring summer time here when the championship starts and its an amateur game aswell

[@Gordon-p2z]

In from Northern Ireland and it's a Catholic game and we absolutely love it

[@darmerl6548]

And size wise. They're beasts big and strong and tough as nails

[@patrickmackey8633]

Just a couple of extra points That skill of flicking the ball off the ground with the hurley - another name for the stick - is because you can't just pick the ball off the ground with the hand. You caught a glimpse of a player hitting the ball off the ground - a bit like a golfer hitting off the tee. This is called a sideline cut and is how the game restarts after going into touch. Some players are specialists at this and can score points from these. The game has gained some attention from some cross cultural references. Someone referenced Jason Statham using a hurley as a weapon in one of his movies. In the 1950s a British made movie called Rooney starring John Gregson featured a storyline involving hurling and included footage of that year's All Ireland final. A little aside of that is that before the final the teams march around the pitch behind a band. newsreels of the game show 1 team has 16 players and the other the regulation 15. This is because for the film Gregson marched with one of the teams in the team colours. The recently retired captain of the England 1 day cricket team, Eoin Morgan grew up in Dublin and played hurling as a youngster. If you look at footage of his earlier batting performances he plays several unorthodox shots - some of which at least are modelled on hurling and as you mentioned hand eye coordination is a big part of hurling and he used this to his advantage in his cricket career. The pitch is about 150 metres end to end as some players can hit the ball over 100 metres.

[@paulhmull]

These are the boys the rugby crowd would love to have, hard as fooking nails. The other code, Irish football also has pretty hard individuals and all round sportsmen. The soccer lads can stay where they are, soft lads (modern players anyway)

[@owenzey]

Growing up in Ireland, my father always wanted me to hurl. I was scared. I felt like Billy Elliot. He bowed his head in shame the day I joined the Marines cause I was too soft to hurl!! Hardcore sport!!

[@johnmc3862]

Look they given'em sticks now! 😂

[@johnoriordan7419]

One point over,the bar, 3 points for goal

[@tommy2bago]

these guys have been playing it since they were old enough to hold the hurley; it is pretty much an extension of the arm. In primary school we played it all the time. The hurleys are pretty cheap as the break pretty regularly.

[@tommy2bago]

@@fomora12 oh wow, didn’t know that. Been living in Aus for 15 years.

[@CRAiCED.]

It's a religion here. You're taught as young as 4 or 5 so the stick becomes an extension of your arm so by the time you're a young teen your skill level is insane. Very difficult to pick up buy to be honest it's the most skillful game in the whole world aswell as the fastest

[@liamholton8937]

Every Irish guy has played this sport at least once in their life, be it professionally or amateurly. The ball, or sliotar, is hard and hit at high speeds so if you get hit with it anywhere it stings like mad. It's an amateur sport so no one plays it for money or anything like. And players only play for their counties and hometown clubs, so there's no transfers or anything like that. One of the best field sports out there.

[@irish_pixiexxpam2811]

It's a hurl & a sliotar (ball) very physical & fast game. Over the bar 1 point, in the goal 3 points.

[@irish_pixiexxpam2811]

Amateur game, players not paid, they can only take so many steps & hop the ball on the hurl. You need to watch a full game

[@butlersg1]

The shanked shot wasn’t a mistake, the player was disrupted by the stick of an opposition player behind him (it’s called a hook). It’s fast, blink and you miss it! Greatest game on grass- the reason it’s not played every where is because it’s so difficult

[@jackhennessy7209]

You should follow the championship this year, I'm an irishman and I'm proud to have this as a national sport, watch a full game and you will understand, the beautiful game is hurling not soccer,

[@TheBlaert]

Played it up until I left school. Quit due to having absolutely horrendous eyesight plus a knee that doesn't work too well. Hell of a sport

[@eamonmoynihan1790]

A goal is 3 points and over the bar is 1 point you can't pick it off the ground you have to be very good

[@orlaithhennessy4522]

You should have a look at the other national sport, gaelic football, and look up effin Eddie, he commentated on local football derbies in the nineties, absolute legend

[@emeraldbandit]

lol theres a lot to unpack and understand about this sport as well as galiec football. ok I havent seen the full vod yet or read the comments but in case it aint coverd let me explain the scoreing system. a goal which is the bal in the back of the goal net is worth 3 points. over the bar between the posts is 3 points. so say a team score was 1-20 whi is one goal and twenty points it totals out to 23 points in total

[@daithipol]

My dna is entirely munster too... never let it stop me though 😂

[@april-tui3524]

Well this is crazy, reminds me of lacrosse and hockey? My daughter had to play lacrosse at her school and hated it. Easy to get smashed up in these games. Wild.

[@lugo_9969]

Hurling might be the daddy of Canadian ice hockey

[@paulhoward5500]

semis coming up you going to watch it this weekend on RTE ? 15th June

[@Jack-uk1wi]

more ??

[@kierandonnelly8397]

Yea they do play it in nz

[@creekyknee]

Shinty in Scotland is a close relation to hurling. And... apparently Ice Hockey came about when Irish immigrants started playing hurling on frozen rivers and lakes in Canada.

[@gerishine3584]

The best game in the world. Played properly with a referee who lets the game flow is magical and considering all these men play for their county, amateur in status, the ultimate reward on All Ireland Final day, the Liam McCarthy Cup. Limerick are the current champions, going for 4 titles in a row this year. Arguably, one of the best coached and drilled teams ever. LUIMNEACH ABU.

[@shanemolloy4731]

Solo the egg n spoon . You can hook their hurly with yours as they swing its great

[@adrianwall4294]

Also, one similarity with rugby is that the game has developed a type of ruck in the last few years. These rucks usually require the ref to stop the game and restart by throwing the ball in between 2 players. Again, watch an actual game for best results! :)