Brian Mullins
A giant of a man on and off the pitch, player and manager Brian Mullins will go down in history as a true legend of the GAA. He won 4 All-Ireland medals with Dublin and is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all-time. He was central to the revival of Gaelic football in the capital in the 1970s and the linchpin of Heffo’s Army.
Raised in Clontarf on Dublin’s Northside, Brian was a talented cricketer and rugby player in his younger days, but St Vincent’s GAA club and Gaelic games ultimately took precedence in his sporting life. He made his debut for Dublin aged 19 under legendary manager Kevin Heffernan and would win an All-Ireland in his very first season, playing a crucial role in midfield. Brian went on to play in six consecutive All-Ireland finals between 1974 and 1979, winning three.
However, in a twist of fate, at the peak of his football career in 1980, he was involved in a terrible car accident. Doctors feared he would never play again, but he battled his way back to fitness to help Dublin win the All-Ireland in 1983. It was a bittersweet victory for Brian, though, as he was sent off in the final against Galway.
He played in his 12th and last final against Kerry in 1985. He was known as someone who always played on the edge, never taking a backward step, and over his decade on the field became a hero to thousands of Dublin fans on Hill 16.
Off the field, Brian was an educator and mentor. He taught for 14 years at Greendale Community School in Kilbarrack before heading to Donegal with his family in 1990 to become principal of Carndonagh Community School. While living in Inishowen he managed the Derry footballers to a National League title in 1996 and an Ulster Title two years later.
In 2000 he returned to the capital to take on a role as Director of Sport at UCD and over 2 decades helped transform the college’s sports infrastructure. A devoted clubman to the end, in 2017 he managed his local club St. Vincents to a Dublin County title.
Brian Mullins passed away in September 2022 after a short illness and his death came as a shock to thousands of GAA fans up and down the country.
This episode of Cloch le Carn looks back at the career of a revered figure in Gaelic games, Brian Mullins. Contributors include his son Nathan, his brother Pádraig, former Dublin legends Tommy Drumm and Ger Brennan, broadcaster Seán Bán Breathnach, teaching colleague Anton Carroll and schoolfriend Paddy Glackin.
“Duine ar leith a bhí ann, duine fláthúil, fear dílis. Bhí sé éifeachtach ag gach rud a rinne sé. Bhí sé éifeachtach ar chúrsaí peile, ar chúrsaí gairme bhí sé éifeachtach..bhí sé dílis do na daoine a bhí sé ag freastal orthu i gcónaí”.
Anton Caroll – Cara
“It gives us such comfort that so many people had such admiration for him. It just makes me even more proud to be his son. He was an incredible Dad and grandfather, and aside from that, I can look at him now as a former footballer and to see what he’s achieved, it’s just unbelievable”.
Nathan Mullins – son
“When you looked up, he was always there, never afraid to have a shot or to make himself available. It was the ground that he covered. He had a huge engine, and as Kevin Heffernan said, he had a big heart, a big body, and a big mind”.
Tommy Drumm – Former teammate and Dublin Captain
Cuimhneofar ar an imreoir agus bainisteoir Brian Mullins, fathach fir ar an bpáirc imeartha agus taobh amuigh den pháirc, amach anseo mar laoch mór CLG. Bhuaigh sé ceithre bhonn uile-Éireann le Baile Átha Cliath agus tá cáil air mar dhuine de na himreoirí lár páirce is fearr riamh. Bhí ról lárnach aige san athbheochan ar an bpeil Ghaelach sa phríomhchathair sna 1970idí agus bhí sé ina chrann seasta in Arm Heffo.
Is i gCluain Tarbh i dTuaisceart Bhaile Átha Cliath a tógadh Brian agus ba chruicéadaí agus imreoir rugbaí cumasach é nuair a bhí sé níos óige ach thug sé tús áite i ndeireadh na dála do chlub CLG Naomh Uinseann agus do na cluichí Gaelacha ina shaol spóirt. D’imir sé a chéad chluiche do Bhaile Átha Cliath nuair a bhí sé 19 mbliana d’aois faoi stiúir an bhainisteora mór le rá Kevin Heffernan agus bhuaigh sé craobh na hÉireann sa chéad séasúr a bhí aige leo nuair a bhí ról ríthábhachtach aige i lár na páirce. Chuaigh Brian ar aghaidh ansin chun peil a imirt i sé chluiche ceannais as a chéile i gCraobh na hÉireann idir na blianta 1974 agus 1979 agus bhuaigh sé trí cinn de na cluichí sin.
Mar sin féin, ar an drochuair, bhí baint aige le timpiste uafásach chairr nuair a bhí sé i mbarr a mhaitheasa ina ghairm pheile sa bhliain 1980. Bhí imní ar dhochtúirí nach n-imreodh sé peil arís go brách ach tháinig sé ar ais chuige féin le bheith folláin go leor chun cuidiú le Baile Átha Cliath Craobh na hÉireann a bhuachan sa bhliain 1983. Bhí Brian ag caoineadh agus ag gáire nuair a bhuaigh siad sa deireadh, áfach, ó tharla gur cuireadh den pháirc é sa chluiche ceannais sin in aghaidh na Gaillimhe.
D’imir sé a chluiche ceannais deireanach, an 12ú cluiche ceannais a bhí aige, in aghaidh Chiarraí sa bhliain 1985. Bhí cáil air mar dhuine a d’imir i mbéal na contúirte i gcónaí, níor thóg sé céim ar gcúl riamh agus bhí sé ina laoch ag na mílte de lucht leanúna Bhaile Átha Cliath ar Chnoc 16 sna deich mbliana a bhí aige ar an bpáirc imeartha.
Oideoir agus meantóir ab ea Brian nuair nach raibh sé ag imirt peile. Chaith sé 14 bliana ag múineadh i bPobalscoil an Ghleanntáin i gCill Bharróg sular bhog sé go Dún na nGall lena theaghlach sa bhliain 1990 le bheith ina phríomhoide ar Phobalscoil Charn Domhnach. Le linn dó a bheith ina chónaí in Inis Eoghain, bhí sé ina bhainisteoir ar pheileadóirí Dhoire agus d’éirigh leo an tSraith Náisiúnta a bhuachan sa bhliain 1996 agus Craobh Uladh a bhuachan dhá bhliain ina dhiaidh sin.
D’fhill sé ar an bpríomhchathair sa bhliain 2000 chun bheith ina Stiúrthóir Spóirt sa Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath agus d’athraigh sé bonneagar spóirt an choláiste ó bhonn thar scór bliain. Bhí sé ina bhall dílis dá chlub áitiúil Naomh Uinseann go dtí an deireadh agus sa bhliain 2017 bhí sé ina bhainisteoir ar an gclub sin nuair a d’éirigh leo Craobh Chontae Bhaile Átha Cliath a bhuachan.
D’imigh Brian Mullins ar shlí na fírinne i Meán Fómhair na bliana 2022 i ndiaidh dó a bheith tinn ar feadh tréimhse ghairid agus bhain a bhás suaitheadh as na mílte de lucht leanúna CLG ó cheann ceann na tíre.
Sa chlár seo de Chloch le Carn caithfear súil siar ar ghairm Brian Mullins, duine a bhfuil urraim tugtha dó i gcluichí Gaelacha. I measc na ndaoine a chuir ábhar ar fáil don chlár tá a mhac Nathan, a dheartháir Pádraig, iar-pheileadóirí mór le rá Bhaile Átha Cliath, Tommy Drumm agus Ger Brennan, an craoltóir Seán Bán Breathnach, a chomhghleacaí múinteoireachta Anton Carroll agus cara a bhí aige ar scoil Paddy Glackin.
“Duine ar leith a bhí ann, duine flaithiúil, fear dílis. Bhí sé éifeachtach ag gach rud a rinne sé. Bhí sé éifeachtach ar chúrsaí peile, ar chúrsaí gairme bhí sé éifeachtach..bhí sé dílis do na daoine a bhí sé ag freastal orthu i gcónaí”.
Anton Caroll – Cara
“Is mór an sólás dúinn é go raibh an oiread sin daoine ann a raibh an-mheas acu air. Tá mé an-bhródúil as bheith ina mhac aige. Athair agus seanathair iontach a bhí ann agus taobh amuigh de sin is féidir liom breathnú air anois mar iar-pheileadóir agus ar an méid atá bainte amach aige, tá sé dochreidte”.
Nathan Mullins – mac
“Nuair a bhreathnaigh tú suas, bhí sé i gcónaí ann agus ní raibh drogall air riamh iarracht cúl nó pointe a scóráil nó chun é féin a chur ar fáil. Bhí sé in ann a bheith gach áit ar an bpáirc imeartha. Bhí fuinneamh mór millteanach aige agus mar a dúirt Kevin Heffernan bhí croí mór, colainn mhór agus intinn mhór aige”.
Tommy Drumm – Iar-chomhimreoir le Brian agus Captaen Bhaile Átha Cliath