Phonsie O'Brien

{{Short description|Irish jockey and racehorse trainer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox horseracing personality

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Phonsie O'Brien

| honorific_suffix =

| image = Phonsie O'Brien.png

| image_size =

| image_upright =

| alt =

| caption = O'Brien in 2008

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| full_name =

| other_names =

| nickname =

| occupation = Horse trainer

| birth_date = 15 Sep 1929

| birth_place = Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age |2016|07|05|1929|09|15|df=yes}}

| death_place = Kilsheelan, Ireland

| resting_place =

| resting_place_coordinates =

| nationality = Irish

| spouse =

| children =

| height =

| weight =

| career winnings =

| career wins =

| race =

| awards =

| honors =

| memorials =

| horses =

| website =

| module =

}}

Alphonsus Septimus 'Phonsie' O'Brien (15 Sep 1929"Birthdays", Racing Post, 15 Sep 2008, p. 10: `Phonsie O'Brien 79 rider of Royal Tan & Hatton's Grace'; also 15 Sep 2010, p. 7: `Phonsie O'Brien 81 former champion Flat trainer in Ireland'; also 15 Sep 2011, p. 9: `Phonsie O'Brien 82 former champion Flat trainer in Ireland'; also 15 Sep 2012, p. 24: `Phonsie O'Brien 83 champion Flat trainer 1960'. – 5 July 2016) was an Irish jockey and racehorse trainer.{{cite news|title=Tributes paid following death of Phonsie O'Brien|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/racing/2016/0706/800533-tributes-paid-following-death-of-phonsie-obrien/|accessdate=9 July 2017|publisher=RTE.ie|date=6 July 2016|language=en}}

He was the youngest of a combined seven sons born in Churchtown, County Cork to the two marriages of Dan O'Brien, and full-brother of racehorse trainer Vincent O'Brien.{{cite news|title=Phonsie O'Brien, brother of Vincent, dies aged 86|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/racing/phonsie-obrien-brother-of-vincent-dies-aged-86-408733.html|accessdate=9 July 2017|work=Irish Examiner|date=6 July 2016}} He had a riding career in the 1940s which he followed by taking out a licence to train horses in 1956. He was based in stables at South Lodge, Carrick-on-Suir and later at Cashel. He trained the winner of the Galway Plate four times in succession from 1962 to 1965 and was credited with Chamour's victory in the 1960 Irish Derby. Vincent O'Brien had trained Chamour but was suspended from training after the horse failed a drugs test. Phonsie O'Brien took over the training licence while his brother was suspended.{{cite web |url=http://www.theirishfield.ie/phonsie-obrien-dies-peacefully-at-home-214325/ |title=Phonsie O'Brien dies peacefully at home |website=www.theirishfield.ie |accessdate=5 July 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708180859/http://www.theirishfield.ie/phonsie-obrien-dies-peacefully-at-home-214325/ |archivedate=8 July 2016 }}

O'Brien's daughter, Mary Ann O'Brien, is a businesswoman who founded the Lily O'Brien's chocolate company.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Andrea |title='I'd pretend it was all fine at work, then go home and start sobbing with stress' |url=https://www.herald.ie/lifestyle/id-pretend-it-was-all-fine-at-work-then-go-home-and-start-sobbing-with-stress-29340218.html |website=Herald.ie |date=12 June 2013}}

O'Brien died at his home near Kilsheelan on 5 July 2016.