Saturday morning will be one of sadness and memory in Kerry and Dublin, as two greats in Irish sports have been lost this week.
Mick O’Dwyer
Mick O’Dwyer was rightly feted and celebrated as one of the greats of Gaelic Football, as a manager and a leader.
His mischievous and disruptive work around Adidas Kits, Washing machine endorsements and Team trips probably did as much for sporting ambassadors and sponsorship as any who had gone before him as well.
When Kerry took to the field in Adidas gear in the 70’s they were breaking a host of GAA rules which stated that kits could only be of Irish origin. They were fined by Croke Park but the payment from Adidas was more than the monetary value of the fine and so they did it again, and again.
They took part in advertising to wash those same kits in Bendix washing machines, again, completely unheard of and frowned upon by everyone else.
The modern sponsorship framework in the GAA would have happened as a result of worldwide marketing trends but O’Dwyers part in what we see today is more than a footnote.
The tributes paid to him by the President of Ireland, of the GAA and so many more will have been widely read.
Kay Lonergan
Less well-known and less in the spotlight but no less important to note is the passing of Kay Lonergan, who will also be laid to rest tomorrow.
Since 1977, Kay had dedicated herself to making tennis accessible to as many children as possible, all across Ireland. But her work wasn’t just about racquets and balls. It was about values, and Parks Tennis was her vehicle for creating opportunities, building community, and embodying the ideals of equality, diversity, and inclusion long before they became buzzwords.
Kay worked on the Parks programme for an incredible 48 years, pouring her energy, kindness, and fierce sense of purpose into every detail. As she did so, she defied description. It wouldn’t be enough to call her a volunteer, an organiser, or even a leader — she was a movement in herself.
We were privileged to have her speak at a Sport for Social Good event a few years back, and she was an irresistible force.
What both did for sport in Ireland will long be remembered, and the impact felt long beyond their own time with us.
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
May they both rest in peace, and if they get together in heaven, God help God if anyone stands in their way of getting souls active.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Funeral arrangements for both can be found on RIP.ieOur twice-daily news bulletins land Monday to Friday, 50 weeks of the year.
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