Louth hurling captain Peter Fortune has only dreamt of winning All-Irelands since he first went to training in St Mullin’s Carlow when he was four years of age.
However, Fortune and his Louth teammates and counties from Fermanagh, Cavan, Leitrim, and Longford had this dream nearly pulled from their feet when there was a proposal to remove them from the National Hurling League.
Speaking on Allianz League Sunday, Fortune believes that the GAA aren’t selling the game of hurling well enough in the smaller areas.
“The fact I'm sitting here and Louth hurling is being discussed is a significant step forward, but it's only a first step, and it has to do a lot more; we need help. I’m a St Mullin’s man from Carlow, where I was sent to training at four years of age, and I never looked back,” Fortune said
“That was my hurling journey. That journey is not there for children in all of these counties, and that is an issue. The game will sell, but at the moment, we don’t have enough kids to see it. They only see snippets of it here and there.
“They need to see their local heroes, they need to see Luca McCusker, they need to see how talented he is, and I can be him, and I can play for Fermanagh and want that. I grew up in my back garden. I won 100 All-Ireland’s in my back garden. I don’t have one yet, but that’s the dream I want to sell tonight.”
'Hurling is clinging on in these counties' - Louth captain and GPA representative Peter Fortune calls on officialdom to assist those keeping the game alive at grassroots level outside of hurling strongholds. pic.twitter.com/ld5kh9GV7F
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) February 11, 2024
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'Hurling is hanging on'
Fortune knows that he and his Louth teammates won't see the benefits of their actions, but they want to improve conditions for the next generation of hurlers, even if it takes 15 years.
“There is a generation of hurlers that have felt this frustration. I have only been with Louth for five years and felt it. There are lads who have come through this structure from underage, and it is amazing where they are. They still have that passion and drive,” Fortune said.
“There's a generation of hurlers crying out we don’t want the next generation to feel like we do. We don’t want the next generation to bang their heads off the wall for ten years and feel like they are in the same position. We are telling them we will do some of the work, but volunteers can only get us so far,
“There are volunteers in our county who are keeping the game alive. It’s a number of men and women that are keeping the game alive in these counties and without central council coming down with a proper task force not just one man or woman going around and showing a session that can be done but actually say here’s a plan and it could take 15 years and even if in five years it not working let's come back in five years and review it lets not put this on the back burner lets strike when the iron is hot now let's think outside of the box what is happening right now isn’t working we have discussed about a festival of hurling for the Ring, Rackard and Maher finals we need ideas like that.
People might not realise, but hurling is hanging on in these counties, and the same people that have kept it alive for the last couple of years are keeping it alive today.”
Fortune's words resonated with many watchin at home.
Great ambassador for the game & a brilliant @gaelicplayers rep for Louth hurlers - well done @PeterFortune1 👏🏻 https://t.co/vYOhQmXIZP
— Chris Kerr (@Kerrso86) February 12, 2024
Thank you @PeterFortune1 for speaking with passion and purpose. https://t.co/Ue3yk7QaaQ
— GPA (@gaelicplayers) February 12, 2024
