Michael Rush (3 January 1844 – 17 December 1922) was an Irish Australian sculler noted for his one-on-one competitions against champion opponents, which drew vast crowds of spectators.

Rush succeeded on a few occasions in having the Championship venue moved from Sydney to the Clarence River, the first to shift the focus of sculling away from the capital city.

Rush was unique in early Australian sculling in that he provided opportunities for others to compete and excel, by organising regattas and other rowing events, though financially he gained little.

His background as the son of Irish tenant farmers, a class traditionally debarred by law from owning land and hence accumulating wealth, gave Rush little understanding of the management of money.

Though his finances remained shaky, and his attempts at various business enterprises were unsuccessful, Rush continued to the end of his life to be interested and involved in the sport of rowing and sculling, organising carnivals and umpiring important matches.

He was born and spent his early years on a tenant farm in the Townland of Dooish, County Tyrone, in the province of Ulster, now Northern Ireland.

[1] Seeking employment and better opportunities than their native land offered, Rush and his brother John emigrated in 1860, arriving in Sydney in February 1861 per Hotspur, as assisted immigrants.

Rush then spent some months as a drover in southern New South Wales, while his brother John, taking advantage of the new Crown Lands Act took up a selection on the Lower Clarence River in 1863.

[4] During its early days of settlement, the Lower Clarence district lacked roads; virtually all communication within the area and with the outside world depended upon water transport.

Rush and Coulon contested several events, notably winning the single-scull and pair-oar races,[12] and while the prize money they received was modest, their performances were noted by Sydney rowers who quickly challenged them to private matches for large stakes.

[16] Rush, being unfamiliar with rowing outrigger wager boats, on that occasion failed to win the championship from Hickey,[17] but returned to the Lower Clarence with prize money totalling over £700.

[19] Rush divided his energies between his business ventures and his sculling contests, organising as well as competing in regattas and 'aquatic carnivals', so much so, that he never achieved the solid prosperity of other Clarence River commercial pioneers.

[20] As a former farm-boy from impoverished Ireland, where he might never have owned even a house plot, Rush now purchased many acres of Clarence River land, much of it having little value.

Rush's Irish background of tenant farming gave little understanding of managing capital, property, or conducting a business career.

[21] Rush fits an Irish immigrant model offered by historian Patrick O'Farrell: Too often [Irish immigrants] bought extensive tracts of marginal land, just because it was land, and cheap, and their pride was built on quantity... To the dangers of inexperience and chancy judgement, they added an ingredient which made a recipe for disaster – prodigal generosity.

By 1875, Rush had a wife and five children to support, as well as many business commitments, and could not afford to undertake a sporting endeavour involving a major investment in time and money, unless there was a chance of an adequate financial return.

Dozens of letters and articles in the Australian press debated the issue[27] for nearly two years, as Trickett and his supporters became increasingly incensed at Rush's stalling.

9] Finally, Trickett learned on the Thames to use racing-craft fitted with a sliding seat, which allowed a more efficient use of the sculler's whole body when rowing.

[38] Once the news of Rush's decision became public, betting odds changed dramatically, favouring Trickett, and the result of the race was considered almost a foregone conclusion.

[44] Trickett claimed a considerable shortfall in gate money from spectator ships, and a public benefit concert was held for him[45] by actor George Darrell.

During the following years, Laycock challenged Rush and others to sculling matches,[52] until in April 1879, he beat World Champion Trickett at a State regatta.

[53] Trickett once more went to the Thames to row against Ned Hanlan,[54] but these preliminary contests in Sydney marked the end of Rush's World Championship ambitions.

[59] Punch sponsored a sculling prize[60] and though this event did not attract any international entrants, Rush, Trickett and Laycock competed over the Championship course in early October 1882.

[62] Following his defeat in the Walker Whiskey Trophy events, a number of Rush's admirers and backers held a banquet in his honour, at which they presented him with an illuminated testimonial along with a sterling silver tea set, salver, and claret jug, valued at £200.

At a banquet later that week, Rush announced his retirement from professional sculling, but in December of that year, he rowed Trickett on the Parramatta River for a stake of £400, and lost convincingly.

[71] Rush organised an Aquatic Carnival at Grafton, held on 2 January 1888, as part of the national celebrations marking the centenary of European settlement in Australia.

The event attracted many up-and-coming scullers, including future World Champion Henry Searle, and even Ned Hanlan, who declined to compete due to illness, though he gave an exhibition of 'trick' sculling.[72][n.

'[80] The Carnival attracted several promising scullers, including future champions Richard Arnst and Peter Kemp, but spectator attendance was 'very small'.

[79] Rush's last recorded participation in a major sculling event was as umpire of the World Championship match between William Webb and Charles Towns held 3 August 1907, over the Parramatta course.[81][n.

[85] Some years after his death, a Grafton resident wrote, 'Mick Rush was the best-hearted Irishman who ever broke bread, and helped many a poor beggar irrespective of colour or creed, and may his descendants follow in his footsteps.