The esteemed Gaelic games commentator, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh has passed away at 93 years of age. Spending his early career as a school teacher, Ó Muircheartaigh eventually transitioned to full-time broadcasting with RTÉ in the 1980s, eventually becoming the chief commentator for the RTÉ Radio 1 in 1985. Ó Muircheartaigh, originally from County Kerry, bid farewell to his broadcasting career in 2010 after covering his last All-Ireland final in the same year.
His demise occurred at the Mater Hospital in Dublin on a Tuesday morning. Among the many people paying their respects was the Taoiseach, Simon Harris. He praised Micheál’s vibrant voice, animated commentary and his invigorating way of presenting the action on the pitch that kept the audience in high anticipation of what he would utter next, stating that Ó Muircheartaigh had been a cherished connective key and a reassuring voice from home for numerous Irish expatriates who tuned in to GAA from afar.
Gearóid MacDonncha, the chief of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta also offered his condolences, fuelling praise for Ó Muircheartaigh’s infallible dedication towards the Irish language. He also lauded his unrivalled capacity to mesmerise listeners across the nation with his incredible descriptive power in both Irish and English while covering football and hurling matches during Sunday afternoons. More details will follow subsequently.