Eoghan O'Connell went onto play 13 times for Celtic and once earned some mighty praise from ex boss Rodgers
19:54, 01 Apr 2026Updated 20:06, 01 Apr 2026
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Virgil van Dijk was a superstar for the Hoops(Image: Craig Williamson/SNS Group)
Former Celtic defender Eoghan O'Connell has revealed that he had to persuaded to give up Gaelic football in order to join the Hoops.
But the Irishman believes that having that background has enabled him to have a long and successful career in the sport.
Neil Lennon swooped to sign the young Irishman in January 2014, but over the next three and a half years he would go onto make just 13 appearances for the club in total, having spent time out on loan at Oldham, Walsall and hometown club Cork City.
And O'Connell - who now plays for EFL League One side Barnsley - says his parents played a crucial role in considering him to switch professions.
Speaking to The Yorkshire Post, he said: "To be honest, I was always kind of more of a Gaelic player than a footballer.
"It was more that a lot of the lads who were going over at my age had always been fans, whereas my (decision) was more of a conversation with my parents along the lines of 'I might as well give this a blast' and see what happens.
"Fifteen years later, I am still hanging on. Growing up and being in that environment with a Gaelic and hurling background, it's kind of put me in good stead and obviously I still keep a huge eye on that and my club back home."
O'Connell scored an own-goal for Celtic in just his second appearance in a 1-0 loss to Inverness but was once hailed by Brendan Rodgers as 'outstanding' after making his Champions League debut in a 1-1 draw in qualifying with FC Astana in July 2016.
The centre back went onto feature for the Hoops in their sobering 7-0 defeat to Barcelona later that season, replacing Erik Sviatchenko for the final 22 minutes of play at the Camp Nou.
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Eoghan O'Connell chases down Barca striker Luis Suarez back in 2016(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
O'Connell - who left Celts to join Bury in 2017 - also had the pleasure of playing alongside future Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and in an interview last year revealed how he told the big Dutchman that he was more than good enough to go to Anfield instead of Southampton first.
He recalled: "For me he is the best centre-back in the world, an unbelievable player. When [Van Dijk] first signed for Celtic, I remember going out on to the training ground and being blown away by the size of the guy.
"He's just a huge man. When the talk started about him leaving and he went to Southampton, I was urging him to go to Liverpool even then."
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