Hurling and Camogie
Hurling and camogie require at a minimum the use of a sliotar (the ball), a hurley (the stick), and a helmet. Cleats can be helpful, and once you’re ready to play with the team, you’ll want a team jersey. Newcomers need not buy all of these things just to try the sport out, though. We have helmets, hurleys, and sliotars for loan during training sessions, and you’re welcome to come join us without making an up-front investment in specialized equipment.
Once you’re hooked, you’ll likely want to pick up at least a hurley or two and perhaps some sliotars should you wish to practice any beyond our recurring training sessions. Most vendors for this equipment are found in Ireland, so you should plan for some shipping time and cost and be prepared to do some currency conversion to understand the costs in dollars. You can get a sliotar for about $10, a hurley for around $50, and a helmet in the $100 range. A team jersey (with team crest and sponsor logo) runs about $70.
It’s worth noting that there are different types of sliotars and hurleys. You can get a wall ball (expensive but more resilient than a standard sliotar for practicing solo up against a wall), a training sliotar, a softer sliotar designed for children learning the game, and a game-ready sliotar. Sliotars come in a couple of sizes, and you’ll want a size 5 for adult play. Hurleys come in different sizes, both in terms of length (sizing guide here) and the size of the bas (the flat striking surface of the stick). For example, a goalkeeper bas tends to be a bit bigger, but bas size can vary for other sticks as well. The traditional hurley is made of Ash wood but you can also get synthetic hurleys.
When looking for equipment, start with vendors like O’Neill’s (for club branded gear, start here), Torpey, Cultec, and the GAA Store. The club also occasionally orders shirts with the club crest on them, so keep your ears open for opportunities like this.
Gaelic Football
All you really need to play gaelic football is a ball. We have some balls handy, but you may wish to purchase your own for your own personal practice.