That was remedied on Saturday by the initiative of the Gaelic Players Association (GPA), an organization originally formed by the Irish hurlers and footballers themselves, which looks after the all-amateur players' welfare as well as seeking to spread the game worldwide. But there had never been an official hurling game at Notre Dame between Ireland’s top players, an astonishing oversight when you consider the incredible connections between the two entities. Whelan calls it “the Riverdance of sport, poetry in breathtaking motion, the fastest, most exciting field game in the world.” According to Notre Dame historian Professor Kevin Whelan, the Irish language is the third oldest on earth after Greek and Latin and hurling is mentioned in the earliest texts meaning it precedes even the Christian age by centuries. Hurling is is also the oldest field game on earth. It is not a game for the faint-hearted with the ball flying in the air at well over 100 miles an hour and players fighting for possession like their life depends on it. Unlike the typical exhibition game, the two teams went at it hammer and tongs and some of the physical clashes drew gasps from the crowd. The sheer speed of the game, the clash of the ash as the hurleys met, the incredible split-second skill of the players, enthralled the spectators, who gave both sides a standing ovation at the end.

NBC, CBS and ireland’s broadcasting network RTE were along to show the Americans and the folks back home the world’s fastest game on grass.Īnd exciting it was. The teams from Leinster and Munster were renamed for the occasion as Ireland versus the Fighting Irish. Twenty-two of Ireland’s finest players were doing battle in a modified form of the game called Super 11 where only goals count. Anne Andersen making her first visit to Notre Dame.

Among them was Irish Ambassador to the U.S.

South Bend Indiana: Fighting Irish fans arriving early for the USC game who happened to walk by Arlotta Stadium, usually home of the Fighting Irish lacrosse team, witnessed a unique moment.Īrlotta is a stone’s throw from the main stadium and the puzzled looks soon turned to excitement.ĥ,000 or so spectators were packed like sardines into the venue to watch the first-ever exhibit of hurling, Ireland’s most ancient game, at the Mecca of Irish American sport.

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