Kerry Football Families

The O'Dwyers of Waterville


by Matt Leen

The picturesque village of Waterville lies on the beautiful 'Ring of Kerry'. Famed in song and story for it's rugged natural attractions, it has one more claim to fame - as it was here in June 1936 that Mick O' Dwyer, perhaps the greatest player/coach in the long history of the GAA, was born. Attending St. Finins National School and the Technical School Mick played as Kerry Minor in 1954, Junior in 55 and 56, and started his Senior career in 1956. From then until he retired in 1974, Mick won every honor in the game.

His first Senior success came in 1959 when he won National League and All-Ireland medals playing from the left half back position. He captured his 2nd senior All - Ireland medal in 1962 again at left half back, but when Kerry next played in an All - Ireland final, Mick played as a left half forward. They lost in the '64 and '65 finals to Galway. He broke his 2 legs in 1966 and retired for 2 years but was back to play in the AII Ireland final of 1968, losing out to Down. He was now at corner forward and playing great football, and in fact was top scorer in Ireland for 3 years in a row -1969, 1970 and 1971. He won his 3rd AII - Ireland in1969, also capturing "The Texaco Award" that year as footballer of the year. In 1970 he won his 4th AII -Ireland and toured around the world with the Kerry team, culminating with 7 games in Australia where he scored 9 goals and 30 points. Mick played his last AlI Ireland final in 1972, losing out to Offaly in a replay.

He was moving towards the end of a great playing career and retired from inter-county football in May 1974. Lesser mortals would take up the golf club or fishing rod, and ease into retirement gracefully - but not Mick O'Dwyer. Appointed manager by the Kerry County Board in 1975, what was to come was to surpass anything that even a Hollywood scriptwriter would dream up. In 1975 he trained Kerry's U21 and senior teams to win AlI-Ireland titles, defeating Dublin in both finals. In fact from 1975 to 1981 inclusive, Micko trained an All Ireland winning team every year.

  • 1975 - Senior and U21
  • 1976 - Under 21
  • 1977 - Under 21
  • 1978 - Senior
  • 1979 - Senior
  • 1980 - Senior
  • 1981 - Senior

Under his management every record in the book was shattered. 5 of his players won the magical 8 Senior AlI Ireland medals. Four of his players won 8 Texaco Awards, his players won 71 All Star Awards, and his players brought more gold to Kerry in All Ireland medals that would put a smile on the treasurer of Fort Knox. Mike O' Dwyers involvement in Gaelic football since he donned the green and gold jersey as a Kerry minor in 1954, through his great playing career with Waterville, South Kerry, Kerry and Munster to his wonderful coaching career with Kerry and now with Kildare is phenomenal, and unlikely ever again to be equaled. In this player's career Mick O'Dwyer won the following: 4 AlI Ireland Senior, 8 National League, 1 Railway Cup, 3 Kerry Senior Championships medals, 1 Texaco Award. In his managerial career with Kerry he won the following: 8 AlI Ireland Senior, 3 All Ireland U21, 3 National Leagues, 6 Railway Cup, 8 Texaco Awards.

Karl, Robbie and John O 'Dwyer, sons of Mick and Carmel O' Dwyer have all worn the Kerry jersey in different levels over the years. Karl won Intermediate Co. Championship with Waterville, 2 U21 Co. Championships with South Kerry, and one AII Ireland U21 with Kerry before his job took him to Kildare. Here he has played outstanding football for his adopted county and was unlucky not to win a senior AIl Ireland medal in 1998 when Galway narrowly defeated Kildare in the AII Ireland final. He won 2 Leinster Senior Championship medals and also won an AII Star award at corner forward in 1998. Robbie won 2 U21 Co. Championship medals with South Kerry and won an AII Ireland Junior medal when he lined out at left half back for Kerry who defeated London in the 1991 AIl Ireland final. John has won U21 county championships with South Kerry and has played for the Kerry senior team for a period in the '90's. The O 'Dwyers of Waterville, between father and sons have won every honor in the game over the years and have given great service to Waterville, South Kerry, Kerry and Kildare both on the field of play and at coaching level.

And now this facinating O Dwyer story continues, as Mick has moved from Kildare to Laois and has stunned the country as his young side has reached the 2003 league final. Micko is the most remarkable man the GAA has ever known, and the repeated failure to invite him to manage the Irish International Rules team stands as a regrettable monument to those responsible.

But the true story of all sports shows that greatness is achieved only by those with a zeal to perform for themselves not in a selfish way but as an expression of their private obsessions. Mick O Dwyer and his family (John) is now a Kerry Senior Selector. They have given more to their beloved GAA probably more than any other family. Long may they continue.



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