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I understand that that is a fair bit longer than your average post, and it probably won't be read.

But I hope that it can answer the Wobbler's question as to why hurling people are into hurling. 

Despite all the evidence pointing to the contrary, I'll give the Wobbler the benefit of the doubt and assume that they're genuinely curious, and not trying to get a snipe in at the small ball code and its followers.

Firstly, I never said every Irish person would adore hurling if only they were exposed to it from a young age. That's a quare statement. Where did you pull that from?

I said we should be making efforts to introduce hurling into the primary schools in the county.

As it stands, out of the half a million people living in County Down, only those that are  born into an area serviced by 14 established clubs will have the opportunity to play hurling. Doesn't seem like great exposure, does it?

I'm not for forcing footballers to drop the big ball and make them play hurling, as some seem to fear may be the case. I'm for giving people the opportunity to play hurling. I never understood why people were so offended and disturbed by that idea, and I hardly think I'll ever understand it now. Unless you would be able to explain it to me, Wobbler?

In my opinion, every child should have the opportunity to play both games- hurling and football. Will every person who lifts a hurl and drives a ball fall in love with it? No chance. Should they be denied the opportunity to play as a result of predetermined geography? Sounds ridiculous to me.

The most important thing is to give everybody the opportunity to play hurling and camogie. Not to win All Irelands, not to win Championships, not to replace football. To have the chance to play the game.

In regards to success though (because we all surely want to see Down win, or we wouldn't be here on this board), there are, no doubt, many talented hurlers out there, but we'll never know, because they'll never have the chance to try it.

Shamrock's best player was a Burren man.
Warrenpoint's most influential player is a Rostrevor man.
Ballyvarley's main man is a Glenn man.
Even one of Ballygalget's key players is a Downpatrick man.

There are no doubt people who could do great things for Down Hurling, but becuase they happen to live in an area that doesn't hurl, we will never see it.

And say what you will, that if people want it they can seek it out, but you know fine rightly that it isn't as simple as that. Some of Down's most promising young hurlers are from Carryduff. If Carryduff hadn't introduced hurling in 2003, do you think all the parents of those players would have took them into Bredagh or further into Belfast? I doubt it, somehow.

No one is forcing people to play hurling. It is about giving people an opportunity to play hurling. But you seem obsessed that a stick will be forced into people's hands, so I'm not sure if I can change your mind on that.

You seem particularly upset with the idea of introducing it to EVERY primary school, as you say.

Yes every school. How many primary schools are in County Down? I don't know, but it isn't exactly hard to do, is it? Would you prefer it kept confided to the schools on the southern tip of the Ards Peninsula? I'm not sure why the idea of hurling being spread has upset you to this extent. Nobody has asked you to personally visit each school and give hurling sessions. 

You said hurling should grow organically. I can't think of a much more organic way of doing so that planting the seeds of hurling development at a young age and watching it grow.

This clearly has upset you. I'm not sure why. It is a perfectly reasonable idea that hurling may grow and it should be more widespread.

In regards to you other point as to 'hurling folk choosing to be chased around with sticks' and this not being a 'natural human instinct,' but 'normalised in Kilkenny and Waterford.'

I'm sure this is just another jab and an attempt to try and provoke hurling folk, but once again, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you genuinely are struggling to understand the game of hurling.

The idea of hitting a ball with a stick is in no way unique to the people of Munster, Kilkenny, and the Ards Peninsula.

Iterations of stick and ball games have been played across the world, by humans, for millennia.

Hurling, hockey, shinty, and bandy are probably the ones that spring to mind. But the Native Americans in North America have their own versions of stickball.  On the other side of the world, in India they have Gilli Danda. In Inner Mongolia, in China, you will find Beikou. In South America, the Native population were playing a game called Palin, which the Spanish colonialists noted was similar to the game Chueca that they had in Spain. If you travel to Athens, you can go to the museum and see Ancient Greek artwork, depicting the game of kerētízein, and other, archeological records show stick and ball games being played in Egypt, Persia, and Ethiopia, a long, long time ago. 

To try and infer that the act of striking a ball with a stick is no more human nature than trying to drive a ball with your boot, is misinformed, lacking awareness, and ignorant.

Although I'd be happy to, I'm not going to get into an anthropological discussion about where hurling came from, and the relation of stick and ball games to the human nature. That is not what this board is for. No one here wants to read that, and I highly doubt you're interested in engaging in such a discussion.

But to say to take to the field and get chased by 15 people with hurls, is not human instinct, demonstrates two things; firstly, you don't understand the game of hurling if you think it is being chased by 15 people, and secondly, you don't understand human nature. To suggest people are obsessed with forcing a pigskin into a goal, as opposed to a ball of leather and cork, and one is natural behaviour and one is absurd, is ridiculous. My dog will chase a sliotar if I puck it, and will similarly chase a football if given the opportunity. That would tell me it's a highly natural animalistic behaviour, as opposed to solely a human instinct.

To say the stick-equivalent of these games do not share the same participation levels, is a meaningless comment. It is more effort to craft an appropriate camán, and can be even more effort to learn how to use one to any great effect.

To try and paint hurling as some ludicrous, unnatural behaviour, whilst you post on the internet, is ironic.

To try and portray the people of Kilkenny and Waterford as being desensitised to unnatural behaviour, for partaking in Irish traditional and culture, is disrespectful.

Nobody mentioned a single hour a week of coaching from a guest 'bumming and blowing' as you so elegantly put it.  Freudian slip? Maybe this is the type of coaching you were exposed to, but I'd like to strive for something better.

I would like to assume, if it was done, it would be done properly, and at the very least, introduced in a PE type format, and ideally, in a format similar to that which Dublin used to get to the stage they are now at.

I wouldn't call that an attempt to reverse human instincts. I've heard some daft anti hurling rhetoric before- but to call it unnatural to human instinct is going to take some going to beat.

Im sure you're aware that football wasn't really a thing until 1884-1885, when the game was created to act as a Gaelic alternative to soccer and rugby. Of course, 'caid' and various forms of football have been played in Ireland for hundreds of years, but to pretend that they are the same as the modern game is foolish.

Of course, hurling has changed greatly over the years, and is not the game it was when it was played millennia ago. However, it seems to have a better tradition on this island than football, with the modern rules of football ironically being influenced by the previously established rules of hurling.

I am not going to bash football. I quite like it. I've had some great days following the Down Footballers, and some not so great ones. But to try and act as though it is the most natural of human behaviour, and the act of anyone picking up a hurl could place it under threat, is a wild statement to make.

To try and chastise hurling people, ordering they 'take a wee step back,' and 'accept hurling is not a natural human instinct,' is a quare take. What do you think gives you the right to tell hurling people to know their place?

It's been 32 years since Down won an All Ireland. Which is sickening. But it's not like the footballers are in much of a better position than the hurlers as of late. Granted they won the Tailteann Cup, but the hurlers won the Christy Ring in that space of time, too.

At the end of the day, Down are Division 1 in the hurling, and Division 3 in the football. Even if you want to say Div 1B is a second division, that's still a level above the footballers at the moment.

Do you think that by denying people the privilege and the opportunity to play hurling, Down are going to win the Sam Maguire this year as a result?

Your own club has a proud camogie tradition, and has produced some fine camogs. I would be proud of all that they have achieved, including winning the Intermediate Championship this year. I wouldn't be slagging it off as unnatural behaviour.

I'm not sure why the idea of giving more people the opportunity to play hurling has upset you so much, Wobbler. I assume that maybe it's just one of those days.

Nobody is trying to force you to either play hurling, or enforce it, but I don't see why you think you should deny others the opportunity to be involved with it.

I would highly recommend you travel to Ballycran on Sunday to support the Down hurlers against Wexford. You may see how much hurling means to some people in County Down. I understand that Ballycran is a bit of a trek, and it all likelihood Down will get well beat.

Down will play Antrim in Páirc Esler on the 21st of March. It should be a competitive game and Down really do have a chance to win. It is our biggest hurling rivalry, too, if we're being honest. I'd highly suggest you go down for an hour to not only support the county in a local derby, but to see the work that is put in, to see the skill of some of our hurlers, and to see how much it means to the hurling people of An Dún. You'd be more than welcome.

And don't take that as someone trying to force you to enjoy hurling or indoctrinate you or demand you fall in love with the game. No one is trying to force your conversion to a hurling-supporter.

But I fail to see why you think we should be denying other people the opportunity to hurl, and why effort should be spent trying to stop those who are looking to grow the game and develop hurling in Down.

Disappointing for the hurlers on Saturday. Went into the break with a lead and I was probably over optimistic in thinking they could hold onto it.

Although disappointing, it is probably worth acknowledging that Down were far more competitive with Carlow than they have been in previous encounters.

When Down met Carlow in the championship last year, Carlow won by 20+, slotting 6 goals. They also bagged 6 goals in the last championship encounter before that. Carlow won the Joe McDonagh the year before last, and are not a bad side.

So to be competitive with them is not bad at all, although it doesn't take away from the eventual defeat.

Discipline was something of an issue, with 3 yellows in the first half, and a red in the second.

Agree Kildare have gone from strength to strength. Not sure if Down have regressed, or if they have hit their ceiling for the time being, but Kildare will certainly be favourites. I'm not going to look too much into them being competitive with Kilkenny in the Kehoe Shield- although that is obviously massive for themselves.

An experimental Wexford were very lucky to fall over the line at home to Antrim. Take from that what you will, but both those games will be tough.

Wexford at home next weekend is going to be wildly difficult, but it is great to see Down playing teams of this standard.

U20s were soundly beat by Antrim over the weekend. Down need to go right back to the beginning and make efforts to introduce hurling to every primary school in the county. Currently we rely on putting everything into one performance and hoping our opponents have an off day. Gets a result every once in a while, but if Down are to really progress, we need to see a systematic change.

This weekend, Down will play in the Division 1 of the NHL for the first time since 2007.

Down are favourites to go straight back to Div 2, but staying up is not out of the question and it would be amazing for Down's development to regularly get games against Liam MacCarthy teams in the coming years.

Clare, Wexford, and Dublin will, in all likelihood, be far too strong.

But it is well worth remembering Down beat Kildare to win the league last year, and had been something of a bogey team for Carlow in the not too distant past.

If what is coming out of Antrim is to be believed, they could be in for a rough year and I really do believe Down should be targeting that game on the last day for survival.

Carlow will be favourites this weekend, but it is certainly a winnable game for Down. The preseason was fairly unremarkable and it is clear that the management knows who their key players are.

The step up this year will be huge, but there is no reason Down can't solidify themselves in Div 1.

Considering the Abbey takes its colours from the Down county colours, it is fair to say it is a Down institution.

St Colman's similarly another Down institution.

Of course, goes without saying that both accommodate for those who come to them from the Armagh side of the Clanrye.

Bryansford won a Down Special Junior Hurling Championship in the early to mid 80's. Obviously a defunct competition now, but I'm guessing it was a Junior B Championship type arrangement?

Bryansford started underage hurling up last year. Not sure how it will go but it would be important to have a hurling outlet in a big urban area like Newcastle.

Wonder when the Special Junior Championship was done away with. There a couple clubs who are currently a bit of a junior championship- maybe wouldn't be a bad thing to see it reintroduced.

Mind Bryansford playing a bit. There was also a juvenile team in the 90s called Rosconnor Gaels over around teconnaught area. Eddie 'Tipp' behind it.

I assume this team covered a few clubs and not just Teconnaught?

I suppose St Kevin's camogie club would cover that area now if they ever extend to the men's game.

Idea of McKenna Cup is to balance getting players ready for the league and trying to source new players for the league & Championship.

I would say Lav has a pretty decent idea of what his starting XV will be vs Clare and the lads will be ready to go.

I wouldn't discount anyone based on that performance but I don't think anyone really stood up and made a case for breaking into the expected team anyway. Thought Crimmins put in a good shift, McPolin & Brooks have potential but didn't convince me they're ready starters.


Wanna see more of Loughrin & Brown in FF line. Loughrin started brightly with 2 moves scores but hardly touched ball after.

Think Brooks is probably deserving of starting in the league at least.

Would be good to see Loughran starting this year.

When was the last time an inter county match was held in Newcastle? Is it completely removed from being associated as any type of county grounds?

It would have been a novelty to see the county footballers line out in McKenna Páirc, although I'm not sure who would have been more unhappy- the Ballycran men, or the footballing fraternity.

I understand why the decision was taken, but ultimately it was the wrong decision. It's bad enough to give up home advantage. To give it up to Armagh of all teams, though...

If Antrim can make Corrigan work I'm sure something could have been sorted within Down.

Tullycarnon

Where exactly is Tullycarnon?

A quick search online shows there are two townlands in Down with the name- one in and around Portaferry, the other about Ardglass.

Is Ballyvarley and Banbridge not one and the same thing?

Ballyvarley and Aghaderg are one and the same. It was explained to me before the reasoning for the two names. It's a bit of a convoluted explanation in my opinion when you consider the camogs in the parish go by Aghaderg- although I'm sure those involved could justify it and explain it well enough for me to understand.

Clann na Banna are the team in the town of Banbridge- only a mile or two away on the same stretch of road.

To the best of my knowledge Ballyvarley/Aghaderg more-so encompasses the village of Loughbrickland and the surrounding parish/countryside, as opposed to the town of Banbridge.

A long time ago, late 70s or 80s I think.

There was something of a drive from the county board around that time to promote hurling in non-hurling clubs, with competitions being 11-a-side.

Banbridge was one of those clubs which took part.

I don't know a great deal more about it than that, unfortunately.

There's been some amount of clubs in Down who have dabbled in the small ball over the years at one point or another. Some of them got on very well with it, too.

For one reason or another, a lot of them have disappeared.

If anyone is able to add to the list, please do.

- Kilcoo
- Ardglass
- Rostrevor
- Darragh Cross
- Banbridge
- Saval
- Mayobridge
- Glenn
- Annsborough (Aughlisnafin)
- An Ríocht
- Downpatrick
- Saul
- Clann na Boirce (Bryansford)

To the best of my knowledge St Paul's, Holywood had underage hurling in the not so distant past- but it never took off at senior level.

Out of these former Down hurling clubs, a number have reintroduced hurling at underage in recent years.

From what I know, there was something of a drive in the late 70s/80s to encourage and promote hurling in 'football clubs.'

If anybody knows of any other clubs that used to put out hurling teams, has memories of any defunct hurling teams, or knows anything about them, it would be very interesting to hear.

Anyone know anything about Sean Martin's in the Short Strand?

Been talking about it a bit lately with someone, but there's very little to actually read or look into.

Know a couple lads who played for them years ago- one of them says he remembers playing in County Down. Was the club a Down club or an Antrim club?

To the best of my knowledge the club colours were maroon and white.

Think I'm right in saying the club finished up sometime in the 90s? What were the reasons which led to the disappearance of the club?

I know St Malachy's would be the local team nowadays, but a lad from the Strand told me there would be people in the area play for Davitts, Ardoyone, and the like.

Where did the club play out of?

East Belfast never really took off in the Strand to the best of my knowledge.

Interesting to think about the club when discussing the GAA in Belfast.

Somebody showed me Rostrevor's 5 Year Development Plan.

An interesting read- well, I suppose if you're into that kind of thing- but there was one thing in particular that stood out to me.

Strategic Goal # 3.7:
Explore expansion into other codes.

I was very pleased to read that.

Before the plan, there is an article about the history of the GAA in Rostrevor. There are several mentions of hurling, camoige, and handball in the parish. It does not only make a reference to the ghosts of the small ball, but it talks about the hurling and camogie success of previous years with great fondness, and talks about Rostrevor's reputation as "a thriving, multicode GAA club" with great pride.

Again, I was very pleased to read that.

The plan does not promise to restore hurling by 2030.

Instead, it sets out that they intend to 'examine the feasibility of the reintroduction of hurling and camogie' and 'survey the interest to offer handball and rounders.' All subject to facility enhancements. Of course.

I think this is a great approach from Rostrevor. I don't know if hurling will return to Rostrevor as soon as that. I hope so. But I can appreciate the challenges it will face. But I do think this is a great, pragmatic, sensible approach from a 'football club' who seem to be willing to engage with the other codes.

Too often I hear in football clubs 'sure no one would want to play that.' An insufferable argument.

According to the article, Rostrevor has 841 playing members. I'd say they could get 15 for a junior hurling/camogie team.

Rostrevor last won a hurling championship in 1994- well within living memory for many people. There is a tradition. Perhaps not the tradition of Portaferry or Ballycran; but there is a tradition nonetheless.

If every club was at least open to the possibility of providing hurling and camogie like Rostrevor seem to be, it would be a huge step in the right direction.

Best of luck to Rostrevor. Let's hope we see the small ball back at the foot of the Mournes before too long.

Regarding the handball and rounders- I know nothing about them. But I do think as part of Irish culture they deserve to be preserved and promoted in their own right.

Surely every club- hurling, football, or dual- could offer handball?