Kevin Heffernan (20 August 1929 – 25 January 2013) was an Irish
Gaelic football
Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...
er and
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
who played as a left corner-forward at senior level for the
Dublin county team.
Heffernan made his debut during the
1948 championship and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his retirement after the
1962 championship. During that time he won one
All-Ireland
All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
medal, four
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
medals and three
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
medals. An All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion, Heffernan captained the team to the All-Ireland title in 1958.
At club level Heffernan enjoyed a lengthy career with
St. Vincent's. He won fifteen
county football championship medals and six
county hurling championship medals.
In retirement from playing Heffernan became involved in coaching and team management. As Dublin manager he revived the county team and steered them to three All-Ireland titles between 1974 and 1983.
Heffernan has a number of personal achievements. In 1974 he became the only non-player to be honoured as the
Texaco Footballer of the Year
The Texaco Footballer of the Year was a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honoured the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence. The award was part of the Texaco Sportstars Awards, in which Irish sportspeople from all f ...
. In 1984 he was named in the left corner-forward position on the GAA's Team of the Century. He was confirmed in this position when the Team of the Millennium was named in 1999.
Early and private life
Kevin Heffernan was born on 20 August 1929 in
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he was not born into a
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
background, as his father's interests included hunting and shooting rather than
Gaelic games
Gaelic games ( ga, Cluichí Gaelacha) are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the ...
. Heffernan's family moved to the Marino area of the city when he was very young, and it was here that he first came into contact with both football and
hurling
Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...
. He later attended Scoil Mhuire and
St. Joseph's Christian Brothers school,
Fairview, where he made great progress as a hurler and as a footballer. It was in secondary school that he first tasted major success, as he won a Leinster Colleges hurling title in 1945.
By profession Heffernan was a personnel manager for the
Electricity Supply Board
The Electricity Supply Board (ESB; ga, Bord Soláthair an Leictreachais) is a state owned (95%; the rest are owned by employees) electricity company operating in the Republic of Ireland. While historically a monopoly, the ESB now operates as ...
(ESB) and he became Chairman of the
Labour Court
A labor court (or labour court or industrial tribunal) is a governmental judiciary body which rules on labor or employment-related matters and disputes. In a number of countries, labor cases are often taken to separate national labor high courts. O ...
.
Playing career
Club
Heffernan's club
hurling
Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...
and
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
career coincided with a hugely successful period in the history of the famous
St Vincent's club in Dublin. In terms of football he won a total of 15 senior
county championship
The County Championship (referred to as the LV= Insurance County Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales and is organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It bec ...
medals, completing a seven in-a-row 1949 to 1955, a six in-a-row between 1957 and 1962, before winning his 14th and 15th county titles in 1966 and 1967. Heffernan also won six senior
county championship
The County Championship (referred to as the LV= Insurance County Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales and is organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It bec ...
hurling titles in 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1959 and 1962.
Inter-county
Heffernan played both
hurling
Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...
and
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
at minor level with
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
in the early 1940s. He had some success at these levels, winning a Leinster minor football medal in 1946 and a Leinster minor hurling medal in 1947. He made his senior debut for the Dublin footballers the same year that he was sitting his
Leaving Certificate
A secondary school leaving qualification is a document signifying that the holder has fulfilled any secondary education requirements of their locality, often including the passage of a final qualification examination.
For each leaving certifica ...
, breaking his jaw in a game just days before his first exam. In spite of this inauspicious start Heffernan went on to have a distinguished inter-county career.
Heffernan first tasted success in 1948 when he won an
All-Ireland
All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
medal with the junior football team. In 1953 he won a
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
before winning a second medal in 1955. Later that same year Heffernan claimed his first
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
; however, his side were later defeated by
Kerry
Kerry or Kerri may refer to:
* Kerry (name), a given name and surname of Gaelic origin (including a list of people with the name)
Places
* Kerry, Queensland, Australia
* County Kerry, Ireland
** Kerry Airport, an international airport in Count ...
in the All-Ireland final. Three years later in 1958 Heffernan was captain of Dublin when he won his third National League title as well as a second Leinster title.
He later guided his native-county to an
All-Ireland
All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
victory over
Derry
Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...
. Heffernan later won two further Leinster titles in 1959 and 1962, however, there was no further All-Ireland titles. He retired from inter-county football shortly afterwards.
Managerial career
Following a great inter-county career with
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
, he became
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
of the senior inter-county team in late 1973, with Donal Colfer and Lorcan Redmond as his fellow selectors.
The era was dominated by the intense rivalry between Dublin and Kerry. In his first championship season in charge he guided 'the Dubs' to their first
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
and
All-Ireland
All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
titles since 1963. Heffernan's young Dublin side captivated the imagination of the youth and working class of the city, traditionally not Gaelic Football followers. The Dublin fans branded themselves 'Heffo's Army' in his honour, and this was the start of the Dublin
Hill 16
Hill 16 – officially called Dineen Hill 16 and sometimes referred to as The Hill – is a terrace at the Railway End of Croke Park, the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is located on the North ...
terrace culture which remains strong in the present day.
Following the completion of the championship Heffernan became the only non-player to be nominated
Texaco Footballer of the Year
The Texaco Footballer of the Year was a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honoured the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence. The award was part of the Texaco Sportstars Awards, in which Irish sportspeople from all f ...
. In 1975 Dublin captured a second consecutive Leinster title; however, a young
Kerry
Kerry or Kerri may refer to:
* Kerry (name), a given name and surname of Gaelic origin (including a list of people with the name)
Places
* Kerry, Queensland, Australia
* County Kerry, Ireland
** Kerry Airport, an international airport in Count ...
team caught Heffernan's teams in a complacent mood in the subsequent All-Ireland final. Dublin bounced back the following year to win the National League as well as a third Leinster title in-a-row before going on to defeat Kerry in the All-Ireland final.
Following this victory Heffernan unexpectedly resigned as manager of Dublin, being replaced by
Tony Hanahoe
Anthony Hanahoe (born 29 April 1945) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer, hurler and Gaelic football manager. His league and championship career at senior level with the Dublin county team spanned sixteen seasons from 1964 to 1979.
Born in ...
who acted as player-captain-manager. Heffernan returned as manager in 1979 but, after claiming a sixth consecutive Leinster title, lost out to Kerry in the All-Ireland final. Much of the Dublin team fell by the wayside after 1980 but Heffernan built a new team centred on midfield stalwart
Brian Mullins
Brian Mullins (27 September 1954 – 30 September 2022) was an Irish Gaelic football Manager (Gaelic games), manager and player. He played football with his local club St Vincents GAA, St Vincent's and was a senior member of the Dublin county ...
and, in another memorable match remembered mainly for its unsporting conduct, a twelve-man Dublin team to victory over a fourteen-man
Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
in the All-Ireland Final of 1983. Played in atrocious conditions the referee sent off four players, three of which were from Dublin, and their win saw the team being dubbed 'the twelve apostles'. In January 1986 Heffernan stepped down as Dublin manager.
Retirement and death
Following his retirement from inter-county management Heffernan continued to have a keen involvement in Gaelic football. In 1984, the GAA's centenary year, he was named in the left corner-forward position on the GAA's
Football Team of the Century before later managing
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
to victory over
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
in the
International Rules Series
The International Rules Series is a senior men's international rules football competition between the Australia international rules football team (selected by the Australian Football League) and the Ireland international rules football team (s ...
in 1986.
In 2000, Heffernan's status as one of the greatest players of all-time was further cemented when he was named in the left corner-forward position on the GAA's 'Football Team of the Millennium.' He also continued his involvement with the
St Vincent's club. In 2004, at the age of 74, Heffernan was in charge of the club's under 15 hurling team, which, with a late free from Oliver McElvaney, won a memorable championship final against Cuala, having defeated Ballyboden in the semi-final. This particular St Vincent's team had never beaten either of those clubs before, showing that Heffernan's management touch had not deserted him. In 2006, he trained the club's minor hurling team.
In 2005, Heffernan was granted the
Freedom of the City of Dublin
The Freedom of the City of Dublin is awarded by Dublin City Council after approving a person nominated by the Lord Mayor. Eighty-two people have been honoured under the current process introduced in 1876. Most honourees have made a contribution ...
, placing him in a pantheon that includes
U2,
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...
and
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
. He was also among the 25 recipients of the ''Irish Examiner'' GAA President's Awards for 2006. The ceremony which was presented by the former GAA president
Seán Kelly, took place on 31 March 2006.
Heffernan was a consultant to the management of the
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
minor football team for 2007. His appointment received overwhelming approval from the Dublin County Board and he was working with the Dublin minor boss Timmy McCarthy and his managerial colleagues John Archibald and John Lowndes in an advisory capacity for the young Dubs.
Heffernan died in January 2013.
At his funeral, attended by huge crowds among them senior politicians, three flags—the Dublin and St Vincent's GAA club flags plus a flag Heffernan got in 2005 when he was awarded the Freedom of Dublin—were put up at the side of the altar; he was buried in Sutton cemetery.
Honours
*
Freedom of the City of Dublin
The Freedom of the City of Dublin is awarded by Dublin City Council after approving a person nominated by the Lord Mayor. Eighty-two people have been honoured under the current process introduced in 1876. Most honourees have made a contribution ...
: 2004
See also
*
List of people on stamps of Ireland
This is a list of people on stamps of Ireland, including the years when they appeared on a stamp.
Because no Irish stamps were designed prior to 1929, the first Irish stamps issued by the Provisional Government of Ireland were the then-current B ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heffernan, Kevin
1929 births
2013 deaths
All-Ireland-winning captains (football)
Dual players
Dublin inter-county Gaelic footballers
Dublin hurlers
ESB people
Gaelic football forwards
Gaelic football managers
St Vincents (Dublin) Gaelic footballers
St Vincents (Dublin) hurlers
Texaco Footballers of the Year