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An ERC Elite Award winner, Quinlan has made an incredible 78 appearances in the Heineken Cup, with all bar 10 of those coming as a member of the starting line up.
He featured in three of his side's group games in this year's competition but is yet to experience Challenge Cup rugby having missed the highly-entertaining quarter-final win over Brive last weekend.
"Alan Quinlan has been an integral part of the success of Munster Rugby for the past 15 years," said Munster head coach Tony McGahan.
"His longevity in what is a highly attritional profession is a tribute to his dedication, application and durability.
"Alan was a players' player whose impact in big games and ability to turn a negative situation into a positive action made him a great player to have on your side and a crowd favorite.
"His decision to call it a day at the end of this season of course evokes a sense of poignancy for all of us who have worked with him but it's balanced by the knowledge that he can look back on a great career with pride at what he's achieved.
"He leaves us with our thanks and very best wishes for the future."
Capped 27 times by Ireland, Quinlan made his Munster debut in November 1996.
A double Heineken Cup winner, Quinlan featured in seven matches in each of the province's title-winning seasons.
Quinlan started four times and came on as a replacement on three occasions in Munster's first triumph back in 2006, before being named in the starting line up five times and appearing twice from the bench two years later.
The inspirational back rower will hope to feature in Munster's Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final against Harlequins at Thomond Park on April 30 as Munster chase a domestic and European double.
In total, Quinlan has made 210 appearances for Munster and he could now add to that this weekend after he was named in an extended squad for Saturday's Magners League trip to the Scarlets.
