O’Brien family driving Limerick hurling’s golden generation

The O’Brien’s from Kilmallock are making a big impact in hurling with Limerick at underage and at senior level

THE LIMERICK hurlers celebrated their homecoming in style as they took to the Pery Square stage with the newest addition to the team - the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

While Adrian O’Brien has played a crucial role behind the scenes as the Treaty’s strength and conditioning coach, his sons Shane and Gavin are making their own distinctive mark on the field.

Shane collected his first senior All-Ireland medal on Sunday, just weeks after younger brother Gavin scored the decisive goal in Limerick’s dramatic All-Ireland minor final victory over Tipperary at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Shane and Gavin’s grandfather is Paudie Moloney, of reality TV shows Dancing with the Stars and The Traitors. And their uncle Paudie O’Brien - Adrian’s younger brother - also played intercounty hurling with the Limerick senior team.

History was made by the family last Sunday. Limerick has won the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship on four occasions: 1940, 1958, 1984, and 2026. The last time Limerick won both a minor and senior All-Ireland title in the same year was 1940.

And this year is the first time since the Cregan’s of Croom in 1940 that two brothers have won a senior and minor All-Ireland title in the same year. The O’Brien’s are far from the only family helping to shape this golden era of Limerick hurling.

The current senior panel is steeped in family tradition. Nickie Quaid, Seán Finn, Gearóid Hegarty and Aidan O’Connor have all represented the county with the same pride and distinction as their fathers Tommy, Brian, Ger, and Joe before them, while captain Cian Lynch is continuing a proud family legacy as the nephew of Limerick great Ciarán Carey.

There are also four sets of brothers in John Kiely’s squad. Ahane duo Dan and Tom Morrissey line out alongside Na Piarsaigh brothers Mike and Peter Casey, while Ballybrown siblings Colin and James Coughlan joined forces at senior level this season. As did Monaleen’s Matthew and Joe Fitzgerald.

There was also a senior and minor double in Monaleen with Darragh Langan part of the 26-man panel that beat Galway in Croke Park. His brother Conor was on the extended panel for the All-Ireland winning minor victory.