Sean Boylan remembers the late Mick O'Dwyer

Legendary Gaelic football manager and Kerry star Mick O'Dwyer has passed away at the age of 88.

Sean Boylan remembers the late Mick O'Dwyer as a remarkable man who was a true legend of the GAA and a great friend to the former Meath boss.

"He truly was a remarkable man and I remember him as a player too. He won All-Irelands as a half-back and a corner-forward, not too many have done that - a great man," Boylan told the Meath Chronicle.

He won so much as a manager then. Even when people said Kerry weren't too bothered about the leagues, he still won four or five of them because his teams were so well coached and brilliantly managed by the man.

"He had an innate ability to ensure that his players always had the enthusiasm to have a go at everything. He had six or seven lads who were PE instructors and he had a few teachers and they were always in competition with each other and that helped, but the one constant throughout all that was Micko himself, he was remarkable.

"I remember when he told me when he stepped down as manager that he felt so close to his players that he could never drop them. That was the nature of the man, he was extraordinary. He really cared for his players.

"He was so good with Kildare. He was amazing everywhere he went. We had a great rivalry in 1997 and '98. He had been in charge of Kildare earlier (1991 to '94) but it didn't work out. Then he came back and transformed them.

"If there wasn't those three games against Micko's Kildare in 1997 I'd say we'd have won the All-Ireland that year too, but that's the beauty of sport, there's always a chance for someone else.

"If it was a game of cards, a game of snooker or a game of darts, Micko would have to win it. He had an extraordinary enthusiasm and he was a winner.

"I loved his enthusiasm and I loved the fact that I could lift the phone to him at any time.

"After Covid I went down to see him with my own son Ciaran. We went to Cork first and then went on to Kenmare to drop something into Mickey Ned (O'Sullivan) before heading on to see Micko. When I got there he said to me 'why did you go to Mickey Ned first?' When I told him I was dropping in something for his sister, he said that was alright.

"He knew Ciaran and all about him playing underage with Meath and then over in Achill. Micko knew all about Ciaran, I was amazed by that.

"He saw similarities between Ciaran and his Karl. Kildare would have won no Leinster without Karl O'Dwyer, he was great.

"He was never happier than when he was behind a wheel driving cars. That day we were down with him it was lashing rain and Ciaran said he'd go get the car for him and he asked him for the keys. Micko told him the keys were in the car and he hadn't taken them out since 1968. Micko's car was sacred.

"There was big do for Micko's 80th. He was on the stage and his voice was very week, but when the Bomber (Liston) came onto the stage with him the life started to come into Micko. There was great craic, it was 90.

"Mick would think nothing of hopping in the car and driving over to Paidi's (O Se) for his breakfast, 60 miles, for the chat.

"There were extraordinary times with Micko, great games and great teams. People will say he had brilliant players, and of course he did, but it takes something fairly special to be able to do what Micko done. As a player and as a manager, he was top class," concluded Boylan.

In his 57 years involved in inter-county football Micko won four All-Ireland SFC titles as a player and another eight as manager of the trailblazing Kerry side of the 1970s and 80s.

President Michael D Higgins also paid tribute to Micko this morning.

"May I join with all of those who have expressed their sadness on learning of the death of Mick O'Dwyer.

"Mick O'Dwyer will be remembered as one of the greatest figures ever to be associated with Gaelic Games.

"Micko, as he was affectionately known to all, was deservingly inducted into the GAA Hall of Fame in 2014. As both a player, and in particular as a manager, he was astonishing successful. The Kerry team which he led to eight All Ireland titles was one of the finest that Gaelic football has ever seen.

"Beyond his native Kerry, Mick will be warmly remembered by the people of Kildare, Laois and Wicklow for the success which he subsequently brought to their counties, as well as for his contribution to Clare.

"May I express my deepest sympathies to Mick's family, teammates, former players, and all of his many friends.

"Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal."

The Waterville man won 23 Munster SFC titles and 11 National League crowns as both a player and a manager, cementing Kerry as the greatest football county in the country.

In the 33 years Micko was involved withn Kerry before stepping down as manager in 1989 he was involved in almost one-third of the Kingdpm's 37 All-Ireland titles won since 1903. Kerry have won seven in the 33 years since he stood down as manager.

As well as being the mastermind behind Kerry's success, Micko enjoyed a remarkable second chapter to his career managing Kildare, Laois, Wicklow and Clare.

He won the Leinster SFC titles in 1998 and 2000 with Kildare, guiding them to the '98 All-Ireland final where they lost to Galway.

In 2003 he led Laois to just their sixth provincial crown and in 2007 he won the Tommy Murphy Cup with Wicklow.

In complete his remarkable management career, in 2009 13-man Wicklow beat Fermanagh in an All-Ireland SFC qualifier to ensure Micko had defeated every county in the country in his career.

Micko lost his first wife Mary Carmel in 2012. He married Geraldine Shields in 2023 and is survived by Geraldine, his sons John Robbie and Karl and is pre-deceased by another son Michael.