Legendary Irish Kitman Charlie O’Leary turns 100

O’Leary served as the national team’s kitman, most famously, to legendary manager, Jack Charlton and his successor, Mick McCarthy before he retired in 2000, aged 76. 

Thursday was a milestone celebratory birthday for former Ireland kitman, Charlie O’Leary who turned 100. 

The now-centurion was by Charlton’s side for a memorable 1988 Euros when Ireland claimed the scalp of England and for successive World Cups, in 1990 and 1994, when the Boys in Green reached the quarterfinals. 

Former Ireland defender, Paul McGrath, is one of the players who remains closely friendly with O’Leary, visiting the former kitman at his North Dublin residence in Harmonstown before Christmas.

On O’Leary’s birthday, McGrath posted on Instagram: 

"Happy 100th birthday to a great friend over the years who looked away a few times and kept me out of trouble with Jack. Love you, Charlie." 

Also amongst O’Leary’s well-wishers were the FAI who tweeted a birthday message: 

"Happy 100th Birthday! Today we celebrate a very special milestone, as former Ireland Men’s Senior Team kitman Charlie O’Leary turns 100!” 

Starting out, O’Leary was a hurl maker but swiftly fell into football, becoming a referee for just over two decades. 

Born in 1924, he has the unique status of being alive for every international football match that Ireland have played under the FAI body. 

His first involvement in the Irish backroom staff came in 1986, one of his first assignments was to attend to the needs of visiting opposition to Lansdowne Road.  

After Italy travelled to Dublin, O’Leary became friendly with Marco Tardelli, so much so that even years after meeting, the Italian would enquire to Liam Brady about how his “little friend, Carlos, was”. 

Christened “the little fella” by Charlton, O’Leary was swiftly endeared by the Irish players and staff, an admiration that persisted until the end of his career. 

A frantic last-minute kit change for the clash with Italy in 1994 after being misinformed of the Italians also wearing white, O’Leary sprang into action, producing his spare, green kit that Ireland would go onto record victory in.

As upon hearing of his friend’s retirement, McCarthy quipped: 

“They (the FAI) haven’t gone and got rid of him, have they?” 

In 2020, O’Leary was instead honoured by the FAI. He was awarded the Special Merit award alongside Mick Byrne, the 21^st recipients.  

Then Interim Deputy CEO, Niall Quinn, revealed the love for O’Leary within the Irish squads: 

"If Jack Charlton was the father figure for the Ireland squad from 1986 to 1995 then Charlie O’Leary and Mick Byrne were the two Irish Mammies who looked out for and looked after us all.” 

One such escapade was O’Leary and Byrne’s stealthy distribution of Cadbury’s chocolate biscuits, O’Leary having a family connection to the then Coolock based company.  

The kitman fondly remembers hiding them at mealtimes, trying to preserve them for the players, John Aldridge, and Ray Houghton amongst them, with a sweet tooth only for McCarthy to find out and want some himself! 

During that wonderfully crafted adventure of Italia 90, O’Leary was referenced to as “the brains of the operation” by Pope John Paul II, of all people!   

Certainly, he was regarded as a constantly beating heart for everyone involved in the setups. 

Now, with eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, O’Leary remains as active as ever as he ticks past the century of life.  

His mornings are incomplete without some form of socialisation, be it walking around the block, or the ringing phone answered by O’Leary, earnestly delighted to be chatting with whoever had happened to call.  

Over his life, O’Leary has certainly done enough to become popularly loved. A man and a legacy in keeping with the feelgood factor of late eighties and early nineties Irish football.  

His own kindness, diligence to detail and quietly charismatic persona are aspects that along with brains, the FAI should seek in their next managerial appointment and how their family of backroom staff can set about trying to restore some of that winning nostalgia.  

Everyone at extratime.com would like to wish Charlie a Happy 100^th Birthday! 

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— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) February 1, 2024