The talent of humanity can flabbergast me by times!

Sometimes I can sit with my cup of tea, and be in awe for a moment of what we humans can be capable of.  Our talent, what we can achieve I mean.   

The bad stuff we do to ourselves and our world, we all know already.  But it´s the other stuff, the good amazing stuff, that I sit there and ponder.  And I will ponder it now.  Because, it is my opinion that we get so bogged down with bad stuff, or just with the living of life, that the really good stuff about us humans can go un-pondered.

I am talking now about Hurling. 

Not the first time I have pondered the wonder of hurling on this blog and elsewhere.  

Hurling is one of the national sports in Ireland.  - And a good reason that we do not do ´so well´with the´ol soccer - because a lot of the kids are out playing hurling, or camogie.  (Same game, played by girls; don´t know why it has a different name.)

People mix up hurling with:  kurling, bowels, la crosse, hockey, even ice hockey.  It is not any of these.  To try and explain is pointless, people just don´t get it.  But, a video is worth 1000 of words....
Here is a quickie video with a few minutes of action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgEMvRrOCRI

So if you are in awe, and think what you saw was ´one off action´.  No it is not.  Here is a link to a seven minute video with more of the same awe inducing moments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i3-Qk7FNeQ

And if you want to get more of the same - even better maybe.

Below is a link to the great first final played September last between Kilkenny and Tipperary last September.  Both are great hurling counties.

This game was SUPERB.  Really it was.   Probably the best game of hurling played in living memory.  It was perfection with few glitches through out.  Excellent play, and absolutely no injuries through play. Unbelievable when you consider the speed of the game. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RpPtgzPY_o

A point to consider.

These hurlers are as good at their game as top league world soccer players.  

The difference is:  Messi, Rolando, Schweinsteiger et al,  can sleep in the day after they play a hard game. 

Hurling however is not a professional sport.  For hurlers this is their hobby.  These men get up and go to work the next Monday. 

And their managers too.   For Brian Cody the manager of the Kilkenny Team, the day job is as headmaster of a boys school.  And he is excellent at that job too.  

And how cool is that for the boys in St. Patrick´s De La Salle National School in Kilkenny.  They get to see a super hero every day in his day job.... That would be like Super Man being the headmaster in Jerry Seinfeld´s school in Manhattan, New York.  ... (See here if you don´t know what I am talking about...) 

http://parade.condenast.com/20772/petermehlman/a-writer-for-the-sitcom-explains-why-seinfeld-loved-superman/)

FYI: The sport of hurling was played back in pre-historical times; it has been played in Ireland for well over 2000 years.  Now they play with  balls about the size of a tennis ball and harder than a golf ball. - Back then it was a tad less civilized -  they played with skulls!

.... Wow, with all this ´awe´and what not, I think I have to go and make another cup of tea!
                                           ---------------------------------------------------------

While hurling amazes, it does not have a monopoly on ´awe´for me.  If you want you can check this link to other bewonderings on the Olympics.
http://irishstewforthesoul.blogspot.de/2012/08/the-olympics-wow-oh-wow.html