Former Cork senior hurler Aidan Walsh knows more than most about hurling.
The Kanturk man, who now makes hurleys in his spare time, also knows that in the hands of a wizard like Cork hurling ace Patrick Horgan, a hurley is not just a piece of wood — it’s a tool he can use to write another chapter in the storied history of the GAA.
For over a decade, Aidan has been crafting the sticks that have helped the Glen Rovers sharp-shooter, renowned for his trademark accuracy from play and placed balls, become the highest scorer in championship history — three goals and 50 points this season alone to bring his championship total to a staggering 32 goals and 679 points.
Cork’s Patrick Horgan shoots over a point against Clare. Picture: Eddie O’Hare
He has ensured that every curve, every ounce of weight, every grip on every hurley he has crafted for the lethal forward meets his specific requirements — each hurley built for moments when inches matter and split-second reactions decide games.
He’ll be watching closer than most on Sunday as the Rebels bid to end the 20-year drought, and Hoggie bids to win that elusive All-Ireland medal.
“He’ll be playing on Sunday with the hurley I made him before the league final,” Aidan says.
“I make about three or four whenever he needs them, but he doesn’t break many of them.”
Aidan, who makes hurleys in his spare time in a small workshop in Kanturk, prefers to get his ash from England, Scotland or Wales, because the ash grown further east is of a lesser quality.
“It’s a little lighter, so at the moment English ash is about the best,” he says.
“When I get a delivery in, I can see which planks look best, which have the best grain to suit Hoggie and I will pick those out and set them aside for him for when he needs a hurley.”
Wood chippings fly as Aidan works on a new hurley in his workshop. Picture: Howard Crowdy
And he makes a batch while Hoggie stands watching.
It means that tweaks can be made at every stage of the production process to ensure the bespoke handcrafted product is just what Hoggie needs.
“The days of throwing a bag of hurleys on the ground and telling players to pick one are long gone,” he says.
“Most players at this elite intercounty level, especially if they are passionate about the sport, know exactly what style of hurley and what weight of hurley they want.
Aidan cutting out the shape of the hurley. Picture: Howard Crowdy
“They will have a number one hurley that they will always try to use and number two, three and four as well.
“And to be honest, of all the hurleys I make, this one takes the longest time.
“I am fairly familiar with what he wants in a hurley, but we’re able to make the small changes as we go to make sure that he’s 100% happy with it.”
A former intercounty footballer and hurler with Cork, Aidan won an U21 All-Ireland football medal in 2009 and went on to play senior under Conor Counihan.
He played both codes during the 2014 season, winning a Munster Championship medal that year but focused on inter-county hurling only for 2015. He rejoined the Cork senior football team in the summer of 2016, and committed to the football team for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, before committing to the senior hurling squad from 2019 onwards.
Aidan seen checking on a hurley during the sanding process in his workshop in Kanturk. Picture: Howard Crowdy
However, later that year, he was told he would not be part of the management team’s plans, and that spelled the end of his intercounty career.
But he’s played at that level, he knows the players, and what they need.
So what is it about a Hoggie hurley that’s so special?
“It’s heavier than a normal hurley, it’s almost the weight of a goalkeeper’s hurley and it has a very big or thick bás,” Aidan says.
“The grip is more rounded than square and the champfer on the bás all the way down to the heel is deeper on one side than the other; it’s the side that faces the ground when he’s lifting the ball for a free.
“That makes it easier for him to get the bás closer to the ground and easier to pick the ball.
“It’s the small details like that that are so important to get right.”
He feels a certain amount of pressure but more so a sense of responsibility to make sure that Hoggie has the right hurley to do the job on the pitch.
“But I certainly have the easier job of the two of us. I just have to make the right hurley. He has to go out and perform on the pitch,” he says.
“Of course, I always want him to do well — they say if Hoggie’s doing well, Cork is doing well.
Aidan with his nearly completed hurley. Picture: Howard Crowdy
“There was panic stations the week before last year’s All Ireland final when he broke his number one hurley and I had to drop everything to make a replacement.
“So I’ll be a bit nervous alright this week hoping that he doesn’t crack his number one hurley.
“He could go a whole year without breaking a hurley but anything can happen in a training session — one flick, one block here, or one clash there. Ash is very unforgiving that way.
“But rest assured, if he does break a hurley over the coming days, I will drop everything to make sure we will get it sorted.”
Meanwhile, as the scramble for All-Ireland tickets continues, free tickets to the Rebels’ Fanzone event in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday are set to be released for booking on Thursday morning.
The free, family-friendly, alcohol-free event will be fully ticketed, and u16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets will be made available from 7.30am on Thursday via Cork GAA’s website www.gaacork.ie, Cork City Council’s website www.corkcity.ie, and from Eventmaster.ie.
Tickets will be limited to a maximum of five per person, and capacity is limited.
Organisers have appealed to fans to only apply for tickets if they are certain they will use them
A ticket transfer and cancellation window, including the ability to cancel or transfer some of your tickets, will be open until midnight on Saturday.
