For those of you unfamiliar with the sport, Hurling is, to use an old fashioned, very un-PC term, a man’s sport. I knew a woman whose three brothers played for Ulster Railway Cup sides, all of whom had to have several major round of orthopaedic surgery to the face, by the time their playing careers were complete. Now a survey conducted at hospitals in Waterford and Cork, has recommended (subs needed) the wearing of protective headgear be made mandatory.
One of the six eye specialists involved in the study, Mr Stephen Beatty, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Waterford Regional Hospital, said yesterday that the figures did not include recent injuries. “In the last five weeks alone we have had three patients go irreversibly blind in one eye. As doctors, we cannot sit back and let this continue,” he said.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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