The tool now used by the country's top hurlers actually originated in far off places like Ukraine and Romania. Of the 400,000 hurleys produced every year, over three-quarters of the ash timber is imported from the Continent at a loss of €1.4 million to the economy. Gavin Cummiskey reports.

This is due to a shortage of the raw material in Ireland. Twenty-five years ago nobody envisaged hurling would have become so popular, the result being supply now fails to meet demand.

Romania and other eastern European countries, mainly Poland and the Czech Republic, along with Germany and Britain, are the main areas sourced.

Coillte (the Irish Forestry company), have been working with the GAA and the Irish Guild of Ash Hurley Makers - formed in 1998 to combat moves to introduce the plastic hurley - to combat the shortage.

"The ash deficit will continue until 2010 at least," said GAA spokesman Pat Daly.

"There are a number of factors for the current situation. The increased demand for hurleys was not anticipated, while a decrease in natural regeneration along with people no longer sourcing their own ash all contributed. But it is under control."

The GAA point to their own ash plantation at Johnston Castle in Wexford, and Daly complemented the assistance of John Brown TD, the Minister for Communication, Marine and Natural Resources, for ensuring the situation will not be evident in 10 years.

"Coillte have been supplying the market since the ash deficit started," Daly continued.

"A co-op system was put in place to ensure guaranteed prices and avoid a monopoly situation arising."

Coillte, in fact, supply one third of the ash to hurley makers, with 25 per cent of this imported mainly from Wales.

Tim Crowley was a Cork hurler in the 80s and is now a director with the company.

"We have traditionally supplied one third of the ash, with farmers and hurley makers themselves supplying the rest, but over the last 10 years the supply of private ash has dried up.

"It is a short-term problem, over the last 10 years, coming from no great planting of ash 20 years ago."

Willie McAuliffe from Charleville in Cork has been making hurleys for 20 years, and naturally prefers to use Irish raw materials.

"Irish ash is the best ash, mainly due to the climate, but there is very little left. Last year I used about 500 Irish planks but imported over 5,000. In fact, I am picking up a load tomorrow from Romania."

So are Coillte and the Government to blame?

"We are all at fault at some stage," McAuliffe admits.

"They started planting some small acreage in 1983, but it is a slow process. Hindsight is a great thing. Unfortunately, the money is going out of the country. There is in excess of 100 hurley makers in the country, but the supply is not sufficient at present."

The guild have 48 members and are seeking to extend membership to control price and eventually ensure hurleys can receive a quality stamp before sale.

There is another problem, though, as before a hurley gets into the grip of say, Seán Óg Ó hAilpin or DJ Carey, a conveyor belt process must take place and this is now being rushed.

"The ash isn't in long enough to be seasoned or dried," continued McAuliffe.

"If ash is seasoned well it makes for a better hurley, but demand is there now.

"I installed a drier, but if we could stop making hurleys for 12 months, and let the ash accumulate, we'd be fine, but that cannot happen.

"In five years' time it should get easier when the Irish ash is on stream again, but it will be another 15 or 20 years before we can rely on it."