A hurley (Irish: camán) is a wooden stick approx one metre (three feet) long with a flattened, curved end, used to hit a sliotar (leather ball) in the Irish sport of hurling. Hurleys are made from ash, and are usually bought from local craftsmen in Ireland, who still use traditional production methods. However, for some time in the 1970s, hurleys made from plastic were used, mainly produced by Wavin. These proved more likely to cause injury however, and were phased out. At one time, one or more steel bands were sometimes used to re-inforce the flattened end of the hurley though these too are being phased out due to increased risk of injury.
No matter how well crafted the hurley is, a regular hurley player may well expect to use several hurleys over the course of the hurling season. The hurleys often break if two collide in the course of a game, or occasionally they break off one of the other players (arms, legs, etc.). Two hurleys colliding is colloquially known as the clash of the ash.
The term "hurley" is quite often shortened to a "hurl".
