Hurling

Hurling (Irish: iománaíocht, iomáint) is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin. When played by women, it is called camogie (camógaíocht), which shares a common Gaelic root. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of players and much terminology.

The objective of the game is for players to use an ash wood stick called a hurl or hurley (in Irish a camán, pronounced /ˈkæmən/ or /kəˈmɔːn/ in English) to hit a small ball called a sliotar (pronounced /ˈʃlɪtər/ in English) between the opponent's goalposts either over the crossbar for one point or under the crossbar into a net guarded by a goalkeeper for three points. The sliotar can be caught in the hand and carried for not more than four steps, struck in the air or struck on the ground with the hurley. It can be kicked, or slapped with an open hand (the hand pass), for short-range passing. A player who wants to carry the ball for more than four steps has to bounce or balance the sliotar on the end of the stick (solo), and the ball can be handled only twice while in the player's possession. Provided that a player has at least one foot on the ground, he may make a shoulder-to-shoulder charge on an opponent who is in possession of the ball or is playing the ball, or when both players are moving in the direction of the ball. No protective padding is worn by players though a plastic protective helmet with a faceguard has been mandatory for all age groups since 2010.

Early forms of hurling have been played since at least the Middle Ages, with the earliest written references appearing in Irish law tracts from the seventh century. The earliest archaeological evidence dates from the twelfth-century. The first written rules for hurling were published in January 1883 by the Dublin Hurling Club.

Hurling is today administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It has featured regularly in art forms such as film, music and literature. The final of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was listed in second place by CNN in its "10 sporting events you have to see live", after the Olympic Games and ahead of both the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship. Financial Times columnist Simon Kuper wrote after Stephen Bennett's performance in the 2020 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final that hurling was "the best sport ever and if the Irish had colonised the world, nobody would ever have heard of football". UNESCO lists hurling as an element of intangible cultural heritage. A 2024 survey found that hurling was the favourite sport of 25% of Irish people.

A hurling pitch is similar in some respects to a rugby pitch but larger. The grass pitch is rectangular, stretching 130–145 metres (140–160 yards) long and 80–90 m (90–100 yd) wide. There are H-shaped goalposts at each end, formed by two posts, which are usually 6–7 metres (20–23 feet) high, set 6.5 m (21 ft) apart, and connected 2.5 m (8.2 ft) above the ground by a crossbar. A net extending behind the goal is attached to the crossbar and lower goal posts. The same pitch is used for Gaelic football; the GAA, which organises both sports, decided this to facilitate dual usage. Lines are marked at distances of 13 metres, 20 metres and 59 metres (41 metres for Gaelic football) from each end-line. Shorter pitches and smaller goals are used by youth teams.

Teams consist of fifteen players: a goalkeeper, three full backs, three half backs, two midfielders, three half forwards and three full forwards (see diagram). The panel is made up of 24–30 players and five substitutions are allowed per game. An exception can now be made in the case of a blood substitute being necessary. Blood substitutes are a result of one player needing medical treatment for a laceration and another coming on as a temporary replacement while the injured player is tended to.

From 1 January 2010, the wearing of helmets became compulsory for hurlers at all levels. A standard hurling helmet is a helmet designed specially for the games of hurling and camogie. It consists of a plastic rigid shell, lined with foam cushioning, which covers the forehead, temples, crown of the head and down to the nape of the neck. A wire grille faceguard covers the whole face and is secured by straps that clip at the back of the head.This saw senior players follow the regulations already introduced in 2009 at minor and under 21 grades. The GAA hopes to significantly reduce the number of injuries by introducing the compulsory wearing of helmets with full faceguards, both in training and matches. Hurlers of all ages, including those at nursery clubs when holding a hurley in their hand, must wear a helmet and faceguard at all times. Match officials will be obliged to stop play if any player at any level appears on the field of play without the necessary standard of equipment.

Senior inter-county matches last 70 minutes (35 minutes per half). All other matches last 60 minutes (30 minutes per half). For teams under-13 and lower, games may be shortened to 50 minutes. Timekeeping is at the discretion of the referee who adds on stoppage time at the end of each half. In 2020, water breaks were brought in after the first 15 minutes in each half.