Paddy "Hands" O'Brien (1925 – 26 March 2016) was an Irish Gaelic footballer who played as a full-back at senior level for the Meath county team.
Gaelic football competitions were curtailed during the Emergency, however, he made his senior début with the Skryne club in 1942.
The suspension of the minor championship during the Emergency delayed O'Brien's inter-county début, and it was 1944 before he made his first appearance for the senior team in the Leinster League against Louth.
O'Brien enjoyed his first major success in 1946 when Meath defeated Wexford by 2-2 to 0-6 to secure the National Football League.
[5] After surrendering their provincial title in 1948, Meath bounced back the following year with O'Brien collecting a second Leinster medal following a 4-5 to 0-6 defeat of Westmeath.
Two first-half goals from Tommy Langan and Joe Gilvarry and three points in the last five minutes from Pádraig Carney gave Mayo a 2-8 to 0-9 victory.
[9] O'Brien won a fourth Leinster medal in 1952 as Meath defeated Louth to take the provincial crown.
With time almost up Meath looked like they had just done enough to merit a one-point victory, however, Cavan's Edwin Carolan chased a ball that appeared to go over the end line and kicked it across the goal.
Paddy Meegan missed three vital frees for Meath, while Cavan's Mick Higgins scored seven points in all.
Peter McDermott missed a great chance towards the end when he shot wide with just the Cavan goalkeeper to beat.
Meath surrendered their championship titles to Dublin in 1955 and O'Brien retired from inter-county football.