GAA world pays tribute to late Dermot Earley Snr

Tributes have been made to the former Roscommon footballer, the late Dermot Earley Snr, who passed away this morning at the age of 62.

Earley won five Connacht SFC titles, two All-Stars and a national league medal during his inter-county career with Roscommon, between 1965 and 1985.

GAA President Christy Cooney expressed his sympathies to Dermot's family.

"I wish to express my sincere sympathies and those of the GAA to the family of the late Dermot Earley who has sadly passed away today," he said.

"Dermot made an immense contribution to the Association over the course of his life, a contribution that is still felt and appreciated today, in Kildare and Roscommon in particular.

"His passion for life and his desire to be to be supportive and helpful, particularly in encouraging players at local level, makes him stand out as an extraordinary person.

"While his contribution to the GAA has been hugely significant, his contribution to Irish life, in particular to the Defense Forces has been remarkable. We will miss him greatly," Cooney added.

Former Roscommon Senior footballer Seamus Hayden paid tribute to his former midfield colleague, on a sad day for Irish sport.

"It is a very sad day for all sports people and especially Roscommon sports people, and our thoughts and prayers are with Mary and her family today, even though we knew it was coming it was some shock and it makes us all very sad," he told RTÉ Radio's 'News at One'.

"To play with Dermot, I suppose it is the highlight of my career. Dermot, as he was in the army was a very inspirational figure.

"I was a few years his Junior when I came on to the inter-county scene, and he was a sporting legend in Roscommon at that time - in the mid to late 70s. He had that famous handshake that made you feel that little bit more important, and you knew it was sincere, and I think that carried into everything that he did.

"Let you be a young sportsperson or a young recruit of the army - you always felt that little bit stronger, bigger and better after meeting Dermot Earley."

Hayden recalled Earley's settling influence in the dressing room before big games for Roscommon.

"He was a very controlled man in the dressing room. He didn't get too excited; he wasn't jumping around the place. But, he always was very in control, a great man to have a word with before you went out on the field to calm things down, to get things at the right level; to put it all in perspective - as he was on the football field when he got out there.

"Everything that he did was well calculated, well thought out and he was a true gentleman to play beside. As I say his inspirational feats lifted colleagues and lifted players around him. I just feel so lucky that I have had that opportunity of playing in an All-Ireland final alongside Dermot."

Roscommon lost that decider to Kerry by 1-9 to 1-6 at Croke Park, and while Earley failed in his quest for an All-Ireland medal, Hayden says that an All-Star award later that year was some consolation, but that it failed to make up for an All-Ireland final loss.

"They were, but Dermot was a true winner, and he was disappointed after losing that final. It came towards the end of his career. He had a lot of football played - he had a lot of great days with the Roscommon team and with the Connacht team.

“I think to lose that final, he felt that was his last chance - and it proved that it was his last chance - all our last chances actually."

Also speaking on RTÉ Radio, Mick O'Dwyer, who managed Kerry in that 1980 All-Ireland decider, says that the former Roscommon footballer was one best midfielders around.

"Dermot was truly one of the greatest midfielders I suppose that I had the pleasure of seeing playing," he said.

"For consistency day-in, day-out, Summer and Winter; he had very few equals. When you speak about players who had never won an All-Ireland medal, he certainly was one of the greatest of them all. In 1980, when we had a wonderful team in Kerry. Might I add Roscommon should have won that one with Dermot in the middle of the field.

Earley served as Kildare Senior Football manager for the 1995 and 1996 campaigns, in between O'Dwyer's stints as manager of the Lilywhites.

O'Dwyer recognises the huge input which Earley put in, not just as a player - but as a loyal GAA member and supporter.

"He was a true sportsman on and off the field. His likes you would rarely meet in life, I can assure you of that. He was addicted to the game - I knew that because I met him and I knew him pretty well when he was in Kildare. And the amount of work he put into his club Sarsfields in Newbridge and Roscommon over the years.

"Of course he became a loyal follower of Kildare when his son Dermot started to play - yet another outstanding footballer. But I think the likes of Dermot Earley you rarely meet in life.

"He was a true gentleman. Every time you met him it was great to meet him. He was a wonderful character, he had a wonderful handshake. When he shook your hand you really knew it was sincere - a wonderful footballer. The likes we'll rarely see again."