For their 12 March clash against Kilkenny, the Cork hurlers will wear a 1916 commemorative jersey. The jersey will be blue with a large yellow 'C' in the middle of it. How does this jersey relate to 1916?
Well, these were the colours worn by Cork in the early part of the 20th century.
Michael Moynihan in the Irish Examiner informs us that Cork only wear red jerseys these days thanks to the crown forces.
In 1919, the offices of the Cork county board in Cook Street were raided and the original blue and yellow jerseys were nabbed.
Cork merely adopted the jerseys of the Fr O'Leary Total Abstinence Hall side, who had recently amalgamated with St. Finbarr's.
In the style of the team, Cork played Tipp in the 1919 Munster championship with these red jerseys with 'TA' branded across the front.
No county team has advertised 'total abstinence' on their jerseys since those days. Would probably look less obtrusive than those Chill Insurance logos though.
