A group of farmers from the Irishtown area had approached Daly in January 1879 during the Claremorris quarter-sessions about their treatment by landlords. To avoid libel, Daly refused to explicitly expose the landlords concerned but agreed to publish rent grievances in general. Daly publicised the grievances and advertised a mass protest meeting on 22 February 1879 in the "Connaught Telegraph". The meeting had to be postponed until April. The day before the meeting, on Saturday 19 April 1879, Daly's announcement in the "Connaught Telegraph" read :-