Kevin Mallonon the December night in 1890 when a group of Gaelic footballers stole the show at the renowned Madison Square Garden

February 3rd, 2007, marks the dawn of a new and exciting era for Croke Park in particular and the GAA in general. But Gaelic football under lights is nothing new. Indeed it's nearly as old as the GAA itself. The first Gaelic football match under lights was played indoors at the Madison Square Garden in New York city, just over 116 years ago, on Saturday evening, December 13th, 1890.

Two years earlier, a party of 50 athletes and hurlers known as the "American Invasion" had toured the United States, holding exhibitions in many of the major cities. The tour aimed to establish the GAA in America, especially among the Irish exiles, but bad weather and the 1888 presidential election race meant the enterprise resulted in almost total failure.

That 17 team members remained on permanently in the US drew an angry response from many home supporters, but it was those "Invaders" who then went on to establish the GAA in and around New York city in particular.

The American public was bemused by hurling, but with Gaelic football showing a number of similarities to their own "College/American" game there was a much more positive response to what the Americans called "Irish football".

As a result, Gaelic football teams began to spring up in the greater New York area, and by the end of 1890 the GAA was in a strong enough position to participate in a great "football" exhibition at the newly rebuilt Madison Square Garden in Manhattan (on the corner of Madison Avenue and 26th Street).

The original Madison Square Garden (where world heavyweight champion John L Sullivan once fought) was demolished in 1889, and in its place wealthy owner William Vanderbilt and architect Stanford White created a magnificent new structure.

The minaret-style tower soared 32 stories high, making it New York's second tallest building. The main hall where the exhibition games were played was then the largest in the world. Lit by enormous lights suspended from the ceiling, it measured 120 metres by 70 metres, with permanent seating for 8,000 people and standing room for thousands more. In all it cost the then princely sum of $3 million to build, and the New York Times described it as worthy of mention alongside New York institutions such as Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge.

On opening night, June 26th, 1890, the 17,000 crowd included most of America's rich and famous and Madison Square Garden II quickly established itself as America's pre-eminent indoor sports facility, featuring boxing matches, horse shows, long-distance footraces, cycling and, on December 13th, 1890, an exhibition of "Irish", "American" and "English" football.

Members of the 1888 "Invasion" team provided the backbone of the New York Gaelics side (Manhattan) which that evening under the Madison Square Garden lights and in front of a 5,000 crowd defeated Port Chester Sarsfields (Westchester County) by 3-8 to 1-5.

JS MITCHELL OF EMLY in Tipperary, perhaps the greatest weight thrower of his time and himself a member of the "Invasion" team, witnessed the game. Later to become a journalist with the New York Sun (for whom he covered the 1912 Olympics), he remembered the crowd's lack of enthusiasm as the Gaelic football teams entered the arena. But, to his obvious delight, the match proved to be the highlight of the entire evening.

"I would have given the world if Maurice Davin was present," he wrote later. "I am sure it would have gladdened his generous old heart to see the game and the representatives of the Association which he made received so well."

The star of what was a 14-a-side game was undoubtedly WJ Spain, an All-Ireland football winner with Limerick Commercials against Louth in 1887 and an All-Ireland hurling winner with Dublin Kickhams against Tulla of Clare in 1889.

That night in Madison Square Garden, Spain scored 2-5 for a Gaelics team that included "Paddy" Molohan (Kildare), JJ Cullen (Dublin), Jack Connery (Limerick), Joe O'Donnell, JJ Hickey, J Leonard (Louth) and Pat McInroy (Dunleary).

IN THE DAYS AFTER the game the New York newspapers reflected the crowd's enthusiasm for Gaelic football, describing it as the "most picturesque" of the three games on show with "not a quiet moment in it".

The local press was unanimous in its praise of "Irish football".

JS Mitchell, a member of the New York Gaelic Society which had grounds across the river in Woodside, recognised the positive impact the Madison Square Garden exhibition had on Gaelic games in the city and surrounding area.

"Outside of the Invasion team," he wrote, "this match was the greatest boon (possible) to the GAA in America."

Within a year 14 teams, including New York Gaelics and the Irish American Athletic Club (Manhattan), Charles J Kickhams (Harlem), Brooklyn Emmets (with grounds at Ridgewood Park/Joseph F Mafera Park), Stars of Erin (Hastings-on-Hudson), Mitchels (Brooklyn), Rangers (Yonkers), Barrys (New Jersey), Sarsfields (Port Chester), Volunteers (Yonkers) and Farley Emmets (Jersey City), had entered the New York football championship.

Other teams included Westside Shamrocks, the Irish Americans of West Hoboken and a company of the 169th Regiment of the US army.

The Irish American Athletic Club of New York played its matches at Erastina on Staten Island or at the Polo Grounds, described by one club member as "about as bleak a piece of ground as there is between here and the Giants Causeway".

Some years later that same bleak piece of ground would play host to Cavan and Kerry in the 1947 All-Ireland final, an historic fixture the seeds of which were sown under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden on a New York Saturday night in December 1890.

New York Gaelic Football Rules 1890: "No holding, tripping or slugging is allowed. Nor can any player hold the ball in his hands and run with it. All that is allowable is the kicking of the ball and hitting it with the hand while the ball is in the air."

Madison Square Garden II, the site of the first Gaelic football match under lights, was replaced in 1928 by the even more impressive New York Life Insurance Company building with its octagonal gilded spire.

Kevin Mallon teaches at St Patrick's Classical school in Navan and is a commentator for Setanta Sports