Having grown up in Australia, he was not used to the Irish weather. He also arrived at a time when there were not many people of color in Ireland, and struggled to find his place here. But he eventually found community in his local GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) team and with time and dedication, he went on to lead his team to winning an All-Ireland championship cup in 2005, and made history with his winning speech delivered entirely in Irish. He expressed the importance of not only hurling but the Irish language itself as major components of Irish Culture.
When I asked Seán Óg Ó hAilpín what he would want Kentucky high schoolers to know about Ireland, he told me to show you the first few minutes of a hurling match. Here is a recent game highlight reel: https://youtu.be/g-nHKfbVz7o?t=481
Final Thoughts
I was so lucky these last months to meet so many lovely people willing to speak to me about Irish language and culture. I look forward to more.
