O'Sullivan, who is regarded as one of Cork's all-time greatest players, also served as a Gaelic Athletic Association administrator at county and inter-provincial levels.
His early football career included several seasons with University College Cork in the Sigerson Cup and with the Lees club with whom he won a Cork Senior Championship medal as captain in 1955.
[citation needed] At the age of 21 O'Sullivan became a member of the Cork County Board and was elected vice-chairman in 1970 - occupying the position for five years.
In his final year he was acting vice chairman before being elected to the position in his own right for a three-year term in 1976.
[citation needed] O'Sullivan's grandsons, Niall and Rory Scannell, have represented Munster and Ireland in rugby union.