Eddie O'Brien (hurler)
Encyclopedia
Eddie O'Brien is a retired Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club Passage
and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.
where he settled down with his American wife of Irish and Italian descent. He had a highly successful career in corporate security and retired in 2007. O'Brien now divides his time between his family home in Queens and his holiday homes in Northern New Jersey and Florida. He is active in his church parish as well as beautifying his neighborhood. He remains in excellent physical condition and enjoys biking, swimming, nature walks and golf, however, fishing is his real passion.
. He enjoyed some success at juvenile levels before moving onto the club’s top team. Passage played in the county intermediate championship
and last won the title in 1960, prior to O'Brien's playing days. He played with the club's tp team throughout the 1960s and 1970s, however, he enjoyed little success apart from a city division senior football title in 1969. O'Brien was regarded as a better Gaelic football
er than a hurler and is considered to be Passage's greatest ever footballer.
title with the under-21 team following a 5-12 to 2-6 defeat of Limerick
. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork play Wexford
in an interesting encounter. After an entertaining sixty minutes of hurling both sides finished level with Cork scoring 3-12 to Wexford’s 5-6. The replay took place shortly afterwards, however, both sides finished all square again with 4-9 apiece. A second replay had to be played to eventually find a winner. At the third time of asking Cork emerged victorious with a huge tally of 9-9 to 5-9. This victory gave Cork their first All-Ireland title in this grade and gave O'Brien a coveted All-Ireland
under-21 medal.
By this stage O'Brien was already a member of the Cork senior hurling team. He made his debut in 1965, however, Cork were thrashed by Tipperary
in the Munster final. In spite of this O'Brien was not a member of the panel in 1966 when Cork captured both the Munster
and All-Ireland
titles.
By 1969, however, O'Brien was back on the senior team. That year he tasted success early in the year Cork defeated Wexford by 3-12 to 1-14 to take the National Hurling League
title. This victory gave Cork a huge boost going into the Munster campaign where the team qualified to meet Tipperary in the final. Cork were out to avenge the nine-point defeat administered by the same side in 1968 while Tipp were out to capture a third provincial title in-a-row. The game was a major triumph for Cork as ‘the Rebels’ won by 4-6 to 0-9. It was a victory that made up for all the beatings that Tipp had dished out to Cork in the early part of the decade and it gave O'Brien a first Munster winners’ medal. This victory paved the way for an All-Ireland showdown with Kilkenny
. The game was there for the taking for Cork, particularly after Kilkenny forward Pat Delaney
left the field on a stretcher. ‘The Rebels’ led ‘the Cats’ coming into the last quarter, however, Kilkenny scored five unanswered points in the last seven minutes to win by 2-15 to 2-9.
In 1970 Cork were still regarded as one of the best teams in the country and expectations were high. At the start of the year Cork defeated New York
with an aggregate score of 5-21 to 6-16 to take the National League title. It was O'Brien's second winners’ medal in the competition. For the third year in-a-row Cork qualified for the Munster final where Tipperary provided the opposition. It was the first eighty minute final in the history of the provincial championship and a close affair developed. At the final whistle Cork were the victors by 3-10 to 3-8 and O'Brien captured his second Munster title. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final where Wexford were the opponents. On the night before the final O'Brien has admitted to sneaking away from the hotel where his team mates were staying and went to a pub in Dún Laoghaire
where he drank nine pints of Guinness
. This didn't affect his impact on the game the following day in a game that broke all records with a huge 64-point score line. O'Brien scored a hat-trick of goals to help his team to a 6-21 to 5-10 victory. It was his only All-Ireland medal.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
sportsperson. He played 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 Passage
Passage West GAA
Passage West GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the town of Passage West, Cork, Republic of Ireland. The club fields teams in both Gaelic football and hurling. It is a member of the Seandún...
and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.
Biography
Eddie O'Brien was born in Passage West, County Cork in 1945. He was educated locally and later worked in the boatyards in Passage. In 1972 O'Brien retired from hurling and emigrated to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he settled down with his American wife of Irish and Italian descent. He had a highly successful career in corporate security and retired in 2007. O'Brien now divides his time between his family home in Queens and his holiday homes in Northern New Jersey and Florida. He is active in his church parish as well as beautifying his neighborhood. He remains in excellent physical condition and enjoys biking, swimming, nature walks and golf, however, fishing is his real passion.
Club
O'Brien played his club hurling with his local club in PassagePassage West GAA
Passage West GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the town of Passage West, Cork, Republic of Ireland. The club fields teams in both Gaelic football and hurling. It is a member of the Seandún...
. He enjoyed some success at juvenile levels before moving onto the club’s top team. Passage played in the county intermediate championship
Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship
Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship is the second-tier hurling competition organized by the Cork Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the Cork Senior Hurling Championship. This championship has been played for since 1909...
and last won the title in 1960, prior to O'Brien's playing days. He played with the club's tp team throughout the 1960s and 1970s, however, he enjoyed little success apart from a city division senior football title in 1969. O'Brien was regarded as a better Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er than a hurler and is considered to be Passage's greatest ever footballer.
Inter-county
O'Brien first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork minor hurling team in the early 1960s. He lined out for Cork in this grade in 1963, however, his side was defeated in the early rounds of the championship. In 1964 O'Brien was a key member of both the Cork under-21 hurling team. Success was slow in coming but the big breakthrough for Cork and O'Brien came in 1966. That year he won a MunsterMunster Under-21 Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
title with the under-21 team following a 5-12 to 2-6 defeat of 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...
. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork play Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
in an interesting encounter. After an entertaining sixty minutes of hurling both sides finished level with Cork scoring 3-12 to Wexford’s 5-6. The replay took place shortly afterwards, however, both sides finished all square again with 4-9 apiece. A second replay had to be played to eventually find a winner. At the third time of asking Cork emerged victorious with a huge tally of 9-9 to 5-9. This victory gave Cork their first All-Ireland title in this grade and gave O'Brien a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
under-21 medal.
By this stage O'Brien was already a member of the Cork senior hurling team. He made his debut in 1965, however, Cork were thrashed 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 the Munster final. In spite of this O'Brien was not a member of the panel in 1966 when Cork captured both the 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....
and 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.
By 1969, however, O'Brien was back on the senior team. That year he tasted success early in the year Cork defeated Wexford by 3-12 to 1-14 to take the National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
title. This victory gave Cork a huge boost going into the Munster campaign where the team qualified to meet Tipperary in the final. Cork were out to avenge the nine-point defeat administered by the same side in 1968 while Tipp were out to capture a third provincial title in-a-row. The game was a major triumph for Cork as ‘the Rebels’ won by 4-6 to 0-9. It was a victory that made up for all the beatings that Tipp had dished out to Cork in the early part of the decade and it gave O'Brien a first Munster winners’ medal. This victory paved the way for an All-Ireland showdown with 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...
. The game was there for the taking for Cork, particularly after Kilkenny forward Pat Delaney
Pat Delaney (Kilkenny hurler)
Pat Delaney is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Fenians and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1977.-Club:...
left the field on a stretcher. ‘The Rebels’ led ‘the Cats’ coming into the last quarter, however, Kilkenny scored five unanswered points in the last seven minutes to win by 2-15 to 2-9.
In 1970 Cork were still regarded as one of the best teams in the country and expectations were high. At the start of the year Cork defeated New York
New York GAA
The New York County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or New York GAA, is one of the county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in the New York metropolitan area...
with an aggregate score of 5-21 to 6-16 to take the National League title. It was O'Brien's second winners’ medal in the competition. For the third year in-a-row Cork qualified for the Munster final where Tipperary provided the opposition. It was the first eighty minute final in the history of the provincial championship and a close affair developed. At the final whistle Cork were the victors by 3-10 to 3-8 and O'Brien captured his second Munster title. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final where Wexford were the opponents. On the night before the final O'Brien has admitted to sneaking away from the hotel where his team mates were staying and went to a pub in Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
where he drank nine pints of Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
. This didn't affect his impact on the game the following day in a game that broke all records with a huge 64-point score line. O'Brien scored a hat-trick of goals to help his team to a 6-21 to 5-10 victory. It was his only All-Ireland medal.