While the history of hurling in Lixnaw long precedes the founding of the GAA, the club was officially founded in 1888. As reported in the Kerry Sentinel newspaper on Saturday, 17 November 1888, the new club was designated Erin's Hope - Lixnaw and Irremore Branch. The first president was John Trant with Michael Ryan as vice-president. William O'Halloran and John J. Quilter were honorary secretaries with Denis Daly as treasurer. The first club captain was Thomas McCarthy with John Brosnan as vice-captain.

During the following year the separation of the sporting codes became evident with hurling being principally played in Lixnaw and football in Irremore. The hurling club in Lixnaw went by the moniker "Sir Charles Russell" for a time, in honour of an Irish statesman and supporter of Irish Home Rule and the Irish Land League. The naming of clubs and teams in such a fashion being commonplace at the time. The division of the Lixnaw and Irremore elements of the branch took place at this time and the latter competed with some success in the Kerry Football Championship. The Irremore area continues as a source of players for both Finuge and St. Senan's Gaelic football clubs. While football was also played in Lixnaw at this time, the predominance of hurling was increasingly evident.

When neighbouring Ballyduff, representing Kerry, successfully contested the 1891 All-Ireland hurling final, they included players from Kilmoyley and Ardfert and three men from Ahabeg in Lixnaw, Maurice Fitzmaurice, Maurice Kelly and John Murphy.