Brian Mullins is considered one of the finest footballers in the last fifty years. Brought up in Dublin’s Clontarf, he showed an appetite for Gaelic football from an early age. As a ten year old he was already playing in the local street leagues.

At the age of 16 he made his first appearance as a minor with Dublin. In 1974 he first played for the Dublin senior team against Sligo, with Kevin Heffernan as manager. At the age of 19 he won his first All-Ireland Senior Championship medal, Dublin beating Galway by 0-14 to 1-6 in the final. Two years later, he won his second and in 1977 , following the classic semi-final victory over Kerry, Mullins captured his third Championship medal.

Dublin’s success generated enormous support. ‘The Jacks are Back’ became the common cry and created a rivalry of city versus country. ‘Heffoes’ Army’ drew fans from all social classes.

In 1980 Mullins almost lost his life in a car accident, suffering a serious fracture to his femur along with many cracked bones in his skull, on the Clontarf Road. But this huge and very competitive performer was back again in 1983 full of nuts and bolts to get to the final against Galway. Mullins’s sending off in the final destroyed one myth– that if you stop Mullins you stop Dublin. Dublin appeared to be in desperate straights when Mullins departed the scene but it was then that they were seen at their best going on to beat Galway by 1-10 to 1-8. The spirit engendered by Hefferran and the camaraderie gave Dublin a real sense of playing as a team. This victory secured Brian his fourth All Ireland medal.

When Heffernan no longer managed Dublin, Mullins with Robbie Kelleher and Sean Doherty were brought in as a joint management team. In the 1990s he had a spell managing Derry.

Appointed as director of sport in UCD in April 2000, Brian holds a B.A degree in physical education and Irish from Thomond College and an M.A degree in Administration from New York University. He has recently been appointed to the Irish Sports Council. This is the first time UCD has been represented on the Sports Council.

Above: Brian at a recent presentation.