Brian Whelahan

Infobox GAA player
code= Hurling
sport = Hurling


name = Brian Whelahan
irish = Brian Ó Faoileacháin
fullname = Brian Whelahan
placeofbirth = Birr
countryofbirth = County Offaly
dob =
height =
nickname =
county =
province = Leinster
club = Birr
clposition = Half-back
clubs = Birr
clyears = 1988-present
clapps(points) =
clcounty =
clprovince=
clallireland =
counties = Offaly
county = Offaly
icposition = Wing-back
icyears = 1989-2006
icapps(points) = 55
icprovince = 3
province = Leinster
icallireland = 2
allstars = 4
clupdate =
icupdate =

Brian Whelahan (born August, 1971) is an Irish sportsperson. He currently plays hurling with his local club Birr [ [http://www.geocities.com/themushtown/ Birr GAA Club ] ] and was a member of the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1989 until 2006. His selection on the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium, the only player selected who was still playing at the time of selection, sees him widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the history of the game. [http://www.gaa.ie/page/hurling_team_of_the_millennium.html Hurling Team of the Millennium | Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Official Website - GAA.ie ] ]

Whelahan's status as one of the all-time greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county career that lasted for seventeen years he won two All-Ireland titles, three Leinster titles, one National Hurling League title and two Railway Cup titles. In a senior club career that has lasted since 1988 Whelahan has won four All-Ireland club titles, [ [http://www.gaa.ie/page/all_ireland_club_hurling_final_results_1971_2006.html All-Ireland Club Hurling Final Results 1971-2006 | Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Official Website - GAA.ie ] ] seven Leinster club titles [ [http://leinster.gaa.ie/rollofhonour/rhleinsterHurling.asp Leinster GAA - Roll of Honour ] ] and eleven county titles. [http://www.offaly.gaa.ie/files/Senior%20Hurling%20Championship%20Roll%20Of%20Honour.pdf]

Whelahan has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. In 1994 his hurling prowess earned him the prestigious Texaco Hurler of the Year award, however, that same year he was controversially omitted from the All-Stars team due to irregularities in the voting system. Four years later in 1998 he received this honour for the second time, thus becoming the first player ever to win the accolade on two occasions. In 2000 Whelahan became the only player from the modern era to be named on the prestigous GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium, thus cementing his reputation as one of the all-time greats.

Early life

Brian Whelahan was born in Birr, County Offaly in 1971. Although not considered one of the traditional hurling counties, Whelehan showed great skill at the game in his youth and was fully encouraged by his father, Pat Joe Whelahan, [ [http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1998/03/19/shead.htm Irish Sport News, March 19, 1998 ] ] a huge figure in Offaly hurling. In the 1980s Offaly shook the world of hurling, thanks in no small part to an excellent under-age system in the county. Naturally, Whelahan was at the centre of this hurling revolution.

Playing career

Club

Whelahan plays his club hurling with his local Birr team. The club is one of the most successful in the Offaly SHC. In a long career Whelahan has won eleven county titles in all - 1991, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Seven of these county wins were converted into Leinster club titles in 1991, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2007. In turn, four of these were subsequently converted into four All-Ireland club titles in 1995, 1998, 2002 and 2003. [ [http://www.geocities.com/themushtown Birr GAA Club ] ] As a result of this Birr is the most successful club in the history of the All-Ireland hurling competeition and Whelahan is just one of a small number of players who have four All-Ireland club medals.

Inter-county

By the later 1980s Whelahan had joined the Offaly minor hurling team. In 1987 he won his first All-Ireland medal with the minor team. It was Offaly's second-ever minor title. Two years later in 1989 Whelahan captained his native county to a second All-Ireland minor title. He subsequently moved straight onto the senior team, making his debut at right wing-back in the 1989 championship. That year he won his first Leinster Championship medal. He added a second one in 1990, however, an All-Ireland medal still eluded him. In 1991 Whelahan tasted his first major success when Offaly won their first-ever National Hurling League title. His very first All-Star followed in 1992. [ [http://www.gaa.ie/page/hurling_all_stars_90s.html Hurling All Stars 90's | Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Official Website - GAA.ie ] ]

It was 1994 before Whelahan won his next provincial title. After a prolonged absence, Offaly were once again a hurling force to be reckoned with. In the subsequent All-Ireland Hurling Final Offaly faced Limerick. With five minutes to go Limerick looked set for victory, however, a Johnny Dooley goal seemed to paralyse the Munster men. Offaly went on to score another 1-5 in the last few minutes and snatch victory. Whelahan had captured his first All-Ireland medal at senior level. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBYTe82fmlE YouTube - Top 20 GAA Moments - Moment 14 ] ] 1994 was not without its controversy for Whelahan either, as he was named Texaco Hurler of the Year but, due to irregularities in the voting system, was sensationally omitted from the All-Star team. In 1995 Whelahan captured a second Leinster title, however, his side faced defeat in the All-Ireland final at the hands of an up-and-coming Clare side. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5089/is_199509/ai_n18503276 All-Ireland Hurling Final: IT'S TIME TO GIVE OFFALY THE CREDIT THEY | Irish Voice | Find Articles at BNET ] ]

In 1998 Offaly had another controversial year. Whelahan's side reached the Leinster final but lost to Kilkenny. This defeat prompted their manager, Babs Keating, to describe the Offaly hurlers as "sheep in a heap", and he promptly resigned. It looked as if Offaly's championship hopes were in disarray, however, they overcame Antrim in the All-Ireland quarter-final and qualified to meet Clare in the semi-final. The first game against Clare ended in a draw and had to be replayed, however, the replay was ended early because of a time-keeping error by the referee. Following a protest on the pitch of Croke Park by the Offaly supporters it was decided that Clare and Offaly would meet for a third time. Whelahan's side won the third game and qualified to play Kilkenny in the final. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WeC1N1Ot6k YouTube - Top 20 GAA Moments - Moment 16 ] ] On that day Whelahan delivered one of his greatest performances. Despite suffering from flu, he started in defence and was later moved to full-forward where he scored 1-6. Offaly reversed the Leinster final defeat by winning the All-Ireland final by 6 points. [http://www.gaa.ie/page/hurling_results_1991_2005.html>/ref> Whelehan had captured his second All-Ireland medal and was once again honoured as Texaco Hurler of the Year, the first player to win the title on two occasions.

Whelahan and Offaly reached the All-Ireland final again in 2000 but were defeated by Kilkenny by 5-15 to 1-14. [ [http://www.gaa.ie/page/hurling_results_1991_2005.html Hurling Results 1991 - 2005 | Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Official Website - GAA.ie ] ] It was the most one-sided All-Ireland final in decades and it marked the end of the great Offaly team of the 1990s. In spite of that disappointment Whelahan was named on the Gaelic Athletic Association's Hurling Team of the Millennium, becoming the only hurler chosen who was still playing the game. This single honour marked Whelahan as the single greatest player of his era and as the greatest right wing-back of all-time.

The following six years proved disappointment for Whelehan and for Offaly with no Leinster or All-Ireland titles being won. Following a loss to Clare in the 2006 qualifiers Whelahan decidfed to retire from inter-county hurling.

Teams

References