In the 19th century, the landlord class promoted horse-racing, hurling, cricket matches and athletics meetings. Artisans and labourers were excluded from official competitions.

April 1880
Encouraged by Pat Nally from Mayo, Michael Cusack organised a national athletics meeting open to all track and field athletes, regardless of class.

October 1881
Cusack wrote a series of articles for the Irish Sportsman in which he called for the inclusion of nationalists in the governance of Irish athetics.  

December 1883
Following the dissolution of the Dublin Hurling Club after just twelve months, Cusack established the Metropolitan Hurling Club. Its success convinced him that hurling could be revived on a nationwide scale.

Easter Monday, 13th April 1884
A hurling match between the Metropolitans and Killimor (Galway) convinces Cusack that standardised rules and a governing body are needed to ensure a nationwide revival of hurling.

August - October 1884
Cusack wrote to Maurice Davin, seeking support for a national organisation to promote hurling. An article penned by Cusack in The Nation newspaper called for the revival of Ireland’s national pastimes governed by Irish people.