Dublin GAA has been plunged into mourning following the death of legendary footballer Brian Mullins.
A four-time All-Ireland winner, Mr Mullins turned 68 earlier this week and passed away after suffering from illness in recent months.
One of the greatest midfielders of all time, the St Vincent’s man was a lynchpin on the pioneering Dublin teams that won All-Irelands in 1974, ‘76, ‘77 and ‘83, the last success coming after he had recovered from a serious car accident three years earlier.
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In all, he made 97 League and Championship appearances for Dublin between 1974 and 1986, won nine Leinster titles along with his four Celtic Crosses and was an All Star winner in 1976 and ‘77.
He jointly managed the Dublin team with Sean Doherty and Robbie Kelleher following Kevin Heffernan’s retirement in January 1986, as the trio saw out that season at the helm before Gerry McCaul took over, though he never took sole charge of the team himself despite often being touted to do so.
He came particularly close to taking the job after Tommy Lyons’ reign came to a close in 2004 but couldn’t agree terms with the county board as the job passed to Paul Caffrey instead.
Having been based in Donegal, where he was head teacher in Carndonagh Community School, for a number of years after his retirement from football, Mr Mullins did have a spell as manager of the Derry footballers, whom he led to a National League title in 1996 and an Ulster crown two years later, their last provincial title until they regained the Anglo-Celt cup this year.
After relocating to Dublin in 2000, he became director of sport in UCD and enjoyed managerial success with St Vincent’s as, having won five county and three Leinster titles as well as an All-Ireland title as a player with the club, he guided them to their most recent Dublin crown in 2017.
And it was St Vincent’s that led the tributes to their late icon, with the following post on social media: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Brian Mullins. An absolute colossus in St Vincents. There’s so much to say about the man, and we’re all still processing this. We’ll honour him in the coming days. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”
A statement from Dublin GAA read: “In the recent past it has been often said that Dublin teams stood on the shoulders of giants. Today we lost one of those giants. Brian Mullins was a colossus and a Dublin GAA legend.
“Whether in the blue and white of St Vincent's or the sky blue of Dublin, Brian was a dominant force who inspired his team-mates. Majestic fielding, perpetual motion, clever and accurate in possession, and capable of getting vital scores – he was indomitable with an iron will to win.”
He is survived by his wife Helen and four children.
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