From Belnaleck, a small village just south of Enniskillen, Darragh McBrien signed for Linfield from Dungannon Swifts on a two-year deal on August 1, 2023, in a deal which involved Ethan Devine heading to Stangmore Park on loan until January 2024.

Incidentally, he made his Linfield debut in a League match against his former club Dungannon Swifts on August 12, 2023. The left winger’s first Linfield goal came in a 6-1 win over Newry City on September 30, 2023.

In his youth, McBrien showed promise as a GAA player but gave it up to focus on football when he entered the Irish League stage. McBrien is a product of the Ballinamallard United Academy.

McBrien featured in an Irish Cup Final for Ballinamallard against Crusaders in 2019 when he was just 17 years old and went on to score 6 goals in 19 appearances for the Mallards’ first team. He was Dean Shiels’ first signing as Dungannon Swifts manager in May 2021. He suffered a serious injury playing for Dungannon Swifts against Annagh United in December 2021 at a time when he was on top form and attracting interest, leading to hip surgery and eighteen months on the sidelines before he signed for Linfield in the summer of 2023. He scored 8 goals in 27 appearances in his time with Dungannon Swifts.

He scored 4 goals in 35 appearances in his first season with Linfield, as well as winning the NIFL League Cup.