Australia’s hurling history revealed

It began with a story this autumn on these pages — but no-one could have imagined the treasure trove of photographic memorabilia the Irish Examiner would help unearth.

The September 17 story headlined Hurling played Down Under in era before GAA founded was based on a speech by historian Dr Pat Bracken at a sports history conference.

Dr Bracken had uncovered a set of hurling rules from the Lauriston Hurling Club, adopted by the Victorian Hurling Association in 1878 — six years prior to the foundation of the GAA — to cater for clubs in Melbourne, Kyneton, Collingwood Brighton, Prahran, and Richmond.