Kevin Heffernan (20 August 1929 – 25 January 2013) was an Irish Gaelic footballer and manager who played as a left corner-forward at senior level for the Dublin county team.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, he was not born into a football background, as his father's interests included hunting and shooting rather than Gaelic games.
He later attended Scoil Mhuire and St. Joseph's Christian Brothers school, Fairview, where he made great progress as a hurler and as a footballer.
By profession, Heffernan was a personnel manager for the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and he became Chairman of the Labour Court.
He made his senior debut for the Dublin footballers the same year that he was sitting his Leaving Certificate, breaking his jaw in a game just days before his first exam.
Heffernan's young Dublin side captivated the imagination of the youth and working class of the city, traditionally not Gaelic Football followers.
Dublin bounced back the following year to win the National League as well as a third Leinster title in-a-row before going on to defeat Kerry in the All-Ireland final.
Following this victory Heffernan unexpectedly resigned as manager of Dublin, being replaced by Tony Hanahoe who acted as player-captain-manager.
Heffernan returned as manager in 1979 but, after claiming a sixth consecutive Leinster title, lost out to Kerry in the All-Ireland final.
In 2000, Heffernan's status as one of the greatest players of all-time was further cemented when he was named in the left corner-forward position on the GAA's 'Football Team of the Millennium.'
In 2004, at the age of 74, Heffernan was in charge of the club's under-15 hurling team, which, with a late free from Oliver McElvaney, won a memorable championship final against Cuala, having defeated Ballyboden in the semi-final.
In 2005, Heffernan was granted the Freedom of the City of Dublin, placing him in a pantheon that includes U2, Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton.