Irish football is mourning the passing of Theo Dunne, an FAI Cup winner as both a player and a manager and a beloved member of a family steeped in the game.

Dunne (85) was captain of Shelbourne’s cup winning team in 1963 and subsequently captained the Reds in a Cup Winners Cup tie with Barcelona at Camp Nou.

He went on to have a long association with UCD which kicked off before their arrival in the League of Ireland in 1979.

Working closely with the great Dr Tony O’Neill, Dunne was manager of the UCD side that enjoyed a famous FAI Cup success in 1984 and went on to push a top Everton side close in Europe later that year.

Save for a brief stint at Home Farm, Dunne remained involved at UCD until 2003 and was integral to the development of generations of players.

His son Thomas carved out a career in the League of Ireland as both a player and manager, while his nephew Richard Dunne progressed to the highest level of the game. Another nephew, Tony Cousins, excelled in the League of Ireland while his grandson Gavin Molloy is carrying the torch by starring with Shelbourne.

UCD announced his passing late last night and paid tribute to a key figure in their history.