Our friends from Meath and Dublin may not be aware that in our note for the recent Leinster football championship programme we pondered for a while on the many changes that have taken place in the world since a Louth captain last ascended the steps of the Hogan Stand to receive the Sam Maguire trophy. Little did we know, as we penned it, that the great Dermot O’Brien was passing his last days in this life. Leaba le hais Ferdia go raibh aige.

Today, we make no apology for ignoring the claims on our attention of the Metropolitans and the Royals and look instead at the twinkling career of another great star of the GAA firmament, the wily Wicklow manager, Mick O’Dwyer.

Coincidentally, 1957 – the year Louth last won the Sam Maguire – was also a pivotal year in the O’Dwyer footballing chronology. For it was in that year that the young man from Waterville made his championship debut in the first round in Munster against Waterford. It is not recorded if he suffered any nerves in advance of the game. There would surely have been many well-wishers whispering in his ear that t’was great to be getting his first ‘shtart’ in a soft game against a crowd like Waterford who knew nothing about football. Sure, wouldn’t he enjoy the day out and the trip up to Waterford and there’d be plenty of time for him to make his mark against other, better teams.

Well, Sunday, 2nd June 1957 dawned bright and beautiful over the ancient Viking city of Waterford. The county ground, Walsh Park, seemed warm and welcoming towards its distinguished visitors. However, things had not gone well for Kerry in their preparation for the game. The traditional GAA row over the captaincy of the county team had broken out and O’Dwyer was at the epicentre of it. His home club of Waterville were champions of South Kerry and South Kerry as a divisional team had taken the county championship. Normally, that would have automatically meant that Waterville could have named O’Dwyer as captain. However, he had not yet established himself on the county panel and so the honour was passed to the Saint Mary’s club, in Cahirciveen. They nominated Jerome O’Shea, but their other panel member, the great goalkeeper, Donal Marcus O’Neill, was so aggrieved at being overlooked that he withdrew from the team to play Waterford.

In the end, the Kingdom side that travelled to Waterford that morning was bit of a rag bag selection, albeit the great Mick O’Connell of Valentia was back at mid-field. But stars of their National League winning side like Tom Moriarty and Seán Murphy did not make the long trip. There was only one sub available and he had an injured ankle. The great Kerry stalwart, John Barrett, was there to report on the game for ‘The Kerryman’. Instead, he togged out as a sub – and presumably also reported on the game – while the vital gap in the goals was filled at the last minute by a hapless Kerry minor.

Despite having only the bare fifteen players, Kerry were eight points ahead at the start of the second half and were well in control. Then the Waterford lads decided to tear up the script. Noel Power got a soft goal and the three thousand strong crowd went mad. Four minutes to full time and the Déise had narrowed the gap to only three points. Still no panic in the Kingdom ranks. Up stepped Jim Timmons from the Kilrossanty club to punch another goal and the sides were level. Then almost on full time, the Waterford centre back, Tom Cunningham, of Abbeyside, came up field and strolled into GAA history by kicking a great long range point to win the match. The mighty Kingdom had been beaten by 2-5 to 0-10.

It was a shaky start to an inter-county career, especilly in Kerry where success is the coinage of nonchalant endeavour. O’Dwyer’s exploits since that day below in Waterford are the stuff of legend, myth and fable. He was on Kerry teams up to 1974. In 1966, he broke both legs, yet three years later had recovered sufficiently to be voted Footballer of the Year. As a manager, he brought Kerry to eight All Ireland titles in twelve seasons and only the prescience of Offaly’s Seamus Darby in 1982 prevented a Kerry / O’Dwyer five-in-a-row.

Here in Leinster we have reason to be grateful that he came among us to spread the footballing gospel according to Saint Michael. He took a Kildare side - a county starved of success since the 1920’s - composed of players with little success at either Minor or Under 21, and won Leinster with them and pushed a great Galway team to only a four point winning margin in the 1998 All Ireland final. In 2003, he took Laois to their first Leinster title since Churchill and Stalin defeated Hitler in that other contest known as World War Two. Now, the O’Dwyer bush fire has spread to Wicklow where he has inspired a new, young and enthusiastic panel of players.

Maybe that unexpected defeat by lowly Waterford in his first championship made an indelible impression on his psyche? Maybe it was the crucial factor that has egged him on to success after success over all these years when so many others have trundled off into retirement? After all, who knows what thoughts go through the head of any teenager on the day of his championship debut? Especially when he is on a Kerry football team beaten by Waterford.

This Chronicle was first published in the programme for the Leinster championship games in Croke Park on Sunday 3rd June 2007

Linked article:
Elvis, Dev and Dermot O'Brien - Chronicles of An Fear Rua