Fastest field sport in the world, don’t you know? They’re all amateurs, sure they are. Would you believe they only started wearing helmets recently, health and safety gone mad.
If there is one thing Irish people love more than hurling, it is explaining hurling to foreigners. If you haven’t dragged a foreign exchange student to a GAA game you were remiss in your duties as a teenage baby-sitting slave.
We bring our foreign relatives too, of course.
Jack Waide from Boston at his first game in Croker. #fanwall #uptheDeise pic.twitter.com/NR7BzSjsE3
— Donal Waide (@DonalWaide) August 7, 2016
Even the GAA have copped on to the fascination of Cú Cuchulainn’s favourite hobby and big games in Croke Park are promoted towards tourists – ahead of the drawn Kilkenny-Waterford match the PA announcer made a point of welcoming first time visitors to headquarters.
Sometimes we like to let visiting dignitaries have a go – although they usually get stuck with the safer football option: “somewhere between rugby and soccer, it is”.
Dr Yue Xiaoyong,Ambassador of the People`s Republic of China,Croke Park today.Looking forward to World GAA games. pic.twitter.com/4w3gdqiOIF
— Aogán Ó Fearghail (@aoganofearghail) June 24, 2016
In fairness, it does not always go brilliantly when we let our own politicians have a go at the small ball code.
But what happens when the foreigners not only already know about hurling and not only play the bloody game but have come all the way here to compete in the GAA World Games?
Well, our heads implode more than likely and we have questions to ask. You play hurling? Where you from? Do many Germans play? Is it the World Games, is it? How are ye getting on? Good craic though? Can I buy you a pint?
At least that is how this German hurler envisaged conversations going, so he had this T-Shirt printed up.
A @DBGS_GAA Hurling player showing the true spirit of playing Gaelic Games abroad! #GAAWorldgames pic.twitter.com/tanU6iZh2w
— Gaelic Games Europe (@GaelicGamesEuro) August 11, 2016
Wunderbar! Definitely worth a pint.
