Cruise, Martin Sheen, Dolly Parton, Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen. Politics A friend of government ministers, chat show hosts and Hollywood actors, as well as a director of Fáilte Ireland, Ó Sé was a fervent supporter of the centrist Fianna Fáil political party which dominated Ireland's national political scene during his lifetime. He regarded Charles Haughey as a great Taoiseach, openly admired Bertie Ahern and, ahead of the EU/IMF/ECB troika intervention in the country's affairs, he defended Brian Cowen as a "magnificent leader" in whom he had the "fullest of faith". When asked in 2004, he said he would like Cowen to be the next Finance Minister and admitted an interest in property investments. He was a good friend of Bertie Ahern; when Ahern was Taoiseach, he once brought the entire cabinet to the launch, at Dublin's Burlington Hotel, of the Páidí Ó Sé Football Weekend. Ó Sé was often spoken of as a future national politician himself, though he never pursued a political career. Death Ó Sé died suddenly at his home in Ceann Trá early on 15 December 2012. His death, at the age of 57, was unexpected and was thought to have been as a result of a heart attack. Having got up in the morning, he had gone to lie down again after experiencing what he thought was indigestion, and his wife Maire found his body soon after. Many figures from sport and politics offered their condolences, including President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins. Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore described Ó Sé as "arguably the best defender to grace Croke Park [...] a one-off – truly unique". Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht minister and former teammate Jimmy Deenihan was "shocked" to learn of the death. Sports minister Michael Ring said it was as "a sad day for Ireland, the GAA, for Kerry and for Irish culture". Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin called him a GAA giant and gentleman. Ó Sé's fellow Kerry legend Pat Spillane said he was "heartbroken". John O'Mahony, who both played against and managed against Ó Sé, said he was "deeply shocked". Dara Ó Cinnéide described the deceased as "an exception to every rule". Joe Kernan, whose Armagh team triumphed over Ó Sé's Kerry team in the 2002 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, said: "The reaction to his death up here in Ulster has been incredible. Every GAA man, woman and child in any part