Born in Elphin, County Roscommon, Brady first came to Gaelic football prominence at Summerhill College in Sligo, where he was also selected for the Connacht colleges team. A minor with Roscommon in 1948 and a junior in 1951, he was reserve goalkeeper to Gerry Dolan for the 1951 Connacht Championship before taking over as first-choice 'keeper the following year. The following decade saw Brady win four Connacht Championship titles, while he also ended up on the losing side in the 1962 All-Ireland final. He lined out at full-back for the Elphin club, winning five County Championship titles, while his inclusion on the Connacht team saw him claim two Railway Cup medals. Brady was named on a special Football Team of the Century made up of players who never won an All-Ireland medal and was posthumously named on the Roscommon Football Team of the Millennium.[1]