National  Pride and Hurling

Firstly, it is no secret that sports help with the development of national pride, just look at the World Cup or the Olympics. Hurling is no different. Many of the old Irish sports were used as a means of perpetuating Irish nationalism in the United States. Some individuals and organizations, such as the Gaelic Athletic Association actively used the Gaelic Sports, such as Hurling, as means of developing a national identity among Irish immigrants in the United States and other parts of the world.

Similarly, John O'Reilly was a man heavily involved in the development of the Gaelic sports in Massachusetts. In particular, he really enjoyed Hurling. O'Reilly used Hurling and other Irish sports to promote Irish nationalism within Boston, Massachusetts (Darby).

 

Another example is in Toronto, Canada. Here, a nationalist group called the Hibernian Benevolent Society put on large Hurling and other Gaelic sporting events in order to promote nationalism amongst Toronto's Irish Catholic Community. However, this group only lasted between the 1850s and 60s (Ryan & Wamsley).