Páidí Ó Sé
Encyclopedia
Páidí Ó Sé is a retired Irish
Gaelic football
manager
and former player. He played football with his local club An Ghaeltacht
and was a member of the Kerry
senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1987. Ó Sé later served as manager of the Kerry, Westmeath
, and Clare
senior football teams.
in Ceann Trá, County Kerry
in 1955. A native Irish
speaker he was educated locally at Cill Mhic a’ Domhnaigh National School. He later attended Dingle CBS
, St. Brendan's College in Killarney
and St. Michael's College
in Listowel. While receiving his secondary school education Ó Sé's interest in Gaelic football
was nurtured. During his secondary schooling he won four consecutive Kerry senior colleges' titles from 1971 until 1974. Ó Sé won back-to-back Corn Uí Mhuirí
titles in 1972 and 1973 with St. Brendan's, before adding a Munster 'B' colleges' title to his collection in 1974 with St. Michael's. He subsequently trained to be a Garda Síochána
and was based in Limerick
for much of his career in law enforcement.
Ó Sé married his wife Máire, a schoolteacher, in 1984 and together they have three children - Neasa, Siún and Páidí Óg. He currently runs his own bar and restaurant in Ventry
. Ó Sé has three nephews that have also played for Kerry; Darragh
, Tomás
and Marc Ó Sé
. All three have been selected for the GAA All-Stars Awards teams and have had much success in recent years.
. He showed great talent as a teenager and started playing senior football as a fourteen year-old. In 1970, at the age of fifteen, he won a West Kerry Senior Football Championship
winners' medal. The following year Ó Sé won an under-16 County League title, playing on a team that was made up of players from an Ghaeltacht, Dingle
and Lios Póil. Over a decade later in 1984 he was player-manager of the West Kerry
side that won the senior county championship title for the first time in almost forty years. A second county title followed for Ó Sé in 1985. He finished off his club career with an Ghaeltacht, winning a West Kerry League title in 1988.
minor football team, however, he had no success in this grade as Cork dominated the provincial championship. He was quickly promoted to the county's under-21 team. After missing Kerry's Munster final triumph in 1973 he was a key addition to the team in time for the All-Ireland final. Mayo
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Kerry recorded a 2-13 to 0-13 victory. The win gave Ó Sé a coveted under-21 All-Ireland
winners' medal.
In 1975 Ó Sé captured a Munster
title following a nine-point trouncing of Waterford
. Ó Sé's side later qualified for the All-Ireland final with Dublin
providing the opposition. A 1-15 to 0-10 score line gave Kerry the victory and gave Ó Sé a second All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 1976 Ó Sé made it two Munster under-21 titles in-a-row as Kerry retained their provincial crown at the expense of Cork. He later lined out in a third All-Ireland final. Kildare
provided the oppsoution on that occasion, however, they were no match for Kerry. Ó Sé collected a third All-Ireland winners' medal following a 0-14 to 1-3 victory.
in 1974. That year he won a National League title following a six-point win over Roscommon
. He retained his place as a substitute for Kerry’s unsuccessful Munster Championship
campaign.
In 1975 a new-look Kerry team was formed under the management of former player Mick O'Dwyer
. It was the beginning of a glorious era for Kerry football and Ó Sé played a key role in orchestrating much of the success for the team that would come to be regarded as the greatest of all-time. That year he won his first senior Munster title, dethroning Cork as provincial champions in the process. Ó Sé later lined out in his first senior All-Ireland final. Reigning champions Dublin provided the opposition and were installed as the red-hot favourites over the youngest Kerry team of all-time. On a rain-soaked day John Egan and substitute Ger O'Driscoll
scored two goals and 'the Dubs' were ambushed by 2-12 to 0-11. It was Ó Sé's first All-Ireland
winners' medal at senior level.
In 1976 Ó Sé captured his second Munster title before later lining out in his second All-Ireland final. Once again it was Dublin who provided the opposition. Both sides were hoping for success, however, new 'Dub' Kevin Moran was causing havoc with the Kerry defence. Jimmy Keaveney
converted a penalty to help Dublin to a 3-8 to 0-10 victory and defeat for Ó Sé.
1977 proved to be another frustrating year. The year began with Ó Sé capturing a second National League medal on the field of play and a third consecutive Munster title following another win over Cork. Kerry later took on Dublin for the third consecutive year, however, this time it was in the All-Ireland semi-final. In one of the greatest game sof football ever-played 'the Dubs' triumphed and Ó Sé was still left waiting for a second All-Ireland medal.
In 1978 Kerry faced little competition in the provincial championship once again. A defeat of Cork gave Ó Sé a fourth Munster winners' medal in-a-row. Kerry later qualified for a third All-Ireland final in four years. Old rivals Dublin provided the opposition, however, the game turned into a rout. The game is chiefly remembered for Mikey Sheehy
's sensational goal. The Kerry forward lobbed over the ball over the head of Paddy Cullen
, who was caught off his line arguing with the referee. New full-forward Eoin Liston
scored a hat-trick of goals. Pat Spillane
played all over the field, including goalkeeper after Charlie Nelligan
was sent off. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the winners by 5-11 to 0-9.
In 1979 Kerry made it five-in-a-row in Munster as Cork fell by ten points in the provincial final. Ó Sé later went in search of a third All-Ireland medal as he lined out in a fourth championship decider. Dublin provided the opposition for the fifth consecutive occasion. Kerry were handicapped throughout the game. Ger Power
did not start the game, while John O'Keeffe got injured and Ó Sé was sent off during the encounter. Two goals by Mikey Sheehy and a third by John Egan helped 'the Kingdom' to a 3-13 to 1-8 victory. It was Ó Sé's third All-Ireland winners' medal.
Kerry's dominance continued in 1980. Another defeat of Cork in the provincial final gave Ó Sé a sixth Munster winners' medal in succession. Another All-Ireland final appearance beckoned, this time with Roscommon
providing the opposition. The Connacht champions shocked Kerry and took a five-point lead inside the first twelve minutes. Mikey Sheehy popped up again to score the decisive goal, as Kerry went on to claim a 1-9 to 1-6 victory in a game that contained sixty-four frees. The victory gave Kerry a third All-Ireland title in succession, while Ó Sé added a fourth All-Ireland winners' medal to his ever-growing collection.
In 1981 Ó Sé won his seventh consecutive Munster title, before lining out in the All-Ireland final against Offaly
. Kerry had an easy win with seven players combing for a great goal. He captured his fifth All-Ireland winners' medal that day as Kerry won by 1-12 to 0-8.
In 1982 Ó Sé won his third National League medal before Kerry secured an eighth consecutive Munster final victory over Cork. The All-Ireland final pitted 'the Kingdom' against Offaly for the second year in-a-row. Kerry had the upper hand for much of the game and were leading by two points with two minutes left to be played. The game, however, was not over as Offaly substitute Séamus Darby
, who had entered the game almost unnoticed, produced the most spectacular of finishes by scoring a late goal. Kerry failed to score again to level the match and Offaly went on to win their third All-Ireland title ever. Kerry's five-in-a-row dream was shattered.
Kerry missed out on an historic nine-in-a-row in Munster in 1983, as Cork finally triumphed. 'The Kingdom' bounced back the following year with Ó Sé winning his fourth National League medal and his ninth Munster title. The centenary-year All-Ireland final pitted Kerry against old rivals and reigning champions Dublin. 'The Kingdon' dominated the game from start to finish. Only two Dublin forwards scored as Kerry ran out easy winners by 0-14 to 1-6. It was Ó Sé's sixth All-Ireland winners' medal.
Kerry made no mistake again in 1985. A two-goal victory over Cork gave Ó Sé a tenth Munster winners' medal. Another All-Ireland final beckoned, with Dublin providing the opposition for a second consecutive year. Jack O'Shea
scored a key goal after eleven minutes and Kerry stormed to a nine-point lead at half-time. 'The Dubs' came storming back with Joe McNally
scoring two goals. The gap could not be bridged and Kerry won by 2-1 to 2-8. The victory gave Ó Sé an impressive seventh All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 1986 Kerry's dominance showed no sign of disappearing. Cork fell again in the provincial final, giving Liston an eleventh Munster title. An eighth All-Ireland final appearance quickly followed and it turned out to be an historic occasion. Tyrone
provided the opposition in their first-ever championship decider. A Peter Quinn goal gave the Ulster men a six-point lead in the second-half, however, the game was far from over. Spillane ran fifty yards up the field for a hand-passed goal to get Kerry back on track. Mikey Sheehy scored a second goal to give 'the Kingdom' a 2-15 to 1-10 victory. It was his eighth All-Ireland medal overall, a record haul of All-Ireland medals and a record that he shares with fellow Kerrymen Pat Spillane, Ger Power, Ogie Moran and Mikey Sheehy. Remarkably, he only conceded one point to his opponent in ten All-Ireland final appearances.
The glory days were now over for Kerry as Cork captured the Munster title in 1987. Ó Sé decided to retire from inter-county football following this defeat.
in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final highlighted the fact that the team was lacking in some quarters.
In 1997 Ó Sé's Kerry announced their arrival when they captured the National League title at the start of the year. A second Munster title soon followed after a demolition of Clare
in the provincial decider. Kerry subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final, with Mayo providing the opposition. The game saw both sides share periods of dominance. Kerry's Maurice Fitzgerald
scored nine of his team's points while Mayo scored 1-2 in a two-minute spell. The Connacht champions failed to score in the last twenty minutes as Kerry held on to win by 0-13 to 1-7. The win was all the more significant for Ó Sé as he became one of the few people who captained and managed his county to an All-Ireland title.
1998 saw Ó Sé's Kerry team make it three Munster titles in a row. But, his side were later defeated by Mick O'Dwyer's Kildare
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
After losing their provincial title in 1999, Kerry were back in 2000, securing a fourth Munster title in five campaigns. Kerry later defeated Armagh
, after a draw and a replay which featured extra-time, to set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Galway
. That game saw Ó Sé's side take a seven-point lead, however, Galway fought back to force a 0-14 apiece draw and a replay. A disputed free gave Kerry the lead with seventeen minutes left and Ó Sé's side eventually held on to win by 0-17 to 1-10.
At this point it looked as if Ó Sé's side would dominate football for the foreseeable future. In 2001 he guided Kerry to another Munster title and it looked as if a second consecutive All-Ireland title was on the cards. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final proved to be a reality check as Meath
trounced 'the Kingdom' by 2-14 to 0-5.
In 2002 Kerry were still the masters of provincial football and Ó Sé guided his county to a sixth Munster title. Kerry later reached a third All-Ireland final under Ó Sé, this time with Armagh providing the opposition. At half-time it looked as if Kerry were on course for the ultimate victory. The Ulstermen lost John MCentee to concussion while Oisín McConville
missed a penalty just before the interval. With a four-point lead and playing into the wind Kerry were set. McConville, however, scored a decisive goal in the fifty-fifth minute which stunned Kerry. Ó Sé's side failed to score for the last seventeen minutes as Armagh went on to claim their first All-Ireladn title with a 1-12 to 0-14 victory.
2003 saw Ó Sé's tenure as manager dogged by controversy. In January of that year he gave a controversial interview to the Irish Independent
in which he described the Kerry supporters as 'the roughest type of fucking animals you could ever deal with.' Ó Sé was forced to issue an embarrassing apology, however, he still guided his team to a seventh Munster title in eight years. Kerry, however, were later trounced by eventual champions Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final. Ó Sé later described the result as a "disastrous defeat". Ó Sé was subsequently fired as manager.
senior football team. Ó Sé proved to be an inspired choice as manager as he led the county to their first ever Leinster Championship
title in his first season in charge. The 0-12 tp 0-10 defeat of Laois
in the provincial decider provided that Ó Sé was a manager of some considerable skill. Westmeath's dream season, however, came to an abrupt halt with a defeat by Derry
in the All-Ireland quarter-final.
Ó Sé's second season in charge was less successful. Westmeath were dumped out of the provincial championship on their first outing. A defeat of Tipperary in the subsequent All-Ireland qualifiers was followed by a loss to Clare. This defeat brought Ó Sé's tenure to an end, and he was replaced by his understudy Tomás Ó Flatharta
.
senior footballers. Once again expectations were high that Ó Sé would work his magic in a 'non-traditional' football county. His tenure got off to a bad start when Clare were defeated by Waterford
in the opening round of the provincial campaign and dumped out of the championship. Clare later participated in the Tommy Murphy Cup
competition, however, a defeat by Antrim
in the semi-final brought Ó Sé's tenure as manager to a premature end.
Underage Titles
Senior Titles
Westmeath
West Kerry
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
and former player. He played football with his local club An Ghaeltacht
An Ghaeltacht GAA
An Ghaeltacht is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Kerry. The club competes as an individual club in the Kerry Senior Football Championship.-Honours:* Kerry Senior Football Championship Winners: 2001,2003...
and was a member of the Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1987. Ó Sé later served as manager of the Kerry, Westmeath
Westmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
, and Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
senior football teams.
Biography
Páidi Ó Sé was born in the heart of the GaeltachtGaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
in Ceann Trá, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
in 1955. A native Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
speaker he was educated locally at Cill Mhic a’ Domhnaigh National School. He later attended Dingle CBS
Dingle CBS
Dingle CBS was a Secondary School in Dingle town in County Kerry. It opened in 1846 by the Christian Brothers...
, St. Brendan's College in Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
and St. Michael's College
St. Michael's College Listowel
St Michael's College Listowel, is an all-boys secondary school serving the town of Listowel, and the greater North Kerry catchment area. The school is situated on the banks of the River Feale, and can be found on the Cahirdown Road.-History:...
in Listowel. While receiving his secondary school education Ó Sé's interest in Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
was nurtured. During his secondary schooling he won four consecutive Kerry senior colleges' titles from 1971 until 1974. Ó Sé won back-to-back Corn Uí Mhuirí
Corn Uí Mhuirí
Corn Uí Mhuirí is the cup presented to the winners of the Munster colleges senior football "A" championship, the top level Gaelic football championship for secondary schools in Munster. The holders advance to the All-Ireland colleges "A" senior football championship, where they compete for the...
titles in 1972 and 1973 with St. Brendan's, before adding a Munster 'B' colleges' title to his collection in 1974 with St. Michael's. He subsequently trained to be a Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
and was based in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
for much of his career in law enforcement.
Ó Sé married his wife Máire, a schoolteacher, in 1984 and together they have three children - Neasa, Siún and Páidí Óg. He currently runs his own bar and restaurant in Ventry
Ventry
Ceann Trá is a Gaeltacht village in County Kerry, Ireland. Located on the Dingle Peninsula, 7 kilometres west of Dingle, the village of Ventry was once the main port of the peninsula...
. Ó Sé has three nephews that have also played for Kerry; Darragh
Darragh Ó Sé
Darragh Ó Sé is a former Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club An Ghaeltacht and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1994 until 2009. Ó Sé has made more championship appearances than any other player in the history of the game...
, Tomás
Tomás Ó Sé
Tomás Ó Sé is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club An Ghaeltacht and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1998.-Club:...
and Marc Ó Sé
Marc Ó Sé
Marc Ó Sé is an Irish sportsman. A teacher by profession, he plays Gaelic football for the Kerry county team and the local An Ghaeltacht club. His older brothers Darragh and Tomás also represent Kerry.- 2002 :...
. All three have been selected for the GAA All-Stars Awards teams and have had much success in recent years.
Club
Ó Sé played his club football with his local club called An GhaeltachtAn Ghaeltacht GAA
An Ghaeltacht is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Kerry. The club competes as an individual club in the Kerry Senior Football Championship.-Honours:* Kerry Senior Football Championship Winners: 2001,2003...
. He showed great talent as a teenager and started playing senior football as a fourteen year-old. In 1970, at the age of fifteen, he won a West Kerry Senior Football Championship
West Kerry Senior Football Championship
The West Kerry Senior Football Championship is a Gaelic football competition between clubs affiliated to the West Kerry division of the Gaelic Athletic Association.-See also:*South Kerry Senior Football Championship*East Kerry Senior Football Championship...
winners' medal. The following year Ó Sé won an under-16 County League title, playing on a team that was made up of players from an Ghaeltacht, Dingle
Dingle GAA
Dingle GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Kerry, Ireland.The club competes in the Kerry Senior Football Championship. The club play hurling but only up to the under 14 age group.-Kerry Senior Football Championship:...
and Lios Póil. Over a decade later in 1984 he was player-manager of the West Kerry
West Kerry GAA
West Kerry is a Divisional Gaelic football team in Kerry. The teams involved are Lispole,Castlegregary. Annascaul,Dingle and An Ghaeltacht are also part of the area but play alone in the Kerry Senior Football ChampionshipHistory...
side that won the senior county championship title for the first time in almost forty years. A second county title followed for Ó Sé in 1985. He finished off his club career with an Ghaeltacht, winning a West Kerry League title in 1988.
Minor & under-21
By the early 1970s Ó Sé had joined the KerryKerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
minor football team, however, he had no success in this grade as Cork dominated the provincial championship. He was quickly promoted to the county's under-21 team. After missing Kerry's Munster final triumph in 1973 he was a key addition to the team in time for the All-Ireland final. Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Kerry recorded a 2-13 to 0-13 victory. The win gave Ó Sé a coveted under-21 All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
winners' medal.
In 1975 Ó Sé captured a Munster
Munster Under-21 Football Championship
The Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
title following a nine-point trouncing of Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
. Ó Sé's side later qualified for the All-Ireland final with Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
providing the opposition. A 1-15 to 0-10 score line gave Kerry the victory and gave Ó Sé a second All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 1976 Ó Sé made it two Munster under-21 titles in-a-row as Kerry retained their provincial crown at the expense of Cork. He later lined out in a third All-Ireland final. Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
provided the oppsoution on that occasion, however, they were no match for Kerry. Ó Sé collected a third All-Ireland winners' medal following a 0-14 to 1-3 victory.
Senior
Ó Sé first tasted success at senior level in the National Football LeagueNational Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
in 1974. That year he won a National League title following a six-point win over Roscommon
Roscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...
. He retained his place as a substitute for Kerry’s unsuccessful Munster Championship
Munster Senior Football Championship
The Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
campaign.
In 1975 a new-look Kerry team was formed under the management of former player Mick O'Dwyer
Mick O'Dwyer
Mick O'Dwyer , is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played Gaelic football with his local club Waterville and was a member of the Kerry senior team from 1956 until 1974...
. It was the beginning of a glorious era for Kerry football and Ó Sé played a key role in orchestrating much of the success for the team that would come to be regarded as the greatest of all-time. That year he won his first senior Munster title, dethroning Cork as provincial champions in the process. Ó Sé later lined out in his first senior All-Ireland final. Reigning champions Dublin provided the opposition and were installed as the red-hot favourites over the youngest Kerry team of all-time. On a rain-soaked day John Egan and substitute Ger O'Driscoll
Ger O'Driscoll
Ger O'Driscoll is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newcestown and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 2009 due to the 2008-2009 Cork players strike. O'Driscoll won back-to-back Munster minor titles in 2004 and 2005...
scored two goals and 'the Dubs' were ambushed by 2-12 to 0-11. It was Ó Sé's first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
winners' medal at senior level.
In 1976 Ó Sé captured his second Munster title before later lining out in his second All-Ireland final. Once again it was Dublin who provided the opposition. Both sides were hoping for success, however, new 'Dub' Kevin Moran was causing havoc with the Kerry defence. Jimmy Keaveney
Jimmy Keaveney
James "Jimmy" Keaveney is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club St. Vincents and was a member of the Dublin senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1978. Keaveney is regarded as one of Dublin's greatest-ever players.-Club:Keaveney played his club football...
converted a penalty to help Dublin to a 3-8 to 0-10 victory and defeat for Ó Sé.
1977 proved to be another frustrating year. The year began with Ó Sé capturing a second National League medal on the field of play and a third consecutive Munster title following another win over Cork. Kerry later took on Dublin for the third consecutive year, however, this time it was in the All-Ireland semi-final. In one of the greatest game sof football ever-played 'the Dubs' triumphed and Ó Sé was still left waiting for a second All-Ireland medal.
In 1978 Kerry faced little competition in the provincial championship once again. A defeat of Cork gave Ó Sé a fourth Munster winners' medal in-a-row. Kerry later qualified for a third All-Ireland final in four years. Old rivals Dublin provided the opposition, however, the game turned into a rout. The game is chiefly remembered for Mikey Sheehy
Mikey Sheehy
Mikey Sheehy is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Austin Stacks and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1987. Sheehy is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.-Club:Sheehy played his club football with the...
's sensational goal. The Kerry forward lobbed over the ball over the head of Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen is a former inter-county goalkeeper and manager with the Dublin GAA senior football team. During his player career Cullen won three All-Irelands and four all-stars awards....
, who was caught off his line arguing with the referee. New full-forward Eoin Liston
Eoin Liston
Eoin 'Bomber' Liston is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Beale, his divisional side Shannon Rangers and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1978 until 1993...
scored a hat-trick of goals. Pat Spillane
Pat Spillane
Patrick Gerard Spillane , better known as Pat Spillane, is a retired Gaelic footballer and well known Irish sports pundit. He played Gaelic football with his local club Templenoe and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1991...
played all over the field, including goalkeeper after Charlie Nelligan
Charlie Nelligan
Charlie Nelligan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Castleisland Desmonds and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1991.-Club:...
was sent off. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the winners by 5-11 to 0-9.
In 1979 Kerry made it five-in-a-row in Munster as Cork fell by ten points in the provincial final. Ó Sé later went in search of a third All-Ireland medal as he lined out in a fourth championship decider. Dublin provided the opposition for the fifth consecutive occasion. Kerry were handicapped throughout the game. Ger Power
Ger Power
Ger Power is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Austin Stack's and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1973 until 1988. Power captained Kerry to the All-Ireland title in 1980.-Early life:Ger Power was born in Annacotty, County...
did not start the game, while John O'Keeffe got injured and Ó Sé was sent off during the encounter. Two goals by Mikey Sheehy and a third by John Egan helped 'the Kingdom' to a 3-13 to 1-8 victory. It was Ó Sé's third All-Ireland winners' medal.
Kerry's dominance continued in 1980. Another defeat of Cork in the provincial final gave Ó Sé a sixth Munster winners' medal in succession. Another All-Ireland final appearance beckoned, this time with Roscommon
Roscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...
providing the opposition. The Connacht champions shocked Kerry and took a five-point lead inside the first twelve minutes. Mikey Sheehy popped up again to score the decisive goal, as Kerry went on to claim a 1-9 to 1-6 victory in a game that contained sixty-four frees. The victory gave Kerry a third All-Ireland title in succession, while Ó Sé added a fourth All-Ireland winners' medal to his ever-growing collection.
In 1981 Ó Sé won his seventh consecutive Munster title, before lining out in the All-Ireland final against Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
. Kerry had an easy win with seven players combing for a great goal. He captured his fifth All-Ireland winners' medal that day as Kerry won by 1-12 to 0-8.
In 1982 Ó Sé won his third National League medal before Kerry secured an eighth consecutive Munster final victory over Cork. The All-Ireland final pitted 'the Kingdom' against Offaly for the second year in-a-row. Kerry had the upper hand for much of the game and were leading by two points with two minutes left to be played. The game, however, was not over as Offaly substitute Séamus Darby
Séamus Darby
Séamus Darby is an Irish former sportsperson who played Gaelic football for County Offaly in the 1970s and 1980s...
, who had entered the game almost unnoticed, produced the most spectacular of finishes by scoring a late goal. Kerry failed to score again to level the match and Offaly went on to win their third All-Ireland title ever. Kerry's five-in-a-row dream was shattered.
Kerry missed out on an historic nine-in-a-row in Munster in 1983, as Cork finally triumphed. 'The Kingdom' bounced back the following year with Ó Sé winning his fourth National League medal and his ninth Munster title. The centenary-year All-Ireland final pitted Kerry against old rivals and reigning champions Dublin. 'The Kingdon' dominated the game from start to finish. Only two Dublin forwards scored as Kerry ran out easy winners by 0-14 to 1-6. It was Ó Sé's sixth All-Ireland winners' medal.
Kerry made no mistake again in 1985. A two-goal victory over Cork gave Ó Sé a tenth Munster winners' medal. Another All-Ireland final beckoned, with Dublin providing the opposition for a second consecutive year. Jack O'Shea
Jack O'Shea
Jack O’Shea is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played football at various times with his local clubs St. Mary’s in Kerry and Leixlip in Kildare. He was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1992...
scored a key goal after eleven minutes and Kerry stormed to a nine-point lead at half-time. 'The Dubs' came storming back with Joe McNally
Joe McNally
Joe McNally is an American photographer who has been shooting for the National Geographic Society since 1987.McNally was born in Montclair, New Jersey. He received his bachelor's and graduate degrees from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University...
scoring two goals. The gap could not be bridged and Kerry won by 2-1 to 2-8. The victory gave Ó Sé an impressive seventh All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 1986 Kerry's dominance showed no sign of disappearing. Cork fell again in the provincial final, giving Liston an eleventh Munster title. An eighth All-Ireland final appearance quickly followed and it turned out to be an historic occasion. Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
provided the opposition in their first-ever championship decider. A Peter Quinn goal gave the Ulster men a six-point lead in the second-half, however, the game was far from over. Spillane ran fifty yards up the field for a hand-passed goal to get Kerry back on track. Mikey Sheehy scored a second goal to give 'the Kingdom' a 2-15 to 1-10 victory. It was his eighth All-Ireland medal overall, a record haul of All-Ireland medals and a record that he shares with fellow Kerrymen Pat Spillane, Ger Power, Ogie Moran and Mikey Sheehy. Remarkably, he only conceded one point to his opponent in ten All-Ireland final appearances.
The glory days were now over for Kerry as Cork captured the Munster title in 1987. Ó Sé decided to retire from inter-county football following this defeat.
Kerry
In late 1995 Ó Sé returned to the limelight when he was appointed manager of the Kerry senior football team. The task ahead was enormous as Kerry had fallen down the pecking order in terms of championship aspirations. The county hadn't won an All-Ireland title since Ó Sé was a player almost a decade earlier in 1986. Kerry's last Munster title came in 1991, however, since then near rivals Cork had dominated the provincial series. In Ó Sé's first Munster campaign in 1996 Kerry reached the final. Cork, a team looking for an eighth title in ten years, provided the opposition, however, Ó Sé's touch worked the oracle as 'the Kingdom' won by 0-14 to 0-11. It was a sign that Kerry were on the way back, however, a defeat by MayoMayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final highlighted the fact that the team was lacking in some quarters.
In 1997 Ó Sé's Kerry announced their arrival when they captured the National League title at the start of the year. A second Munster title soon followed after a demolition of Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
in the provincial decider. Kerry subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final, with Mayo providing the opposition. The game saw both sides share periods of dominance. Kerry's Maurice Fitzgerald
Maurice Fitzgerald (footballer)
Maurice Fitzgerald is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club St. Mary's and divisional side South Kerry and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county football team from 1988 until 2001...
scored nine of his team's points while Mayo scored 1-2 in a two-minute spell. The Connacht champions failed to score in the last twenty minutes as Kerry held on to win by 0-13 to 1-7. The win was all the more significant for Ó Sé as he became one of the few people who captained and managed his county to an All-Ireland title.
1998 saw Ó Sé's Kerry team make it three Munster titles in a row. But, his side were later defeated by Mick O'Dwyer's Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
After losing their provincial title in 1999, Kerry were back in 2000, securing a fourth Munster title in five campaigns. Kerry later defeated Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
, after a draw and a replay which featured extra-time, to set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
. That game saw Ó Sé's side take a seven-point lead, however, Galway fought back to force a 0-14 apiece draw and a replay. A disputed free gave Kerry the lead with seventeen minutes left and Ó Sé's side eventually held on to win by 0-17 to 1-10.
At this point it looked as if Ó Sé's side would dominate football for the foreseeable future. In 2001 he guided Kerry to another Munster title and it looked as if a second consecutive All-Ireland title was on the cards. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final proved to be a reality check as Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
trounced 'the Kingdom' by 2-14 to 0-5.
In 2002 Kerry were still the masters of provincial football and Ó Sé guided his county to a sixth Munster title. Kerry later reached a third All-Ireland final under Ó Sé, this time with Armagh providing the opposition. At half-time it looked as if Kerry were on course for the ultimate victory. The Ulstermen lost John MCentee to concussion while Oisín McConville
Oisín McConville
Oisín McConville is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Armagh in the 1990s and 2000s. He has won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal, seven Ulster Championships and a National League title with the county...
missed a penalty just before the interval. With a four-point lead and playing into the wind Kerry were set. McConville, however, scored a decisive goal in the fifty-fifth minute which stunned Kerry. Ó Sé's side failed to score for the last seventeen minutes as Armagh went on to claim their first All-Ireladn title with a 1-12 to 0-14 victory.
2003 saw Ó Sé's tenure as manager dogged by controversy. In January of that year he gave a controversial interview to the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
in which he described the Kerry supporters as 'the roughest type of fucking animals you could ever deal with.' Ó Sé was forced to issue an embarrassing apology, however, he still guided his team to a seventh Munster title in eight years. Kerry, however, were later trounced by eventual champions Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final. Ó Sé later described the result as a "disastrous defeat". Ó Sé was subsequently fired as manager.
Westmeath
One week after being sacked as Kerry manager, he was unveiled as the new manager of the WestmeathWestmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
senior football team. Ó Sé proved to be an inspired choice as manager as he led the county to their first ever Leinster Championship
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Leinster in Ireland....
title in his first season in charge. The 0-12 tp 0-10 defeat of Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
in the provincial decider provided that Ó Sé was a manager of some considerable skill. Westmeath's dream season, however, came to an abrupt halt with a defeat by Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
in the All-Ireland quarter-final.
Ó Sé's second season in charge was less successful. Westmeath were dumped out of the provincial championship on their first outing. A defeat of Tipperary in the subsequent All-Ireland qualifiers was followed by a loss to Clare. This defeat brought Ó Sé's tenure to an end, and he was replaced by his understudy Tomás Ó Flatharta
Tomás Ó Flatharta
-Westmeath:He managed Westmeath from 2005 to 2009 where he succeeded Kerry legend Páidí Ó Sé. Ó'Flatharta resigned as manager in July, 2009 after Westmeath were exited in the quailifiers by neighbours Meath.-Galway:...
.
Clare
In 2006 Ó Sé was linked with a possible return to Kerry as manager, however, instead he was appointed manager of the ClareClare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
senior footballers. Once again expectations were high that Ó Sé would work his magic in a 'non-traditional' football county. His tenure got off to a bad start when Clare were defeated by Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
in the opening round of the provincial campaign and dumped out of the championship. Clare later participated in the Tommy Murphy Cup
Tommy Murphy Cup
The Tommy Murphy Cup is a Gaelic football competition, featuring senior county teams elimainated from the early stages of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and also Kilkenny when not fielding a team in the main All-Ireland...
competition, however, a defeat by Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
in the semi-final brought Ó Sé's tenure as manager to a premature end.
Playing Honours
Schools Titles- O'Sullivan Cup (Kerry Colleges) 4: 1971,1972,1973,1974
- Munster College A 2: 1972,1973
- Munster Colleges B 1: 1974
Underage Titles
- Munster U21 Championship 4: 1973,1974,1975,1976
- All Ireland U21 Championship 3: 1973,1975,1976
Senior Titles
- All Ireland Senior Championship 8: 1975,1978,1979,1980,1981,1984,1985,1986
- Munster Senior Championship 11: 1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1984,1985,1986
- National League 4: 1974,1977,1982,1984
- Railway Cup 4: 1976,1978,1981,1982
- All Stars 5: 1981,1982,1983,1984,1985
- County Senior Championship: 1984,1985
Managerial Honours
Kerry- All Ireland Senior Championship 2: 1997,2000
- Munster Senior Championship 6: 1996,1997,1998,2000,2001,2003
- All Ireland U21 Championship 1: 1995
- Munster U21 Championship 2; 1993,1995
- National League 1: 1997
Westmeath
- Leinster Senior Championship 1: 2004
West Kerry
- County Senior Championship 3: 1984,1985 (Player/Manager) 1990