Former Mayo, Leitrim and Galway football manager John O’Mahony has died at the age of 71.

The Ballaghadreen clubman had two stints in charge of his native Mayo and also famously led Galway to Sam Maguire Cup triumphs in 1998 and 2001.

He also guided Leitrim to the county’s second ever Connacht senior football championship success in 1994, before losing out to Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-finals.

All in all, O’Mahony won eight Connacht SFC titles during his managerial career, including back-to-back provincial crowns with Mayo in 1988 and 1989, adding another one 20 years after the latter having taken his native county’s hotseat again in 2006.

He won the most Connacht SFC crowns of any manager in the competition’s history.

Elected as a Fine Gael TD in Mayo at the 2007 General Election, O’Mahony served in the position until 2016 and in May of that year then Taoiseach Enda Kenny nominated him to the 25th Seanad.

In the summer of 2020, he was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the blood, and December of last year would see him stepping down from his last managerial post with Galway’s Salthill Knocknacarra.

Galway GAA paid tribute to their former double All-Ireland winning manager this with the following: "John O'Mahony, R.I.P. We are deeply saddened to share the news that our former All-Ireland winning football manager has passed away. John guided Galway to the 1998 and 2001 All-Ireland SFC titles during a wonderful era for Galway football. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”

🕯️John O'Mahony, R.I.P🕯️

We are deeply saddened to share the news that our former All-Ireland winning football manager has passed away 🙏
John guided Galway to the 1998 and 2001 All-Ireland SFC titles during a wonderful era.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Full tribute to follow pic.twitter.com/zYEUemB8tS

— Galway GAA Official (@Galway_GAA) July 7, 2024

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