'); 'What stood out was how Kiernan’s public persona matched up exactly with who he was in private' Cathal Dennehy pays tribute to the Irish athletics legend. By Cathal Dennehy Friday 22 Jan 2021, 8:35 AM Jan 22nd 2021, 12:03 AM 36,930 Views 11 Comments Jerry Kiernan (file pic). Updated Jan 22nd 2021, 8:35 AM IF ONLY he could see it. If only Jerry Kiernan could wander into his local café in Ranelagh tomorrow morning, whip open the papers, and see how much he really meant. In truth, he’d probably laugh, acutely aware of the irony that the only way he could steal the headlines from GAA stars he loved to critique was to go and pass away.