WaterfordOverview: Waterford city is notable, historically, for being the port through which King Henry V embarked on his conquest of Ireland. Like the fierce Viking warriors that built and occupied the city then, Waterford hurlers are reputed for their inability to win when it actually matters. They can decimate the fiercest of foes in exhibition matches and inconsequential league games, but pit them in a championship contest against the likes of lowly Limerick and they fall to pieces.
Nickname: The Deise (Day-Shu, emphasis on the Day)
It sounds like a nonsense word, but the Deise were a Nordic tribe that occupied the region in the pre-British era and built Waterford city. This is also why Waterford sometimes uses a Viking character as a mascot.
American Comparison: The pre-2004 Boston Red Sox; the Philadelphia Eagles. They’re good enough that they’re always contending for the highest championship, but they always fall short. An actual win would make grown men weep for the generations that passed on without seeing it happen.
Colors/Jerseys: White and Blue
Rivals: It goes without saying that the teams in Munster all consider themselves to be rivals. 140 odd years of inter-county competition will do that. In recent years, the Deise have beaten or been beaten by Clare, Limerick and Tipperary in pivotal matches, and there’s no lack of competitive will there. That said, any one of those teams would go hoarse screaming to see the others beat the hell out of Cork.
Waterford also has a bit of rivalry with perpetual Leinster whipping-boy Wexford, with whom they share a border. The root of this one seems to be primarily geographic, though it’s possible they’re harboring a sort “there can be only one” resentment against another “W” county (their feelings on Wicklow are unclear).
Sponsor: YOP (Yogurt)
Notable Players: Eoin Kelly: A former captain and the team’s leading scorer during the ill-fated 2008 All-Ireland Championship run, Kelly shares a name with an equally notable hurler in Tipperary. Articles written about matches between the two teams are an exercise in creative pronoun invention.
Dan Shanahan: He’s “Dan” to Waterford people, the last name entirely extraneous. Dan may be the best hurler in all of Ireland, and he’s been recognized as such on numerous occasions (he received three different “hurler of the year” awards in 2007). He’s a sensitive sort, we must conclude, because he’s whined that nasty fans have kept him from brining his kids to matches (though, see the photo and appreciate that this is only a real fear when they’re losing).
Coach Davy Fitzgerald: He presumably took the coaching gig after he got bored serving as the model for the leprechaun in the Lucky Charms commercials. On camera, the man appears to stand all of 5 foot 2, but he’s got a reputation as a no-nonsense coach who gets results. He steered the Deise to the All-Ireland championship during his first partial season in 2008, and he’s under intense scrutiny in 2009 to see if he can do it again (and, you know, win this time).
Stadium: Walsh Park, Waterford; Fraher Field, Dungarvan
Frequency of televised matches: Often
Relevant websites: www.upthedeise.com
DublinOverview: Dublin has always been a football town – and probably always will be. They have won the All-Ireland championship six times – however it’s been more than seventy years since they last held the Liam McCarthy Cup. More recently they have struggled to stay in the top flight of hurling, however they’ve lately been a solid “sleeper” pick to win Leinster Championship. The hurling squad shows more potential every year, and perhaps in 2009 their luck will change for the better.
Nickname: The Boys in Blue; The Dubs; The Jacks.
The first two are pretty self-explanatory (Dublin’s jersey’s are blue and “Dubs” is the shortened form of “Dubliners”). The Jacks apparently comes from the word “Jackeen”, which is a derogatory name for someone from Dublin. Webster defines it as “a drunken, dissolute fellow” - we here at Plastic Paddy Hurling don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing.
American Comparison: It would’ve been the Chicago White Sox had they not won the World Series a few years ago. The Los Angeles Clippers make more sense – a team the always sucks you in during the off-season, but leaves you bitterly disappointed once the games begin.
Colors/Jerseys: Sky Blue and Navy Blue
Rivals: The team has struggled to stay in the top division, so it’s hard to pick any real rivalries for them. As with all teams, any inter-county match-up is sure to be interesting – particularly with the Dubs and their fervent fan base.
Celebrity Fans: Bertie Ahern; Colm Meaney
Sponsor: Arnotts (Department Store)
Notable Players: Stephen Hiney is the current captain, and while he’s had little success with the senior team, he has won with his club team, Ballyboden St. Enda's. David Curtin, a former captain of the squad, is another player who’s had some important goals for the team – particularly in 2006 against Laois when he scored a goal and seven points which confirmed Dublin’s All-Ireland status for the 2006 championship.
Stadium: Parnell Park, Dublin
Frequency of televised matches: Occasionally – more often lately since the hurling side has been stronger in recent years.
Relevant websites: www.hill16.ie
KilkennyOverview: The proverbial “Home of Hurling”, Kilkenny is the most successful county ever to play the game. This cannot be disputed. They have won the All-Ireland Championship thirty-one times and have won the provincial championship sixty-five times. As one of the few teams to win the All-Ireland Championship three years in a row (2006-2008), an argument can be made that this Kilkenny team may be the best of all time - and with many members of those championship teams returning for the 2009 campaign, Kilkenny may win another this year.
Nickname: The Cats
From Wikipedia: "The term Kilkenny cat refers to anyone who is a tenacious fighter. The origin of the term is now lost so there are many stories purporting to give the true meaning." Trust me, there is no point wasting your time reading the above-mentioned "stories" - they're all equally confusing.
American Comparison: The New York Yankees (of the late 90's) or the New England Patriots. If only because they each had their own “dynasties” in their particular sport in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and Kilkenny is in the midst of creating their own. It’s unclear whether or not the Cats are as hated as the Yankees though (really, how could they be?)
Colors/Jerseys: Black and Amber
Rivals: Cork and Tipperary – the other two teams in the “Big Three” of hurling.
Sponsor: Avonmore (Dairy Products)
Notable Players: When discussing notable players at Kilkenny, it’s best to start at the top. The captain, James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick, has been with the team since 2004. He was named “Young Hurler of the Year” in 2006 and has won All-Star awards the past three years
Fitzpatrick took over the captaincy in 2008 from Harry Shefflin, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation. Shefflin’s tally of 20 goals and 331 points from 44 championship games makes him the second highest scorer in championship history. And in 2002 he was awarded the three most prestigious personal awards in the game – the Vodafone, Texaco and Gaelic Players’ Association Hurler of the Year Awards.
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the coach of the Cats, Brian Cody. He is currently the longest serving manager of any team in the senior championship (having taken the job in 1998) and is considered one of the greatest managers of the modern game. Since 1999 he has led Kilkenny to six All-Ireland titles, nine Leinster titles and four National Hurling League titles. In a word, his teams have
dominated hurling for the last ten years.
Stadium: Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
Frequency of televised matches: Often - they're the champs.
Relevant websites: www.kilkennycats.com
OffalyOverview: It’s possible that the only thing that keeps Offaly from abandoning hurling and devoting all of their resources to Gaelic football is the realization that they’re better than Laois. We can’t really think of any other way to rationalize it. Offaly is also known as the home to one our favorite whiskey brands*, Tullamore Dew. This has nothing to do with hurling, of course, but the profile is a bit light on positive things to say about Offaly so we figured this had to be mentioned.
Nickname: The Faithful County
Apparently the county gets this name because they are strong in both hurling and football – although arguments can be made to the contrary.
American Comparison: We’re going to go with the Baltimore Orioles. Why? Because we’re sort of ambivalent about them, too.
Colors/Jerseys: White, Green and Gold
Rivals: Laois, we’d hope, because rivalries are more fun if you occasionally win. Dublin, inevitably, because Dubliners like to joke that folks from Offaly are ignorant, inbred bumpkins.
Sponsor: Carroll Cuisine (Processed Meats)
Notable Players: Let’s just say that the 2009 season is just getting started. And we can’t stress enough how much we enjoy Tullamore Dew’s fine beverage products.
Stadium: O’Connor Park, Tullamore
Frequency of televised matches: About as often as their "rivals" Laois - which is to say not often.
Relevant websites:
offaly.gaa.ie* Yes, like any self-respecting hurling news web site, we have several.
LimerickOverview: Bloody Limerick! Stab city they call it (because of the gun control). The New York Times once described Limerick as “a bad place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there.” Truthfully, the reputation is a bit outdated. When filmmakers came here to shoot scene’s for the film adaptation of Frank McCourt’s “Angela’s Ashes”, they couldn’t find sufficiently decrepit slums to film (they reportedly moved on to Cork, where they found plenty). The Limerick team isn’t notable for being particularly aggressive or unscrupulous (and they don’t cheat like some counties we could name, for example, Cork). Still, they’re stuck with the reputation.
Nickname: The Shannonsiders - let’s use a diagram for this one, shall we?
American Comparison: The Pittsburgh Steelers. This is a blue collar team with a storied history. We also like to think that both cities are filthy.
Colors/Jerseys: Green and White.
Rivals: Tipperary and Waterford most prominently.
Sponsor: Sporting Limerick (Local Sports Council)
Notable Players: Mark Foley (not to be confused with the pedophile former-Congressman from Florida) is one of the most talented players on the squad, and one of the oldest. The veteran has been playing at the intercounty level since 1995, and he’s won All-Star recognition twice.
Stadium: Pairc na nGael, Limerick
Frequency of televised matches: Occasionally - more often when they face their rivals in the province.
Relevant websites: limerick.gaa.ie
GalwayOverview: Galway, the land of wistful stories and weeping homesick ballads. On the western edge of Ireland, so far beyond the Pale that even Cromwell never bothered to properly conquer it, Galway is the most geographically isolated county in hurling’s most competitive division. They’re a powerhouse in a province that just can’t keep up. For the first time in 2009 they’ll compete as part of Leinster (Ireland’s eastern province), giving them an opportunity to not only compete with Kilkenny for the prestigious provincial championship, but to secure a better seed in the All-Ireland tournament.
Nickname: The Tribesmen
As noted, Connacht (the province in which Galway is the largest city) is a hinterland, ruled consistently by “barbarian” tribesmen while the rest of the island fell to more “civilized” rule.
American Comparison: The California Angels always seemed like the most analogous team. Out there on the west coast where the competition is lackluster and they’re the only game in town, they get to bide their time while competitors in more cutthroat divisions wear each other out. Maybe that will change in 2009, as the Tribesmen are thrown into the Leinster melee. We’ll reevaluate in August.
Colors/Jerseys: Maroon and White.
Rivals: Traditionally they’ve been the undisputed king of their domain, above petty rivalries. With their entry into Leinster, however, they find themselves playing Rocky to Kilkenny’s Apollo. This is the first threat to Kilkenny domination in years, and Galway’s first chance to prove that they’re more than the proverbial smartest kid in a special ed class. We expect some viciousness when these two meet.
Sponsor: Supermac’s - which any tourist will tell you is Ireland’s most delicious answer to McDonald’s.
Notable Players: It’s impossible to discuss Galway Hurling…scratch that. It’s impossible to discuss hurling at all, without mentioning Joe Canning at some point. As yesterday’s superstars near the end of their playing careers, 22 year old Canning has emerged as the sport’s Michael Jordan. He’s young, dynamic and able to pull off plays that make you say “holy shit.” Kilkenny fans will dismissively imply that he’d be just another player on their roster, but we suspect that’s the fear talking. This kid is the real deal.
Stadium: Pearse Stadium, Galway
Frequency of televised matches: More frequently these days as the "Joe Canning Show" continues to be the hottest ticket in town.
Relevant websites: www.galwaygaa.ie
CorkOverview: Yes, America, we know that your great-great-great-grandfather was from Cork*. You obviously feel some sort of familial affinity for the county and their team. Here at Plastic Paddy Hurling, we totally support that sort of cultural usurpation, and wish you luck with it. Just be prepared for some ugly stares and accusations of front-running. Cork are a team with a rich history, a rabid fan base and proud winning tradition.
Nickname: The Rebels
Cork is the “Rebel County,” owing to its long history of violent dissatisfaction with being governed.
American Comparison: The Dallas Cowboys. They’re not so dominant that we could properly call them the New York Yankees, but they’re always contenders. They’re also the southern most county in Ireland, much like Texas is our southernmost state. Also, much like the Cowboys, fans are never ambivalent about the Rebels: you either love them or despise them. There is no middle ground.
Colors/Jerseys: Red and White.
Rivals: Munster. All of it. Also, because the team is currently on “strike” demanding that their coach — the pedigreed Gerald McCathy - be fired, we expect whichever county it is that hires him to immediately become a bitter rival.
Sponsor: O2 Ireland (Telecommunications)
Notable Players: Seán Óg Ó hAilpín: His name is a monument to the absurdity of Irish phoenetics, but you can get away with calling him Sean Og. Sean, the son of an Irish father and a Fijan mother is a rarity in the GAA: a foreign born player. He’s a wingback, and a former team captain (he lead Cork to the 2005 All-Ireland championship). Also he’s the only guy on the field who isn’t pasty white.
Donald Og is a goalie. He’s notable only because we wanted to list two players named Og on the same squad, and because he tried to pretty decapitate a guy during last year’s All-Ireland Semi-final against Galway. Here at Plastic Paddy Hurling, we’re all about the attempted-decapitation! If we could find a picture, don’t think we wouldn’t have it posted here.
Stadium: Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork
Frequency of televised matches: Often
Relevant websites: www.rebelgaa.com*Shocked that we guessed? Don’t be. Turns out, most Irish-Americans trace their lineage to Cork. Not only was the rural county prone to mass emigration for economic reasons that had lesser impact on similarly-populated counties in Leinster, it was also the port through which the majority of America-bound ships passed during the 19th century. So even if your great-grandad was born and raised in say, Kilkenny, his immigration papers probably say Cork. Keep that in mind next time you’re in a pub with dozens of other Cork-rooted Americans singing songs about Galway, Clare and Tipperary and not a single one about Cork.
