(单词翻译:单击)
Hurling is the national game of Ireland and it predates Irish history.
曲棍球是爱尔兰的国球，其历史比爱尔兰这个国家的历史还要悠久。
In ancient times, it helped young warriors prepare for battle.
在古代，它是训练年轻的战士的战斗力的一种方式。
You have to be physical; you have to be brave;ou have to be willing to take the hits.
打曲棍球得有强健的体魄，勇敢的意志，还要愿意吃苦头。
As a spectator, it's just something that can take your breath away.
从观众的角度来看，这也是一项张力十足的运动。
This Great Big Story is inspired by Genesis.
感谢现代捷恩斯对本期伟大的故事的大力支持。
Growing up, my grandfather always told me that the two most everything you could do was to speak the language and to play hurling.
在我的成长过程中，我的祖父总对我说，作为一个爱尔兰人，你能做的就是说爱尔兰语和打曲棍球。
And my Irish isn't fluent but I am a hurler.
我爱尔兰语说的不是很流利，好在我曲棍球还可以。
I develop my skills in this very garage here.
我的球技都是在这个车库里练出来的。
You would be in here one, two hours a day, just striking the ball off the wall.
一天练一两个小时，就对着墙打。
I am from Donegal. Its county in the northwest of Ireland.
我来自多尼哥。多尼哥是爱尔兰西北部的一个郡。
Donegal is a very rural area.
非常偏远的一个地方。
Hurling isn't as popular here as it is down south, but people dedicated their lives to it.
虽然曲棍球在这边不如在南边流行，但还是有人把自己的一辈子都献给了曲棍球。
There's 32 counties in Ireland.
爱尔兰有32个郡。
Within each of these counties, there is a club teams, which make up the county team.
每个郡都有自己的俱乐部球队。
I've been playing for my club, Setanta, since I was 7 years of age.
我7岁就开始为塞坦塔效力了。
It's a club my grandfather founded back in 1979; it's a club my father played for.
这是我祖父1979年创立的一个俱乐部；也是我父亲曾经效力的俱乐部。
And then when I was 16, I started playing senior level for Donegal.
我是16岁开始为我们郡打高水平比赛的。
Over the last number of years, I've been captain of Doegal, which has been a privilege for me
过去几年来，我一直是多尼哥曲棍球队的队长，这也是我的荣幸，
because you are representing both the club and your country and your teammates.
因为你不仅代表了你的俱乐部，你的地区，还代表着你的队友。
Hurling is the fastest field sport on grass.
曲棍球是草地上速度最快的运动。
This means the ball can move from one end of the pitch in the space of two or three seconds.
这就意味着，球可以在两三秒内从球场的一端到达另一端。
If you watch a game of hurling, you would think there are no rules involved here.
看曲棍球比赛的话，你会觉得好像没什么规则，大家是在瞎打。
But, for hurler, there is a lot of method behind the madness.
但在我们球员看来，疯狂的背后其实是有很多方法的。
There's 15 players on each team, two teams on the field, with two goals at either end.
每支球队都有15名球员，两支球队上场，球场两端各有一个球门。
The main skills involved are picking up the ball, striking the ball,
主要的技巧包括捡球，击球，
and you're competing against the other team to score at opposite ends of the field.
你需要和另一支球队竞争，看谁的得分高。
It's similar to lacrosse because you are passing the ball with a stick.
曲棍球和网棒球（又名长曲棍球）比较类似，因为都要用球杆运球。
But unlike lacrosse, where you have a net, you are using a flat piece of ash.
但和网棒球不同的是，网棒球的球杆上有个网兜，曲棍球纯粹用球杆扁平的头部运球。
And it just makes it that much more difficult because you are not guaranteed control of the ball.
这样一来就会变得困难得多，因为球的运动已经不在你的掌控之下了。
There is some big hits that wouldn't be out of place in American football game.
有些比较大力的击球动作在美式橄榄球里是也是适宜的。
But you gotta really be brave--get back up on your feet and go again.
但是你得非常勇敢，得有倒下了再站起来重新上阵的勇气。
Back in the 19th century, when Ireland was under British rule,
早在19世纪爱尔兰还处于英国统治下的时候，
the rise of hurling came in concert with the rise of the independence movement.
曲棍球运动兴起之时正值独立运动兴起之时。
In many parts of Ireland, especially the North, playing the game of hurling is not just about playing a sport,
对爱尔兰的许多地方，尤其是爱尔兰北部的人而言，打曲棍球不仅仅是在从事一项运动，
it's about keeping your Irish identity, keeping your Irish history alive.
更是在守护你爱尔兰人的身份，守护我们的历史。
It becomes more important than your job, more important than anything else but your family.
它比工作更重要，比除家庭以外的任何东西都要重要。
Once a lad, a young lad picks up a stick, he strikes the ball, over time, he develops a connection to the game
一旦一个男孩，一个年轻的男孩拿起球棍，他就得击球，久而久之，他就会与这项运动建立起一种纽带，
because it's raw, full of passion, it just represents everything what Ireland is about.
因为它是一项既粗犷，又充满了激情的运动，它代表着爱尔兰的一切内涵。
