Michael Fitzgerald

Michael Fitzgerald grew up in Araglin, Cork, an area where football took prominence. He talks about playing the game from an early age and the modest success enjoyed by his club - which was a dual club - in hurling. He soon became involved in administration, occupying various roles at different times. Later in life Michael started up a hurley making business and he describes how he ended up embarking on this career path. He explains the process involved in making a hurley and describes some of the challenges faced by hurley makers in Ireland. Hurley makers are under increased pressure from overseas competitors and the Irish makers have moved from a position of mutual suspicion to co-operation, joining together and working in tandem with Croke Park, Coillte and the Government in order to ensure that their livelihoods are protected.