The 42

FORMER DUBLIN GOALKEEPER Paddy Cullen has died at the age of 80, following a long illness. 

Cullen, of the O’Connell Boys club, made his senior Dublin debut in 1966 and became an integral member of the Kevin Heffernan side credited with animating Gaelic football in Dublin, famously saving a penalty in the 1974 All-Ireland final win over Galway.

Dublin and Cullen would win two of the next three All-Ireland titles, while banking six-straight Leinster titles. 

Dublin appeared in six consecutive All-Ireland finals between 1974 and 1979, with their three defeats coming at the hands of Kerry. Cullen was infamously lobbed by Kerry’s Mikey Sheehy in the ’78 final, a moment canonised by the pen of Con Houlihan. 

“Paddy dashed back towards his goal like a woman who smells a cake burning”, memorably wrote Houlihan. 

Cullen returned to play in the ’79 All-Ireland final – which was again lost to Kerry – after which Cullen was awarded his fourth and final All-Star award. He stepped away from the team after that but returned as Dublin manager in 1990, winning the 1991 National League title along with the 1992 Leinster title. Cullen led Dublin to the 1992 All-Ireland final, where they were beaten by Donegal. 

Taoiseach Micheàl Martin paid tribute to Cullen with a post on social media. 

“Deeply saddened at the passing of Paddy Cullen, one of the outstanding personalities of the Dublin-Kerry rivalry of the 1970’s”, said Martin. 

“An inspirational goalkeeper and thorough gentleman. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”

Later, he commented to reporters when speaking at an engagement at Cork University Hospital, “When you look back at all the clips of that era, Paddy Cullen is in quite a number of them. Both when Dublin were victorious and when Kerry caught them once or twice as we know, with quick free-kicks and so on.

“For me, it’s a sad day and for anybody who supports sport and particularly Gaelic football.”

Written by Gavin Cooney and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else.

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