Brian O’Driscoll and Amy Huberman

Brian O’Driscoll and Amy Huberman are a remarkable couple. Their wedding told the country nothing that we did not already know about Brian O’Driscoll. His parents Frank and Geraldine are the best of people. Frank gregarious to a fault and Geraldine serious and considerate and both are fine general practitioners.

Amy has her own career in the arts world and it is well documented in the press. Brian O’Driscoll is Ireland’s greatest ever player. I am biased but there has never been as great a warrior in an Ireland jersey. Brilliant!

Privilege to see him in action over the years and he never lost contact with the general public or with the kids of the nation.

The absense of falsehood and bling at the wedding as reported in the press was wonderful. The reaction to the fans at Mohill was characteristic. I saw him present cricket medels to under 9 kids in Clontarf about 8 years ago and observed a well mannered natural exemplary hero. Seeing him playing in an AIL game for UCD against Suttonians in Sutton whenever was an amazing vision when he was a relative unknown but what a magic elusive runner. We can all remember his exploits and he is the record cap winner (102) and try scorer (39 tries)and longest serving captain of Ireland. His nearly wreckless bravery is legendary. His one error was not to nationalise Rocky Elsom!

Brian O’Driscoll deserves the highest national honour that this country can bestow. The Irish Independent wrote an editorial on him on his wedding day and his wedding was reported love on all news bulletins for the day.

When he retires, he should be made a freeman of Dublin for a start to join JF Kennedy, Nelson Mandela and others of that distinction. The next government should give him a pension for life for services rendered.

For more than a decade he has provided the public with magic. In rugby,Jack Kyle,Karl Mullen, CMH (Mike)Gibson, Fergus Slattery, Bill McBride, Tom Kiernan and Ollie Campbell,come in the same league and in football, Paul McGrath, George Best, Kevin Moran, John Giles, Liam Brady, Pat Jennings and Roy Keane are up there with Eamonn Coghlan,Mary Peters,Sonya O’Sullivan, Ronnie Delaney,Pat O’Callaghan, Stephen Roche, Sean Kelly,Barry McGuigan,Freddie Gilroy, Steve Collins,Padraig Harrington, Fred Daly, Graeme McDowell, Eddie Macken, Michael Kinnane and trainers Vincent O’Brien, Aiden O’Brien, Paddy Prendergast, Dermot Weld etc and a few others in other sports. and Arkle and Shergar both said not a word but let their racing speak for itself, World Class. Extraordinary people and animals who have lifted the country and made us all cheer.

However – Brian O’Driscoll is the greatest of all Irish sportsmen for the past 100 years. Long and happy may he live.