Although born in Limerick, Michael Deering is most closely associated with Cork, where he helped to form the county board, of which he later became chairman.
He held a hurling tournament between clubs from Cork and Tipperary in 1886, which led to the introduction of intercounty competition.
[1] During his time as chairman of the Cork county board, a dispute arose over the 1894 All-Ireland senior football final.
[citation needed] Deering resigned from the Central Council, and a schism developed in the GAA, with Cork running its own All-Ireland.
[citation needed] Michael Deering was the only GAA president to die in office.