Jack O'Connor (Gaelic footballer)

Jack O'Connor (born 23 October 1960) is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player.

In 2021, he was appointed manager of the senior Kerry county team, having earlier managed it over two terms in the 2000s.

Born in 1960 at Toorsaleen in Mastergeehy County Kerry.

The youngest of nine children born to Michael and Síle O'Connor, he was educated locally at Caslagh national school before later attending Scoil Uí Chonaill in Cahersiveen.

O'Connor played football with his local club Dromid Pearses from the 1970s until the early 2000s.

It was here that O'Connor's football skills were developed and he was picked for the Kerry vocational schools team in 1977 and 1978.

Defeats of Kildare and Mayo respectively gave O'Connor back-to-back All-Ireland winners' medals in this competition.

After completing his secondary education O'Connor moved on to Maynooth College where he obtained a B.A, H.dip Ed in Spanish and Irish.

His first teaching job was at Waterville Tech.

In 1981 he was a member of the South Kerry team that reached the final of the county senior championship.

On that occasion the divisional side accounted for the famed Austin Stacks club.

O'Connor collected a county winners' medal as a non-playing substitute.

In 1982 O'Connor was still confined to the substitutes' bench as South Kerry contested a second consecutive county final.

Feale Rangers, a division from the northern part of the county, provided the opposition.

O'Connor's side were far too strong and recorded back-to-back county titles.

Three-in-a-row proved beyond O'Connor's divisional side, however, South Kerry were back in the county championship decider again in 1984 with O'Connor making it onto the starting fifteen.

A Páidí Ó Sé-trained West Kerry team defeated the men from the south on that occasion.

O'Connor is married to Bridie (née Moriarty) and has two sons – Cian (born 1989) and Éanna (born 1992).

He managed Kerry County Vocational Schools Teams to All-Ireland wins in 1992 and 93.

In 1997 he guided Scoil Uí Chonaill to the Kerry county title in the vocational schools championship.

A Munster title quickly followed before an All-Ireland final showdown with St. Malachy's from Castlewellan.

O'Connor's side were victorious on that occasion.

He progressed from there to his alma mater, Scoil Ui Chonaill, where he remained on the teaching staff until 1999.

Here O'Connor became involved in training the school's football team and he enjoyed much success as a coach.

The amalgamation of the three schools in Cahersiveen in 1999 led to the creation of Coláiste na Sceilge.

O'Connor remained on the teaching staff while also holding on to his position as coach of the school's football team.

In 1999 he guided the school to another set of county and provincial vocational titles while another All-Ireland final appearance beckoned.

Holy Trinity College provided the opposition on that occasion, however, victory went to the Kerry team.

In 2000 Coláiste na Sceilge made history when they retained their county, Munster and All-Ireland vocational titles.

Further success followed for O'Connor's youngsters in the early 2000s.

Coláiste na Sceilge won three consecutive Corn Uí Mhuirí titles in 2001, 2002 and 2003, however, the team fell in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final on all three occasions.

As manager, he guided Kerry to four All-Ireland SFC titles: in 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2022, during three terms as manager.

In March 2007, he published his autobiography, Keys to the Kingdom.

O'Connor played his club football with Dromid Pearses and has enjoyed some success.

As a player and a coach with the club for over twenty years he helped them progress through the ranks in Kerry football from Division 5 to Division 1.

After a prolonged absence O'Connor guided his school team to a fourth Corn Uí Mhuirí title in 2009.

At the fourth attempt Coláiste na Sceilge reached the All-Ireland final.

St Mary's of Edenderry provided the opposition, however, the Kerry youngsters were too strong and won the game by 1–9 to 0–10.

It was a first Hogan Cup title for Coláiste na Sceilge.

The latter was a member of the Kerry minor football team in 2009.