As well as being an avid football, Rugby and other sports fan. I have a passion for my home country game of Hurling. Form a young age in Kilkenny you could not be part of the traditional game. Similar to the passion of football the game in Ireland then and today is well supported.
The history and evolution of the game goes back in time to 1272 BC, it has gone through time seen as a violent game which is understandable from the spectator who doesn’t know the rules. But the format of play does lend itself to being very challenging for both competitive teams.
Coming from Kilkenny of course my team would have to be ‘The Super Cats’the ‘Black and Amber’ colours.
Hurling is governed and controlled by The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) which was founded in 1884. Part of four different games, Gaelic Football, Handball, Rounders. www.gaa.ie Other games supported by the GAA are for Camogie and Ladies Football. Further information and news can be gained by clicking the links on the GAA Website.
I was related to some very successful players within Hurling ‘circles. My mothers Brother Dan Kennedy, her nephew Noel Skehan and cousin Ollie Walsh are well known names in the History of Hurling. My brother John won a county schools championship and I won a championship with St Colmcille’s in St Albans in the early 1970’s.
The poems and images that follow are taken from a book called ‘The Poetry & Song of Black & Amber Glory’ by James Murphy permission was sought from the publishers but with no responce.
The book highlights the story, in poetry and song, of the G.A.A. in Kilkenny, collected and compiled by Tullogher native-born Jamesie Murphy.
It voices the joys of victory, the thrills of winning, and even, sometimes, the hard defeats, captured in vivid detail.
From almost the birth, of the Association, the author, who since childhood, was immersed in its affairs, has gathered together the poetic stories of the games.
From the brown and dust covered manuals, to this computer age, he has trawled through many records, and once again brought back to life the heroes who made history on many a Gaelic field for their beloved county of Kilkenny.
These were the sporting people who made us proud of “Black and Amber Glory”.
ISBN 0-9544664-0-3 The book is now out of print but can be found in some secondhand book stores.
