‘Gerald McKenna was one of the greatest GAA men I ever came across’

'A great hero in my eyes since my school days', said Paul Galvin, 'and a great source of advice and counsel since then. Shakespeare and Kerry . He has earned his rest'

Former Kerry chairman Gerald McKenna pictured at his home in Ballyduff Co Kerry in 2020.

Former GAA President Seán Kelly has led the tributes to legendary Kerry administrator Gerald McKenna who died on Friday night. He was 88.

The Ballyduff native was one of the most progressive officials in the Association’s history and held a variety of roles at county, provincial and national level in an illustrious top table career.

One of his greatest accomplishments, during his term as county chairman, was the appointment of Mick O’Dwyer as the manager of the senior footballers. That set in train one of the greatest dynasties in GAA history.

"Gerald McKenna was one of the most knowledgeable, most respected and best loved GAA officials in Ireland. 

His quick wit and easy manner made him a dream companion. He was also one of the shrewdest judges of events and men that I ever met. He’d see a chancer a mile away! But for all others he was an able and willing confidant. 

"Gerald never looked for credit or sought the limelight. He was a fantastic ambassador for Kerry. He was much admired and when he spoke at Congress, you could hear a pin drop as he made his case as only he could with quotations from Shakespeare falling effortlessly from his gifted tongue. I’m proud to say we were very good friends, as he always gave me great support and advice. Calling to his house on the main street of Ballyduff was a treat as you left uplifted and honoured to be made so welcome by the great Gerald. Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann.

In an interview with Radio Kerry in 2003, O’Dwyer described McKenna as ‘one of the greatest GAA men I ever came across’ when he refused to bow to pressure to axe the manager after defeats to Dublin. O'Dwyer recalled: "We had rocky patches as well I can tell you, we had a great win in 1975 but then again in 1976 and 1977 Dublin came and beat us in those big games and a big coup went on in the county to get rid of myself and Gerald McKenna but I am telling you, Gerald McKenna was some man, one of the greatest GAA men I ever came across. The coup failed anyway and I came back to continue with Kerry and then I went on to win seven All-Irelands after that.” 

By the time McKenna stepped down as chairman, Kerry were halfway towards the four-in-a-row. In an Irish Examiner interview, two years ago, McKenna recalled the attempted heave against O’Dwyer. “It wasn’t his fault. I stood by him. I had loyalty and he had loyalty. It was not blind loyalty; I knew he had it and I knew that team would succeed. I stood by him and the rest is history. The simplest thing was that the ones who wanted to get rid of him had to get rid of me first. They opposed me for the chairmanship but I succeeded and that kept Dwyer in his position.” 

McKenna served as Kerry chairman from 1972 to 1979 and would go on to be the county’s Central Council delegate while he served as a trustee of the Association for three years. Ex Kerry star Paul Galvin, from nearby Finuge tweeted Saturday: "A great hero in my eyes since my school days and a great source of advice and counsel since then. Shakespeare and Kerry . He has earned his rest."

Monday night's meeting of Kerry County Board has been postponed as a mark of respect for the late Mr McKenna