Published: Wednesday, 4th November, 2009 5:30pm

The men behind the wire

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"The great game in Ireland is the game of hurley, a game rather rare although not unknown in England.

It is a fine manly exercise, with sufficient danger to produce excitement and is indeed, par excellence, the game of the peasantry in Ireland. To be an expert hurler, a man must possess athletic powers of no ordinary character. He must have a quick eye, a ready hand and a strong arm. He must be a good runner, a skilful wrestler, patient as well as resolute."

May I wish a very sincere happy 125th birthday to the incredible organisation that is the GAA, which has provided this columnist with countless hours of entertainment over 40 per cent of its existence. Ironically, the above quote came from S.C. Hall in 'Ireland, Its Scenery and Character' which my research says was published in 1843, over a half-century before the First Supper in Hayes Hotel in Thurles. Barry Kelly and Co may have problems with the wrestling element, but the danger and excitement remain integral components of what Liam Griifin memorably (and appropriately) called "the Riverdance of sport". So, it is only natural that the jury is out in some quarters about the introduction of compulsory helmets at all grades of the game from January 1 next.

While still on a percentage theme, some name-dropping. I talked sport at length with the very affable Jeff Stelling in Leeds in March (before, during and after being 'out-percentaged' and 'out-worded' by young Jimmy Gough on Countdown, and good luck to him). Jeff is best known as a Sky Sports anchor and he was fascinated with the enormous popularity of Gaelic games in this country, having been in Croke Park at soccer internationals in recent years. His verdict on hurling from fleeting glimpses on British television was that "it seems very dangerous". I retired from the game at the age of nine, after the concession of the softest goal ever witnessed in a St. Mary's CBS primary school league match. (I'm glad those goalposts are knocked as I found going to Mass hard when I passed them by ever since.) Therefore, I can hardly be described as an experienced protagonist of the ancient game, but I assured the Hartlepool man that hurling was anything but dangerous, particularly at the highest level where fitness and skill levels were quite astonishing for an amateur pursuit.

His attitude is, of course, very typical of non-Irish people. Jack Charlton (much to the annoyance of a hurling-mad Wexford man domiciled in Mullingar) used to patronisingly refer to "the game with the sticks" when he was wined and dined in Croke Park - Jack would watch anything for free! Another time he spoke of being "always suspicious of games where you're the only ones that play it". Yes, we may be the only country who play hurling on any sort of meaningful basis but we are proud of it, Jack. It is difficult to imagine even the hardest of 'hard men' from the world of soccer going hell for leather in the cauldron of a Munster final in Semple Stadium, with or without helmets. Indeed, I recall watching Paolo di Canio rolling around in agony after a tap on the ankles by a boot (not a lump of ash) in Celtic Park some years ago. My mate chipped in: "Imagine him hurling in Croke Park - he would end up entombed in the Vatican!" Dr Con Murphy commented during his spell as Cork hurling doctor: "The more stitches required after a game in the Cork dressing room, the more probable they had won." Phew!

It was interesting to read the views of former Clare star Jamesie O'Connor in a leading Sunday newspaper a few days ago about the introduction of compulsory helmets. Well known as a leading player who abstained in his prime from wearing the protective headgear, he has a very balanced view on the pros and cons. "Hurling is a contact sport and cuts and bruises, as well as the occasional stitch or two, are an inevitable consequence of playing the game," the Doora-Barefield maestro opined. His brother Christy (I'm told his book is excellent) is now in his 20th season between the sticks for the St. Joseph's club. As it happens, he is totally in favour of the new directive. Jamesie wrote of Christy: "For him, there have been too many occasions when sliotars have hit him in the head or whizzed past his face, and he's realised it's been too close for comfort and that he got lucky. He broke his nose three times and once almost lost an eye. That's good enough for me and, if just one eye is saved over the next ten years on the back of this move, the GAA will have done all its hurling members a great service." Recalling as I do Kilkenny's dashing fair-haired forward, Tom Walsh losing the sight of an eye back in the 1960s, I can only support the O'Connor brothers' common sense approach.

One of my favourite spontaneous sporting answers came from a Welsh rugby international when spotted by Michael Lyster at half-time at an All-Ireland hurling final some years back. "Well Gareth, having seen the first half, would you like to be down there with a hurley in your hand?" Quick as a flash came the reply: "Well, whatever about being down there with a hurley in my hand, I certainly would not like to be down there without a hurley in my hand!" From January 1st, 2010 replace 'hurley' with 'helmet'.