GAA mourns passing of ‘legendary leader’
Described by Mick O’Dwyer as “a real leader of men”, and credited with “legendary status” in the Kingdom by Association President Sean Kelly, he was one of the county’s stars during what came to be known as the Golden Years, during which time he won five All-Ireland senior championships.
Yesterday, as the news began to filter through to players, supporters and the general public, he was remembered as much for his gentlemanly qualities as his outstanding ability in what is regarded as the most difficult position in any team - centre half-back.
With his wife Nuala he had the satisfaction of seeing his son Noel win an All-Ireland medal in 2000 and less than two months ago witnessed the remarkable achievement of their other son Tadhg with Sydney Swans in the AFL, when he became the first Irishman to figure on a winning Grand Final team.
Aged 52 and an honoured member of the Listowel Emmetts club, he made his senior debut in the 1974 National League, a year before winning All-Ireland medals at U-21 and senior level. And, he was to distinguish himself in Kerry’s four-in-a-row sequence between 1978 and 1981 - captaining the team in the 1979 final against Dublin.
He was an Allstar winner in 1979 and 1980, he won four Railway Cup medals (1977, ’78, 1981 and ’82), as well as being part of the National League-winning teams in the 1976/’77 and 1981/’82 seasons.
In the Kerry county championship, he was twice a winner with Feale Rangers, the first in 1978 and the other two years later.
Yesterday Kerry chairman Sean Walsh said a celebration of the 1980 triumph had been planned for Saturday week and he knew from talking to Tim recently how much he had been looking forward to it.
Sean Kelly expressed his condolences to the Kennelly family on behalf of the GAA and its supporters.
“Tim had legendary status in Kerry GAA circles,’’ he said.
“He was amongst the best defenders the county ever had - a man who excelled in a team that included some of the greatest players of all time.”
His duels with Dublin centre-forward Tony Hanahoe were “etched in the folklore of the GAA”, he added.
Mick O’Dwyer quickly came to appreciate his unique talents during his managership of the Kerry teams of the era.
“He was a great leader and one of the greatest centre half-backs of all time. And he was a man who never pulled out of a tackle,’’ he said.
“I remember he won the award for man of the match in the 1980 All-Ireland and that was a fair achievement for a fellow playing in his position.’’
Páidí Ó Sé holds treasured memories of the player and the man, since their careers developed at the same time and he played alongside him in the five All-Irelands Kennelly won.
“We were very close, going back to the time when we were Kerry minors together and I went to school in St Michael’s, Listowel,” he recalled.
“We were inseparable. He was with me from the start almost to the finish of my career, being a selector in 1985 the year I was captain. We started off together in 1972 when we played minor and in 1974 when I made the senior team, he came into it during the League.
“Apart from his ability, he was one of the most popular players. Nobody could ever say a bad word about Tim. He was a special person.’’
Cork manager Billy Morgan knew him both as an adversary and a Munster team-mate.
He said: “He was a fine footballer, big and strong, the ideal player to have at centre half-back. He always drop-kicked the ball. He cleared his lines quickly and never dwelt on the ball. It meant it came with a nice trajectory, ideal for a forward.”
Roscommon great Dermot Earley, who played against him in the 1980 All-Ireland final, shared the shock when hearing the news.
“He was a fantastic player - and a very likeable player - and a very integral part of that great Kerry team,’’ he said.
“He was as solid as a rock. You couldn’t get a better player for the position.”
Dublin legend Jimmy Keaveney said: “Tim was the best centre-back of my era. I got to socialise with him a bit at the Listowel Races and we always had a good laugh.
“We played an All-Ireland semi-final against them one year and I’d broken my nose earlier that summer. During the game Tim caught me a bit late and I went after him and threw a punch at him. He went down on the ground but I think he was half-acting.
“A few weeks later I was down in Listowel at the races and a woman came up to me and started bawling me out of it. It turned out it was Tim’s sister. Sure we had a great laugh after it when I told him the story. He’ll be badly missed.”
Commentator Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh agreed that apart from his brilliance as a footballer, he was an outstanding individual.
“The word I would use would be grámhar (loving).”
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