This weekend the hurling all Ireland final will be played in Croke Park in Dublin. As you might know hurling is a tradtional Irish field game which is played using a hurley stick and a small ball called a sliotar (pronounced slit-or).
If you've ever seen a game of hurling you won't be surprised to hear that it's the fastest field game in the world! The game is also thought to be one of the oldest sports in the world, going back almost 3,000 years. Hurling has also been described in Irish legends, the famous warrior Cuchulainn got his name after he killed a fierce dog by driving a sliotar down his throat.
The game was played in the Middle Ages when neighboring villages would play each other, often with teams of up to 30 men taking part. In 1884 the GAA was formed and so began the practice of counties competing against each other under set rules. The first All Ireland final took place in 1887 in Birr, Co. Offaly with Co. Tipperary defeating Co. Galway. This weekend Tipperary takes on Kilkenny, with the winners taking home the Liam McCarthy cup. If you would like a piece of jewelry made to symbolize your favorite sport just email us at info@claddahgdesign.com
Click here to see a video of the game of hurling being played.