Inside Kerry manager Jack O'Connor's life - from wife and children to retirement
During his initial tenure as manager in the Kingdom, the GAA icon steered his native county to a pair of All-Ireland Senior Football Championships, claiming the Sam Maguire in 2004 and 2006, defeating Mayo in both Croke Park showpieces.
He also orchestrated the side to Munster Senior Football Championship and National Football League victories.
After leaving the role of Kerry manager back in 2006, Jack returned to the fold once again in 2009, leading the county to more All-Ireland success as they won for the third time under his management. Jack departed again 2012 and he moved to the minor side in 2013 and the U/21's three years later where he had provincial and national wins. Kerry GAA manager Jack O'Connor (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)
In a surprise move, he was announced as the Kildare manager in 2019.
The 64-year-old took on the Kerry job for a third stint in 2021 and just 12 months later they won the All-Ireland final for the first time since 2014.
Opening up about his return to Kerry, he said: "Personally, all I can talk about is myself. I personally feel that I'm in a better position to manage an inter-county team now than I was when I started off because... I'm retired, I have the time.
"I keep myself in good shape, I keep myself fit and I've the energy and most importantly the time to give it. The time to go and meet players, the time to think things through clearly without being in a rush. You can't put a price on that."
He told the Irish Independent: "Age doesn't come into it. I don't feel like an old man yet anyway. Like Ronald Reagan said long ago, experience is more important than age. Some fella was questioning the fact that he was an old man. Look, all I'll say is that it depends on your lifestyle and whatever, regardless of age." Family life
Away from the world of GAA, Jack is married to wife Bridie and they have two sons together, sons Cian and Éanna. Thirty- three-year-old Éanna played minor football for Kerry.
Both lads transferred to Kildare club Moorefield in 2014 and Éanna joined the Kildare senior panel in 2018.
Jack joked that remaining as Kildare manager any longe Jack O'Connor with his wife Bridie and sons Eanna and Cian of Moorefield after the Kildare Senior Club Football Championship Final (Image: ©INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan)
r would have meant divorce for him and Bridie due to the big commute between there and Kerry for training during the week.
"I gave it absolutely everything when I was up here in Kildare for two years. I enjoyed it, no regrets, but it wasn't sustainable to keep it going, I'd have had to get divorced," he told the Irish Examiner.
Swipe across below to see the full gallery of images for yourself
He used to a work as a school teacher before his retirement from work.
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