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1864-1884
1864
On April 16th 1864 Alderman Maurice Butterly leases a 21 acre area of land ‘on the south side of Clonliffe Road in the parish of Saint George and County of Dublin’. The area becomes known as ‘Butterly’s Field’ and refers to the area occupied by the current day Croke Park Stadium.
1884
On the 1st November 1884 seven men met in the billiards room of Mrs. Hayes Hotel in Thurles, Co Tipperary. It was at this meeting, under the guidance of Michael Cusack, that the Gaelic Athletic Association was formed. Maurice Davin, a famous athlete, was named as the first President and Cusack as the Secretary. Archbishop Croke of Cashel was appointed one of the first patrons of the new Association. In later years two Croke Park Stands were named in honour of Cusack and Davin while the stadium itself was named in Crokes honour.