Shane O'Brien: ‘Aaron Gillane was collecting my journal when I was in first year’

IN 2018, when Limerick ended their 45-year wait for for the Liam MaCarthy Cup, Shane O'Brien was as a young supporter.
O'Brien has fond memories of that special day for Limerick hurling.

“You’re watching them as a supporter and a fan, really. Getting their signatures when they came to Kilmallock with the Liam MacCarthy Cup and stuff. I was 13 or 14 years old, and you're getting their signatures on your hurley and you're looking up to them in awe, and then five or six years later you're playing with them.”

During that time, one of his inter-county teammates Aaron Gillane was one of his teachers.

“He was actually inside in Ardscoil at the time. He was doing his placement for third year of Arts and I was in first year. I remember Aaron used to be collecting our journals on a Friday, and you were looking up to him, like, ‘Jesus, this is Aaron Gillane here.’

After this year's Munster final there was a picture of Gillane and O'Brien together.

“As well as that, one of my teachers there had a post on Instagram with myself and Aaron after the Munster final. He just said, ‘Jesus, a long time since he was collecting your journal up in the library in first year!’

Twenty-year-old O'Brien feels that last year's All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Cork is a motivating factor for John Kiely's side heading into the 2025 season. 

“It's something players will tap into in the next few months. There was huge disappointment in the dressing room, just from our own performance. We were clearly beaten by a better Cork team on the day. It's something that we will try and rectify in the next few months, hopefully come back and go a few steps further than last year,” O'Brien said. 

It looked as if Limerick were going to produce a late comeback against Cork. Brian Hayes pushed Cork six points clear, but Limerick responded to reduce the gap to just two points.

O'Brien chipped in with 0-2 from the bench and the Limerick attacker had another opportunity from 40 metres which just tailed wide. It's something the Mary Immaculate College student has thought about over the winter.

“It’s definitely a horrible feeling. It’s a horrible feeling, but there is nothing you can do once it is over. You can replay that shot a thousand times in your head but there is nothing you can do once the ball leaves the hurley.”

The 2024 Munster final was a clear highlight for Shane O'Brien. John Kiely handed a first competitive championship start to O'Brien who replaced the injured Seamus Flanagan on the Limerick starting XV.

“I actually found out officially the same as everyone else over the phone. It's exciting to think of a big day like that, you'd be involved in it.

“When you're watching the lads for the last four or five years playing those Munster finals from a younger age. It's surreal that you are now going to be playing in them yourself with those same fella's.”

O'Brien went onto score 0-2 in Limerick's 1-26 to 1-20 Munster final victory over Clare. O'Brien received a lot of plaudits for his performance in the provincial decider.

“It's important to keep your feet on the ground but you're involved in a group of such high profile players that they are dealing with that every week. You're brought down to earth very quickly when you go back into training. There's no egos in the panel, it's same as the week before really.”

O'Brien is one the many players juggling inter-county and college commitments in January. He is part of the Mary I Fitzgibbon Cup team.

“It's definitely a lot easier that pre-season (competition) isn't there, definitely gives more time to the college as well as training with Limerick and challenge games as well. Yeah, I think it’s probably freed up a small bit of space.”