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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Hurling needs to get back in the limelight or it will shrink, never mind develop. A problem its being fighting for 100 years.
Some easy solutions:
1. All hurling to be on free to air TV on Friday and Saturday evenings
2. Knock out provincials with a "super 8" All Ireland
3. Move hurling championship to have semis and finals in August - after football is over. Start leagues later too.
4, Change some playing rules:
(a) solo and go / hand back the ball - has been the biggest game changer in football, no reward for fowling now at all
(b) 2 points for a sideline cut over the bar
(c) indirect free for throw ball
(d) reduce size of goalkeeper hurl (no more "half door" hurls)
(e) 4 points for a goal (only at intercounty)
(f) Try out a 4/5 up rule - try to increase space for attackers
(g) Ban short puck out - all must cross 45/halfway/65 depending on age group/level
(h) ban the back pass to the keeper" I'm not so sure on changing the rules, we have some great years with the same rules i don't think they are the problem. We shouldn't make knee jerk responses based on a year where the primary problem was down to lack of close games. Problem number one is the lack of crowds going to Leinster hurling matches. Kilkenny could be playing Galway in Nowlan Park or Salthill in the RR and you might have just over 8000 at it. Problem number two is the number of counties playing hurling and the relatively small number that can realistically compete for the All Ireland. More needs to be done to grow the game and help counties compete. We need the likes of Wexford, Offaly and Dublin challenge for an All Ireland. Changing the rules of hurling is insignificant in relation to these two problems.
1. All hurling to be on free to air TV on Friday and Saturday evenings
All intercounty Hurling needs to be on free to air or put all the games on a GAA channel and charge a flat affordable fee for it that is available on TV. The GAA promotes volunteerism, community and inclusion and putting games behind a paywall only available online seems to contradict their own values.
2. Knock out provincials with a "super 8" All Ireland
Munster hurling is the jewel in the GAA crown. No other provincial championship in hurling or football comes anyway close in terms of games, crowds, colour, tradition and atmosphere. People talk about Ulster football but its about half the size in terms of attendance. Munster championship 2025 average attendance is 29,900 and Ulster football is around 15,000. You lose or dilute Munster you could lose it all. More important to fix Leinster and get crowds going to these matches.
3. Move hurling championship to have semis and finals in August - after football is over. Start leagues later too.
Would love to see the final at least in August regardless of what football is doing. Round robin should start in May and not April.
4, Change some playing rules:
(a) solo and go / hand back the ball - has been the biggest game changer in football, no reward for fouling now at all.
Could be worth trialing. Putting the spare hand in on the tackle to interrupt the player just enough then removing it again probably needs to be tidied up.
(b) 2 points for a sideline cut over the bar.
I'd leave this alone as it could slow down the play as you'd be bringing over your specialist who would have to go through the motions each time before cutting it over. It would just become a bit mundane over time.
(c) indirect free for throw ball
I'd leave the rule alone just enforce it i.e. there should be clear seperation, if there isn't its a free,
(d) reduce size of goalkeeper hurl (no more "half door" hurls)
Fine the way it is imo
(e) 4 points for a goal (only at intercounty)
I would leave this alone as well. You don't want to make the variance between a point and a goal too large. 3 is the perfect middle ground imo.
(f) Try out a 4/5 up rule - try to increase space for attackers
I wouldn't change this either. Hurling teams should be free to exploit space as they see it. Rules would limit this freedom.
(g) Ban short puck out - all must cross 45/halfway/65 depending on age group/level
Wouldn't do this either. If you are a corner back who is comfortable on the ball, why should a rule be put in place that suddenly bans you from looking for the ball. Freedom of choice and variation in play should be encouraged rather than discouraged imo.
(h) ban the back pass to the keeper
I'd leave this alone too. As a coach of young kids its very difficult enough already to find someone to go in goal, saying the keeper now can't get involved in the play would make it harder. Also it is a positive aspect of the game when the keeper gets involved like Billy Nolan does for Waterford for example. Why would you want to change it?
Fitzy01 (Limerick) - Posts: 503 - 10/08/2026 12:00:57
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I know it was famous for people being baffled about what was even going on, but the time travel trick from the film Tenet seems to be the answer to hurling's problems.
We keep the championship as is, but start it in late July and play it backwards, with the provincial finals in late May and the All Ireland final in April.
That way everyone is happy; the games all have meaning, the championship is completed in a reasonable timeframe, and everyone gets to experience the magical June&July hurling even if they lose every game.
Technically you'd already know who has won before the championship even started, but we'll live with that.
CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1754 - 10/08/2026 14:31:49
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Replying To Fitzy01: "I'm not so sure on changing the rules, we have some great years with the same rules i don't think they are the problem. We shouldn't make knee jerk responses based on a year where the primary problem was down to lack of close games. Problem number one is the lack of crowds going to Leinster hurling matches. Kilkenny could be playing Galway in Nowlan Park or Salthill in the RR and you might have just over 8000 at it. Problem number two is the number of counties playing hurling and the relatively small number that can realistically compete for the All Ireland. More needs to be done to grow the game and help counties compete. We need the likes of Wexford, Offaly and Dublin challenge for an All Ireland. Changing the rules of hurling is insignificant in relation to these two problems.
1. All hurling to be on free to air TV on Friday and Saturday evenings
All intercounty Hurling needs to be on free to air or put all the games on a GAA channel and charge a flat affordable fee for it that is available on TV. The GAA promotes volunteerism, community and inclusion and putting games behind a paywall only available online seems to contradict their own values.
2. Knock out provincials with a "super 8" All Ireland
Munster hurling is the jewel in the GAA crown. No other provincial championship in hurling or football comes anyway close in terms of games, crowds, colour, tradition and atmosphere. People talk about Ulster football but its about half the size in terms of attendance. Munster championship 2025 average attendance is 29,900 and Ulster football is around 15,000. You lose or dilute Munster you could lose it all. More important to fix Leinster and get crowds going to these matches.
3. Move hurling championship to have semis and finals in August - after football is over. Start leagues later too.
Would love to see the final at least in August regardless of what football is doing. Round robin should start in May and not April.
4, Change some playing rules:
(a) solo and go / hand back the ball - has been the biggest game changer in football, no reward for fouling now at all.
Could be worth trialing. Putting the spare hand in on the tackle to interrupt the player just enough then removing it again probably needs to be tidied up.
(b) 2 points for a sideline cut over the bar.
I'd leave this alone as it could slow down the play as you'd be bringing over your specialist who would have to go through the motions each time before cutting it over. It would just become a bit mundane over time.
(c) indirect free for throw ball
I'd leave the rule alone just enforce it i.e. there should be clear seperation, if there isn't its a free,
(d) reduce size of goalkeeper hurl (no more "half door" hurls)
Fine the way it is imo
(e) 4 points for a goal (only at intercounty)
I would leave this alone as well. You don't want to make the variance between a point and a goal too large. 3 is the perfect middle ground imo.
(f) Try out a 4/5 up rule - try to increase space for attackers
I wouldn't change this either. Hurling teams should be free to exploit space as they see it. Rules would limit this freedom.
(g) Ban short puck out - all must cross 45/halfway/65 depending on age group/level
Wouldn't do this either. If you are a corner back who is comfortable on the ball, why should a rule be put in place that suddenly bans you from looking for the ball. Freedom of choice and variation in play should be encouraged rather than discouraged imo.
(h) ban the back pass to the keeper
I'd leave this alone too. As a coach of young kids its very difficult enough already to find someone to go in goal, saying the keeper now can't get involved in the play would make it harder. Also it is a positive aspect of the game when the keeper gets involved like Billy Nolan does for Waterford for example. Why would you want to change it?" Agree with most of your answers to that poster, although the reality is we wont have intercounty hurling in August. The players and clubs dont want it.
Also as regards attendances I agree we need Leinster attendances to get better, but they will never reach the level thats currently in Munster. Munster is unlikely to maintain those attendances if Cork and Limerick become less successful or competitive. Look at Munster Rugby attendances for example. Cork and Limerick having competitive teams in the RR era has driven Munster attendances. Tipp have only been competitive in a couple of those years, hence the poor average attendance at Semple Stadium when you take out the Cork and Limerick games.
Leinster counties arent currently competitive as in having a chance of winning an AI, and apart from Dublin, which is a Football county in terms of GAA support, populations are tiny compared to Cork and Limerick. Hence the really small attendances. Leinstsr this year was way more competitive than Munster in itself as a competition, but attendances reflected the fact that none of us except Galway were competitive nationally.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20439 - 10/08/2026 15:31:15
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All is well then.
Rules are fine
Championship structure is fine
Timing of season , competing with football, is fine.
So the solution is just to tell the weaker counties to "pull up their socks" and work harder.
"Do what youve always done and youll get what you've always got."
Another 100 years of 5 counties winning everthing and maybe 3/4 wins by those outside that.
Its the premier league in England without the cash.
I think if the media and GAA stoped grouping all GAA sports as the GAA and allowed each form to stand on its own, then playing numbers, attendences, column inches, sponshorship etc would tell a story. Hurlin has declined since 2000 and football has risen.
Hurling went from a golden age where Galway, Clare, limerick, Offaly, wexford and waterford all rose to prominance to a Kilkenny domination followed by a Limerick one. That reduction in competitiveness is simply bad for the game.
tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 2029 - 11/08/2026 04:39:25
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "All is well then.
Rules are fine
Championship structure is fine
Timing of season , competing with football, is fine.
So the solution is just to tell the weaker counties to "pull up their socks" and work harder.
"Do what youve always done and youll get what you've always got."
Another 100 years of 5 counties winning everthing and maybe 3/4 wins by those outside that.
Its the premier league in England without the cash.
I think if the media and GAA stoped grouping all GAA sports as the GAA and allowed each form to stand on its own, then playing numbers, attendences, column inches, sponshorship etc would tell a story. Hurlin has declined since 2000 and football has risen.
Hurling went from a golden age where Galway, Clare, limerick, Offaly, wexford and waterford all rose to prominance to a Kilkenny domination followed by a Limerick one. That reduction in competitiveness is simply bad for the game." Here's one for you in relation to "weaker counties".
In hurling, 11 counties compete in the top tier championship. Over the past 15 seasons, five of them have won it. That's almost 50%.
In football, 31 counties set out in the top tier. Over the same timeframe, six of them have won it. That's less than 20%.
So, what's football doing for all the "weaker counties", other than telling them to pull up their socks and work harder?
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3850 - 11/08/2026 10:33:32
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "All is well then.
Rules are fine
Championship structure is fine
Timing of season , competing with football, is fine.
So the solution is just to tell the weaker counties to "pull up their socks" and work harder.
"Do what youve always done and youll get what you've always got."
Another 100 years of 5 counties winning everthing and maybe 3/4 wins by those outside that.
Its the premier league in England without the cash.
I think if the media and GAA stoped grouping all GAA sports as the GAA and allowed each form to stand on its own, then playing numbers, attendences, column inches, sponshorship etc would tell a story. Hurlin has declined since 2000 and football has risen.
Hurling went from a golden age where Galway, Clare, limerick, Offaly, wexford and waterford all rose to prominance to a Kilkenny domination followed by a Limerick one. That reduction in competitiveness is simply bad for the game." Not running them down but if you are talking about the 1990s there in that post Waterford lost a Munster Championship game to Kerry that decade. They won 4 Munsters between 2002 and 2010 but largely on account of that current Kilkenny team they never won an AI in that time period. Galway also fell away as the 90s went on, their best years ever were the decade finishing in 1990. Offaly won 2 AIs in the 80s also. And Limerick didnt win an All Ireland for 17 years before the 90s, and didnt win one for another 18 after it. 45 years without winning one.
Hard to say Football has risen this millennium. 6 teams won all the Football All Irelands between 2002 and 2025. Which isnt great when you consider 33 teams have entered it.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20439 - 11/08/2026 11:00:31
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "All is well then.
Rules are fine
Championship structure is fine
Timing of season , competing with football, is fine.
So the solution is just to tell the weaker counties to "pull up their socks" and work harder.
"Do what youve always done and youll get what you've always got."
Another 100 years of 5 counties winning everthing and maybe 3/4 wins by those outside that.
Its the premier league in England without the cash.
I think if the media and GAA stoped grouping all GAA sports as the GAA and allowed each form to stand on its own, then playing numbers, attendences, column inches, sponshorship etc would tell a story. Hurlin has declined since 2000 and football has risen.
Hurling went from a golden age where Galway, Clare, limerick, Offaly, wexford and waterford all rose to prominance to a Kilkenny domination followed by a Limerick one. That reduction in competitiveness is simply bad for the game." Well in my view as i said the rules are fine and the championship structure is fine. Maybe a tweak here or there can be trialled. RR has been brilliant since it was brought in. A simple pricing initiative in Leinster could be a simple start. The flat 5 eur for kids is good but why not offer a big discount for adults too as a promotional tool in Leinster RR too. Even in Munster the massive Cork support is possibly masking underlying challenges too.
The big problems are the ones i mentioned above. Promotion of the game to young kids, supports for developing counties, coaching in schools, providing hurleys and helmets to you kids, strategic planning for how hurling should look in 10 years, more hurling on the tv not less. There is no doubt that hurling is now on a knife edge and could fall one way or the other. Focusing on things like rules or tweaking schedules so be small line items. There are much larger issues to fix.
Fitzy01 (Limerick) - Posts: 503 - 11/08/2026 11:19:37
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Here's one for you in relation to "weaker counties".
In hurling, 11 counties compete in the top tier championship. Over the past 15 seasons, five of them have won it. That's almost 50%.
In football, 31 counties set out in the top tier. Over the same timeframe, six of them have won it. That's less than 20%.
So, what's football doing for all the "weaker counties", other than telling them to pull up their socks and work harder?" The percentage comparison is a little skewed as hurling only allows 11 to compete in Liam McCarthy. And if the top tier of hurling was open to all, it would still be 5 v 6 which seems fairly even. But if you look at the semi finals and so the potential for making an All Ireland, you have 14 counties in that period making a football semi. You have 9 in hurling. Even if hurling was 31 or 32 counties, that 9 would not change. Realistically can you see anyone outside of that 9 making a semi in the next five years? There's potentially another 2-3 football counties if they keep their progression going that could make a semi in the next 5 years.
FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 570 - 11/08/2026 11:21:41
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Replying To Fitzy01: "Well in my view as i said the rules are fine and the championship structure is fine. Maybe a tweak here or there can be trialled. RR has been brilliant since it was brought in. A simple pricing initiative in Leinster could be a simple start. The flat 5 eur for kids is good but why not offer a big discount for adults too as a promotional tool in Leinster RR too. Even in Munster the massive Cork support is possibly masking underlying challenges too.
The big problems are the ones i mentioned above. Promotion of the game to young kids, supports for developing counties, coaching in schools, providing hurleys and helmets to you kids, strategic planning for how hurling should look in 10 years, more hurling on the tv not less. There is no doubt that hurling is now on a knife edge and could fall one way or the other. Focusing on things like rules or tweaking schedules so be small line items. There are much larger issues to fix." Clubs can help out in that regard. We bought helmets, hurls and sliotars for both our parishes national schools .
As regards planning we need to tackle the issue of volunteerism first and foremost. Its dying out in modern Ireland. Maybe we are spending too much time having meetings about problems rather than getting out on the ground tackling them.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20439 - 11/08/2026 12:00:01
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Hurling also has 30+ counties entering its competitions.
Football is just less exclusive.
Football has been changing its championship since 2001. Changing its rules to try to make it a better watch as well as attractive to more people - which it is.
The only significant change to hurling was the round robin provincial system, which was introduced in a panic as a response to the football super 8's (which only lasted 2 years).
Hurling only copies parts of what goes on in football. I'd say its safe to say that the last great innovation in hurling (rules or structures) that was conceived, trailed and implemented by the hurling counties themselves (and later copied by football) was the All Ireland B championship in 1974. An innovation that removed 3 counties from the Leinster championship (Wicklow, Kildare, Westmeath). When football introduce an All Ireland B competition in 1990, no county left their provincial championship.
The reality is in 24 of the 32 counties , football is king. Even when football counties like Dublin, Galway and Offaly win a provincial or All Ireland - it doesn't seriously impact the development of hurling in those counties. Others that do well for a while - Kerry, Roscommon, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Carlow, Down, Derry etc - havent been able to challenge that.
In the large urban areas - Galway, Dublin city, Sligo, Athlone, Belfast, Drogheda, Dundalk, Derry, Enniskillen etc - hurling has made minimal inroads in 140 years.
With the current demographic swing to the eastern seaboard and Dublin area, unless hurling bucks up its ideas, it will go the way of other GAA sports that have all but disappeared. (Rounders and handball).
tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 2029 - 11/08/2026 12:06:12
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Replying To Viking66: "Clubs can help out in that regard. We bought helmets, hurls and sliotars for both our parishes national schools .
As regards planning we need to tackle the issue of volunteerism first and foremost. Its dying out in modern Ireland. Maybe we are spending too much time having meetings about problems rather than getting out on the ground tackling them." We've put lots of hurling gear into the local schools too. But I think what he meant is supplying gear to schools in the areas where there's currently little to no hurling. And when you consider the level of opposition to something as simple as proving Go Games hurling up to age 10 everywhere, it's unlikely that clubs in those areas would spend money on hurling equipment for their local schools, when it could be spent on football-related activity instead.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3850 - 11/08/2026 13:09:45
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Hurling also has 30+ counties entering its competitions.
Football is just less exclusive.
Football has been changing its championship since 2001. Changing its rules to try to make it a better watch as well as attractive to more people - which it is.
The only significant change to hurling was the round robin provincial system, which was introduced in a panic as a response to the football super 8's (which only lasted 2 years).
Hurling only copies parts of what goes on in football. I'd say its safe to say that the last great innovation in hurling (rules or structures) that was conceived, trailed and implemented by the hurling counties themselves (and later copied by football) was the All Ireland B championship in 1974. An innovation that removed 3 counties from the Leinster championship (Wicklow, Kildare, Westmeath). When football introduce an All Ireland B competition in 1990, no county left their provincial championship.
The reality is in 24 of the 32 counties , football is king. Even when football counties like Dublin, Galway and Offaly win a provincial or All Ireland - it doesn't seriously impact the development of hurling in those counties. Others that do well for a while - Kerry, Roscommon, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Carlow, Down, Derry etc - havent been able to challenge that.
In the large urban areas - Galway, Dublin city, Sligo, Athlone, Belfast, Drogheda, Dundalk, Derry, Enniskillen etc - hurling has made minimal inroads in 140 years.
With the current demographic swing to the eastern seaboard and Dublin area, unless hurling bucks up its ideas, it will go the way of other GAA sports that have all but disappeared. (Rounders and handball)." In nearly all those large urban areas you mention GAA as a whole is a minority sport. Not just hurling.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20439 - 11/08/2026 13:28:27
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Hurling also has 30+ counties entering its competitions.
Football is just less exclusive.
Football has been changing its championship since 2001. Changing its rules to try to make it a better watch as well as attractive to more people - which it is.
The only significant change to hurling was the round robin provincial system, which was introduced in a panic as a response to the football super 8's (which only lasted 2 years).
Hurling only copies parts of what goes on in football. I'd say its safe to say that the last great innovation in hurling (rules or structures) that was conceived, trailed and implemented by the hurling counties themselves (and later copied by football) was the All Ireland B championship in 1974. An innovation that removed 3 counties from the Leinster championship (Wicklow, Kildare, Westmeath). When football introduce an All Ireland B competition in 1990, no county left their provincial championship.
The reality is in 24 of the 32 counties , football is king. Even when football counties like Dublin, Galway and Offaly win a provincial or All Ireland - it doesn't seriously impact the development of hurling in those counties. Others that do well for a while - Kerry, Roscommon, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Carlow, Down, Derry etc - havent been able to challenge that.
In the large urban areas - Galway, Dublin city, Sligo, Athlone, Belfast, Drogheda, Dundalk, Derry, Enniskillen etc - hurling has made minimal inroads in 140 years.
With the current demographic swing to the eastern seaboard and Dublin area, unless hurling bucks up its ideas, it will go the way of other GAA sports that have all but disappeared. (Rounders and handball)." Who needs to buck up as there are two types of hurling community? You have the big hurling counties that are happy with the status quo and don't really concern themselves with spreading the game. Then you have very committed hurling people slogging away in the counties where football dominates and they have to fight tooth and nail for everything, a second thought for their football focussed clubs and county boards. So yes maybe the most effective way for hurling to grow is by becoming a separate organisation that represents all tiers of hurling.
FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 570 - 11/08/2026 13:33:15
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Hurling also has 30+ counties entering its competitions.
Football is just less exclusive.
Football has been changing its championship since 2001. Changing its rules to try to make it a better watch as well as attractive to more people - which it is.
The only significant change to hurling was the round robin provincial system, which was introduced in a panic as a response to the football super 8's (which only lasted 2 years).
Hurling only copies parts of what goes on in football. I'd say its safe to say that the last great innovation in hurling (rules or structures) that was conceived, trailed and implemented by the hurling counties themselves (and later copied by football) was the All Ireland B championship in 1974. An innovation that removed 3 counties from the Leinster championship (Wicklow, Kildare, Westmeath). When football introduce an All Ireland B competition in 1990, no county left their provincial championship.
The reality is in 24 of the 32 counties , football is king. Even when football counties like Dublin, Galway and Offaly win a provincial or All Ireland - it doesn't seriously impact the development of hurling in those counties. Others that do well for a while - Kerry, Roscommon, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Carlow, Down, Derry etc - havent been able to challenge that.
In the large urban areas - Galway, Dublin city, Sligo, Athlone, Belfast, Drogheda, Dundalk, Derry, Enniskillen etc - hurling has made minimal inroads in 140 years.
With the current demographic swing to the eastern seaboard and Dublin area, unless hurling bucks up its ideas, it will go the way of other GAA sports that have all but disappeared. (Rounders and handball)." In nearly all those large urban areas you mention GAA as a whole is a minority sport. Not just hurling.
As regards population Cork City and Limerick City have seen massive population growth. Much more so than we have here on the Eastern seaboard in Wexford. Most of our population increase has been Dubs commuting to Dublin for work from dormitory estates in the North of the county and older Dubs retiring to places around the coastline. Neither have contributed a huge amount to playing numbers down here. Hurling or Football.
Handball is still huge in GAA areas nationally, its very popular here in Wexford anyway, and every national school in the county still plays rounders.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20439 - 11/08/2026 13:33:41
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Hurling also has 30+ counties entering its competitions.
Football is just less exclusive.
Football has been changing its championship since 2001. Changing its rules to try to make it a better watch as well as attractive to more people - which it is.
The only significant change to hurling was the round robin provincial system, which was introduced in a panic as a response to the football super 8's (which only lasted 2 years).
Hurling only copies parts of what goes on in football. I'd say its safe to say that the last great innovation in hurling (rules or structures) that was conceived, trailed and implemented by the hurling counties themselves (and later copied by football) was the All Ireland B championship in 1974. An innovation that removed 3 counties from the Leinster championship (Wicklow, Kildare, Westmeath). When football introduce an All Ireland B competition in 1990, no county left their provincial championship.
The reality is in 24 of the 32 counties , football is king. Even when football counties like Dublin, Galway and Offaly win a provincial or All Ireland - it doesn't seriously impact the development of hurling in those counties. Others that do well for a while - Kerry, Roscommon, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Carlow, Down, Derry etc - havent been able to challenge that.
In the large urban areas - Galway, Dublin city, Sligo, Athlone, Belfast, Drogheda, Dundalk, Derry, Enniskillen etc - hurling has made minimal inroads in 140 years.
With the current demographic swing to the eastern seaboard and Dublin area, unless hurling bucks up its ideas, it will go the way of other GAA sports that have all but disappeared. (Rounders and handball)." And in any case its the GAAs responsibility to protect and promote hurling. Not the responsibility of "hurling" itself.
The biggest problem is that there are too many half gael county boards in Ireland who arent doing their jobs properly!
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20439 - 11/08/2026 13:38:42
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Replying To Viking66: "In nearly all those large urban areas you mention GAA as a whole is a minority sport. Not just hurling." Derry City disappointingly so.
As for hurling.....30 or 40 years rs of smug "hurling man" pundits gushing over how wonderful and perfect hurling was doesn't help.
Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 838 - 11/08/2026 13:53:03
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Hurling also has 30+ counties entering its competitions.
Football is just less exclusive.
Football has been changing its championship since 2001. Changing its rules to try to make it a better watch as well as attractive to more people - which it is.
The only significant change to hurling was the round robin provincial system, which was introduced in a panic as a response to the football super 8's (which only lasted 2 years).
Hurling only copies parts of what goes on in football. I'd say its safe to say that the last great innovation in hurling (rules or structures) that was conceived, trailed and implemented by the hurling counties themselves (and later copied by football) was the All Ireland B championship in 1974. An innovation that removed 3 counties from the Leinster championship (Wicklow, Kildare, Westmeath). When football introduce an All Ireland B competition in 1990, no county left their provincial championship.
The reality is in 24 of the 32 counties , football is king. Even when football counties like Dublin, Galway and Offaly win a provincial or All Ireland - it doesn't seriously impact the development of hurling in those counties. Others that do well for a while - Kerry, Roscommon, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Carlow, Down, Derry etc - havent been able to challenge that.
In the large urban areas - Galway, Dublin city, Sligo, Athlone, Belfast, Drogheda, Dundalk, Derry, Enniskillen etc - hurling has made minimal inroads in 140 years.
With the current demographic swing to the eastern seaboard and Dublin area, unless hurling bucks up its ideas, it will go the way of other GAA sports that have all but disappeared. (Rounders and handball)." Again, an alternate view -
Hurling remains strong and popular in all the areas where it's always been strong and popular, and where people remain willing to develop and promote it.
It remains weak or even non-existent in all the places where people have little or no interest in doing anything to foster it in the first place. Won't even agree to basic Go Games for Under 10s!
As I keep pointing out - all the resources and supports in the world won't bring on hurling in those places if the local clubs don't want to work at it anyway. Horse, water, and drink.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3850 - 11/08/2026 14:08:03
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Again, an alternate view -
Hurling remains strong and popular in all the areas where it's always been strong and popular, and where people remain willing to develop and promote it.
It remains weak or even non-existent in all the places where people have little or no interest in doing anything to foster it in the first place. Won't even agree to basic Go Games for Under 10s!
As I keep pointing out - all the resources and supports in the world won't bring on hurling in those places if the local clubs don't want to work at it anyway. Horse, water, and drink." I agree with this, the "hurling needs to be promoted" line always seems to boil down to 2 arguments;
1. That 10s of thousands of people in non-hurling counties would actually dearly love to play and support hurling but as soon as anyone in these counties gets onto their club or county board they forget what hurling is and repress it instead. Why this grá for hurling is invisible is a strange one to make sense of.
2. The Liam Griffin theory that hurling isn't popular in these counties because their populations are just too thick to realise it's the greatest game on earth. The idea that large numbers of people know exactly what hurling is but have little interest in playing it is simply unthinkable- it's obviously just incompetence by the GAA to sell it to them.
CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1754 - 11/08/2026 15:41:46
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