Preserving Ash for the Hurley in an Age of Dieback

For generations the hurley has been crafted almost exclusively from the butt or root section of the ash tree. This section gives the stick its balance, flexibility, and correct grain direction for strength, but it also means that much of the rest of the tree goes unused. In times when ash was plentiful, that wastage hardly seemed an issue and could be diverted to other uses.

Today, things are different. Ash Dieback Disease has spread relentlessly, decimating supplies across Ireland, Scotland, and mainland Europe. The once-reliable imports of ash, particularly from Eastern Europe, are no longer secure. Makers are left asking the same question: how do we keep hurley-making alive without the timber we have always relied on?

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The Traditional Way

The craft of hurley making is unchanged: from felling the ash tree and cutting the prized lower section, to planking, marking the outline, rough shaping, and finally producing the curved, balanced stick every hurler recognises.

This process has served the game for centuries, but it relies almost entirely on a shrinking supply of butt ash.

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Doing More with Less

Working in the Highlands of Scotland as a shinty stick maker, I began exploring ways to use more of the tree. Out of discussions with Irish makers and the GAA, a straightforward idea emerged:

Why not make use of the straight, strong upper sections of the ash tree, timber normally discarded, by planking and joining it into hurleys?

This approach makes it possible to:

• Produce more hurleys from each tree.
• Preserve the best butt ash for the highest level of play.
• Reduce wastage at a time when every sound piece of ash matters.

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Advantages of the Finger Joint

The key to this approach is the hidden finger joint system. Unlike a simple straight join, the finger joint maximises the glueing surface area, creating a stronger and more reliable bond.

For hurley makers, this means:

• Efficient use of timber – shorter off-cuts or planked ash from higher up the tree can be joined into full-length blanks, reducing waste.
• Strength and resilience – the joint is robust, able to withstand the stresses of striking and play, while resisting twisting and warping.
• Straight and stable blanks – finger joints produce a more linear, stable structure, ensuring good grain direction throughout the stick.

This method has long been used in joinery for producing strong panels and beams. Applied to hurley making, it offers a way of doing more with the ash we have left, without compromising on quality or feel.

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What’s Needed

To achieve this method in the workshop, the set-up is simple:

• A basic finger joint cutter
• A router
• A router table

This is not specialist machinery. With this equipment, hurley makers can produce consistent joints, creating full-length blanks from planked ash while keeping the grain in the correct direction.

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The Prototype Design

From this principle I developed a prototype hurley using planked ash and a hidden finger joint system. Two sections are joined so that the grain runs correctly throughout the stick, giving the finished hurley the appearance, strength, and feel of a traditional design, while significantly reducing waste.

Why This Matters

I am not a hurley maker, and I have no wish to replace the craft that rightly belongs to you. My aim is simply to offer this design to our friends across the water as one more tool in the fight against ash dieback.

If it proves of use, my only request is that it be credited and made available to all makers. The hurley, like the caman in Scotland, belongs to the people, not to patents or private claims.

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Looking Ahead

By making more from each ash tree, we can buy time, preserve the best butt ash for the finest sticks, and keep the craft alive while the battle against dieback continues.

Hurley making has always been about skill, adaptation, and pride. If this small idea can help in any way, it is offered freely in that same spirit.

Alan MacPherson – Tanera Camans