The history and geography of hurling

[AQMP]

It was the Christian brothers that brought it to the schools in Belfast I always thought. After beating you with it they told you to go out and hurl like fook

Could be true, there was a fair bit of hurling at our primary school, the driving force being two Christian Brothers from Waterford and Clare.

[Flutehook]

Up until the 1930's there was two clubs playing out of the parish of Portaferry, the hurling parts of Down then were Kilclief ( strangford) and Newry. Kilclief still hold the most Down senior championship wins AFAIK.
As with everything the local national school in Ballycran got a new head teacher some time in the 30's and he was from Kilkenny, hence the colours, Master McKenna was his name, hence the name of the pitch. He was the big driving force behind the new club. At this time the two Portaferry clubs had amalgamated to form St Patricks and it was the Portaferry club who lent both Ballygalget and Ballycran players to get them up and running, Ballygalget officially formed in 1939, Ballycran something similar so it'd be hard to attribute the hurling in the area of the big farm, small farm scenario seen in Munster and Leinster which probably happened centuries before this.

Interesting alright Johnny. Similarly I heard that Portaferry wear the Tipp colours owing to the significant part played a Tipp man in founding their club back in 1911 or so. He was stationed there as some sort of Customs/Agricultural Officer I gather.

[deiseach]

While digging around looking for evidence of the non-existent relationship between Protestant schools and the GAA, I found this about Dublin and hurling. Puts flesh on the bones of the Edward Carson/hurling legend, amongst other things .

[Plain of the Herbs]

I had not heard this interesting nugget before.
"Although it is impossible to be certain, it appears that the first hurling matches played under GAA rules between separate clubs took place on Sunday 22 March 1885. In Galway a team from the Meelick area (known as The Shannon District) played against a team from Lusmagh which was directly across the River Shannon in King's County."

While digging around looking for evidence of the non-existent relationship between Protestant schools and the GAA, I found this about Dublin and hurling. Puts flesh on the bones of the Edward Carson/hurling legend, amongst other things .

[neilthemac]

There is hurling in parts of Roscommon mainly due to teachers in the primary schools back in the day being from Galway or Kilkenny etc eg Four Roads, Oran

Same with areas in Westmeath - eg Castletowngeoghegan

[Bord na Mona man]

I found this about Dublin and hurling.

The Irish Sportsman noted how those who played hurley had changed 'the swiping game of the savage to a scientific recreation which may be indulged in by anyone without being in constant dread of having one's brains dashed out by an adversary's hurl.'

Hard to believe Declan Lynch was writing articles as far back as 1883.