Dermot O'Brien

Dermot O'Brien (23 October 1932 to 22 May 2007) was an Irish Gaelic footballer who went on to a second career as a céilí and showband musician and singer. As a centre-forward he played at senior level for Louth, making his first championship appearance in 1952 and holding a regular place in the starting fifteen until a broken finger ended his inter-county career in 1960. In that time he won one All-Ireland winners' medal and two Leinster winners' medals, and in 1957 he captained Louth to the All-Ireland title. At club level he won three county championship medals with St Mary's. A long-time amateur musician, he turned professional in 1962 when his band the Clubmen did so, playing the piano accordion rather than the more usual button accordion. Dermot O'Brien and the Clubmen had a chart-topping Irish single in late 1966 with a cover of The Merry Ploughboy, and he later hosted his own RTÉ programme, The Styles of O'Brien.