Brian O’Driscoll: An Irish Rugby Legend

Few sportspeople in team games get the opportunity to decide the timing of their retirements and go out at their best. For most, retirement arises from a loss of form, disputes with managers, or injury. Brian O’Driscoll, Ireland’s golden boy of rugby, planned his international retirement well in advance and went out at the top. On March 8, 2014, he played in his last home international game against Italy in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, with a winning man of the match performance, becoming that day the most capped player in the history of rugby (140), breaking the previous record held by Australian George Gregan. Apart from several turnovers and great tackling, he had a big role in creating three of Ireland’s seven tries that day. His every move was greeted with tumultuous applause, and he received a standing ovation on leaving the pitch after 62 minutes and again at the end of the game.

This effusion of affection was not alone a tribute to his performance in that game but chiefly for his enormous contribution to Irish rugby over fourteen years. When he appeared on the international scene in March 2000 scoring three tries against France in Paris, Ireland was at the bottom of the Six Nations Championship. Soon, in no small way due to his leadership, Ireland earned a new respect on the international scene and was able to compete with the best in the world. His record of 140 test caps include 132 for Ireland (83 as captain from 2003 to 2012) and eight for the British/Irish Lions. He scored 46 tries for Ireland and one for the Lions. Brian O’Driscoll was selected as player of the Six Nations Championship in 2006, 2007 and 2009. His greatest achievement was leading Ireland to win the Grand Slam in 2009 (defeating all the other countries) after a lapse of 61 years. Hs last game for his country was in Paris on March 15, 2014, when Ireland won the Triple Crown.

In 2001, Brian O’Driscoll gave an outstanding display in his debut game for the British/Irish Lions against Australia. He captained the Lions on the 2005 tour of New Zealand, but broke his collar bone in the opening minutes of the first game following a spear tackle, and played in two of the three games on the winning tour in 2013.

Modest and unassuming, an admirable attribute of Brian O’Driscoll is the way he has handled fame during his career. He is Ireland’s greatest rugby player ever and a great role model. All Irish rugby followers have wonderful memories Brian O’Driscoll’s performances in the number 13 green jersey for his country.

Bernard O'Hara's latest book entitled Killasser: Heritage of a Mayo Parish is now on sale in the USA and UK as a paperback book at amazon.com, amazon.co.uk or Barnes and Noble

It is also available as an eBook from the Apple iBookstore (for reading on iPad and iPhone), from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk (Kindle & Kindle Fire) and from Barnesandnoble.com (Nook tablet and eReader).

An earlier publication, a concise biography of Michael Davitt, entitled Davitt by Bernard O’Hara published in 2006 by Mayo County Council , is now available as Davitt: Irish Patriot and Father of the Land League by Bernard O’Hara, which was published in the USA by Tudor Gate Press (www.tudorgatepress.com) and is available from amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. It can be obtained as an eBook from the Apple iBookstore (for reading on iPad and iPhone), from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk (Kindle & Kindle Fire) and from Barnesandnoble.com (Nook tablet and eReader).