Former Kerry footballer and manager Mick O’Dwyer has died aged 88

Born in June 1936, O’Dwyer made his first appearance for Kerry as a minor in 1954.

He graduated to junior level a couple of years later before making his senior debut in 1957.

Between then and his final senior game for his county in 1972, O’Dwyer played 48 senior championship games, although he stepped away from the inter-county game in 1966 and ’67. He claimed four All-Ireland medals (1959, ’62, ’69 and ’70) in nine final appearances, was voted footballer of the year in ’69 and was a victor in 12 of 13 Munster senior finals.

He lined out in 93 league games for The Kingdom, winning seven Division 1 honours.

O’Dwyer filled a number of roles for Kerry, moving from wing-back in his early years to corner-forward towards the end of his inter-county career.

With Waterville, O’Dwyer claimed eight South Kerry championships and three county championships with South Kerry (1955, ’56, ’58). His managerial acumen was evidenced in three consecutive U21 All-Irelands with Kerry between 1975 and ’77, losing the ’78 decider to Roscommon.

O’Dwyer’s glorious 15-season career as Kerry senior manager, in which he experienced 10 All-Ireland finals, began in 1975 and the Sam Maguire Cup was forthcoming that September when they defeated Dublin by seven points.

That treasured piece of silverware returned to The Kingdom seven more times in O’Dwyer’s reign, including four consecutive years between 1978 and ’81, the five-in a-row famously stopped by Offaly and Seamus Darby’s goal in the ’82 game, a score which O’Dwyer admitted haunted him for several years.

Kerry returned to claim a three-in-a-row between 1984 and ’86 and among O’Dwyer’s other managerial achievements were 11 Munster SFC triumphs and three Division 1 crowns as well as six Railway Cup titles in charge of Munster.

In his second term in charge of Kildare, O’Dwyer in 1998 led the county to a first Leinster senior title in 42 years. They followed it up with an All-Ireland semi-final victory over his native county before they were beaten by Galway in the final.

Laois were next to experience the Midas touch of the Waterville man as he brought them provincial glory in 2003, the county’s first since 1946. They again reached the Leinster final the following year where they lost to Páidí Ó Sé’s Westmeath.

O’Dwyer also enjoyed a positive five-year spell in Wicklow where they pulled off a number of high-profile All-Ireland qualifier victories. In his last inter-county post, he took charge of Clare for the 2013 season.

O’Dwyer is predeceased by his first wife Mary Carmel, who passed away in 2012 and son Michael (Haulie) who died in ’22. He is survived by his wife Geraldine and sons John, Robbie and Karl. O’Dwyer married Tyrone native Geraldine in January 2023.

O’Dwyer’s passing comes less than two months after the death of his former county team-mate Johnny Culloty who was in goal for all four of O’Dwyer’s Celtic Crosses. O’Dwyer succeeded the Legion man as Kerry manager in the mid-1970s.

Tributes

Leading condolences, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “Micko lived and breathed Gaelic football. He embodied everything good about the game - dedication, ambition, positivity and community.

“His sporting legacy is unmatched. He will forever be one of Kerry’s iconic players, winning four senior All Ireland medals in 1959, 1962, 1969 and 1970.

He added: “Despite his many, many sporting achievements, Micko remained humble. In RTÉ’s 2018 documentary on his life, Micko famously said: 'I had a marvellous run, but wasn’t I lucky to be born in Kerry'.

“Kerry, and all of us, were lucky to have him,” said Mr Martin.

Former Kerry GAA Chairman, Seán Kelly MEP added: "One of the best people I was ever privileged to know.

"I was Chairman of Kerry GAA when Micko managed Kerry. He used to collect me at my house and we travelled to venues all over Ireland where Kerry were playing. On the way back on Sunday evening, he’d come in to my house for tea and Kimberley biscuits, and then continue on to Waterville to oversee the band playing and patrons in his dance hall that night.

"No manager was more successful in so many counties: Kerry, Kildare, Laois, Wicklow and finally Clare. He was one of the nicest and shrewdest people and was a brilliant man manager - the secret of his success. Micko was able to see what would motivate one player and not another.

"After winning the All-Ireland, he brought all the players, wives and officials to a big celebratory dinner in Waterville. Those are great memories.

"Micko is so famous as a manager, that we might forget that he was also one of the best footballers of his or any era, firstly as a wing-back and then as a most accurate corner-forward. I once saw him score 2-12 in one match in Croke Park!

"One of his biggest regrets? Not missing out on the five-in-a-row, but Waterville not winning the county championship. Waterville and Kerry were his life.

"It was an honour to have been close to such a great man."