- Date of Birth07 / 05 / 1936
- Lions Tours1955, 1959
- International CapsIreland / Lions
- Lions Origin SchoolsBelvedere College Dublin
- Lions Origin ClubsOld Belvedere, Barbarians, Leicester Tigers, London Irish, Leinster
Having made his international debut against France in 1955, Tony O’Reilly won 29 caps for Ireland, and shares the record for the longest Five Nations career in history, of 15 years and 23 days.
That same year saw winger O’Reilly selected for the Lions Tour to South Africa, and he scored two tries on his debut before appearing in all four Test matches against the Springboks.
On the 1959 Tour to Australia and New Zealand, O’Reilly played 23 games, including all six Tests, and his total of 37 tries across both Tours remains a record.
Following his retirement from rugby in 1963, O’Reilly became a successful businessman, most notably acting as the CEO and chairman of the H.J Heinz Company.