General
- Saturday February 14th, 2026 @ 8:49
Damien Byrne RIP
By: Dermot Looney
More than a third of a century on, Easter Monday, 1990 remains one of the most memorable days in St Patrick's Athletic's long history.
The image of club captain Damien Byrne lifting aloft the ball-shaped Opel League of Ireland Premier Division trophy in United Park, Drogheda, accompanied by raucous celebrations from players, staff, officials and fans, marked a staging-point in the revival of the Saints. The heroics of Byrne and his team-mates throughout the season put St Patrick's Athletic back on the map in Irish football's annus mirabilis.
It was St Pat's fourth title success, but their first in 34 years. Damien's three predecessors as League-winning captains ??" Johnny Coyle (1951/52), Dessie Byrne (1954/55) and Tommy Desay (1955/56) ??" had played in the days before trophy presentations. And so, Damien Byrne became the first St Patrick's Athletic captain to raise the trophy in a day of high emotion for the then-35 year-old, marking the unlikely high-point of a remarkable football career.
Born in 1954, he was a latecomer to soccer, only taking up the game seriously aged 16, coming through the great schoolboy academy at Home Farm as an effective centre-forward. He made his League of Ireland debut against St Patrick's Athletic and played 22 games with Farm in his first season.
He missed out on Farm's 1975 FAI Cup success, having had a short spell at Dundalk followed by a long and successful career at Drogheda United. He scored almost 50 League goals for the Drogs but midway through his career shifted to a centre-half position. Damien was strong, brave and great in the air, but he also had a neat touch and fine eye for a pass, a vestige of his days up top.
After almost a decade at United Park, he went on to a hugely successful spell in the Irish League with first Crusaders and then Ards. He was the Crues' player of the year in 1985 and helped the Red and Blues of Ards to two third-place finishes in 1985/86 and 1986/87. He was yet to win a major trophy but was nonetheless awarded the Player of the Year gong by the Northern Ireland Football Writers Association in 1986/87.
Now well into his thirties, Damien made the switch back south to Shamrock Rovers in 1987. But appearances were limited by the presence of two other notable centre-halves; Irish international Peter Eccles, and player-manager Dermot Keely. "I wasn't going to drop Peter, and I wasn't going to drop myself," Keely recalled, with Brian Kerr able to prize away Damien for his second season in charge at St Pat's, 1987/88. Damien had an immediate impact in a title charge which fell short at the final hurdle.
Damien's greatest season was 1989/90. The veteran commanded the Saints back-line, playing in 38 games across all competitions before that extraordinary Easter Monday in his old stomping ground of United Park, Drogheda. After lifting the trophy, a visibly and audibly emotional Damien spoke alongside Brian Kerr to RTÉ.
Brian Kerr embraced his captain. "He's only a youngster and he deserves every bit of success we had today. He's waited a long time on the medal and I'm so proud it happened for him with Pat's."
"So far it's been a perfect day," Damien told RTÉ. "Player of the month, we won the League, and I drew Desert Orchid in the sweep ??" what more can you ask for?"
As well as the precious League-winner's medal, Damien also won the Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland Player of the Year for 1989/90, making him the only player in history to win the accolade in the both the Irish League and the LOI.
Although Damien suffered injury the following season, he continued at Pat's until 1993, when he finally retired aged 39, having played in well over 100 League games for the Saints. He later coached at the likes of Bohemians, Lusk United and Belvedere.
Unfortunately, Damien suffered with memory loss in recent years, something he put down in part to the effects of heading the ball so much during his career. "I wish I could remember it all," he later recalled of his time at the Saints, "but the camaraderie is what stays with me." Damien passed on February 5th and was laid to rest this week.
At a night celebrating the 1989/90 Peoples Champions in 2025, every player and member of staff spoke passionately about the effect Damien had on them and the club. He was clearly respected as a leader, appreciated as a player, and loved as a man.
"He was the key piece of the jigsaw," recalled Brian Kerr. "An elegant, committed and talented defender, he brought composure, leadership and real character to our side. A great player and a great captain."
Ni bheidh a leitheid aris ann.
