Background
O'Brien was born in the parish of Innishannon/Knockavilla, County Cork.
O'Brien was born in the parish of Innishannon/Knockavilla, County Cork.
Born in Innishannon, County , O'Brien was ordained into the priesthood in 1958. Over the next forty-five years he ministered in both Ireland and the United Kingdom, while also serving as a teacher at St. and chaplain to the Irish Navy. O'Brien retired from active ministry in 2003.
Concurrently with his duties as a priest, O'Brien was heavily involved as a hurling coach at colleges, university, club and inter-county levels. His biggest success came with , whom he steered to two All-Ireland titles, four Munster title and one National Hurling League title. He entered St Patrick's College, Maynooth, and was ordained for the Diocese of and Ross in the seminary chapel on 22 June 1958.
He then ministered in the Irish-emigrant areas of London until 1961, when he returned to his home diocese and a curacy in the parish of , , where he helped to rebuild St. Michael's Church which had burnt to the ground. For 12 years, from 1964 to 1976, O'Brien taught at St. Finbarr's Seminary, Farranferris, where he was also the hurling trainer for the school team. A 12-year stint as chaplain at the Naval Base of Haulbowline followed before O'Brien returned to parish ministry, again in.
In 1985 he started a lengthy stay in Carrigaline where he served as curate, administrator and finally parish priest of Carrigaline, before retiring from active ministry in 2003. O'Brien is currently resident in Nazareth Home in Dromahane, He is not to be confused with Canon Michael O'Brien of the neighbouring Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne. He died on 14 November 2014 after a long illness.
O'Brien served as the coach of the senior hurling team on several occasions, guiding the team to All-Ireland titles in 1984 and 1990. At club level he also managed UCC to Fitzgibbon Cup titles, and later managed GAA. He also helped coaching Coláiste Chríost Rí. Team St. Dr. Dr.