for a second tenure in 1996. O'Dwyer ended a 42-year provincial famine with the securing of two Leinster titles, while Kildare also made their first All-Ireland final appearance in seventy years. In 2002 O'Dwyer moved to Laois where he helped end a 57-year wait for a Leinster title. O'Dwyer remained in Leinster after his Laois tenure and began a five-year stint as Wicklow manager in 2006. Wicklow secured the Tommy Murphy Cup in 2007 and brought them to the last 12 in 2009 for the first time ever. O'Dwyer ended his managerial career with an unsuccessful one-year stint in charge of Clare. Early life Mick O'Dwyer was born on 9 June 1936. He was born in the little village of Waterville, County Kerry. He was educated locally at St Finian's national school before later attending Waterville Technical School. Playing career Minor and junior O'Dwyer first played for Kerry as a member of the minor team in 1954. He made his debut against Waterford, however, he was dropped from the starting fifteen for the subsequent 4–10 to 1-3 Munster final defeat of Cork. On 26 September 1954, O'Dwyer was listed amongst the substitutes once again for the All-Ireland final against Dublin. Two late goals resulted in a 3–3 to 1–8 defeat for Kerry. After joining the Kerry junior team in 1955, O'Dwyer won a Munster medal in this grade the following year after a 4–10 to 1–4 defeat of Waterford. Senior O'Dwyer is his county's top scorer in National Football League history, finishing his career with 19–313 (370) in that competition. As of 2021, he remained in the top ten all-time scorers in that competition, though he had been passed by numerous players including Ronan Carolan of Cavan, Mattie Forde of Wexford, Steven McDonnell of Armagh, Conor McManus of Monaghan, Brian Stafford of Meath and David Tubridy of Clare. Beginnings O'Dwyer made his senior debut for Kerry in a 0–9 to 0-6 National Football League defeat of Carlow on the 21 October 1956. He received his first championship start on 2 June 1957 in an infamous and shock 2–5 to 0–10 defeat by Waterford. In 1958 O'Dwyer was named at right wing-back in his first provincial decider. A 2–7 to 0-3 drubbing of old rivals Cork gave him his first Munster SFC medal. Early All-Ireland successes O'Dwyer experienced further success in 1959 as Kerry secured the league title. The 2–8 to