This is also an Irish sport. Men use sticks that look like field hockey sticks. In order to move with the ball, a baseball-like ball...very hard, one has to dribble the ball by bouncing it upwards with the stick. To pass it to an teammate, you toss the ball to yourself and swing at the ball like in baseball!

This is a very bloody sport. I've seen people get whacked in the face with the stick and...part of their cheek partly sliced off!

Common Hurling Terminology

Belt - eg "I gave it belt" - I put a fair bit of effort into it

Warp - hit something hard as in "I'll f*ckin' warp you"

Mighty - very good

Hames - a right shite - eg. "he made a hames of that clearance"

Timber - intimidation of a hurling opponent

Welt - swing at

Lamp - a good thump

A Crowd - Eg. "that crowd from Ardrahan are a right shower of shites"

Schkelp - a good thump

Bullin' - angry. eg. "the centre half back was bullin' after I lamped him"

Bull thick - very angry

Joult - a push

Joshel - a shoulder push

The Comm-it-eeee - Local GAA bullshitters in general

Bushted - eg. "Jayz me arm is bushted"

The Bomber - a very popular nickname for a GAA player

A hang sangwidge - consumed with tay on the sides of roads after matches in Croker or Thurles.

Citeog - he hit it with his citeog. ie. left handed/footed

Blast - A great amount of anything.

Rake - Also a great amount of anything, usually pints of Guinness

A Shamozzle - a group of players shkelpin' one another but not exactly hittin' anyone at the same time

Flakin' - usually goes on for a whole game..... eg. "Jayz Paul Cooney gave Pateen Higgins an awful flakin' below in Loughrea on Sunday". To "flake" a lad for a whole game usually starts off with a bit of the aforementioned "joshellin'" and "joultin'" and develops into a bit of "weltin'" and may even result in a good "lampin'" for the victim especially if he gets "bull thick". Namajaysus - What was that for, referee?

Ya-bollix-ya - Corner back's formal recognition of a score by his opponent

Leh-it-in-ta-fuck-would-ya - Full forward's appeal to a midfielder for a more timely delivery of the pass

Mullocker - untidy or awkward players

Horsed - bout of rough play or intimidatory tactics as in we horsed them out of it. Sometimes referred to as kicking/batin' the shit out of the opposing team.

Horse - untidy or rough player. There's one in every club

Burst the Cunt - Common exhortation also referred to as the Turlough' roar.

Row - Fight involving four or more players swinging hurls like lunatics

Massive Row - Row involving both team,substitutes and supporters jumping fences

Running Row - A massive row that continues out in the parking area and or dressing room areas.

The fastest field sport in the world.

Hurling is played with a curved stick known as a camán or hurley and a hard ball with raised ridges known as a sliotar. The hurley is made from the wood of a mountain ash and is shorter and flatter than a hockey stick.

The teams line up with fifteen players aside on a rectangular pitch facing a rugby like goal. Hitting the sliotar over the crossbar earns 1 point while under the crossbar (i.e. a goal) earn 3 points.

As in Gaelic football, the fifteen players are divided into one goalkeeper, three full backs, three half backs, two midfielders, three half forwards and three full fowards.

Once a ball is picked up with a flick of the hurley, it may be carried for four steps. Then the player must either flick the ball to himself (the female version of the game is known as camogie), balance it on his hurley or pass the ball by hitting it with the hurley.

An opposing player will hassle the man in possesion with his own hurley. The potential for serious head injuries has prompted many players to wear protection.

This game was introduced by the Celts to Ireland and there are records of a form of hurling being played 2000 years ago. In those days it probably took the form of faction fights between two villages. The game has enjoyed a revival since the establishment of the Gaelic Athletic Association in the nineteenth century. However, it has not attained the popularity that Gaelic football enjoys.

The main bastions of Hurling are the Irish counties Cork, Kilkenny, Galway, Wicklow and Antrim. The greatest hurling player of all time is generally held to be Christy Ring.

Despite the injuries that sometimes result, hurling is a game of great skill. Lightning fast reactions are needed. When watching on TV it is difficult to see the sliotar as it zips about. There is no more exciting game in this sport than the All-Ireland Final generally won by either Cork or Kilkenny.

See also Gaelic Football.

Hurl"ing, n.

1.

The act of throwing with force.

2.

A kind of game at ball, formerly played.

Hurling taketh its denomination from throwing the ball. Carew.

 

© Webster 1913.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.