The GAA world has been plunged into mourning following the death of Dublin football icon Kevin Heffernan at the age of 83.

The St. Vincent's clubman was one of the GAA's best-known personalities, and achieved legendary status in the capital during his time as Dublin manager during the 1970s and 1980s. The current popularity enjoyed by the Dublin football team can be traced back to the era of "Heffo's Army", who transformed Hill 16 into a sea of navy and sky blue for the big championship occasions involving the Dubs.

A brilliant motivator and leader, Heffernan was an outstanding footballer and hurler in his younger days. In the colours of the mighty St. Vincent's, he won a remarkable 15 county senior football championships between 1949 and '67, and six county senior hurling championships between 1953 and '62.

After representing Dublin in both codes at minor level, he made his senior football debut in the same year as he sat his Leaving Cert. Kevin won an All-Ireland junior medal in 1948 and National League medals in 1953 and '55. He helped Dublin to Leinster titles in 1955, '58, '59 and '62, but the highlight of his inter-county career was undoubtedly captaining the Dubs to an All-Ireland title at Derry's expense in 1958.

His status as one of the greatest footballers of all-time was cemented by his selection at left corner forward on the GAA's Football Team of the Century in 1984 and the Football Team of the Millennium in 2000.

After retiring from playing, Kevin Heffernan became Dublin manager in 1973. Football in the capital was at a low ebb at the time, but within 12 months, Heffernan had transformed the county's fortunes by leading them to an All-Ireland final victory over Galway - their first since 1963.

In the years that followed, Dublin enjoyed an intense rivalry with Mick O'Dwyer's Kerry. Heffernan guided the Metropolitans to further Sam Maguire Cup wins in 1976 and '77. When the Dubs suffered a heavy defeat to Kerry in the 1979 All-Ireland final, it was seen as the end of an era, but 'Heffo' rebuilt the team over the next few years and delivered another All-Ireland in 1983 when the Dubs famously defeated Galway with just 12 players.

Following his retirement from inter-county management, Kevin Heffernan managed Ireland to victory over Australia in the Compromise Rules Series in 1986. He enjoyed an extraordinary career which is sure to be celebrated in the coming days.

He was granted the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 2005.

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