The Offaly and GAA committees are in mourning this morning after the sudden death of one of their favourite sons, Eugene McGee, overnight.
McGee is probably best remembered by the public as the man who masterminded the Offaly senior football team to All-Ireland glory in 1082, denying Kerry of a historic five-in-a-row.
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As a pivotal cog in one of the most famous moments in the GAA's storied history, McGee's death is rather poignant - on the day the 2019 football championship kicks into action in London and New York. Unfortunately, the former Offaly manager won't be contributing to public discourse over the coming months as we dissect every game of the summer, just as he had over the last number of decades.
Very very sad news this morning : the journalist & All Ireland winning football manager Eugene McGee has died overnight . A brilliant writer and football tactician , he took ill yesterday after a family engagement . McGee was blunt , down to earth and 100 % honourable . RIP
— Ciaran Mullooly (@ciaranmullooly) May 5, 2019
In later years, McGee become a prominent pundit of the game, as well as an esteemed journalist, both locally and nationally.
The Longford native is reported to have passed away during the night after attending a family event.
Since becoming a household name back in the 1970s, McGee has remained highly involved in the GAA, penning numerous columns throughout the years and, as recently as 2013, chairing the committee which introduced the 'black card' sanction.
Despite his litany of achievements, McGee was noted for his humility by many who knew him personally.
In a long-form interview with Paul Kimmage for the Sunday Independent in 2015, McGee gave an introspective account of his own character.
I find it hard to think of myself as anything other than ordinary, and I pity the people who are the reverse - who are ordinary but think they're extraordinary.
McGee is survived by his wife, Marian, and his son and daughter, Conor and Linda.
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