Shelbourne Football Club has announced the death of Chief Executive and majority shareholder Ollie Byrne.
One of Irish football's most colourful and controversial characters, Byrne had been battling illness lately, and died at Our Lady's Hospice in Harold's Cross at 4am this morning.
Byrne played football for UCD, but asthma forced him off the field. He joined the board of Shelbourne in 1976, while also working as a music promoter, handling acts like Deep Purple, Phil Lynott and Joe Cocker.
In the late 1980s, Byrne along with businessman Tony Donnelly took charge of Shelbourne and set about reversing the fortunes of a club in serious decline.
Under Byrne the club have won six League Championships, four FAI Cups, one League Cup and came close to competing in the group stages of the Champions League.
Byrne had been admitted to hospital in January complaining of severe head and chest pains.
Click here to watch Ollie Byrne speaking to RTÉ News in January during a tough time off the pitch for Shelbourne
