The great and the good today bid farewell to one of Dublin football’s most revered figures.
Former midfielder Brian Mullins died last week aged 68 after a short illness.
Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern estimated ‘there must have been around 40 medals from all over Ireland’ among the mourners who came to pay their respects at Jennings Funeral Home in Coolock, Dublin.
Former Kerry greats in attendance were Jack O’Shea, Eoin ‘Bomber’ Liston, former Kerry captain and manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan and Jimmy Deenihan.
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Former Dublin footballer Bobby Doyle at Jennings Funeral Home in Coolock. Photo: Frank McGrath
Among those who had played with Mullins at legendary side Dublin were Sean Doherty, with whom he won his first All Ireland, Bobby Doyle, Tommy Drumm who captained the winning All Ireland side in 1983, Robbie Kelleher and Barney Rock.
There were also County Louth manager Mickey Harte, Galway’s Liam Sammon, former Cork captain Billy Morgan, Robbie Kelleher and Leinster Rugby head of rugby operations, Guy Easterby.
A delegation from the Derry County Board made the trip, while the architect Dermot Bannon was also present due to a family connection.
Mr Ahern said he had a pint with Mullins over the May bank holiday weekend when he was in top form. Two weeks later, he was diagnosed with cancer.
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Former Kerry footballer Eoin ‘Bomber’ Liston hugs Dublin goalkeeper Paddy Cullen after paying tribute to the late Brian Mullins. Photo: Frank McGrath
His relationship with the former Dublin great dates back to when, as a child, Mullins’ wife Helen was part of their group of friends in Drumcondra.
“Then Brian arrived on the scene when he was 16,” Mr Ahern said, adding that “at the time he was still at that height and his hands were like shovels and I asked:” Where is this guy from? I didn’t know there were guys like him in Clontarf’.
He recalled the serious car crash at Portmarnock in 1980 which nearly ended Mullins’ career. “I never thought I would see him on a football pitch again because he was very, very close to it. We never thought we would see him again, but he fought in 1983.”
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Dublin’s Brian Mullins, left, and team mate Ciarán Duff celebrate with supporters during the replay of the 1983 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final from Dublin and Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Photo: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
The game Dublin fans would probably remember him the most, Mr Ahern said, was the replay of the All Ireland semi-final against Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh that year.
“He was huge,” he said. “We then faced Galway in the final – known as the 12 Apostles final, where three players were sent off.”
In the meantime, he also paid tribute to the work he had done for the GAA through his club St Vincent’s and also through his work at UCD.
Also in attendance was RTÉ’s Des Cahill, who paid tribute to Mullins for his athleticism, strength, determination and leadership.
“As director of sport at UCD he transformed the facilities there,” he said, adding that he had supported many men and women across UCD and that would be his greatest legacy, outside of his own family.
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