Limerick manager John Kiely is preparing to lead his team against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland hurling final this Sunday.
He first became manager of Limerick in September 2016 and in his first season in charge,they lost to Kilkenny in the qualifiers. Since then, he has steered Limerick to three All-Ireland titles in four years - with Kilkenny also ending their season in a semi-final upset in 2019.
RSVP Live have compiled this profile of Kiely's life away from sport, where he's married to his wife Louise and the pair have two daughters together.
Family life with wife Louise and two daughters
Away from sport, John is married to his wife Louise and the pair have two daughters together, Aoife and Ruth.
John admitted that he considered his young family and the abuse he might be subjected to before accepting the Limerick manager role.
John said, much like Kerry manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice, he too had a box of abusive letters at home, but his protective wife Louise is careful to vet them first.
“I’ll be straight with you, it was a consideration before I took up the job,” said Kiely.
“My girls were young, and I decided to take it on and that was one of the factors, that the girls were so young. They wouldn’t be exposed to that stuff because they’re young," he told the Examiner in 2018.
"I’ve no regrets on that score. There are so many different outlets — some of them are legitimate, they’re fair, but more of them are sub judice and anonymous.
"I have a box at home too. I keep it in the box, it stays in the box. My wife picks it up and vets it and doesn’t let anything too serious come my way.
“They wouldn’t want to meet her, or they would be anonymous.”
Kiely's day job
Off the pitch, Kiely is a secondary school principal. Since 2013, he has been the principal at The Abbey School in Tipperary.
Playing years with Limerick
In his playing years, Kiely played for both Limerick minor and under-21 hurling teams and was in the extended squad for the senior hurlers.
The Galbally-native also went on to play and to captain the senior footballers in Limerick.
Success as a manager
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (3): 2018, 2020, 2021
Munster Senior Hurling Championship (4): 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
National Hurling League (2): 2019, 2020
Munster Senior Hurling League (2): 2018, 2020
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 2015
Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 2011, 2015
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