Hurling

Hurling is a very popular Irish sport that makes absolutely no sense to me at all. For the last couple of days, people have been talking about the big hurling final between Kilkenny and Tipperary. So this afternoon I headed down to the pub with a friend to check out what all the fuss was about. A big crowd of people were gathered around a big screen cheering for a game that apparently has no rules.
The game takes place on a big football sized field with two goals at either end that look like a combination between a soccer net and a football goal post. The ball is moved around by the players with either their hands or with what looks like a small wooden hockey stick (with which they hit not only the ball but also each other). As you can imagine, the game can get quite violent, so naturally, the Irish love it. I don't know if the Irish people actually enjoy the sport or just enjoy watching the players in shorts run around in the freezing rain beating each other up while they sit and watch from the warm pub.
By the end of the game, both teams were covered in blood, but ultimately, Kilkenny won (for the fourth year in a row). The fans all broke through the police barricades and started celebrating on the field while the whole Tipperary team sat down, crying from their defeat.
Hurling is definitely a dramatic game, to say the least. However, you can't say that it isn't entertaining.