Nice and Snappy – Stephen McCarthy’s on O’Driscoll’s Final Year

With another 6 Nations season upon us, and Ireland taking on Italy in their first game today, Sportsfile’s Stephen McCarthy looks back at last season, and a season of lasts for Brian O’Driscoll.

Sportsfile PPAI 2015 Award Winning and Exhibition Imagery

 Stephen gives us his insight into the pictures:

“Last season was such a big one for Brian O’Driscoll as he played his final year of rugby for Leinster and Ireland and it was great to be on duty capturing it all.

 In September 2013 O’Driscoll announced that he would retire at the end of the ’13-’14 season so there were a series of ‘lasts’ for him, his last time to play in the Aviva Stadium, last game for Ireland, last game for Leinster etc.

 And in the end he had a fairytale ending. Winning a Six Nations title with Ireland and a Celtic League with Leinster, even if his day ended early on that occasion. He had battled injury throughout the year to make it that far.

My photo story of ten pictures that sum up his year won the 2nd Prize in the Reportage category in the recent Photographers Association of Ireland – Photographer of the Year Awards 2015.

It was a great honour to take that award, as it was taking all of the pictures on those historic days.”

You can follow Stephen on Twitter here:

and also Sportsfile on Twitter here: