Michael O'Dwyer (born 9 June 1936) is an Irish retired Gaelic football manager and former player. He most famously managed the senior Kerry county team between 1974 and 1989, during which time he became the county's longest-serving manager and most successful in terms of major titles won. O'Dwyer is regarded as the greatest manager in the history of the game. He is one of only three men to manage five different counties (he was preceded in reaching this total by Mickey Moran in 2008 and emulated by John Maughan in 2018). Martin Breheny has described him as "the ultimate symbol of the outside manager".
Born in Waterville, County Kerry, O'Dwyer was introduced to Gaelic football by the local national school teacher who organized games between schools in the area. He enjoyed divisional championship success during a thirty-year club career with Waterville. O'Dwyer also won three championship medals with South Kerry.
O'Dwyer made his debut on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Kerry minor team. An All-Ireland runner-up in this grade, O'Dwyer subsequently made his senior debut during the 1956–57 league. He went on to play a key role for Kerry in attack during a hugely successful era, and won four All-Ireland medals, eleven Munster medals and seven National Football League medals. He was an All-Ireland runner-up on five occasions.
As a member of the Munster inter-provincial team, O'Dwyer won one Railway Cup medal in 1972. Throughout his inter-county career he made 48 championship appearances. O'Dwyer retired from inter-county football following the conclusion of the 1974 championship.
O'Dwyer was appointed manager of the Kerry senior team prior to the start of the 1974-75 league. He went on to lead Kerry through a period of unprecedented provincial and national dominance, winning twenty two major honours. These include eight All-Ireland Championships, including a record-equaling four-in-a-row between 1978 and 1981 and a three-in-a-row between 1984 and 1986, eleven Munster Championships in twelve seasons and three National Leagues, including two league-championship doubles. O'Dwyer simultaneously took charge of the Kerry under-21 team, winning three successive All-Ireland Championships. His tenure in charge of the Munster team saw the province claim six Railway Cups.
After ending his fifteen-year managerial tenure with Kerry, O'Dwyer moved to Leinster where he took charge of Kildare between 1990 and 1994. After making Kildare a competitive footballing force during that period, he was reappointed for a second tenure in 1996. O'Dwyer ended a 42-year provincial famine with the securing of two Leinster titles, while Kildare also made their first All-Ireland final appearance in seventy years. In 2002 O'Dwyer moved to Laois where he helped end a 57-year wait for a Leinster title.
O'Dwyer remained in Leinster after his Laois tenure and began a five-year stint as Wicklow manager in 2006. Wicklow secured the Tommy Murphy Cup in 2007 and brought them to the last 12 in 2009 for the first time ever. O'Dwyer ended his managerial career with an unsuccessful one-year stint in charge of Clare.
Early life
Mick O'Dwyer was born on 9 June 1936. He was born in the little village of Waterville, County Kerry. He was educated locally at St Finian's national school before later attending Waterville Technical School.
Playing career
Minor and junior
O'Dwyer first played for Kerry as a member of the minor team in 1954. He made his debut against Waterford, however, he was dropped from the starting fifteen for the subsequent 4–10 to 1-3 Munster final defeat of Cork. On 26 September 1954, O'Dwyer was listed amongst the substitutes once again for the All-Ireland final against Dublin. Two late goals resulted in a 3–3 to 1–8 defeat for Kerry.
After joining the Kerry junior team in 1955, O'Dwyer won a Munster medal in this grade the following year after a 4–10 to 1–4 defeat of Waterford.
Senior
O'Dwyer is his county's top scorer in National Football League history, finishing his career with 19–313 (370) in that competition. As of 2021, he remained in the top ten all-time scorers in that competition, though he had been passed by numerous players including Ronan Carolan of Cavan, Mattie Forde of Wexford, Steven McDonnell of Armagh, Conor McManus of Monaghan, Brian Stafford of Meath and David Tubridy of Clare.
Beginnings
O'Dwyer made his senior debut for Kerry in a 0–9 to 0-6 National Football League defeat of Carlow on the 21 October 1956. He received his first championship start on 2 June 1957 in an infamous and shock 2–5 to 0–10 defeat by Waterford.