As someone who has coached hurling for twenty five years at all levels this is a topic that continues to fascinate me. I’m qualified to coach at any level and give coaching courses on a regular basis.
A few of my own thoughts on the subject. Terminology. “Cackhand” means different things to different people. To me it simply means having the wrong grip and nothing to do with being left-handed or right-handed. What does being left-handed / right-handed mean anyway - the hand you write with? I don’t think about it that way when it comes to hurling.
In hurling coaching terminology - as many coaches on here will know - the words used are “dominant hand” and “catching hand”. “Dominant hand” in sporting context does not automatically mean the hand you write with. For the vast majority it does - but there are exceptions.
Let me use my experience coaching kids to explain. When a child starts hurling for the first time they tend to hold the hurley and want to catch with the same hand. That is natural. Furthermore many will use a wrong grip which is actually more suited to the game they will play for a year or so at the beginning - ground hurling. The reason we develop dominant hand on top is to prepare for air hurling. Kids find that confusing and it is important coaches think about this - not to generalise but I have found quite often more intelligent 6-7 year olds will keep reverting to the wrong grip - these are the kids that explain to me why the way they are holding the hurley is better suited to the game - ground hurling in their heads. They are right. It is basically hockey and a hockey team will destroy a hurling team on the ground in large part due to technique. The shinty games are an interesting watch in this aspect.
So…don’t ask the kid what hand do they write with. Find out their dominant sporting hand. Start off the first 2 months sessions in academy playing tennis drills with both hands - it becomes clear very quickly which is the dominant sporting hand. And interestingly - you will find some exceptions to the hand they hold a pen with. The kids then need to have hurling explained to them so they know why they need to catch in the other hand. The “dominant hand” and the “catching hand” are thus noted for all kids…and that is the beginning of developing the eventual beautiful feeling of executing hurling skills in the most efficient manner.
I coach football also and that makes for a far better comparison point also that whatever hand someone writes with. How easy does a kid take to kicking with both feet? Those kids that kick well off both feet early are often confused starting hurling as they can possibly learn with either hand as dominant. The choice is not clearcut for them. But they are gems if developed properly.
And all of this is equally relevant to coaching adults at the highest levels. The majority have dominant hand on top - lots of different styles of course but they are all executing the skills of the game (>25 core skills) correctly.
In my own case my dominant hurling hand is my right hand but I will strike off either side as suits the situation. Or used to! I hit frees off my right but could point a 65 off my left. Any decent club senior could do that in training. I always trained hitting line balls off right side and left side - but would always use right side in a game.
Playing football I kicked off both feet, with my right only marginally stronger.
An interesting exercise is trying to correct kids around fourteen and even adults with wrong grips. An exercise that I use is playing one handed hurling games - no catching. Start with ball wall - one handed hit and trap to get touch in. Then onto pitch 7 aside including air hurling. When lads have to pick solo and strike while being marked they all position the dominant hand correctly and indeed the swing is not far off a correct two handed swing arc and trajectory. The focus then switches to the players to be corrected - switch game to two hands, no catching and the few to correct attempt the correct grip - it is a slow process but if they can become convinced of the benefits of changing there is a good chance they might do the individual work required.
By the way, the photo of Deane striking on the other thread is perfect technique - the photo caught the point where catching hand reaches back over the dominant hand. Identical to Henry Shefflin striking from the opposite side of the pitch. Just a different dominant hands. The idea of striking off left side or right side for me is not a significant point of a discussion about grip - all accomplished hurlers should be competent off both sides. That is a style question and something that players that lack pace tend to use more effectively to compensate.
I hated marking right-handers who preferred striking off their left side - if you commit to the hook the good ones drift infield and you’re gone.
I love coaching but really miss playing - the smell of fresh cut grass this evening was something.