Hurl or hurley? 22 of 32 counties say hurl

Public vote of over 25,000 shows little support for Hurley outside of Munster

Is it a hurley or a hurl? Following a week of campaigning by All-Stars Lee Chin and Séamus Callanan and over 25,000 votes, we have some clarity. If not universal agreement.

While hurley edged hurl by 52 per cent to 48 per cent, outside of Munster, only Sligo, Donegal, Louth and Monaghan voted in favour of it. Meaning 22 of the country’s 32 counties are to be recognised as hurl counties.

The public vote was hosted by HurlvHurley.com, set up by NOW TV as part of their coverage of the 2020 hurling championship.

Cork proved to be the biggest “Hurley” stronghold with 97 per cent of the 4,371 votes from the Rebel County voting in its favour. On the other side, Wexford was to be the biggest “Hurl” county with 98 per cent of 1,926 voters choosing it.

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When only counting counties who compete for the Liam McCarthy Cup “Hurley” had an even bigger edge, winning by 56 per cent to 44 per cent in the hurling heartlands.

Read here about the unique craft of the hurley maker and how the intimate world of hurley manufacturing is still fuelling a national obsession.

Results

Antrim 53 per cent hurl

Armagh 60 per cent hurl

Carlow 93 per cent hurl

Cavan 51 per cent hurl

Clare 93 per cent hurley

Cork 97 per cent hurley

Derry 89 per cent hurl

Donegal 56 per cent hurley

Down 76 per cent hurl

Dublin 81 per cent hurl

Fermanagh 55 per cent hurl

Galway 92 per cent hurl

Kerry 89 per cent hurley

Kildare 77 per cent hurl

Kilkenny 94 per cent hurl

Laois 95 per cent hurl

Leitrim 60 per cent hurl

Limerick 95 per cent hurley

Longford 63 per cent hurl

Louth 73 per cent hurley

Mayo 54 per cent hurl

Meath 69 per cent hurl

Monaghan 57 per cent hurley

Offaly 94 per cent hurl

Roscommon 75 per cent hurl

Sligo 62 per cent hurley

Tipperary 91 per cent hurley

Tyrone 63 per cent hurl

Waterford 94 per cent hurley

Westmeath 87 per cent hurl

Wexford 98 per cent hurl

Wicklow 89 per cent hurl

Eamon Donoghue

Eamon Donoghue

Eamon Donoghue is a former Irish Times journalist