Brian O’Brien has the honour and distinction of becoming Shannon’s first ever-International player in 1968. It was an achievement not alone for Brian but for the club he had played with since his youth. Winning U/18 and U/20, he went on to play in Shannon’s first ever Munster senior cup final in 1958-59. After playing for nearly 15 years with the Shannon senior team he went onto coach the successful 1977 and 78 Munster senior cup sides. His first International cap was playing in the centre against France in Stade Colombes. Ireland lost that match but in the next match against England an Irish victory looked likely, until the last minute when English full-back Bob Hiller scored a last gasp drop goal that earned England a draw. His final cap came against Scotland in a match that Ireland won by 14 points to 6. Even after he retired from playing his contribution to Shannon, Munster and Ireland has been immense. From 1981 to 1984 he served on the I.R.F.U Senior selection committee, another first for Shannon and was part of the 1983 British and Ireland lion’s selection committee. He was manager of the Shannon four in a row teams and went on to become manager of the Munster side from 1998 to 2000. In 2000 he was appointed Manager of the Irish National side, a position he still holds. In 2003, Brian was elected into the Irish rugby hall of fame.