The Say Hello move is an explosive poke in the chest or gut. It is used not only to injure the opponent but also to catch him off guard which allows the stick fighter to set up for his next move. It is a simple poking maneuver that is launched from the fighter's pivotal gained during the Charge In.
The photos below show the Say Hello move as well as the stick punch and Charge In moves that frequently precede the Say Hello. Note that all three are NOT separate moves but rather one FAST, CONTINUOUS motion that is, if not blocked by the opponent, completed within about one second.
Click on any of the photos below to see an enlarged version.
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1. Glen launches a stick punch which Oliver begins to block.
(Oliver is using a make-shift bata because an authentic bata was not available at the time the photos were taken.)
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2. Glen immediately swings his whole body in towards his outstretched bata -- the Charge In.
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3. Within the same continuous motion Glen Says Hello by sliding his bata into Oliver's gut using Oliver's stick as leverage.
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4. This catches Oliver off guard and gives Glen time to execute his next move.
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In Rince an Bhata Uisce Bheatha fighting the two ends of the bata can really be thought of as extensions to a boxer's fist so poking/jabbing with the end of the stick is very common. However the Say Hello move is unique in that it is an extension of the Charge In move. Its name comes from the fact that it is often the first time the stick touches the opponent's body during a match.
Note that this same Say Hello technique can also be used against an opponent fighting with a one-handed grip Irish stick fighting style. (Photos demonstrating this will be added soon.)
