Waterford hurlers can’t fall prey to ‘hawks’ of Kilkenny again

It is said you learn something new every day. Last Sunday, after the stadium emptied, I saw a Harris hawk — parabuteo unicinctus — for the first time.

It was flying over the hallowed turf of Croke Park to the commands of its falconer.

According to Wikipedia: “It is formerly known as the bay-winged hawk or dusky hawk. It is a medium-large bird of prey and popular in falconry but unlike other hawks it hunts in groups”.