Billy enters Hall of Fame in California

ANOTHER UNIQUE honour came the way of international darts player Billy O’Brien when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in California by the Pacific Darts Association. This is an outstanding achievement for the world’s most capped international darts player who hails from Ballycogley in south Wexford.

‘I received word this week of the honour being bestowed on me. I was delighted and shocked at being recognised as far away as California. It’s a great honour for me and for Wexford darts,’ Billy said.

In November 2012, Billy received a certificate from Guinness World Records for having the longest career of an international darts player, which also led to him being inducted into the Irish Hall of Fame. ‘That record still holds. I’m delighted with that,’ he said. Billy’s darts career began as a small boy in the pub of his late parents, William and Una, O’Brien’s of Ballycogley.

‘It was a great darts pub. I lived on it (the darts board) really when I was growing up,’ he explained.

Billy made his international bow at the tender age of 18. His best period came from 1975 to 1980 when he lined out for Ireland for six consecutive years.

Billy was a member of the only Wexford darts team to win an All-Ireland in 1988. Also a loyal St. Fintan’s GAA clubman, he won an All-Ireland Masters hurling championship with Wexford in 1991 – the inaugural year of the competition.

He was the only Irish player inducted into the California Hall of Fame, along with two from Wales and one from England.