Brendan O'Brien
@brendanobrien1.bsky.social
Sportswriter, digital journalist and assistant sports editor with the @irishexaminer.bsky.social Partial to a Deportivo La Coruna game and Padrón peppers
“For me to walk away from this, that's not going to make this better. I will be fully committed as we finish this season into next season and we'll go steaming into it again, like we try to every single year.” Strong stuff from Leo Cullen... www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Leo Cullen emphatic that he is still the man to lead Leinster
Cullen has been at the helm since 2015 and needed a URC title last June to bring four years of drought to an end.
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On the way to Bilbao to see if Leinster can end their Champions Cup drought in the midst of an intense Basque heatwave The battle of Bordeaux-Begles' attack and Leinster's defence is one of the main talking points - and Garry Ringrose will be key to that www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Garry Ringrose's case for the defence crucial when Leinster face Bordeaux's best
Saturday’s Champions Cup final opponents are always one to catch the eye.
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It’s 40 years since a British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa was cancelled Piece 👇 on the only game the ‘86 Lions played - in Cardiff - and the part sporting boycotts played in countering apartheid www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
How apartheid stopped the British and Irish Lions in 1986 and shaped Nigel Carr’s career
Nigel Carr’s lone Lions cap tells a wider story of apartheid, protest, and rugby’s uneasy relationship with politics
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Wrote a love letter to snooker and the way things used to be Magic times www.irishexaminer.com/sport/others...
Snooker still finding its place in a changed world
Nostalgia will always paint over most cracks but memories of overspilling ashtrays or dodgy toilets can’t dispel the memories of a time and a place where bonds were made and games played for a few qui...
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In a perfect sports/media world, every athlete would be as open as Daniel Wiffen Here's the Olympic champion on life in California, and why he might swap it for Dublin if next week's Irish Open doesn't go fully to plan www.irishexaminer.com/sport/others...
Olympic champ Daniel Wiffen may swap California training base for Dublin
The 24-year old made the switch from his long-time base in Loughborough University in the UK to Cal Berkeley, where his twin brother Nathan also swims, last year
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On-the-whistle comment on the Republic's devastating World Cup playoff exit One that got away, simple as www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer...
World Cup play-off comment: Without doubt, one that got away
The biggest show on earth remains half the world away for the Boys in Green.
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Seamus Coleman just hits differently Piece on the Irish captain, the motional bellwether for a team that has rekindled the bond between the Boys In Green and their legions of fans www.irishexaminer.com/sport/arid-4...
Watch: Seamus Coleman not done yet as Irish talisman sets the tone
Coleman’s role as emotional bellwether for this Irish team is more finely-honed than ever.
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Harvey Vale wouldn't be the first to make a late, late bid for a place in an Irish squad in the run up to a major tournament From John Sheridan to James McClean: the story so far www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer...
Late to the party, Ireland new boy Harvey Vale aiming for instant impact
Vale’s emergence at this late stage of the World Cup qualifying cycle, and the inclusion of the uncapped Bosun Lawal who is being tipped for a significant role in the playoff against Czechia on Thursd...
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Spoke to Czech football journalist Jonas Bartos ahead of the Republic of Ireland's World Cup playoff to find out how the locals see it A fairly positive take on where they are at under new (74-year old) manager Miroslav Koubek 📽️🎙️ www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer...
World Cup playoff podcast: The view from the Czechs ahead of Ireland showdown
Brendan O'Brien, in Prague, speaks to journalist Jonas Bartos about the mood around the Czechia squad, how they rate Ireland and what we can expect on Thursday night.
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First of what will likely be many football pods over the next week as the Republic of Ireland prepare for their World Cup playoff date in Prague @JFallonExaminer takes us through the news here of Heimir Hallgrimsson's new contract and the latest squad www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer...
World Cup play-off podcast: Heimir Hallgrimsson shows hand for Prague and pens contract extension
Brendan O'Brien and John Fallon react to the news that the Boys in Green manager is staying on and set up a huge week for Irish football.
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ations Ireland look reborn and France conceding 96 points in their last two games and finishing as champions just about summed it up www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Six Nations Podcast: not to be for Ireland after a thrilling final day
It’s a Triple Crown but no title for Ireland as an epic Six Nations comes to an end. Simon Lewis and Brendan O’Brien run through Ireland’s defeat of Scotland and try to sum up a truly memorable Champi...
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From despair to triumph in five weeks Piece on how Ireland's superb defeat of Scotland caps an incredible swing in fortunes www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Forget Paris: Ireland cap a remarkable five weeks with Triple Crown
Andy Farrell has overseen an impressive transition since the opening-night defeat to France.
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Today's Cheltenham chat with Ruby Walsh where our @ExaminerSport columnist breaks down how tech and rule changes have transformed racing Simple, brilliant insight as always www.irishexaminer.com/sport/racing...
Watch: Ruby Walsh breaks down how tactics have changed down the years
Our racing columnist Ruby Walsh chats to Brendan O'Brien ahead of another helping of festival racing to come on Thursday.
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Fantastic headline! (Not mine, unfortunately) 👏 Jack Conan as entertaining and interesting as always this week www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Conan the contrarian: 'Mystic Jack' happy to be proven right as he aims for last word
The Ireland back row has played Scotland nine times and won all nine but he knows Saturday could be Ireland's sternest challenge in some time
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Con Houlihan, that immortal line about Italia '90, and what the jockeys can't experience until they quit the saddle Today's Cheltenham chat with Ruby Walsh 📽️ www.irishexaminer.com/sport/racing...
Watch: Ruby Walsh explains difference between Cheltenham inside and outside the rails
During his career as a Ruby Walsh never really got to experience to mania around Cheltenham.
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Lots of focus on Ireland's musical chairs at No.10, on the wings and in the front row in this Six Nations. The back row has been in some flux too Piece here on what that says about where the team is going www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Back row shuffles pointing the way forward for Andy Farrell's Ireland
Josh van der Flier has been a foundation stone for Farrell's Ireland backrow but even he has found himself without a place to sit as the head coach plays musical chairs with his selections
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Has Cheltenham turned a corner? Irish Examiner racing columnist Ruby Walsh on the fan experience, and how Covid fed into some of the problems the festival experienced in the years after www.irishexaminer.com/sport/racing...
Watch: Ruby Walsh on crowds, covid and Cheltenham
Our champion columnist on criticisms of the fan experience at Cheltenham in recent years, and on how the festival’s covid experience has shaped it.
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The Irish Examiner Ireland-Wales Six Nations liveblog is up and running with all the info you need to know before the 8.10pm kick-off Includes a quick look at Jamison Gibson's remarkable journey on the night he wins his 50th cap www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Ireland v Wales, Six Nations, live minute-by-minute updates
Join us for live coverage of Ireland's Aviva Stadium clash with Wales.
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'There were times I was fairly sure I wouldn't play for Ireland again' Nick Timoney is on the verge of a first Six Nations start this Friday He's 30 years of age Another lesson in the value of patience and perseverance in the current Ireland squad www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Nick Timoney: 'There were times I was fairly sure I wouldn't play for Ireland again'
Timoney was electric off the pine when Ireland found some belated rhythm in Paris on opening night, not quite so influential when introduced against Italy at home, but impactful third time around in t...
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“Ah, I don't know what the craic was with Joe [Schmidt]. I don't think we saw eye to eye...." Open, honest stuff from Stuart McCloskey who is tearing it up for Ireland ten years after a "tainted" debut against England www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Better late than never for 'vindicated' Stuart McCloskey
It's 10 years since McCloskey learned that moments like he's having right now for Ireland do not last forever
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Pod with Simon Lewis dissecting Ireland's extraordinary return to form against England in Twickenham One of the great days 🎙️ www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Six Nations Podcast: Ireland destroy England at Twickenham
Brendan O’Brien and Simon Lewis talk through Ireland's historic victory at Twickenham
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The Range Rovers are parked, the wicker baskets are out so it must be England-Ireland at Twickenham time Come join our Irish Examiner Sport minute-by-minute liveblog Kick-off is at 2.10 but we're already up and running... www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
England v Ireland, Six Nations live minute-by-minute updates
Can Andy Farrell's side back up last weekend's victory over Italy by claiming a famous win at Twickenham?
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Latest Six Nations pod with Simon Lewis as we chat through Jack Crowley's return to the No.10 jersey for Saturday's game against England in Twickenham www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Six Nations Podcast: England v Ireland preview
Brendan O’Brien and Simon Lewis talk through Andy Farrell’s decision to start Jack Crowley in Twickenham, the other changes and the abuse directed this week at Edwin Edogbo
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It's Ireland v Italy, but not as we know it Definite buzz about this one Come join us for the minute-by-minute... www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Ireland v Italy, live Six Nations, minute-by-minute
Can Ireland kick-start their campaign against an in-form Azzurri side at the Aviva Stadium after last week's false start in Paris?
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The Super Bowl snooze, US Steel and Jack Nicholson's electric turn as Colonel Nathan R Jessup... 'You want me on that wall, you need me on that wall..." www.irishexaminer.com/sport/others...
Super Bowl snooze shows the truth for sports fans: we want heavyweights
The low-wattage Santa Clara game was a tough watch for the neutral - especially on this side of the Atlantic.
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Lyndsey Vonn, the GAA and Ireland's Davis Cup player Michael Agwi To play or not to play: sport's eternal wrangle with fitness, injury and readiness www.irishexaminer.com/sport/others...
Agwi pain hurts Ireland as Syria confirm Davis Cup drop
On Sunday, Michael Agwi fell short of Taym Al Azmeh as he struggled for the sort of form that had set the UL Arena alight in 2024
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Irish sport should own shares in the Stade de France at this stage! Here’s ten of our best and worst days there ahead of tonight’s Six Nations opener… www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
From Drico to Henry to Adeleke - 10 times Stade de France stirred Irish sporting soul
There is hardly a venue on the planet that has come to frame the fortunes of modern Irish sport more than the Stade de France.
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Meet the four athletes competing for Ireland at next month's Winter Olympics... www.irishexaminer.com/sport/others...
Meet the Team Ireland athletes competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics
The quartet was announced on Thursday afternoon ahead of the Milan-Cortina Games that get underway with the opening ceremony on February 6th
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Took 20 minutes to chat through all the news and views from the Edinburgh launch of this year's Six Nations with Simon Lewis Ireland's prop crisis, France's, ehm ... prop crisis, expectations, anticipations and a bit more besides www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...
Rugby podcast special: a 'bun fight' in a cold Edinburgh for the Six Nations launch
Brendan O’Brien and Simon Lewis check in with all the latest Six Nations news from the tournament launch in a freezing and wet Edinburgh
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