Kerry FC have made a statement appointment by bringing in former Republic of Ireland Women’s assistant manager and ex-Cork City boss Colin Healy.
Healy’s name had been linked in recent weeks with vacant managerial roles at both Athlone Town and Waterford FC, but he has opted to put pen to paper with the Kingdom, despite the club already having a manager in place. Alongside the announcement of Healy’s appointment, the club revealed that Conor McCarthy, despite loosing his place as first team manager, will remain part of the coaching staff.
As a player, Healy began his career at Celtic and went on to play for clubs including Sunderland, Ipswich Town, and Cork City. He was a tough-tackling midfielder, who earned 13 senior caps for Ireland before transitioning into coaching after retiring in 2017.
Colin Healy began his coaching career at Cork City, where he progressed from academy roles to first-team manager, leading the club to promotion from the first division in 2022. He also served as an assistant coach with the Republic of Ireland women’s national team.
Speaking on his appointment at Kerry FC, Healy said:
“The last year has been the toughest of my life since losing my wife, Kelly. During that time, my main focus has been to help my two young children cope with the loss of their mother and help them find some form of normality. On behalf of my family, I would sincerely like to thank every person who has supported me privately and publicly.
Kerry is a very special sporting county, and the club has made incredible strides over the past few years. During our conversations, Billy Dennehy’s passion and unwavering dedication to the continued growth of the game in Kerry has been so impressive. In combination with John Wall’s support, I believe Kerry FC are at the beginning of a very special journey, and I will do everything I can to help build on the exceptional work which has already been done at the club. I am very grateful for the opportunity and feel so hungry to get going“
It’s a massive appointment by the Kingdom and appears to have been driven by new owner John Wall, who has been extremely ambitious since buying the club last December.
As the youngest club in the League of Ireland, Kerry FC have yet to challenge for promotion, but with Healy in charge, fans of the Kingdom might have reason to get excited.