GAA fans all over the country woke up to the shocking news of Offaly Manager Liam Kearns sudden passing. The 61-year-old took over the Offaly job just last year but was an experienced and renowned inter-county manager. The Kerry native had also managed Laois, Limerick and Tipperary during his time in management.
Kearns recent ventures in Offaly football had seen him win three from five league games and in contention to be promoted to division two ahead of the final two games. Since the announcement of his untimely death tributes have been pouring in from every corner of the country, a testament to the character and ability of Liam Kearns.
Michael Duignan pays tribute to Liam Kearns
In light of the news, Offaly county board chairman and former All-Ireland winner Michael Duignan appeared on RTE Radio One's Morning Ireland to pay tribute to his football manager. Duignan said the Faithful County was in 'deep shock' at the passing, revealing Kearns had been out training the side just Sunday. Paying tribute to 'an absolute gentleman', Duignan applauded his successful career as an inter-county manager with Offaly and everyone else heartbreakingly revealing Liam Kearns wish to finish his career on a high.
I had admired him from a distance the great job he had done with Laois, Limerick and Tipperary, but he'd done a massive job with limited resources maybe at times... and had some great success.
Just from the first time I met him, He drove up to the Faithful Fields to meet me maybe last July, and the minute I met him I knew he was the right man for the job, a straight talker, he knew his football, very organised....He just had a great ambition for Offaly - a great love, the way he settled in. I’m really upset for our players. He had assembled a top backroom team, but he had developed a great relationship with our players...
He had retired from the Guards, as a sergeant in the Gardaí. And he said something to me; he said, 'I want to get this right because this is going to be my last job’ … and we didn't think it was going to end like this."
'He was up training with us yesterday, in great form. It's just hard to believe'
Michael Duignan, @Offaly_GAA chairperson, pays tribute to the late Liam Kearns on @morningireland pic.twitter.com/vI5R1Uy5jn— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) March 13, 2023
It was clear that Duignan himself was quite emotional but the Offaly chairman was composed and dignified while paying his condolences to Liam Kearns's family before revealing Kearns had been up training the side just the night before his death.
One of the lads texted me last night, Ruairí McNamee, and he just said he had the dressing-room in a chokehold since he took over. And I think that says it all really.
Could I pass on condolences to his wife Angela, daughters Laura and Rachel, his family and his close friends? Whatever we’re feeling is nothing compared to what they’re feeling this morning
He was up training with us yesterday, in great form. He was never looking as well, he’d lost a couple of stone in weight, he was training himself and he was dieting and looking after himself so well. And it's just hard to believe.
Duignan now joins a growing list of GAA royalty paying tributes to the beloved 61-year-old. Liam Sheedy and Donal Óg Cusack praised Liam Kearns's management abilities and his character on Allianz League Sunday.
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