Discrimination Unites Irish Hurlers

Last week Irish hurling star Donal Og Cusack broke a cultural barrier with his revelation that he is gay. Now, a fellow hurler of Fijian descent says that his own experience with racial discrimination underlies his strong friendship with Donal Og.

Sean Og O' hAilpin, a hurler from Cork, told the Irish Examiner that he can identify with Donal Og because both men are perceived as different and suffer abuse for that perception in their chosen sport.

"O'hAilpin, whose mother is Fijian, has spoken of the racial abuse that he has received during his career, and can identify with some of the abuse Donal Og has received from the terraces about his sexual orientation," according to IrishCentral.com.

"The reason Donal Og and I have a tight bond is because we've gone through the same thing on the field," O' hAilpin said to the Irish Examiner, as reported by IrishCentral.com.

"Because of my background and his situation we've gone through the same pain on the field," he said. "It's happened in the past and it'll happen again."