In Kilkenny, it is almost like a religion. Hurling takes up much time, talk and energy and it all leads to weeks like this, as the county prepares for yet another All-Ireland final.
No matter how far you travel away from the county, or how far from it you emerged, there is no escape.
For proof, just ask Ita Morrissey and Etienne Roche who live in Kilkenny city with their sons Teeto, Aguirre and Solly and despite backgrounds in France and Australia, are fully immersed in the native sport.
"I grew up in Australia but my family is actually from Kilkenny, so when my boys were old enough to actually know what hurling was, I had no choice in the matter," Ita explains with a laugh.
"So I've been bringing them to training and slowly but surely getting involved. The boys lead the way and, there's no denying it, my Dad used to play for The Village, so it's in the blood."
The Village is the James Stephens club, one of the traditional hurling powerhouses of Kilkenny city.
"I think with three boys close in age, they all want to make the Kilkenny team when they're older so they're training twice, three times a week. They just love it," she says of their sons.
Asked about who will win the match on Sunday, she says: "Kilkenny has to bring it home, after eight years of not having the cup here in Kilkenny, it's about time. We'll be screaming our heads off for all of the Kilkenny team to win it for us."
Meanwhile, Etienne is a native of northern France.
He says: "I got here about ten years ago and got with a Kilkenny girl whose family is into hurling and so I got into it through her and, especially, my brother-in-law.
"I was just watching the games, I never really tried to practise it, and then the boys slowly got into it more and more and now I'm supporting the coach on one of the [club] teams, and it's good fun, good crack."
He is hoping for a "wonderful show" after an entertaining final which went against Kilkenny last year, "and a little win this time".
Teeto, Aguirre and Solly are just some of the many, many boys and girls who go out to train each day and dream of one day representing their county in Croke Park.
Many of those take part in Kellogg's Cúl Camps which run throughout the summer in clubs countrywide, including all of those in Kilkenny.
This week the John Lockes club in Callan is one of those hosting hundreds of participants and, in breaks from games and exercises, they chat about Sunday's final and all believe this is Kilkenny's year.
"I think Kilkenny because they've made it this far to the All-Ireland," Zara Bergin says.
"My favourite player is Pádraig Walsh because he's really nice and he's our teacher next year," Aoife Henriques judiciously puts it.
Ciara Walton adds that she is "very hopeful" that Kilkenny will win, but it will not be one-way traffic.
"I'm guessing is that Limerick might get on top in the first few minutes but Kilkenny are always very hard-working and I think they'll get it in the end."
Layney Corcoran is not familiar with last year's decider, but with good reason: "The Limerick and Kilkenny one? I wasn't watching it because I had a dance competition... I'd say there'll be a point in it [this year] if Kilkenny win. I hope so."
Charlie Teehan is expecting a high-scoring affair: "I think the score will be 3-24 to 2-26 to Kilkenny. I think Limerick will come out strong in the second half but I think we'll be able to contain them and hold them up, keep tracking back and doing their job."
Seán Henriques recalls the semi-final against Clare.
"My favourite player is probably Mikey Butler because when he marked Tony Kelly he marked him out of it so, for that reason."
Not far away, in Burnchurch near Cuffesgrange, members of the Ó Chasaide family make up a musical group called, aptly, Burnchurch, and have adapted a recent classic for Kilkenny hurling purposes.
Sabh, Éanna, Síofra and Ruairí have been performing their version of Coming Home near and far in recent days.
"The song Coming Home is an adaptation of a song written by Skylar Gray but we changed the words specifically to suit this occasion, the All-Ireland," Síofra explains.
"We're all going up on Sunday and we can't wait."
For Jim Whelan in Graiguenamanagh, it will not be his first All-Ireland rodeo, by any means and he has got the proof at his home, where a large extended room is home to hundreds of books, posters, jerseys, newspaper cuttings, and much more in what is surely one of the most comprehensive collections of GAA memorabilia around.
"I always had a fascination with collecting programmes from any sporting occasion I ever went to," he says.
"I have all the programmes in hurling going back to the 1945 All-Ireland, and I've all the football final programmes going back to 1947.
"The latest programme I got was the one from the Polo Grounds in New York between Cavan and Kerry in football and that was a very nice one for me to get, I was delighted to get that and it filled a very large gap in my collection for me."
With a nod towards this Sunday's Kilkenny-Limerick final, he mentions a couple of highlights: "I suppose the '73 and '74 All-Ireland final programmes would have particular importance this week.
"Seventy-three was a very wet day in Croke Park where Limerick beat us. We had a few injuries that day of course, let me add, but '74 then we got revenge on the Treaty men.
"That was the first All-Ireland I was ever at, my Dad brought me to the All-Ireland in '74."
But not the last and, like thousands of others, he will be heading towards the capital at the weekend for what they hope will be another programme, and title, to add to the collection.
