Joe Dooley (Seir Kieran hurler)

His paternal and maternal granduncles and his grandfather played for Offaly in the junior All-Ireland finals of 1915,1923 and 1929.

Other members of the famous Dooley family include brothers Billy and Johnny, as well as his son Shane.

Joe Dooley (born 13 November 1963) is an Irish former hurler and manager.

Dooley enjoyed a successful playing career at club level with Seir Kieran and is the only Offaly player ever to have won three All-Ireland titles.

After a spell as player-manager with Seir Kieran, Dooley worked as manager with Tullamore, Toomevara and Offaly.

He joined the Offaly senior hurling panel in April 1982.

He quickly became a regular player in the National Hurling League campaigns.

He married wife Marie in 1985 and as well as eldest son Shane, they have two daughters, Aideen, and Niamh.

Joe Dooley has been immortalised in the song "That’s Joe Dooley"

Dooley played his club hurling with the Seir Kieran club and enjoyed much success in a career that last for a quarter of a century.

In 1985 Seir Kieran qualified for their first county championship decider in over thirty years and Dooley was one of the key forwards.

He bagged a grand total of 1–4 in the game, however, Kinnitty routed their opponents by 3–18 to 2–8.

Two years later Seir Kieran were back in the county final again.

Club kingpins St. Rynagh's provided the opposition and a close game developed.

Dooley was Seir Kieran's top scorer again with five points, however, the Banagher-based club recorded an 0–11 to 0–9 victory.

In 1988 Dooley took over as player-manager of the club.

Seir Kieran won the senior club league for the first time and also qualified for a second successive county final beating Kimmitty in the semi-final.

St. Rynagh's provided the opposition for the second year in-a-row, however, on this occasion Seir Kieran were the winners and Dooley collected his first county senior championship winners' medal scoring 0–4.

Joe, Billy and Johnny scored 2–11 in the final, while his other brother Kieran got man of the match.

Seir Kieran went through a drought of success for the majority of the next eight years.

After failing to make it two county titles in-a-row in 1989, Dooley's club lost championship deciders to Birr in 1991 and again in 1994.

In 1995 Seir Kieran qualified for the club championship decider again after defeating reigning county, provincial and All-Ireland club champions Birr in the semi-final.

St Rynagh's provided stiff opposition in the county final, however, Seir Kieran looked to be heading towards their second championship ever.

An equalising goal by St. Rynagh's in the second minute of injury time secured a draw and a replay.

Seir Kieran won the replay a week later and Dooley secured his second county championship title and was captain of the side.

Both Seir Kieran and St. Rynagh's met again in the championship decider of 1996 and, once again, the game was a close affair.

Dooley's side were two points in arrears with two minutes to go, however, Seir Kieran battled back to win by 0–13 to 1–8.

It was a third county title for Dooley.

In 1997 Seir Kieran had the chance to make it three title in-a-row.

All was going to plan as Dooley's side qualified for the championship decider with Birr.

The game developed into a tight affair, however, Birr pulled away in the last ten minutes to secure a 0–14 to 2–4 victory.

A fourth championship decider in succession beckoned for Dooley's side in 1998 with old rivals St. Rynagh's providing the opposition.

This game ended in a draw, and the replay saw Dooley pick up a fourth county championship winners' medal following a 1–11 to 0–8 victory.

After failing to retain the title in 1999, Seir Kieran were back in the millennium championship decider.

Birr easily won the game by 3–21 to 1–9.

By 2006 Dooley had retired from the Seir Kieran senior hurling team, however, he lined out for club's junior team in the championship decider that year.

St. Rynagh's provided the opposition, however, Seir Kieran claimed the title.

Dooley enjoyed a successful colleges career, winning five Leinster colleges medals, and played in two all-Ireland senior colleges finals with Presentation Brothers College Birr.

He managed the Irish Senior International Shinty team for three years against Scotland and has managed the Linster Senior Hurling team for the period 2012 to 2014.

Born in Clareen, County Offaly, Dooley was the eldest of a family of five boys and four girl and was born into a family that was steeped in hurling history.