Before coming to Ireland I tried to visualize what the country would look like, and how I was going to get experience the “stereotypical Irish life”. In this vision I was going to wake up to a lot of green rolling hills that were filled with cows. Of course the cows that I saw were belonged to farmers that worked for Cadbury, and their milk was going to supply all of the dairy milk chocolate I would be eating throughout the year.
Cork however was not what I expected at all, but I do not say this in a negative way. It has given me an urban Irish experience with the backdrop of the rolling green hills. I am living the best of both worlds here. I was however privileged last weekend to attend a championship Camogie match.
For everyone who does not know what this cool sounding sport is: it is the women’s version of Hurling. The main equipment that is used is a Hurley and a Sliotar. In my opinion the Sliotar reminded me of a lacrosse ball, and the Hurley is a wooden lacrosse stick, but instead of a having a net on the end it is a flat piece of wood. The purpose of the game is to either hit the Sliotar into the end zone (resembling football posts in the end zone); which counts as a point. Or to get the Sliotar into the goal for three points. The main rule is that you can only take 3 steps before you have to bounce the Sliotar onto the end of the Hurley.
It is a very physical and intense sport. I give the athletes a lot of credit, no one had fear they just left it all out on the field. This was another unexpected cultural experience that I got to be immersed in. Although the team we were supporting did not win, we had a really great time.
