Offaly GAA legend Brian Whelahan was afforded a standing ovation by all the supporters at O’Moore Park this afternoon (18th June) when he was inducted into the Leinster GAA Hall of Fame.

He received his memento from Leinster Council Chairman, Jim Bolger, just before the start of the Senior Hurling Championship game between Galway and Offaly.

Whelahan is the only player of the modern era to be selected on the Hurling Team of the Millennium, and won almost every honour in the game, including All-Ireland SHC medals in 1994 and 1998. He was twice chosen as Texaco Hurler of the Year and received four All-Star awards.

The bigger the occasion, the better he performed, exemplified by the fact he was chosen as man of the match in two All-Ireland SHC finals, and in three of the All-Ireland Club finals he won with Birr.

Brian’s senior inter-county career with Offaly spanned 18 seasons from 1989, when he made his debut against Antrim as a sub during the All-Ireland semi-final, to Saturday, July 8^th, 2006 when he played his final game against Clare in the All-Ireland qualifiers at Cusack Park, Ennis.

During that time, he starred in 55 senior inter-county championship games (and 52 NHL games), scoring a championship total of 3 goals and 44 points. He captained the side in 1999, and missed only five championship games due to injury.

Here’s Brian Whelahan’s Roll of Honour

2 All-Ireland SHC medals – 1994 & ’98.

4 Leinster SHC medals – 1989, ‘90, ’94 & ’95.

1 National Hurling League medal – 1991.

3 Walsh Cup medals – 1990, ’93 & ’94.

1 Oireachtas medal – 1995.

2 Railway Cup medals – 1998 & ’03.

3 Leinster U-21 HC medals – 1989, ’91 & ’92.

2 All-Ireland & Leinster MHC medals – 1987 & ’89.

1 All-Ireland Colleges SHC medal – 1986.

Selected on An Post/GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium – 2000.

2 Texaco Hurler of the Year awards – 1994 & ’98

4 All Star awards – 1992, ’95, ’98 & ’99.

Players’ Player of the Year – 1994.

GAA Writers’ Player of the Year – 1998.

5 All-Ireland SH Final Man of the Match awards – 1994 & ’98 with Offaly; 1995, ’98 & ’02 with Birr.

4 All-Ireland Club medals – 1995, ’98, ’02 & ’03.

7 Leinster Club medals – 1991, ’94, ’97, ’99, ’01, ’02 & ’07.

12 Offaly SHC medals – 1991, ’94, ’97, ’99, 2000, ’01, ’02, ’03, ’05, ’06, ’07 & ‘08.

3 Offaly U-21 HC medals – 1988, ’90 & ’91.

4 Offaly MHC medals – 1985, ’87, ’88 & ’89.

5 Offaly U-16 HC medals – 1983, ’84, ’85, ’86 & ’87.

3 Offaly U-14 HC medals – 1982, ’83 & ’85.

1 All-Ireland Feile na nGael Div 2 medal – 1985.

1 All-Ireland Community Games Hurling gold – 1984.

1 All-Ireland Community Games Hurling silver – 1983.

2 Offaly JFC medals – 1992 & ’01.

1 Og Sport Offaly U-15 F medal – 1983

2 Offaly U-14 ‘A’ FC medals – 1982 & ’84.

1 All-Ireland Community Games Football bronze – 1982.

Also: Numerous individual awards and Cumann na mBunscol hurling and Gaelic football medals.