Fitzgerald Hurleys still striking the sweet spot after 21 years

IT’S now 21 years since Michael Fitzgerald turned his passion for hurling into a way of life.

Initially on a part-time basis, he began making and repairing hurleys, and Fitzgerald Hurleys is now a thriving family business.

This is the busiest period for hurley-makers across Cork. The club season is in full swing, and with the round-robin format in place, there are more games than ever.

Located in Araglen, the small North Cork village which juts into Tipperary and Waterford, Fitzgerald Hurleys supplies players throughout Munster and beyond. Cork stars Seamus Harnedy, Mark Coleman, and the Cahalanes, Damien, Conor, and Jack, are among the marquee hurlers that regularly call in.

One of the most significant changes in the modern era is the addition of an online shop. Fitzgerald Hurleys now open from 2pm to 5pm on weekdays, and 8am to 12pm on Saturdays to allow them to fulfill hurley orders from the website.

“It’s different from week to week but sometimes you could have 30% of the hurleys you sell coming through the website, you can get a lot of orders from Sunday evenings actually,” explains Michael. “You need time to sort through those and get them out. 

It’s amazing where people will order from, they come from everywhere in Ireland and we’ve definitely seen more from the west since Canning Hurleys finished up a few months ago.”

Supply shortages caused by ash dieback, a disease that could cause the death of the majority of ash trees over the next two decades, are a constant concern. Back in March, Fitzgerald Hurleys had to press pause on all orders for a week to restock. It’s undoubtedly a worry going forward.

They recently got a fresh bank of ash trees to craft hurleys for the coming weeks. They come in all sizes and many have a preferred shape, though the average adult size is now 33 to 34 inches, where 20 years ago many used a 36-inch stick.

Along with the more popular traditional camán, Fitzgerald Hurleys produce an Elite Hurley, which has a more durable bas thanks to a laminate insert. It’s not as radical as the Torpey Bambú stick or the synthetic offerings from Cúltec and Mycro, but is a unique response to the ash crisis.

“They take longer to make but you still get the same sweet spot,” explains Michael Fitzgerald. “And you get great distance with it.”

For hurley maker Tom Browne, this is the most enjoyable time of the year.

“The underage is fierce busy as well as having all the adult games, and you’ve the camogie as well, so everyone is out there with the hurley and sliotar.

“Camogie has become very popular. There are a lot more girls playing than before, new clubs starting up, and that’s great to see.”

If the split season has its issues, a lack of action on Leeside isn’t one of them.

They will be flat out in Fitzgerald Hurleys over the coming weeks, and any post-championship lull will be temporary.

“Sure you’ll have Christmas orders starting to come in then. We’ll be kept going alright!”