I remember years ago John Kelly used to host a late night artsy programme on RTÉ 1. There'd be a section where the panel reviewed latest video releases.
Anyway in the runup to Christmas 1998 the panel were reviewing A Year til Sunday & David Norris was on the panel. When asked for his view, Norris said he was bored stiff by the video, but he found the tradition of the losing manager addressing the winners as "quite extraordinary".
It cut to the clip of Micko addressing the victorious Galway team with humility, wit & grace. I was never Micko's biggest fan, but that clip always stuck with me. As much as he won, the measure of him was how he reacted to defeat.

Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam

Smokeless Red (Carlow) - Posts: 30 - 03/04/2025 18:02:21    2600412

His greatest legacy is what he did after he finished with Kerry. RIP

oneoff (UK) - Posts: 1551 - 03/04/2025 18:15:04    2600415

Ryanteam (Cork) - Posts: 488 - 03/04/2025 21:01:54    2600431

R.I.P. Micko. A real legend. A man who managed 8 All Ireland triumphs and in his own words he says he was just lucky he had a great bunch of players.
A humble man who worked his magic with Kildare Laois and Wicklow too.
Because of his managerial triumphs it is often forgotten what a brilliant player he was.First ofvall as a half back and retired with injuries.
He came out of retirement after two years and won another 2 All Irelands as a prolific scorer at corner forward.He was also an expert dead ball kicker.
His last year playing for Kerry he was top scorer in the country at 37 year old.A man who often stopped his car on journeys around the country to watch kids games or indeed any gaa game.

His last managerial job was in charge of an under 15 team who he won honours with also.Was close to managing the Dubs too at one stage .Rest easy Micko.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3854 - 03/04/2025 23:27:57    2600452

RIP Micko.
Some of my earliest memories of watching sport was the great Kerry team on TV.
For me they are still the greatest football team ever.

GreenMan1987 (Meath) - Posts: 57 - 04/04/2025 10:41:46    2600489

Raised the standards of teams wherever he went, a bit like Mickey Harte or John O'Mahony, amongst a select group of others. But he is up on the top pedestal as the greatest manager in Gaelic football ever, there's simply no questioning that.

The difference with Micko was he was also a footballer of the year which is pretty incredible.

And the football he played and wanted played was the way the game should be played.

He did it without a gigantic backroom staff also.

The GAA has lost it's most important figure of the 20th century and I trust they will honour him in an appropriate way, a statue outside Croke Park or an important trophy or new competition named after him. The Mick O'Dwyer medal for footballer of the year perhaps?

We will unfortunately not see his likes again.

boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 202 - 04/04/2025 11:47:18    2600509