HURLING at Croke Park has made a global top ten list of must-see local sporting events.
The GAA headquarters ranked above watching the NFL in Miami and the Rugby Union in Cape Town, South Africa in a new list revealed by the Lonely Planet.
The ‘Where and how to watch sport like a local’ guide describes Croke Park, the only European venue in the list, as “steeped in Irish tradition.”
It says: “Croke Park is the headquarters of both Gaelic football and hurling. The latter – a fast-moving, physically demanding game – is best watched in the national stadium, with the semi-finals and final of the All Ireland hurling championships played here in August and September.”
The Lonely Planet recommends a “few pints of Guinness” to get spectators in the mood, but warns visitors not to turn up in an Ireland or rugby top.
To help tourists “fit-in” the guide provides some help with the local terminology.
“Hurley for the wooden stick the players use to hit the sliotar, the baseball-like ball which is thwacked towards the opponents’ goal,” it states.
Croke Park made the worldwide shortlist amongst watching Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, Ice hockey at Rogers Arena in Vancouver and Sumo wrestling in Tokyo.
Here’s the full list:
1. Football at La Bombonera, Buenos Aires
2. Sumo wrestling at Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo
3. Cricket at Eden Gardens, Kolkata
4. AFL at the MCG, Melbourne
5. Ice hockey at Rogers Arena, Vancouver
6. Baseball at Fenway Park, Boston
7. Basketball at Madison Square Garden, New York
8. Hurling at Croke Park, Dublin
9. NFL at Sun Life Stadium, Miami
10. Rugby Union at Newlands, Cape Town
See More: Croke Park, Hurling, Local Sport, Lonely Planet
