Bernard Jackman: Paul O'Connell is a winner on and off the pitch

Social media has been awash with #ThanksPaulie messages as rugby fans around the world paid tribute to the iconic Paul O’Connell.

Paul, Brian O’Driscoll and Ronan O’Gara were the Blessed Trinity which drove rugby to new heights in this country since the onset of professionalism.

The popularity of the game in Ireland is at an all-time high and we should never forget the roles this trio, and O’Connell in particular, played in that development.