Brian Whelahan

Brian Whelahan (born August, 1971 in Birr, County Offaly) is an Irish sportsperson. He currently plays hurling with his local club Birr 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.

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, seven Leinster club titles and twelve county titles.

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 prestigious GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium, thus cementing his reputation as one of the all-time greats. He is currently manager of the Camross Senior hurling team in County Laois.