Dermot Earley
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Dermot Earley DSM (24 February 1948 – 23 June 2010) was an Irish
army officer and sportsman. He played Gaelic football
with his local clubs Michael Glavey's and Sarsfield's and was a member of the Roscommon GAA
senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1985. Earley is regarded as one of the greatest players never to have won an All-Ireland
medal.
Earley's status as one of the all-time greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county career that lasted for twenty years he won five Connacht
titles, one National League
, two All-Star
awards, however, the ultimate honour of an All-Ireland medal at senior level eluded him. In retirement Earley served as manager
of both the Roscommon and Kildare
senior inter-county teams.
Earley also served as a high-ranking military official in Ireland and with the United Nations
. He was Chief of Staff
of the Irish Defence Forces
from 2007 until his retirement in 2010.
in 1948. He was educated at the local national school and later attended St. Nathy's College in Ballaghaderreen
.
in physical education
at St. Mary's College, Twickenham
.
Early's service record included overseas service with UNTSO in 1975, Adjutant to the 52nd Infantry Battalion UNIFIL, from 1987 to 1991 he served as deputy military adviser to UN secretary general Javier Perez de Cuellar
and Battalion Commander of the 81st Infantry Battalion UNIFIL in 1997. While serving with the UN up to 1991 he was a member of negotiating teams dealing with the Iraqi
s and Kuwait
is, and was a key adviser during the setting up of the UN’s mission in Kuwait – Unikom. He was involved in negotiating an end to the Angolan civil war
. He is a graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies
, London (2001) and holds a Master of Arts (Hons) in peace and development studies from the University of Limerick
(1999). He undertook the Ranger Course in the Defence Forces, which led to the establishment of special operations training and the establishment of the Army Ranger Wing (ARW). He was the last serving member of that course.
Earley was appointed School Commandant of the ASPC. In 1991 he was appointed an instructor at the Command and Staff School of the Military College and in 1994/95 he helped establish the United Nations Training School Ireland (UNTSI) in the Military College.
He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
in 1995. He commanded the 27 Infantry Battalion on the Irish border. He was promoted to Colonel
in 2001. In December 2003 he was made Brigadier General
and was appopinted Major General
in March 2004 when he received his final appointment. He replaced Lieutenant General
James Sreenan
. He became chief of staff in April 2007, leading the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service.
On 18 April 2010 Dermot Earley indicated he would retire from the Defence Forces due to ill health. Lt Gen Earley was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal with Honour from An Taoiseach Brian Cowen His resignation was accepted on 9 June 2010 and one of his previous deputies, Major General Sean McCann
, was appointed Chief of Staff. Lt Gen Dermot Earley died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
(CJD) on 23 June 2010.
His Newbridge
funeral on 24 June 2010 was attended by An Taoiseach Brian Cowen
, Irish government ministers and leading GAA figures, while former Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave
issued a statement calling him "one of the great figures of this country".
minor football team in 1963. He was only fifteen years-old at the time, however, in spite of his young age he quickly became a key component of the team. A Connacht minor final appearance that year saw Earley’s side take on Mayo
. Goals were the difference as Mayo won the game by 3-5 to 1-5.
Two years later in 1965 Earley lined out in a second Connacht minor decider. Five-in-a-row hopefuls Mayo provided the opposition; however, their great run of success was brought to an abrupt halt. Roscommon won by 2-10 to 1-10, giving Earley a coveted Connacht
title in the minor grade. Unfortunately, Roscommon were later defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1966 Roscommon faced Mayo in the provincial minor decider for the third time in four years. A close game developed; however, Mayo’s goal-scoring ability put some daylight between the two teams. A 1-9 to 0-7 score line resulted in defeat for Earley’s side.
That same year Earley was also a member of his native county’s under-21 team as Roscommon and Mayo renewed their rivalry in this grade in the Connacht final. Earley’s side ran away with the game and triumphed on a score line of 1-15 to 0-9. It was his first Connacht
under-21 winners’ medal. Roscommon later qualified for the All-Ireland final where reigning champions Kildare
provided the opposition. An exciting hour of football ensued, with the result remaining in doubt until the final whistle. When the game was over ‘the Rossies’ were the champions by 2-10 to 1-12 and Earley collected a coveted All-Ireland
winners’ medal in the under-21 grade.
1967 saw Roscommon set out to retain their All-Ireland title. The Connacht series provided few obstacles until the provincial decider when Mayo triumphed by 3-11 to 2-8. Both sides met again at the same stage of the championship the following year, however, the result was similar. Mayo defeated their old enemies by 1-13 to 2-3.
Earley was eligible for the under-21 grade again in 1969 and, furthermore, he was appointed captain for the year. The provincial decider that year saw Roscommon face Galway
in the provincial decider. A close game developed with both sides finishing level. The subsequent replay was much more conclusive with Roscommon taking the title by 1-10 to 2-3. It was Earley’s second Connacht under-21 title. ‘The Rossies’ later qualified for a second All-Ireland final in four years, with Antrim
providing the opposition. The game was an extremely tense affair with the result remaining in doubt until the long whistle. Victory, however, narrowly went to the Ulstermen on a score line of 1-8 to 0-10.
In 1970 Earley lined out in his first senior provincial decider. Galway provided the opposition on that occasion and proceeded to wallop Roscommon by 2-15 to 1-8. It was a rude awakening to the world of senior football for Earley.
Two years later in 1972 Roscommon were back in the Connacht final. Mayo, a team who Earley was more than familiar with at underage levels, were the opponents. An eight-goal thriller had supporters on the edge of their seats as Roscommon took their first provincial title in ten years on a score line of 5-8 to 3-10. It was Earley’s first Connacht
senior title. Roscommon’s next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with football kingpins Kerry
. That game turned into a rout as the men from ‘the Kingdom’ won easily by 1-22 to 1-12.
After surrendering their provincial title in 1973, Roscommon faced Galway in the provincial decider a year later. Earley was one of the few players to shine as his team were absolutely trounced by 2-14 to 0-8. His efforts were later rewarded when he was presented with his first All-Star
award.
Two years later Earley’s side indicated that they were a team on an upward curve. A thrilling provincial decider with Galway ended in a draw, however, Galway made no mistake in the replay and inflicted an eight-point defeat on ‘the Rossies’.
In 1977 a new-look Roscommon team took the provincial championship by storm. After some embarrassing defeats in recent years, Earley’s side finally triumphed over Galway. The narrow 1-12 to 2-8 victory gave him a second Connacht winners’ medal. Roscommon subsequently faced Armagh
in an All-Ireland semi-final. Like a lot of Roscommon’s other games in previous years, a close contest developed over the seventy minutes. In the end, both sides finished level and a replay was required. That second game was also extremely close, however, Armagh emerged by just a single point.
The Connacht series of games provided little difficulty for Earley’s side again in 1978. Galway once again provided the opposition, however, Roscommon triumphed by 2-7 to 0-9. It was Earley’s third Connacht title. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final pitted ‘the Rossies’ against reigning champions Kerry. That game turned into a rout as the Munstermen won by 3-11 to 0-8.
Roscommon made it three Connacht titles in-a-row in 1979 as Mayo were accounted for on a score line of 3-15 to 2-10. It was Earley’s fourth provincial winners’ medal. For the third year in-a-row ‘the Rossies’ embarked on the All-Ireland series in the hope of finally making the final. Dublin
were the opponents, however, Early and his teammates faced heartbreak once again as they were defeated by a single point. In spite of failing to make the leap into the All-Ireland final, Earley was later presented with a second All-Star award.
1980 was a pivotal year for Earley’s Roscommon team. A fourth Connacht title in succession was claimed following a 3-13 to 0-8 trouncing of Mayo. It was a fifth provincial winners’ medal for Earley. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Roscommon finally triumph and, after that defeat of Armagh, Earley lined out in the All-Ireland final against Kerry. The Connacht champions shocked Kerry and took a five-point lead inside the first twelve minutes. Mikey Sheehy
popped up to score the decisive goal for 'the Kingdom', as Kerry went on to claim a 1-9 to 1-6 victory in a game that contained sixty-four frees. It was a bitterly disappointing defeat for Earley's side while Kerry took their third consecutive All-Ireland title.
This defeat seemed to take the wind out of Roscommon's sails. The early 1980s was an uhappy period for the team as they failed to even reach a provincial decider. In 1985 Earley sustained a fractured jaw in the Connacht semi-final against Galway. When he was leaving the field the entire 12,000 spectators gave him a standing ovation as many thought that would be his farewll to football. Earley confounded everybody and lined out in the Connacht final agsinst Mayo two weeks later. In spite of kicking six points, Mayo still triumphed by 2-11 to 0-8. At the age of thirty-seven he decided to retire from inter-county football.
. His younger brother, Paul Earley
, was also a gaelic footballer, and his son Dermot Earley Junior
still plays for Kildare.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
army officer and sportsman. He played Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with his local clubs Michael Glavey's and Sarsfield's and was a member of the Roscommon GAA
Roscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...
senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1985. Earley is regarded as one of the greatest players never to have won an All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
medal.
Earley's status as one of the all-time greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county career that lasted for twenty years he won five Connacht
Connacht Senior Football Championship
The Bank of Ireland Connacht Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition for the senior county teams of Connacht GAA. A series of games are played during the summer months and the final is played in July....
titles, one National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
, two All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
awards, however, the ultimate honour of an All-Ireland medal at senior level eluded him. In retirement Earley served as manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
of both the Roscommon and Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
senior inter-county teams.
Earley also served as a high-ranking military official in Ireland and with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. He was Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
of the Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
from 2007 until his retirement in 2010.
Early life and education
Earley was born in Gortaganny, County RoscommonCounty Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1948. He was educated at the local national school and later attended St. Nathy's College in Ballaghaderreen
Ballaghaderreen
Ballaghaderreen is a town in County Roscommon. It is located on the N5 National primary road. The town has become a bottleneck on the N5 route in recent years and the opening of the Charlestown bypass down the road has exacerbated the problem...
.
Army career
After completing his Leaving Cert in 1965 Earley joined the defence forces as a cadet and was commissioned in 1967. His first posting was as a platoon commander in the Recruit Training Depot at the Curragh and in 1969 he was appointed an Instructor at the Army School of Physical Culture (ASPC). Two years later in 1971 Earley obtained a specialist diplomaDiploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
at St. Mary's College, Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
.
Early's service record included overseas service with UNTSO in 1975, Adjutant to the 52nd Infantry Battalion UNIFIL, from 1987 to 1991 he served as deputy military adviser to UN secretary general Javier Perez de Cuellar
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar y de la Guerra is a Peruvian diplomat who served as the fifth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1982 to December 31, 1991. He studied in Colegio San Agustín of Lima, and then at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. In 1995, he ran unsuccessfully...
and Battalion Commander of the 81st Infantry Battalion UNIFIL in 1997. While serving with the UN up to 1991 he was a member of negotiating teams dealing with the Iraqi
Iraqi people
The Iraqi people or Mesopotamian people are natives or inhabitants of the country of Iraq, known since antiquity as Mesopotamia , with a large diaspora throughout the Arab World, Europe, the Americas, and...
s and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
is, and was a key adviser during the setting up of the UN’s mission in Kuwait – Unikom. He was involved in negotiating an end to the Angolan civil war
Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...
. He is a graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
, London (2001) and holds a Master of Arts (Hons) in peace and development studies from the University of Limerick
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick is a university in Ireland near the city of Limerick on the island's west coast. It was established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and became a university by statute in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989...
(1999). He undertook the Ranger Course in the Defence Forces, which led to the establishment of special operations training and the establishment of the Army Ranger Wing (ARW). He was the last serving member of that course.
Earley was appointed School Commandant of the ASPC. In 1991 he was appointed an instructor at the Command and Staff School of the Military College and in 1994/95 he helped establish the United Nations Training School Ireland (UNTSI) in the Military College.
He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in 1995. He commanded the 27 Infantry Battalion on the Irish border. He was promoted to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in 2001. In December 2003 he was made Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
and was appopinted Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in March 2004 when he received his final appointment. He replaced Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
James Sreenan
James Sreenan
Lt. General James Sreenan is a former Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces.A native of Ballymote, County Sligo, Sreenan has been a member of the army since 1963, serving initially with the 5th Infantry Battalion, as well as 8th Infantry Battalion and 20th Infantry Battalion FCA...
. He became chief of staff in April 2007, leading the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service.
On 18 April 2010 Dermot Earley indicated he would retire from the Defence Forces due to ill health. Lt Gen Earley was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal with Honour from An Taoiseach Brian Cowen His resignation was accepted on 9 June 2010 and one of his previous deputies, Major General Sean McCann
Sean McCann
Sean McCann may refer to:* Sean McCann , Lieutenant General and Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces, succeeding Dermot Earley* Sean McCann , Canadian television actor...
, was appointed Chief of Staff. Lt Gen Dermot Earley died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease or CJD is a degenerative neurological disorder that is incurable and invariably fatal. CJD is at times called a human form of mad cow disease, given that bovine spongiform encephalopathy is believed to be the cause of variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease in humans.CJD...
(CJD) on 23 June 2010.
His Newbridge
Newbridge, County Kildare
The earliest known mention of Newbridge was by traveller and bookseller John Dunton in 1698, though he does not refer to any settlement other than at Ballymany....
funeral on 24 June 2010 was attended by An Taoiseach Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
, Irish government ministers and leading GAA figures, while former Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave
Liam Cosgrave
Liam Cosgrave is an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach and as Leader of Fine Gael . He was a Teachta Dála from 1943 to 1981....
issued a statement calling him "one of the great figures of this country".
Minor and under-21
Earley first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the RoscommonRoscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...
minor football team in 1963. He was only fifteen years-old at the time, however, in spite of his young age he quickly became a key component of the team. A Connacht minor final appearance that year saw Earley’s side take on Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
. Goals were the difference as Mayo won the game by 3-5 to 1-5.
Two years later in 1965 Earley lined out in a second Connacht minor decider. Five-in-a-row hopefuls Mayo provided the opposition; however, their great run of success was brought to an abrupt halt. Roscommon won by 2-10 to 1-10, giving Earley a coveted Connacht
Connacht Minor Football Championship
The Connacht Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Connacht in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Connacht Council. Mayo won the inaugural Connacht minor football championship in 1930. Mayo have won...
title in the minor grade. Unfortunately, Roscommon were later defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1966 Roscommon faced Mayo in the provincial minor decider for the third time in four years. A close game developed; however, Mayo’s goal-scoring ability put some daylight between the two teams. A 1-9 to 0-7 score line resulted in defeat for Earley’s side.
That same year Earley was also a member of his native county’s under-21 team as Roscommon and Mayo renewed their rivalry in this grade in the Connacht final. Earley’s side ran away with the game and triumphed on a score line of 1-15 to 0-9. It was his first Connacht
Connacht Under-21 Football Championship
The Connacht Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Connacht, in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Connacht council of the Gaelic Athletic Association and are...
under-21 winners’ medal. Roscommon later qualified for the All-Ireland final where reigning champions Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
provided the opposition. An exciting hour of football ensued, with the result remaining in doubt until the final whistle. When the game was over ‘the Rossies’ were the champions by 2-10 to 1-12 and Earley collected a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
winners’ medal in the under-21 grade.
1967 saw Roscommon set out to retain their All-Ireland title. The Connacht series provided few obstacles until the provincial decider when Mayo triumphed by 3-11 to 2-8. Both sides met again at the same stage of the championship the following year, however, the result was similar. Mayo defeated their old enemies by 1-13 to 2-3.
Earley was eligible for the under-21 grade again in 1969 and, furthermore, he was appointed captain for the year. The provincial decider that year saw Roscommon face Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in the provincial decider. A close game developed with both sides finishing level. The subsequent replay was much more conclusive with Roscommon taking the title by 1-10 to 2-3. It was Earley’s second Connacht under-21 title. ‘The Rossies’ later qualified for a second All-Ireland final in four years, with Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
providing the opposition. The game was an extremely tense affair with the result remaining in doubt until the long whistle. Victory, however, narrowly went to the Ulstermen on a score line of 1-8 to 0-10.
Senior
Earley was only seventeen years-old when he made his senior debut for Roscommon in 1965. After back-to-back provincial titles in this grade in the early part of the decade, ‘the Rossies’ were now going through a slump.In 1970 Earley lined out in his first senior provincial decider. Galway provided the opposition on that occasion and proceeded to wallop Roscommon by 2-15 to 1-8. It was a rude awakening to the world of senior football for Earley.
Two years later in 1972 Roscommon were back in the Connacht final. Mayo, a team who Earley was more than familiar with at underage levels, were the opponents. An eight-goal thriller had supporters on the edge of their seats as Roscommon took their first provincial title in ten years on a score line of 5-8 to 3-10. It was Earley’s first Connacht
Connacht Senior Football Championship
The Bank of Ireland Connacht Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition for the senior county teams of Connacht GAA. A series of games are played during the summer months and the final is played in July....
senior title. Roscommon’s next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with football kingpins Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
. That game turned into a rout as the men from ‘the Kingdom’ won easily by 1-22 to 1-12.
After surrendering their provincial title in 1973, Roscommon faced Galway in the provincial decider a year later. Earley was one of the few players to shine as his team were absolutely trounced by 2-14 to 0-8. His efforts were later rewarded when he was presented with his first All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award.
Two years later Earley’s side indicated that they were a team on an upward curve. A thrilling provincial decider with Galway ended in a draw, however, Galway made no mistake in the replay and inflicted an eight-point defeat on ‘the Rossies’.
In 1977 a new-look Roscommon team took the provincial championship by storm. After some embarrassing defeats in recent years, Earley’s side finally triumphed over Galway. The narrow 1-12 to 2-8 victory gave him a second Connacht winners’ medal. Roscommon subsequently faced Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
in an All-Ireland semi-final. Like a lot of Roscommon’s other games in previous years, a close contest developed over the seventy minutes. In the end, both sides finished level and a replay was required. That second game was also extremely close, however, Armagh emerged by just a single point.
The Connacht series of games provided little difficulty for Earley’s side again in 1978. Galway once again provided the opposition, however, Roscommon triumphed by 2-7 to 0-9. It was Earley’s third Connacht title. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final pitted ‘the Rossies’ against reigning champions Kerry. That game turned into a rout as the Munstermen won by 3-11 to 0-8.
Roscommon made it three Connacht titles in-a-row in 1979 as Mayo were accounted for on a score line of 3-15 to 2-10. It was Earley’s fourth provincial winners’ medal. For the third year in-a-row ‘the Rossies’ embarked on the All-Ireland series in the hope of finally making the final. Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
were the opponents, however, Early and his teammates faced heartbreak once again as they were defeated by a single point. In spite of failing to make the leap into the All-Ireland final, Earley was later presented with a second All-Star award.
1980 was a pivotal year for Earley’s Roscommon team. A fourth Connacht title in succession was claimed following a 3-13 to 0-8 trouncing of Mayo. It was a fifth provincial winners’ medal for Earley. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Roscommon finally triumph and, after that defeat of Armagh, Earley lined out in the All-Ireland final against Kerry. The Connacht champions shocked Kerry and took a five-point lead inside the first twelve minutes. Mikey Sheehy
Mikey Sheehy
Mikey Sheehy is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Austin Stacks and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1987. Sheehy is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.-Club:Sheehy played his club football with the...
popped up to score the decisive goal for 'the Kingdom', as Kerry went on to claim a 1-9 to 1-6 victory in a game that contained sixty-four frees. It was a bitterly disappointing defeat for Earley's side while Kerry took their third consecutive All-Ireland title.
This defeat seemed to take the wind out of Roscommon's sails. The early 1980s was an uhappy period for the team as they failed to even reach a provincial decider. In 1985 Earley sustained a fractured jaw in the Connacht semi-final against Galway. When he was leaving the field the entire 12,000 spectators gave him a standing ovation as many thought that would be his farewll to football. Earley confounded everybody and lined out in the Connacht final agsinst Mayo two weeks later. In spite of kicking six points, Mayo still triumphed by 2-11 to 0-8. At the age of thirty-seven he decided to retire from inter-county football.
Personal life
Earley was married with six children. They live in KildareKildare
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. His younger brother, Paul Earley
Paul Earley
Paul Earley is a former Irish sportsman who played Australian rules football for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League and Gaelic football for Roscommon GAA....
, was also a gaelic footballer, and his son Dermot Earley Junior
Dermot Earley (Gaelic footballer)
Dermot Earley Junior is a Gaelic football player, who plays intercounty football for Kildare and club football with Sarsfields Newbridge...
still plays for Kildare.