Kathleen Rooney (née McNulty; 1904 - 1982) was for 51 years and until her death the wife of professional football hall of famer and Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney and matriarch of the Rooney family, who are the majority owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL football team and who are often referred to as the “first family” of Pittsburgh, being somewhat to Pittsburgh what the also Irish Roman Catholic Kennedys are to Boston. Kathleen was mother to Dan Rooney, who is chairman of the board of directors of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a former United States Ambassador to Ireland, Art Rooney, Jr., Timothy Rooney, Patrick Rooney and John Rooney, who together own 80% of the Steelers and who are all members of its board of directors, and great-grandmother to actresses Kate Mara and Rooney Mara. The entire Rooney sports dynasty now numbers over 75.
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