Award to encourage clash of the native ash

FOREIGNERS might soon be giving GAA fans some stick about the origin of the hurley.

The clash of the ash that has thrilled sports lovers around the country all year long wasn’t as rooted in Ireland as some might have realised.

For the RDS has revealed that much of the timber used in the manufacture of hurleys in this country is imported from Wales and Scandinavia due to the lack of suitable ash here.

That might come has a culture shock to the purists and traditionalists who marvel at what is one of the fastest and most skilful of all field games.

But efforts are now being made to ensure that more of the hurleys used in games at all levels will be as Irish as the players who wield them with such admirable artistry for club and county.

The 2002 RDS Irish Forestry and Wood Awards, which were presented in Powerscourt House, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, yesterday, featured a new special category award for hurley ash plantations and forests.

It was won by Theresa Greene, from Cappamurragh House, Dundrum, Co Tipperary, who has an eight-year-old plantation specifically geared towards the growing of suitable ash trees for hurley-making.

The aim is to encourage the planting and cultivation of ash for the specific use of hurley manufacturing, reducing imports in the process.

RDS vice-president Dr Austin Mescal said hurling and the GAA were an indigenous parts of Irish heritage. For that reason, the RDS was delighted to support the award which promotes the manufacture of hurleys from native resources.

Minister of State John Browne presented the awards, which were organised by the RDS and sponsored by the Forest Service-Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.