“He was a symbol of pride for the county – spanning decades.”
Former Kerry player and manager, Mick O’Dwyer, has died at the age of 88.
The Waterville man won four All-Irelands as a player and eight with the legendary Kerry team of the 70s and 80s.
He won a further 23 Munster titles and 11 leagues with Kerry as both player and gaffer.
He stood down from the Kingdom in 1989 and went on to have successful stints with Kildare, Laois, and Wicklow.
With the Lilywhites, he won the Leinster Championship in 1998 and 2000, and led them to the All-Ireland final in 1998.
He won Leinster in 2006 with Laois, beating Kildare in the final, and the 2007 Tommy Murphy Cup with Wicklow.
He managed Clare in 2013 but stood down after a year, marking his retirement from inter-county management.
Tributes
Taoiseach Micheál Martin paid tribute on social media:
“I am deeply saddened at the passing of Mick O’Dwyer – an icon of Gaelic Games.
“Micko lived and breathed Gaelic football. He embodied everything good about the game – dedication, ambition, positivity and community. My sympathies to all his family and the entire GAA community.”
Ex-Kerry boss and player, Eamon Fitzmaurice, wrote in his Examiner column: “He was such fun. Witty and confident. And that laugh.
“His husky laugh was infectious. He had a great habit of laughing at himself, which I found hilarious. The two of us would be in stitches laughing at something he said.”
In an obituary, Kerry GAA said: “Kerry GAA was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Mick O’Dwyer this morning. Affectionately known as ‘Micko’, he was more than just a legendary figure in Kerry GAA he was a symbol of pride for the county – spanning decades.”
