LAST UPDATE | 31 Jul 2018
THE OPENING EPISODE of RTÉ’s documentary series The Game aired last night to widespread acclaim from the viewing public.
A three-part series which has been in the making for five years, The Game explores the art of hurling through the eyes of some of its biggest names.
It couldn’t have arrived at a better time with the country still basking in the afterglow of those two extraordinary All-Ireland hurling semi-finals in Croke Park at the weekend.
Hurling stars past and present such as Michael Duignan, Henry Shefflin and Austin Gleeson were among those to voice their approval.
You can watch back the first episode on the RTÉ Player here.
The Game was just brilliant. Great to see so many legends of the game giving us a glimpse in to the history of hurling. Especially proud of the passionate Offaly contribution courtesy of my great friend @daithi_regan & a man I admire hugely, Paul Rouse.
— Michael Duignan (@DuignanMichael) July 30, 2018
“The dead who shall live forever and the living who shall never die” - Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh #thegame @_THEGAME_RTE1
— CTL Films (@CTLFilms) July 30, 2018
What a line from Sambo - "the lads you play with in the county team you make friends and get invited to their weddings - but the lads you play with in your club are the lads that will shoulder you to your grave - friends for life " #TheGame
— Mortimer Murphy (@MortimerMurphy1) July 30, 2018
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín telling the story of how playing hurling made him feel loved and accepted... well either my hay fever is back or there's some dust in my eye. #TheGame Magnificent documentary, episode two of three next week.
— Joe Donnelly (@kildarejoe) July 30, 2018
Loved the part at the end of #TheGame when Seán Óg Ó hAilpín told the story of how playing hurling made him feel loved & accepted. Throwback to 2016, when I reported on @NaPiarsaighCork Division 4 football league final & Seán Óg had to referee the game. A legend! pic.twitter.com/uyMzeyOiNy
— Barry O'Mahony (@barryomahony4) July 30, 2018
Such an honour to meet and interview 100 year old Dick ‘of the Church’ Tullaroan who’s been to nearly every All Ireland starting in 1931 #thegame pic.twitter.com/Ejf6q8EWp1
— CTL Films (@CTLFilms) July 30, 2018
Part two throws-in next Monday on RTÉ 1 at 9.30pm.
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One of the best shows RTE has produced in years. Unbelievable altogether, Goosebumps is right!!
Beautiful stirring stuff and still 2 more episodes. We’re very lucky to have something so magnificent rooted deep in our national identity.
It’s so far beyond being just another sport. Thank you Mr. Cusack.
Had to record it. Still can’t bring myself to watch anything hurling related after Sunday’s result.
That said, as the teams were being paraded around on Sunday, I looked around and thought this is our culture and felt privileged to be part of it.
Greatest game on earth.
@MK76: Likewise I couldn’t bring my self to watch it after the disappointment of Sunday. Its fantastic that despite so many outside influences from other cultures etc that hurling and football are still a huge part of out culture. The GAA got some unfair criticism last week over the Liam Miller game but it has to be admitted that the organisation is the strongest there is on this island and has done a superb job in preserving our games. Its the greatest game on earth…. if your Irish??
@MK76: I took a mental snap shot during amhráin na bhián while looking from the lower cusack stand and I was bursting with pride. The word community was the only thing I could think of. I’m from West limerick born and bred but I was proud of everyone in the stadium and I said no matter what the outcome of the game this is ours and nobody can take it from us.
@man.over.board: unfair criticism my ass. Fully deserved.
Loved the Sambo Mcnaughton line
“Guys you play county with invite you to their wedding, guys you play club with carry your coffin”
Decided to give it 5 mins – ended up glued to the box. Superb. Cant wait for the other two episodes. Loved the way the players named heroes then the hero would name their own heroes.
What an amazing story of our hurling heritage.. Especially after the wonderful hurling we’ve watched in the past weeks.. It made me feel how proud it is to be Irish.
Anywhere you can see this if you missed it thats not RTE player?
@Mel Roberts: tut tut. Were you watching love island?
@Crpytoalchol: Yeah that’s exactly what i was doing
@Mel Roberts: You could have watched it on RTE1+1 ..
@Irish Bob: If I had of been at home and on front of a tv I could have but considering i wasn’t I couldn’t
I was very disappointed with the contend, firstly Limerick’s contribution to Hurling was completely airbrushed out. Mick Mackey was not mentioned when Ring, Rackard’s etc were being trumpeted. Secondly it was light on detail, hurling known as hurley was being was being played in Dublin by all creeds in the years preceding the formation of the GAA. Had they done some research the could have made a very fine program. Had they read the book GAA a Peoples History by Mike Cronin, Mark Durcan and Paul Rouse they would have uncovered some gems for inclusion. It seemed content to romanticise rather than tell the more fascinating story.
@Collitov: I heard Mackey’s name a couple of times… honestly
@edelno5 .: You heard his name, Did they show a picture of him? Did they make any comment on Limerick’s early contribution to hurling. That they dominated most of the 30s. Anyway I just thought there is so much more factual and fasanating material they could have included. They were content to romantisise rather than inform
@edelno5 .: that is the content for next week’s episode
@Collitov: that is the content for next week’s episode
@Collitov: it was only part 1
Just fantastic
I’m as big a GAA head as the next man but seem to be the only person that switched off half way though. Didn’t think it was going anywhere. Lots of slow motion shots of kids playing hurling and old a historian guessing what might have happened in the beginning but no substance…
@Gerald O’Dwyer: totally agree, cannot see what so many people are enthusing about. Hurling, the best field game I’m aware of! However, this programme was poorly compiled, edited and presented. It jumped from snippet to snippet and covered nothing in sufficient detail. A golden opportunity missed, I’m hoping the next episode will make for better viewing.
“The dead who’ll live forever, and the living who’ll never die”
To any fan of any game a show like this would be a must watch but it’s just full of nostalgia and nostalgia is a winner in the emotional world of the greatest 8 competing teams national title in the world of field games.
Great documentary, ☘
Mighty show well done RTE, I’d have no bother paying more on my tv licence for good quality programmes like this.
Pity you can’t watch it abroad. Nobody has a link?
@B Collins: Get a VPN or install a locale switcher for your browser and then you can watch the RTE player.
And people moan about paying €160 license fee when they are spending over €1000 for sky or virgin to watch rubbish.