Brian Lohan
Encyclopedia
Brian Lohan is an Irish
sportsman. He plays hurling
with his local club Wolfe Tones na Sionna
and was a member of the Clare
senior inter-county team from 1993 until 2006, during which time he won two All-Ireland
titles, three Munster
titles and four Railway Cup titles. He has also been the recipient of four All-Star
awards from nine nominations. Lohan's inclusion on the Munster Hurling Team of the Millennium marks him out as one of the all-time greats.
, County Clare
in 1971. He was born into a family that had a strong hurling
tradition as his father, Gus Lohan, played for both the Galway
and Clare
senior hurling teams in his day. Lohan was educated locally and later studied at the University of Limerick
. While studying there he played on the university hurling team that won the Fitzgibbon Cup
title. Lohan graduated with a business degree and currently works as an auctioneer in Ennis
and Shannon.
club and enjoyed much success. He won a senior county title in 1996 before later winning a Munster
club title and got to the All Ireland club final but lost. Lohan won a second county medal in 2006. Lohan is also played football for Wolfe Tones Na Sionna.
minor hurling team. He later joined the county under-21 team but had little success in either grades. Lohan made his senior debut for Clare in 1992 and became a regular in the championship in 1993. That year he played in his first Munster final, however, Clare were absolutely trounced by Tipperary
. In 1994 Clare qualified for the provincial final once again, however, on this occasion they were defeated by Limerick
. Everything changed in 1995 when Ger Loughnane
was appointed manager
of the team. For the third successive year Clare qualified for the Munster final where Limerick provided the opposition. The game proved to be a watershed for Clare who won by nine points. It was Lohan's first Munster
title and it was Clare's first provincial title since 1932. Clare later defeated Galway
in the All-Ireland semi-final and faced up to Offaly
in the championship decider at Croke Park
. Offaly were the reigning All-Ireland champions and were regarded as the favourites going into the final. Lohan had another excellent game in the saffron and blue jersey as Clare defeated Offaly to win their first All-Ireland
title since 1914. Not only did Lohan collect his first All-Ireland medal that day but he was later named Hurler of the Year.
In 1996 Clare dramatically lost their All-Ireland crown to Limerick in the first-round of the Munster Championship. Although playing just seventy minutes of championship hurling Lohan made such an impression that he was later presented with a second All-Star
award. In 1997 Clare were back with a bang. Lohan collected a second
Munster title as Clare defeated Tipperary
in a close provincial final. Due to the introduction of the so-called 'back-door system' these two sides later met again in the All-Ireland final. Clare were on top for much of the game, however, Tipp scored two goals in the last ten minutes setting up a dramatic climax. Jamesie O'Connor
scored the winning point for Clare just before full-time giving the county a second victory in three years and giving Lohan a second All-Ireland medal. On their way to that victory Clare became the second team ever to be beat hurling's big three - Cork, Tipperary and Kilkenny - in a single championship season. 1998 proved to be a controversial year for Clare and for hurling in general. Lohan captured a third Munster title that year in a sulphorous replay against Waterford
. Controversy followed when Clare played Offaly in the All-Ireland semi-final. The first game ended in a draw, however, in the replay Clare were winning by two points when the referee, Jimmy Cooney, blew the whistle with two minutes of normal time left to be played. The Offaly fans were outraged and staged a sit-down protest on the Croke Park
pitch. The result wasn't allowed to stand and Clare were forced to meet Offaly for a third time that year. They lost the second replay, however, it has been said that if they won they would have captured a second All-Ireland title in-a-row.
The next decade proved difficult for Clare hurling. They returned to the bottom of the pile in Munster as the traditional powers, Cork and Tipp, as well as Waterford triumphed. In 2002 Clare became the first team to lose a first-round game but qualify for the All-Ireland final via the qualifiers system. Kilkenny
provided the opposition in the game and had an easy victory courtesy of goals from D.J. Carey and Henry Shefflin
. In 2005 Clare nearly caused a huge hurling upset by nearly defeating Cork in a thrilling All-Ireland semi-final. Cork won the game by a point and went on to win the All-Ireland final against Galway. In 2006 Clare reached the All-Ireland semi-final once again, however, this time they were well beaten by eventual champions Kilkenny. This defeat brought the curtain down on Lohan's inter-county career.
in the Railway Cup inter-provincial competition. He ended up on the winning side in the final in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2000.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
sportsman. He plays hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with his local club Wolfe Tones na Sionna
Wolfe Tones na Sionna GAA
Wolfe Tones is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Shannon in County Clare, Ireland.-Honours:2011Clare Feile na nGael ChampionsU14 Hurling County ChampionsClare Feile Peil ChampionsAll Ireland Feile Peil Finalists...
and was a member of the Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
senior inter-county team from 1993 until 2006, during which time he won two All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
titles, three Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
titles and four Railway Cup titles. He has also been the recipient of four All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
awards from nine nominations. Lohan's inclusion on the Munster Hurling Team of the Millennium marks him out as one of the all-time greats.
Early and private life
Brian Lohan was born in ShannonShannon, County Clare
Shannon or Shannon Town , named after the river near which it stands, is a town located in County Clare. It was given town status on 1 January 1982. The town is located just off the N19 road, a spur of the N18/M18 road between Limerick city and Ennis....
, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
in 1971. He was born into a family that had a strong hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
tradition as his father, Gus Lohan, played for both the Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
and Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
senior hurling teams in his day. Lohan was educated locally and later studied at the University of Limerick
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick is a university in Ireland near the city of Limerick on the island's west coast. It was established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and became a university by statute in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989...
. While studying there he played on the university hurling team that won the Fitzgibbon Cup
Fitzgibbon Cup
The Fitzgibbon Cup the championship for top division of university hurling in Ireland. It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
title. Lohan graduated with a business degree and currently works as an auctioneer in Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
and Shannon.
Club
Lohan played his club hurling with his local Wolfe Tones na SionnaWolfe Tones na Sionna GAA
Wolfe Tones is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Shannon in County Clare, Ireland.-Honours:2011Clare Feile na nGael ChampionsU14 Hurling County ChampionsClare Feile Peil ChampionsAll Ireland Feile Peil Finalists...
club and enjoyed much success. He won a senior county title in 1996 before later winning a Munster
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
club title and got to the All Ireland club final but lost. Lohan won a second county medal in 2006. Lohan is also played football for Wolfe Tones Na Sionna.
Inter-county
Lohan first came to prominence on the inter-county scene in the late 1980s as a member of the ClareClare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
minor hurling team. He later joined the county under-21 team but had little success in either grades. Lohan made his senior debut for Clare in 1992 and became a regular in the championship in 1993. That year he played in his first Munster final, however, Clare were absolutely trounced by Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
. In 1994 Clare qualified for the provincial final once again, however, on this occasion they were defeated by Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
. Everything changed in 1995 when Ger Loughnane
Ger Loughnane
Ger Loughnane is a Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Feakle and with the Clare senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s...
was appointed manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
of the team. For the third successive year Clare qualified for the Munster final where Limerick provided the opposition. The game proved to be a watershed for Clare who won by nine points. It was Lohan's first Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
title and it was Clare's first provincial title since 1932. Clare later defeated Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in the All-Ireland semi-final and faced up to Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in the championship decider at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
. Offaly were the reigning All-Ireland champions and were regarded as the favourites going into the final. Lohan had another excellent game in the saffron and blue jersey as Clare defeated Offaly to win their first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
title since 1914. Not only did Lohan collect his first All-Ireland medal that day but he was later named Hurler of the Year.
In 1996 Clare dramatically lost their All-Ireland crown to Limerick in the first-round of the Munster Championship. Although playing just seventy minutes of championship hurling Lohan made such an impression that he was later presented with a second All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award. In 1997 Clare were back with a bang. Lohan collected a second
Munster title as Clare defeated Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
in a close provincial final. Due to the introduction of the so-called 'back-door system' these two sides later met again in the All-Ireland final. Clare were on top for much of the game, however, Tipp scored two goals in the last ten minutes setting up a dramatic climax. Jamesie O'Connor
Jamesie O'Connor
Jamesie O'Connor is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Joseph's Doora-Barefield and with the Clare senior inter-county team from 1993 until 2004.-Biography:...
scored the winning point for Clare just before full-time giving the county a second victory in three years and giving Lohan a second All-Ireland medal. On their way to that victory Clare became the second team ever to be beat hurling's big three - Cork, Tipperary and Kilkenny - in a single championship season. 1998 proved to be a controversial year for Clare and for hurling in general. Lohan captured a third Munster title that year in a sulphorous replay against Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
. Controversy followed when Clare played Offaly in the All-Ireland semi-final. The first game ended in a draw, however, in the replay Clare were winning by two points when the referee, Jimmy Cooney, blew the whistle with two minutes of normal time left to be played. The Offaly fans were outraged and staged a sit-down protest on the Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
pitch. The result wasn't allowed to stand and Clare were forced to meet Offaly for a third time that year. They lost the second replay, however, it has been said that if they won they would have captured a second All-Ireland title in-a-row.
The next decade proved difficult for Clare hurling. They returned to the bottom of the pile in Munster as the traditional powers, Cork and Tipp, as well as Waterford triumphed. In 2002 Clare became the first team to lose a first-round game but qualify for the All-Ireland final via the qualifiers system. Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
provided the opposition in the game and had an easy victory courtesy of goals from D.J. Carey and Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and has been a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 1999...
. In 2005 Clare nearly caused a huge hurling upset by nearly defeating Cork in a thrilling All-Ireland semi-final. Cork won the game by a point and went on to win the All-Ireland final against Galway. In 2006 Clare reached the All-Ireland semi-final once again, however, this time they were well beaten by eventual champions Kilkenny. This defeat brought the curtain down on Lohan's inter-county career.
Provincial
Lohan also lined out with MunsterMunster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
in the Railway Cup inter-provincial competition. He ended up on the winning side in the final in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2000.