Your host Kieran Connelly

A Coventry Irish bar; an unusual place for the local home of ice hockey you may think? Not when you learn more about the origins of the sport which many believe originated from Irish hurling.

Hurling, is an Irish field game that originated thousands of years ago. According to the Gaelic Athletic Association, hurling developed in Leinster where it was played with a soft ball and a hard, broad stick. When the Irish arrived in North America they of course, brought their favourite game with them and in the winter months this evolved into ice hurley. There are records of ice hurley being played as early as 1800 in Nova Scotia. Much of the equipment, rules and general conduct of play developed in Nova Scotia with these early games of hurling. Ice hurley, or ice hockey as it came to be known, evolved slowly, throughout many decades of play, with influences as diverse and complex as the game itself.

Other remnants of the the early influence of hurling include the word "puck". When a hurley player knocks the ball with his hurley stick, the ball is then "pucked". The word "rink" comes from the Scottish, and it means "race course". And when the game started, the goals were actually at the sides of the rink, to avoid long shots scoring by barreling the puck down the ice.

The Four Provinces provides coverage of all the televised Gaelic sports. Click here for details.

Read more about the Irish origins of ice hockey.

A little known fact from last season: Ian Burt was the first Blaze player to frequent the 4 P's after Alanna (fondly known by many fans as 'Mrs. Burt') began working behind the bar. Several other players occasionally joined Ian for a drink and introduced Tommo to the bar. It was Tommo's bright idea to create The Blaze Bar and he has worked closely with us to establish the new venue.

Why not enjoy a drink in the 'Burt Corner' of the Blaze Bar!!