The Hurler On The Ditch!
Rathcormac scribe T A (Tom) Barry defined the term ‘the hurler on the ditch’ for us quite a number of years ago while at the same time, giving us a taste of how the game of hurling was played prior to the formation of the GAA. Sadly, Tom departed this world in September 2017. We re-produce his contribution hereunder, which makes for interesting reading:
In its modern context, the term ‘hurler on the ditch has come to signify any non-participating observer, the typical bystander who often assumed the role of self-appointed expert and who is free to pontificate on every proceeding.
The world is full of such knowalls, who, professing no active involvement, remain themselves happily immune to any form of criticism.
The term obviously comes from the sport of hurling which originated the proverb ‘bionn and t-iománai is fearr ar an gclai’ (the best hurler is always on the ditch).
In modern parlance, this is now used sarcastically for that critic who probably never wielded a hurley in his life, yet deems himself fit to pronounce on all aspects of the game and its players. The phenomenon is not by any means confined to Gaelic games but has universal currency. Emerson it was I think, who said ‘People who can, do; people who can’t, teach’.
Be that as it may, the dictum ‘the best hurler is always on the ditch’ did however formerly mean exactly what it said.
Hurling, as played before the founding of the GAA in 1884, consisted of two forms; ‘park hurling’ known as ‘baire’ and ‘parish-to-parish hurling’ known as scuaibín or camán. Park hurling was probably played in an enclosed field or park, probably under rules, with a defined number of players on each side and became the fore-runner for today’s game. This was mainly a summer sport and was the form adopted at the famous Glannagaul hurling match in 1741.
Parish-to-parish hurling on the other hand, was more of an annual, cross-country free-for-all, where the ball was thrown in at the boundary between neighbouring parishes, the object being for each side to play the ball ‘home’ to an agreed point.
The tactic employed here was to use the strongest and roughest players to scrummage for the ball, while the best and fastest hurlers were positioned on nearby ditches to act as receivers. The side who gained positioned, played the ball immediately forward to a waiting receiver on the ditch who, skilfully controlling it with his stick, took off as fast and as long as he could for home. If overtaken and disposed, a ruck developed until possession once again accrued to some side and the next phase continued. In this form of the game, ‘the best hurler was always on the ditch’.