Cornish Hurling Town v Country Second Saturday After Shrove Tuesday 1950-2005

Cornish Hurling Medieval Football & Hurling

Winners 1950-2005

Year2nd Saturday Winning TeamWinning Player
1950TownRundle Lawry
1951CountryCyril Lawry
1952CountryCyril Lawry
1953CountryMichael Weldhen
1954TownWill Hawkey
1955CountryDavid Bazeley
1956CountryMichael Weldhen
1957TownTony Hawkey
1958CountryMichael Weldhen
1959TownJack Payne
1960Town Mark Syms
1961CountryMichael Weldhen
1962TownRichard Rundle
1963CountryMichael Weldhen
1964TownRichard Rundle
1965TownRichard Rundle
1966TownGarry Hawken
1967CountryGeoffrey Hawke
1968CountryGeoffrey Hawke
1969CountryAlan Rodliffe
1970CountryMichael Weldhen
1971CountryMichael Weldhen
1972CountryMichael Weldhen
1973TownDavid Green
1974TownDavid Green
1975CountryMike Hitchens
1976CountryMichael Weldhen
1977TownPhilip Tremain
1978CountryMichael Weldhen
1979CountryMichael Weldhen
1980TownRichard Ellery
1981TownTerry Green
1982CountryMichael Weldhen
1983TownSid Bennett
1984TownDavid Rogers
1985TownDavid Chapman
1986CountryRobert Weldhen
1987TownIain Robinson
1988CountryIain Robinson
1989CountryJoel Blake
1990CountryAdam Ellery
1991TownPaul Hitchens
1992CountryAlex Cole
1993TownClint Histon
1994TownMike Hitchens
1995TownAnthony Hawken
1996TownMark Windebank
1997CountryAdam Ellery
1998CountryPhilip Ellery
1999TownNigel Masters
2000TownMark Coleman
2001CountryTom Wakelam
2002TownScott Bennett
2003CountryTom Wakelam
2004TownSean Johns Jnr
2005CountryTom Wakelam

History

Every Shrove Tuesday in St. Columb’s, Cornwall, the game of Hurling is played between ‘Town’ and ‘Country’. The night before resembles a ghost town as all the shops are boarded up and shuttered before the game is played the next day. There are no limits to the numbers of players in the game, with each player playing for either the ‘Town’ or ‘Country’. The game kicks off with the words “Town and Country do your best. but in this parish I must rest.”.

Traditionally, the game was played between the men of St. Columb, but is now played by the children. [3]

The Game can last a few minutes or it can last hours depending on how quickly the winning team can get the ball to the goal. The winning player who carries the ball to the goal has the option of keeping the ball and paying for a new one by a local craftsman. On the 4th March 2003 Sean Johns won it for the ‘Town’, his third time winning it. In 2002 Scot Bennett became the youngest ever winner, at 11-years-of-age. After the match is over another tradition is partaken , when the silver ball is dipped in the winners drink. [1]

The ball is constructed traditionally, out of silver with an applewood core, taken from a local orchard.

References

________________________________________________________

Websites

[1] BBC Cornwall (2003) Hurling at St. columb in the 21st Century [Internet] Available from; http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/villages/stories/stcolumb_hurling.shtml [Accessed 7 March 2018]

[2] The Beehive | Internet Archive (2006) Hurling Winners 1950-2005 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20060218093026/http://beehive.thisiscornwall.co.uk/default.asp?WCI=SiteHome&ID=661&PageID=73544 [Accessed 13 June 2019]

[3] St. Ives Web Community TV (2013) The St. Ives Feast and the Silver Ball [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20130819100810/http://stivestv.co.uk/whatson/feast_day_2013.htm [Accessed 13 June 2019]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Ciaran Columb.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American & World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 15 July 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019-2020

You are may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

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