Shrovetide

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What can I say.
After a mega Waitangi weekend with Macka, Bronte, Eddie, Sarah and Emma on the 5/6 Feb, I then headed north to Ashbourne for Shrovetide on the Tuesday night.

Shrovetide - Played in Ashbourne since the 15th century or so, is basically a no-holds barred game of rugby. No Murder, No Manslaughter, No Transportation of the ball, and keep out of private property being the only real guidelines. Played over 2 days, (Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday), it’s the “Upards” (North of the river) against the “Downards” (South of the river). Each day at 2pm, the ball is thrown up in the middle of town and the idea is to get it to your respective goal at either end of the village, 3 miles apart. Game is played until 10pm at night, (remember its dark by 5pm) and goes literally everywhere, up trees, in rivers, over streets.

I arrived on Tuesday night about 9, and got to see a glimpse of the “hug” (read as “riot”) as it came past the petrol station. Imagine 100-200 men fighting over a ball, pitch black at night, middle of the street, cars reversing out of the way as fast as possible. We sat there in Gordys van as another van pulled up and the doors opened. I had to stop watching the hug, as person after person flooded out of the van. 18 people in all, jumping from the back doors and charging straight into the throng of people. We got out of there and straight down the pub, where every bar in town was heaving. Literally thousands of people turn up for this event every year and the atmosphere, whilst being very muddy and sweaty, is great! So no play for me on Tuesday, but a great night out! The local lads had had a crack though. Robbo had a bung knee and ankle, Phil had been crushed more than once, Watto had cracked ribs, and Duncs back was already giving him grief. The girls were on form though, as most had been in the pub all day long!

Wednesday, awoke feeling sprightly, big brekkie courtesy of Lizzie, then down to the green man for a quick pint, before the throwing up of the ball. Into the carpark with everybody else, ball comes up, taken, then the mass of people starts to move. If your not playing, your watching and the sea of people can move with swift pace. I had the camera with me, so followed the ball for a couple of hours. Managed to get crushed against a wall at one point, as the hug turned pretty fast in a tight alley. It was basically like being in a mosh pit and I guess a ruck, but with everyone focused on this cork filled ball. Ditched the camera at Pauls place, then shot back into town to have a play myself. Found Paul and Gordy in the pub tho before I found the ball and didn’t get much further! Did pop out to see it before it got dark, but by the time we got there, I needed a leek far to much to go charging into a mass of people :o) Back to Gordys to use the facilitys, then straight down the pub again for another great night out! Thursday was a total chill out day, sat down the pub, had lunch, toddled off to the station and back to work on Friday.

These English are mad!

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