ɪt wʌz wˌaɪl æt jˌuːsˌiːdˈiː ðæt oʊflˈænæɡən fˈɜːst tˈʊk ˌʌp ɹˈʌɡbi jˈuːniən, plˈeɪɪŋ fɚðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi tˈiːm, ænd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi tˈuː hiː ɹᵻsˈiːvd hɪz fˈɜːst kˈɔːl ˌʌp tə ðɪ ˈaɪɚlənd skwˈɑːd.
It was while at UCD that O'Flanagan first took up rugby union, playing for the university team, and in 1942 he received his first call up to the Ireland squad.