Old Parish - by Ciarán Murphy & Ciaran Murphy (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Hurling is Ireland's national game, captivating even those who have never played it. Ciarán Murphy, a lifelong club footballer, was one of them--until he spent a summer trying to play hurling with a small club in the West Waterford Gaeltacht. Along the way, he embarked on a journey to understand the history, geography, and mystique of this extraordinary sport.

Old Parish is the club of Ciarán's father, where many of his relatives remain deeply involved--and possibly the only place bold enough to welcome a forty-one-year-old newcomer. Predictably, and often hilariously, Ciarán discovers just how challenging hurling can be when taking it up later in life against men who have played since childhood.

Alongside his personal trials, Ciarán explores why hurling is played in only half the country, the historical tensions between hurling and football clubs, the challenges of establishing hurling in new areas, the secrets of hurley-making, and why the words of hurling legends--calling it "the greatest game ever played by any man"--carry weight.

For anyone who has watched hurling and wondered what makes it so unique, Old Parish explains why.

Review Quotes

Entertaining and thoughtful-- "Irish Independent"

Murphy's great gift as a storyteller is an ability to see things in the round--Malachy Clerkin "Irish Times"

No matter if you're a die-hard hurling fanatic or you've never seen a match, Old Parish is well worth a read.-- "Hot Press"

There aren't enough of these books ... The whole thing is a delight--Malachy Clerkin "Irish Times"

About the Author

Ciarán Murphy is a podcaster with Second Captains and a GAA columnist with the Irish Times. His first book, This is the Life: Days and Nights in the GAA, was shortlisted for Eason Sports Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.