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Post by Annascaultilidie on Jan 11, 2018 13:18:31 GMT
Dublin don't enter the Junior All Ireland Football.
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Jan 11, 2018 15:00:57 GMT
hoganstand.com/Kerry/article/index/279791Ex-GAA president Sean Kelly is considering running for the Irish presidency, according to a report today. Mr Kelly, who is currently a Fine Gael MEP, told the Irish Examiner that he would "think about it" when asked if he would consider running for president and added that he would be honoured if chosen to run. "A lot of people have asked me about it. I will think about it," said Mr Kelly. "A couple of people in the parliamentary party have said, 'are you considering it, you should throw your hat in the ring if it comes up?'." Mr Kelly became the first Kerry native to be elected GAA president in 2003 and held the office for three years, helping to introduce the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Tommy Murphy Cup competitions as well as overseeing the completion of Croke Park's Hill 16/Northern end.
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Jan 12, 2018 16:55:09 GMT
It is clear that counties like Dublin, Mayo and Tyrone are using the preseason competitions to try out new players and unearth some new talent for the league and the championship. Kerry on the other hand have not entered the McGrath cup, not even with a dummy team, but I suppose the players that would usually play and be tried in the McGrath are in training with the senior panel. www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/279823Mattie Donnelly and Niall Sludden are the only survivors from the Tyrone team that hammered Cavan by 21 points on Wednesday night for Sunday's McKenna Cup semi-final against Fermanagh. Manager Mickey Harte has completely overhauled his side as the Red Hands close in on a seventh successive McKenna Cup. Tyrone (SF v Fermanagh): Mickey O'Neill; Aidan McCrory, Cathal McCarron, Michael Cassidy; Ciaran McLaughlin, Mattie Donnelly, Kieran McGeary; Ben McDonnell, Declan McClure; Richard Donnelly, Niall Sludden, Conal McCann; Darren McCurry, Ronan McHugh, Connor McAliskey. www.hoganstand.com/Tyrone/Article/Index/279740Tyrone boss Mickey Harte has made 13 changes to his side for Wednesday's McKenna Cup encounter with Cavan at Kinspan Breffni (throw-in 8pm). The only two survivors from Sunday's win over St Mary's are forwards Peter Harte and Ronan O'Neill as manager Harte recalls six players that featured in last year's All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Dublin - Niall Morgan, Padraig Hampsey, Tiernan McCann, Padraig McNulty, Matthew Donnelly and Niall Sludden. The Red Hands are on course for a seventh consecutive McKenna Cup title having already saw off Antrim and St Mary's to top Section A. (McKenna Cup v Cavan): Niall Morgan; Brendan Burns, Padraig Hampsey, Hugh Pat McGeary; Michael McKernan, Tiernan McCann, Ronan McNabb; Cathal McShane, Padraig McNulty; Matthew Donnelly, Niall Sludden, Peter Harte; Lee Brennan, Frank Burns, Ronan O'Neill. Subs: Mickey O'Neill, Michael Cassidy, Richard Donnelly, Conal McCann, Cathal McCarron, Declan McClure, Aidan McCrory, Ben McDonnell, Ronan McHugh, Ciaran McLaughlin. www.hoganstand.com/Tyrone/Article/Index/279816Tyrone are hoping to squeeze another two games into the month of January, according to Peter Harte. The Red Hands have already played three in Section A of the Dr McKenna Cup and will face Fermanagh in the semi-finals on Sunday. If they reach the final of the pre-season competition, which they have won in each of the last six years, it will guarantee them six games in January with the opening round of the Allianz League against Galway taking place at the end of the month. "Mickey (Harte) hasn't changed in his 17 years, or whatever it is. He wants to play as many games in January as he can," the brilliant wing back told the Irish News. "We always take the McKenna Cup seriously, and getting to a semi-final on Sunday gives us another chance to work on things, to be competitive, and get another game before Galway in the National League." Reflecting on Wednesday night's win over Cavan, Harte said: "We had a couple of very good scores, and the two goals at the end typified it. There was good kick-passing, good movement off the ball. As you saw last year, you need to be working on that, you need to get very good at it because the top teams are." www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/279818Mayo drew their game with Leitrim thanks to last play goal by Leitrim, but it was a very experimental Mayo team. www.hoganstand.com/Mayo/Article/Index/279745Mayo manager Stephen Rochford has made 12 changes to his team for tonight's rearranged Connacht FBD League encounter with Galway at Elvery's MacHale Park. The only survivors from the side that drew with Leitrim on Wednesday night are Ger McDonagh, Fionn McDonagh and Neil Douglas, with Kevin Keane returning at full back after nearly a year out with a cruciate ligament injury. Goalkeeper David Clarke, who was one of only three members of last year's panel who didn't go on the team holiday to Kuala Lumpur, also starts in goal. Mayo (SF v Galway): David Clarke; Steven Duffy, Kevin Keane, Jamie Oates; Michael Plunkett, Michael Hall, Sharoize Akram; Ger McDonagh, Jason Gibbons; Fionn McDonagh, Neil Douglas, Matthew Ruane; Ryan O'Donoghue, Brian Reape, Peter Naughton. www.hoganstand.com/Mayo/Article/Index/279779Mayo manager Stephen Rochford has gone with an experimental side for tomorrow's FBD League clash against Leitrim in Castlebar. Despite it being the third round in the competition, this will be the Westerners' opening game of the 2018 season after having last weekend's home game against Galway postponed due to unplayable conditions. Colm Boyle, Barry Moran and Alan Freeman are the most recognisable names in Rochford's selection for tomorrow night, with the latter set to lead the attack from full-forward. Throw-in at MacHale Park is at 7pm. Mayo (FBD League v Leitrim): Paddy O'Malley; Marcus Park, Ger McDonagh, Aidan Butler; James Stretton, Colm Boyle, James McCormack; Barry Moran, Jordan Flynn; Fionn McDonagh, Neil Douglas, Nathan Moran; Ross Egan, Alan Freeman, Ciaran Treacy
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Jan 12, 2018 16:57:05 GMT
Dublin pull out of the NATIONAL development centre as they're not happy about not being able to use it as their very own development centre of excellence. www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/279814Dublin GAA has taken its gym equipment out of the GAA's National Development Centre in Abbotstown amid speculation that it was unhappy with the access it was given to the facility. The facility has been used by counties and clubs in the greater Dublin area for training and challenge games. When it opened nearly two years ago, Dublin GAA - under the guidance of their high performance director Bryan Cullen - agreed to fund gym equipment for the facility. According to the Irish Independent, the GAA is expected to fund the installation of new gym equipment at the West Dublin centre of excellence. www.the42.ie/gaa-abbotstown-paraic-duffy-3203986-Jan2017/www.the42.ie/gaa-abbotstown-dublin-2697995-Apr2016/
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Jan 14, 2018 18:51:59 GMT
Serious injury in 2013 changed Kieran Donaghy’s approach to football By Eoghan Cormican A serious groin-hip injury in 2013 forced Kieran Donaghy to significantly alter his approach to Gaelic football, writes Eoghan Cormican. Speaking at the Balance Expo in Killarney this afternoon, the Kerry footballer revealed how the injury in 2013 almost forced him to retire. The significant stint on the sideline, which spilt into 2014, radically changed the manner in which he looked after his body. “It was around 2013 when I realised this body has given me an awful lot and I really need to start looking after it, have to get better at minding it, have more balance about resting it, training it and getting it into the gym. "I had a bad injury which meant I was close to retiring. That was a real eye-opener because the body wasn’t allowing me to play at the time. That was a real lightbulb moment for me. “Around that time, I was out in Castleisland every morning at 6am with Ger Keane trying to get this injury right. We were doing this for six to eight months. That showed me the discipline of going to bed earlier, getting up earlier. "It was around then when I was saying to myself, ‘you’re getting a bit older and yet you’re trying to keep up with these younger fellas’. You have to give yourself every chance. "If I lived now like I did when I was 23, the year I won my first All-Ireland, I’d be no good to Kerry, I’d be no good to the basketball team either.” www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/serious-injury-in-2013-changed-kieran-donaghys-approach-to-football-822734.html
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 14, 2018 22:04:07 GMT
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Post by onlykerry on Jan 15, 2018 9:32:39 GMT
Hope this brings some of the core skills back into focus at training - more rules should be devised to encourage the core skills and not just raw athleticism (which should be one of a basket of attributes but not the holy grail).
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Post by kerrybhoy06 on Jan 15, 2018 10:49:20 GMT
Hope this brings some of the core skills back into focus at training - more rules should be devised to encourage the core skills and not just raw athleticism (which should be one of a basket of attributes but not the holy grail). It's very hard to kick a 45 after playing a full match no matter what your skill level- I'm not sure that this is the way to decide an issue. Running around for 60/70 mins and then putting the strain on your legs of trying to kick a 45 is a sure fire way to pop a quad muscle.
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Post by givehimaball on Jan 15, 2018 19:36:40 GMT
Hope this brings some of the core skills back into focus at training - more rules should be devised to encourage the core skills and not just raw athleticism (which should be one of a basket of attributes but not the holy grail). It's very hard to kick a 45 after playing a full match no matter what your skill level- I'm not sure that this is the way to decide an issue. Running around for 60/70 mins and then putting the strain on your legs of trying to kick a 45 is a sure fire way to pop a quad muscle. I had a look at the match reports and for Meath none of their free-takers played the full game plus extra-time. The three scorers were Cillian O'Sullivan, Mark McCabe and Sean McCormack. Meath Cillian O'Sullivan - 55 minutes played James McEntee - 55 minutes played Sean Tobin - 40 minutes played Joey Wallace - 34 minutes played Mark McCabe - came on as a sub in extra-time Weatmeath Robbie Smyth - played the full game and injury time Sean McCormack - played the full game and injury time Paddy Collum - played the full game and injury time Barry Gilleran - started the game, subbed off on 48 minutes and came back on as a sub in extra-time James Mc Giveny - came on as a sub in the 53rd minute of the game and played all extra-times Roughly estimating we can say that the 5 Meath shooters played 194 minutes of football before the shoot-out compared to 365 minutes by the Westmeath players.
Obviously this is only the first time this shoot-out system has been used so and the sample size is non-existent so it's hard to draw any sort of solid conclusions, but it will be interesting to see how it develops. One of the scorers played the full game, one played 55 minutes and one came on as a sub in extra-time. That's before you go anywhere near the issue of how good the individuals in question are as free-takers.
Might be an interesting exercise for some coach to have each player at training take 5/10 shots from the 45 before training and 5/10 shots after and see whether there are any sort of differences. Maybe do the same before and after some challenge game.
I looked up the rules for the shootout and below seems to be the best of what I could find. The big one to remember is that it's 5 players maximum who will ever be involved, no matter how long sudden death goes.
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Jan 15, 2018 20:59:06 GMT
You'd be wanting to introduce Bryan Sheehan or Maurice Fitz in the last minute of extra time in that scenario.
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 15, 2018 22:04:26 GMT
I would prefer a penalty shootout. At least the keeper can get to be a hero. They dont want to ape the soccer i spose
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Jan 15, 2018 22:37:30 GMT
A team winning the toss could elect to kick into a gale...the match would never end 😂😂
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 16, 2018 22:47:16 GMT
The mind wanders back to 12th August 2007. A massive day in Croker. Kerry edge past Monaghan by a point in the e QF. Tomas fists the winner in the last minute
Then onto the stage come Waterford and Limerick for the hurling semi final. Waterford with big Dan and all are favourites but Limerick conjure up 5 goals and pull off a famous vistory. My wife spotted her first. A small dark haired fanatic Limerick supporter going crazy as Limerick close out the game. RIP Dolores ORiordam.
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Post by onlykerry on Jan 17, 2018 9:33:29 GMT
Hope this brings some of the core skills back into focus at training - more rules should be devised to encourage the core skills and not just raw athleticism (which should be one of a basket of attributes but not the holy grail). It's very hard to kick a 45 after playing a full match no matter what your skill level- I'm not sure that this is the way to decide an issue. Running around for 60/70 mins and then putting the strain on your legs of trying to kick a 45 is a sure fire way to pop a quad muscle. There is merit in your comment and a dead ball kick from the 45 may not be the most appropriate way of deciding a game - perhaps a kick from the hands from a more appropriate (but still challenging) position would be better utilised. Penalties are more dramatic but I would have some reservations about going down this route. The decding process should be based on a core skill of the game in meaningfull way.
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Post by givehimaball on Jan 17, 2018 15:53:49 GMT
A team winning the toss could elect to kick into a gale...the match would never end 😂😂 In most places gales do eventually die down......however there are some pitches with coastal winds where it might be a possible tactic.
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Post by kerrybhoy06 on Jan 17, 2018 17:29:35 GMT
Just to add to the discussion- one of the Longford forwards (Mickey Quinn) was on the Second Captains podcast this Monday and when asked why he didnt take a kick- he said that after a match it was too much of a risk and he thought that he would pull something.
They'll have to come up with a different way of deciding games
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Post by kerrygold on Jan 17, 2018 21:21:49 GMT
Just to add to the discussion- one of the Longford forwards (Mickey Quinn) was on the Second Captains podcast this Monday and when asked why he didnt take a kick- he said that after a match it was too much of a risk and he thought that he would pull something. They'll have to come up with a different way of deciding games Good point.
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Post by givehimaball on Jan 20, 2018 19:58:31 GMT
Hurling Shoot-out from the Walsh Cup
The shootout ended 3-2 - Both Lee Chin and John Walsh will have nightmares thinking of their efforts.
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Post by kerrygold on Jan 20, 2018 20:12:48 GMT
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Post by glengael on Jan 21, 2018 14:58:17 GMT
Just finished Colm Cooper's book. Well worth reading as it gives, I feel, a good insight into his outlook as a player and now on the outside. I'd put it up there with Donaghy's in terms of quality.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Jan 21, 2018 16:15:54 GMT
On the subject of hurling, would I be right in saying that all prominent counties border Tipperary with the exception of Wexford?
What would be an interesting subject is the compelling correlation (and causation?) between Hurling strongholds and Arable land. Kerry and Donegal are class cases where Hurling is only played where you have the best of land and of course there will be exceptions both ways, e.g. Kildare (horses a factor?), Dublin and Antrim (Urban and migration?). Don't know about Laois? There will be experts on soils - e.g. the evolution of bog to limestone, etc and maybe this is part of the story with Kildare and maybe Carlow.
P.S. Now I don't want the rest of the farmers chasing me with slash hooks!
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fitz
Fanatical Member
Red sky at night get off my land
Posts: 1,719
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Post by fitz on Jan 21, 2018 16:41:32 GMT
Just finished Colm Cooper's book. Well worth reading as it gives, I feel, a good insight into his outlook as a player and now on the outside. I'd put it up there with Donaghy's in terms of quality. Interesting Glen, I thought it was ok, too many key games given only overview, top level analysis. Maybe my expectations were a bit unrealistic, but there was just too much monologue passages in it. There’s definitely more to put down than what was produced. Would have Donaghy’s book a bit ahead of it. Difficult to write sports autobiographies. The audience is ravenous for insight into everything
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 21, 2018 17:10:52 GMT
by Michael Clifford
The song was ‘Dreams’, and while it’s a good song, it’s not anything to write home about. Especially if you were more inclined to write home about somebody like Sam Lightnin’ Hopkins.
It carved out a corner in my memory because I heard it when visiting a friend in Boston. My friend Mick is from Scariff, Co Clare, and we were belting along some motorway or other on the outskirts of the city in his air-conditioned vehicle.
The day was sticky and warm, lifted straight from a picture-postcard Boston summer of blue skies and roiling heat.
The song came on the radio and Mick began to rattle and shake. He pointed at the radio and said the band’s name. I’d heard of The Cranberries but had no idea they had made such inroads stateside.
Mick was in his element. Dolores O’Riordan and the musicians were from just down the road from his hometown and now she was a big noise in the US, out here representing Limerick.
For a displaced Gael like my friend, she was something to write home about. Just listening to her singing the heart out of a Boston afternoon provided a shot of confidence in who we were — as if a shot was needed now and again to make up for the national deficiency in the country of our formative years.
O’Riordan hit the big time running. Overnight she and her band cracked the US market. They arrived at a time when this country was graduating to the top table of developed nations. Pretty soon we’d have our own air-conditioned vehicles and a motorway or two to boot.
She had talent, attitude, and was freshly minted in Limerick. She sang in her own accent, spurning the impulse to lose it somewhere mid-Atlantic, unlike many of her contemporaries who lacked that confidence.
She flew like a comet through the ’90s, and then, before the turn of the millenium, The Cranberries crashed out.
Dolores popped up now and again but those heights were never scaled again. (My kids spotted on the news that she was once a judge in The Voice of Ireland, the ultimate cool accolade).
She continued to sing but, after a period, it was her troubled soul that made more headlines than her work.
The eulogising that followed her tragic death last week, however, was slightly off-kilter. Leo Varadkar’s description of her as the voice of a generation was an example of how, these days, tragedy is blown up to near-epochal event.
Much of this can be attributed to the Diana effect of mass public grieving. More of it can be laid at the door of the media, which succumbs to a zeitgeist in which emotion trumps reason, the personal story dwarfing the public issue that affects multitudes. People want to feel the news.
This outpouring can be of some comfort to the bereaved, but their pain is really only be soothed by the warm closing of ranks around the family by those whom they know and love.
Beyond everything, hers was another life cut short, a voice extinguished, the book closed on a fine talent and three children left without their mother.
Dolores O’Riordan’s untimely death and all that flowed from it brought to mind the importance of celebrating talent while the subject is still alive and perspective available.
One who was eulogised during the week was Shane MacGowan. I wasn’t quick enough off the keyboard in grabbing tickets, but the reports and YouTube clips from the National Concert Hall give a flavour of the love poured on him.
It was a defiant tribute to the poet laureate of the coulda beens and woulda beens.
Defiant because MacGowan has, over the years, battered every living pore in his own body through the ingestion of mood-altering drugs, principally alcohol. He has drunk at the deep well of a troubled soul except he always gives the impression of just being thirsty.
How must it feel to constantly hear that nobody ever thought you’d make it this far, as if you had suffered from a degenerative condition since arriving in adulthood?
Michael D was in attendance to break bread with his fellow poet. So was Glen Matlock, once a Sex Pistol, and the Moses-like figure of the Dubliner John Sheehan.
Nick Cave, Johnny Depp, and Cait O’Riordan also contributed to the eclectic mix of talent. Bono even showed up to have a cut at ‘Rainy Night in Soho’.
The way things are going, MacGowan is on track to catch up with Keith Richards — his kindred spirit who has defied the odds of debauchery into old age.
Another who was recently lauded while still above ground was Gaelic football’s legendary exponent, Mick O’Dwyer.
He has, over his life, been known by the title of the film Micko, or by a version of his surname, Dwyer. Nobody, it seems, calls him Mick or O’Dwyer.
The makers of the film astutely allowed Dwyer to do all the talking instead of reverting to type by having others tell what a great fellow he is. Micko is well able to tell everybody what a great fellow he is without any assistance.
His mood-altering ‘drug of choice’ is football, to which he happily admits he is addicted. Two years ago, at the age of 79, he coached a Waterville U14 team to win a county league title.
What leapt from the film was the enthusiasm for life he retains into his ninth decade. The spirit is alive and kicking, mad for road, if only it could be freed from the shackles of the body.
The moment of the film that captured both the man himself and the benefits of eulogising the living was shot when he walked down the seafront in his native Waterville in south Kerry, on a blustery autumn day.
There are two statues on Waterville’s seafront, their backs to Ballinskelligs Bay. One is in the image of Charlie Chaplin who used to be a frequent visitor. The other is of the village’s most famous son.
And as Dwyer strolled along, slightly stooped in mock modesty rather than anything exercised by the chain of long years, his eye glinted as he passed the bronze statue of one Mick O’Dwyer and offered it a salute of courtesy.
The living legend giving the nod to the bronze image fashioned to remember him when he’s gone.
How much better it is to salute when they’re still among us.
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Jan 21, 2018 19:14:28 GMT
On the subject of hurling, would I be right in saying that all prominent counties border Tipperary with the exception of Wexford? What would be an interesting subject is the compelling correlation (and causation?) between Hurling strongholds and Arable land. Kerry and Donegal are class cases where Hurling is only played where you have the best of land and of course there will be exceptions both ways, e.g. Kildare (horses a factor?), Dublin and Antrim (Urban and migration?). Don't know about Laois? There will be experts on soils - e.g. the evolution of bog to limestone, etc and maybe this is part of the story with Kildare and maybe Carlow. P.S. Now I don't want the rest of the farmers chasing me with slash hooks! There are several studies on the subject and you are right that arable land and hurling go together. Even in Kerry the hurling stronghold is around the best land. Kildare, Dublin, Down and Antrim are 4 counties that have hurling traditions and don't border Tipperary. Kildare's hurling heritage was all but gone by the time the GAA was founded, whereas it is still going strong in Laois, Carlow, Dublin, Down and Antrim, none bordering Tipperary, but al counties with very good arable soil. In general you can say that good land means hurling and bad land means football.
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brigid
Senior Member
Posts: 320
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Post by brigid on Jan 21, 2018 19:43:09 GMT
Galway. East for hurling and west for football.
The exception to all the country is in Kerry...Kenmare & Kilgarvan. Not really known for arable land
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Post by kerrygold on Jan 21, 2018 21:45:52 GMT
On the subject of hurling, would I be right in saying that all prominent counties border Tipperary with the exception of Wexford? What would be an interesting subject is the compelling correlation (and causation?) between Hurling strongholds and Arable land. Kerry and Donegal are class cases where Hurling is only played where you have the best of land and of course there will be exceptions both ways, e.g. Kildare (horses a factor?), Dublin and Antrim (Urban and migration?). Don't know about Laois? There will be experts on soils - e.g. the evolution of bog to limestone, etc and maybe this is part of the story with Kildare and maybe Carlow. P.S. Now I don't want the rest of the farmers chasing me with slash hooks! There are several studies on the subject and you are right that arable land and hurling go together. Even in Kerry the hurling stronghold is around the best land. Kildare, Dublin, Down and Antrim are 4 counties that have hurling traditions and don't border Tipperary. Kildare's hurling heritage was all but gone by the time the GAA was founded, whereas it is still going strong in Laois, Carlow, Dublin, Down and Antrim, none bordering Tipperary, but al counties with very good arable soil. In general you can say that good land means hurling and bad land means football. One anomaly to the good land hurling theory might be found in the above mentioned Kildare. Coill Dubh is one of the main hotbeds of hurling in that county. It was established in 1952 by Bord na Mona to provide housing for their workers. Peat was harvested from the surrounding bog of Allen to be supplied to the ESB station in Allenwood, club of Johnny Doyle. One concession to the anomaly might be that workers came from around the country to live and work at Coill Dubh and on the bog of Allen side by side with native Kildare families. One such county is Limerick for example and the Limerick parents of Tommy Carew who went on to play both Railway Cup in Hurling & Football for Leinster.
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 21, 2018 22:53:19 GMT
Galway. East for hurling and west for football. The exception to all the country is in Kerry...Kenmare & Kilgarvan. Not really known for arable landIs the land not good around Kenmare. Why else would the British built the town of Kenmare there. Also, I think the OSullivan clan moved there from Tipperary way back. I remember reading that in the Tourist/History office in the town. The OSullivans probably brought a few hurleys with them
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Post by Ballyfireside on Jan 22, 2018 0:11:37 GMT
Galway. East for hurling and west for football. The exception to all the country is in Kerry...Kenmare & Kilgarvan. Not really known for arable land Brigid, can I have the next dance?
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Jan 22, 2018 9:36:41 GMT
Galway. East for hurling and west for football. The exception to all the country is in Kerry...Kenmare & Kilgarvan. Not really known for arable land The land around Kilgarvan looks positively lush to my eyes.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Jan 22, 2018 10:53:41 GMT
On the subject of hurling, would I be right in saying that all prominent counties border Tipperary with the exception of Wexford? What would be an interesting subject is the compelling correlation (and causation?) between Hurling strongholds and Arable land. Kerry and Donegal are class cases where Hurling is only played where you have the best of land and of course there will be exceptions both ways, e.g. Kildare (horses a factor?), Dublin and Antrim (Urban and migration?). Don't know about Laois? There will be experts on soils - e.g. the evolution of bog to limestone, etc and maybe this is part of the story with Kildare and maybe Carlow. P.S. Now I don't want the rest of the farmers chasing me with slash hooks! There are several studies on the subject and you are right that arable land and hurling go together. Even in Kerry the hurling stronghold is around the best land. Kildare, Dublin, Down and Antrim are 4 counties that have hurling traditions and don't border Tipperary. Kildare's hurling heritage was all but gone by the time the GAA was founded, whereas it is still going strong in Laois, Carlow, Dublin, Down and Antrim, none bordering Tipperary, but al counties with very good arable soil. In general you can say that good land means hurling and bad land means football. Good land means hurling but that doesn't necessarily exclude football and there is plenty of big ball kicked in places like Ballyduff, Burt/Newtoncunningham (Naomh Colmcille CLG) in Donegal, etc. Non-hurling land is not necessarily bad land and Dairying soil is often bedrocked of Shale - places like West Limerick along the Shannon (visibly prominent when travelling between Tarbert and say Foynes/Askeaton) and also inland towards Shanagolden I'm told. Kildare would be near Offaly and so the Limestone Peat factor with the high calcium element which is super for the development of strong bone in horses. There is also the gradient factor and here I am wondering if limestone is less common in hilly/mountainous areas, i.e. bog would slide and there would be off-flow in any event? The stud farm of one great Kerryman that is Croom House attests to the limestone factor in it's success ('great bone') and I wonder is this true across the entire Golden Vale and which is at least as famous for dairying as the gee-gees with is it over 50% of our milk being produced by our rebel neighbours? Seamus Heaney referred to his parents' house as 'Mossbawn', 'Moss' being 'Bog' and 'Bawn' being 'White'. While there will be many interpretations among the nutcase brigade that are us literary folk, my preferred understanding is of a white/lime-washed thatch cottage in a boggy area - you know that beautiful photo we've all seen. Heaney's home county of Derry or Doire being the Gaelige for Oak - is this where 'The Bogside' came from? I also heard some interesting stuff recently about what lay under peat/bog/moss but the memory was diluted with porter so maybe others will help me out here! What may or may not be interesting is that it was then old enemy that 'gave us' the term Mossbawn so 'every cloud ... etc' I hear you say -an unintended consequence or wha? Little wonder that Seamus would teach them a bit of English, ah sure only returning the compliment as us nutters wouldn't be unknown to do, cold turkey is a dish best served cold, etc! And to drive people clean off their heads, didn't 'the auld enemy' also give us hurling - I believe it came from Cornwall though Cornish people don't consider themselves Brtish, a bit like the Welsh, and so the plot thickens. I think it was on here that someone flagged a very interesting story of the evolution of hurling, there is mention of a specific year that cuts to the chase - thing is I don't know the year!
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