A life of football in his own words

Former Mayo, Leitrim and Galway manager, John O'Mahony was among the many figures within the game that contributed to 'Hell for Leather - The Story of Gaelic Football', RTÉ's five-part series that delves into the role of Gaelic football in the sporting, cultural and social history of modern Ireland.

O'Mahony, who had two stints as manager with his native Mayo, led neighbours Galway to a couple of All-Ireland titles and famously masterminded Leitrim's Connacht title in 1994, contributed to the documentary that was over five years in the making.

Below are extracts from O'Mahony's observations on the game as well as his own journey from playing to highly successful manager.

John O'Mahony died in July 2024 at the age of 71.

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