After a weekend full of Galway hospitality though, and probably a few pints, Jesse knew he had to make the pilgrimage to the Mecca of hurley making, Torpey Hurleys, about an hour south in County Clare.The factory has its roots in 1930s when Patrick Torpey hand crafted hurleys for his teammates and other local players.
In 1981 they began to commercially make hurleys, and by 1995 over half of the All-Ireland winning Clare hurling team were using Torpeys, including Clare legend Davy Fitzgerald. Today they’re the leading brand in use in the GAA, renowned for their ease of use, strength, and natural balance. Patrick’s original tools are there at the factory along with a number of his favorite hurls for all to see, and even President Obama has toured the factory and now owns a Torpey.
“It was really cool, the whole set up they have there is incredible to see,” said Rapkin. “They have stick making down to such an efficient science, it’s incredible to watch.” He explained that they even recycle all of the scrap from the stick making process and use it in a wood-burning furnace to heat the whole factory.
After visiting the factory Jesse was to stay the night in Doolin, a seaside town about an hour or so down the coast from Galway. The postcard-perfect town has long been recognized as the center of traditional Irish music, and it’s even rumored that is was in Doolin that J.R.R. Tolkien got his inspiration for his Lord of the Rings trilogy.