Plastic Paddy Hurling

Hurling News and Information - from an American Perspective

Dublin

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Dublin

Overview: 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

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Hurling is a lot like jazz; those who actually appreciate it can’t really fathom why others don’t, but they’ll be damned if they’re going to stoop to explain it all.

Here at Plastic Paddy, we steadfastly believe that this is a sport that deserves attention. Too few games in the world offer the same level of excitement, speed, rivalry and tradition. Also, the potential for serious violence is huge!

Unfortunately, the international audience is left largely unexposed to the sport. There’s a prevailing assumption that it’s a game for the Irish that only they could possibly appreciate. Press coverage is limited, long on jargon and short on fundamental explanations. Finding a game on TV usually requires a trip to the bar in the wee hours of Sunday morning, and paying a sizable cover charge.

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