Hurling & Camogie

UNESCO Heritage status in line for Hurling

Kilkenny and Galway hurlers walk in the 2015 pre-match parade, and Irish people the world over connect with home. Tension palpable, this is the All-Ireland hurling final. A day like no other. Picture by Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
Kilkenny and Galway hurlers walk in the 2015 pre-match parade, and Irish people the world over connect with home. Tension palpable, this is the All-Ireland hurling final. A day like no other. Picture by Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE Kilkenny and Galway hurlers walk in the 2015 pre-match parade, and Irish people the world over connect with home. Tension palpable, this is the All-Ireland hurling final. A day like no other. Picture by Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE

The GAA has welcomed the opportunity to have the national game of Hurling considered for inscription on the UNESCO Representative World Heritage List for this March, as one of the designated masterpieces of Humanity.

It follows on from the approval by the Irish Government of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, on the recommendation of Minister for Arts and Heritage Heather Humphreys.

Minister Humphreys told the Cabinet she believes UNESCO recognition would provide a significant opportunity to showcase the uniqueness of Hurling, Uilleann Piping and Irish Folklore beyond our national boundaries.

Welcoming the developments at government level, which is the culmination of much preparatory work by the Association, GAA President Aogán O Fergháil said: ''the GAA is unique amongst world sporting bodies in that it upholds within its constitution a cultural mandate and much social capital will accrue as a result of this in terms of sporting, tourism, curricular and community benefits.

''UNESCO Heritage Status for Hurling will further facilitate the advent of the qualification known as the Master of Value-Laden Acumen (MVA), which is emerging from the Association’s Games Development Department are an internationally recognised best practice framework for coach/player development & well-being.

''It also provides an excellent opportunity to integrate our unique traditional sports into Ireland’s heritage tourism, which is worth approximately €1.5billion in total to the economy and directly supports 25,000 jobs according to the Economic Value of Ireland’s Historic Environment: Final Report to the Heritage Council, 2011.''