It’s classified as the oldest and fastest field sport in the world.
It’s the Irish sport of hurling, which is being showcased at the Queenstown Rec Ground tomorrow, from about 1.30pm, when the local side take on a Christchurch side for an annual fixture last held in 2021.
Christchurch won the first encounter, then the home side the next two, so local club founder Declan ‘Diesel’ Malone warns ‘‘Christchurch are coming for us this year’’.
Nine Wellington players are also flying into town to bolster the ranks of both sides.
Saturday’s game is being preceded at 1pm by what’s understood to be the world’s first gathering of representatives from all 32 of Ireland’s
counties.
Malone’s idea, the gathering will also be attended by the Irish ambassador to New Zealand, Jane Connolly, NZ’s Friends of Ireland coordinator, Karen Manning, and local mayor, Glyn Lewers.
The 32 will wear their county jersey and also a special ‘The Full 32’ jersey which arrived from Ireland last week and will be available for public sale from next month.
For the hurling, the sides have traditionally played for the Lindis Pass Trophy.
This year it’s being renamed the Ian Flanagan Trophy in honour of a local Irishman who died suddenly late last year — Ian was well known to local hurlers and formerly played for the Christchurch side.
A minute’s silence in his honour will precede the game.
Malone says Saturday’s going to be ‘‘a big, big day for Irish culture’’.
He’s grateful to Queenstown’s Morrison’s Irish Pub, which is again supplying his players with new kit, and Modbox Queenstown, which is supplying flags for spectators to wave.
There’ll also be fundraising for The Tara Trust, which supports NZ’s Irish community, and St John.
Leaflets will explain the rules of the game, but Malone’s promising a spectacle — ‘‘it’s so enjoyable to watch’’.
The game comprises two 30-minute halves with a 10-minute break.
