County identity is heavily reinforced in the local culture by allegiances to county teams in Hurling and Gaelic football.

Hurling () is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association.

Hurling is played throughout the world, and is popular among members of the Irish diaspora in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina.

Hurling is played on a pitch 135 – 145 m long and 80 – 90 m wide.

There is a Hurling team in Brussels, Belgium, called Croabh Rua.

Hurling in particular is strong in east, mid and south Limerick.

County Tipperary has a strong sporting history and is home to the Gaelic Games of Hurling, Gaelic football, Camogie and Handball.

It is one of the two surviving examples of Cornish Hurling ( in a gentler format than its other manifestation at St Columb Major ).

Initiatives such as full-time development officers, and high-profile competitions such as the Continental Youth Championship and a North American College Hurling Championship currently contested between UC Berkeley and Stanford, are helping to bring the games to non-Irish people, while the British GAA is promoting Gaelic games to youth in Britain.

Trim is one of the two most successful teams ( the other being Kilmessan ) in the Meath Senior Hurling Championship, with both clubs between them winning almost half the championships played.

Modern Haggis Hurling is judged on the basis of distance and accuracy of the hurl and a split or burst haggis is immediately disqualified, as the haggis must be fit to eat after landing.

There is a World Haggis Hurling Championship.

There is a World Haggis Hurling Championship.

Páirc Tailteann is located in Navan and is home of the Meath Gaelic football and Hurling teams.

It is also the location of Gaelic Park, home of the Victorian GAA for Hurling and Gaelic Football and the is the only facility owned by an association outside of Ireland.

Hurling is the major sporting activity here.

Sarsfields Hurling Club is one of the oldest hurling Clubs in Cork, est.

The local Gaelic Football club is Dungannon Thomas Clarkes ( Thomáis Uí Chléirigh Dún Geanainn ) and the local Hurling club is Eoghan Ruadh Dungannon ( Cumann Iomanaiocht Eoghan Ruadh Dún Geanainn ), the reigning tyrone senior hurling champions.

An official Gaelic Athletic Association ( GAA ) sliotar, as used in top level hurling competitions such as the National Hurling League or the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships is subject to strict regulations as regards its size, mass and composition.

Irish Hurling is more a forerunner of modern Hockey played with a Hurley stick ( in Irish a camán ) used to propel a ball called a Sliotar.

In Gaelic football and Hurling, in which the goalposts are similar to those used in rugby, the ball can be kicked either under the crossbar for a goal, or over the crossbar between the posts for a point.

A few of the better understood games, some of which are still played today, include the Ba ' game ( abbreviation of Ball ), Ball Game ( Atherstone ), Ball Game ( Sedgefield ), Bottle-kicking ( usually a leather bottle substitute ball ), Caid, Camp-ball ( early organized from late medieval includes ' kicking camp '), Cornish hurling (' Hurling to country ' & the organized ' Hurling to goals '), Cnapan, Foot-ball ( early organized from late medieval ), Football ( Masonic ceremonial ), Haxey Hood, La soule and Scoring the Hales.

Hurling ball and hurley

Cornish Hurling is a ball throwing carrying game akin to Rugby Football.

< center > Hurling ball used at Truro

* Hurling helmets protect the eyes from the ball and from near contact with other players.

Hurling ball

The earliest account of a ball game that involves passing of the ball comes from Richard Carew's 1602 account of Cornish Hurling which states " Then must he cast the ball ( named Dealing ) to some one of his fellowes ".

His contribution to the game of hurling was first recognised when he was named as the " Hurling Captain of the Forties ".

Shortly after his death in 1999 Lynch ’ s reputation as one of the true greats of the game was further cemented when he was named on the " Hurling Team of the Millennium ".

On 14 February 2009, the new state of the art floodlights were officially switched on by GAA president Nickey Brennan before the National Hurling League game against Cork.

Also the GAA plays an international Hurling hybrid match with Scotland's national shinty team ( although Ireland do not select players from the best hurling teams in Tier One of the All-Ireland championship for this game ).

The Milwaukee Hurling Club ( MHC ) has promoted the sport of hurling through education and game play since 1996.

Hurling or Hurling the Silver Ball (), is an outdoor team game of Celtic origin played only in Cornwall, United Kingdom.

Hyrlîan is not to be confused with Iománaíocht or Iomáint an Irish game of Gaelic origin which in the English language is also known as Hurling.

Hurling is very similar to the game of cnapan ; a Celtic form of medieval football played until the nineteenth century in the southwestern counties of Wales, especially Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

This was a heroic battle against Middleton Na Fianna from Armagh in Croke Park, with Rangers claiming their first ever All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Title in a thrilling game, finishing 1-13 to 1-11.

Rackard ’ s position as one of the all-time greats of the game was further cemented in 1999 ( three years after his death ) when he was posthumously named on the Hurling Team of the Millennium.

Loughnane made his senior debut in 1972 in a National Hurling League game against Tipperary.

Another version of Cornish Hurling takes place at St Ives this game used to involve men who lived at the top of town against those at the bottom end.

* Hurling () is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin.

His place as the greatest centre half-back in the history of the game was copper-fastened when he was chosen in that position on the GAA Hurling Team of the Century and the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium.

His skill at the game was recognised in 1984 when he was named on the GAA Hurling Team of the Century.

In 2000 Cummins's contribution to the game of hurling were recognised when he was named in the full-forward position on the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium.