The esteemed Gaelic sports announcer, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, took his last breath at the age of 93 on a fateful Tuesday morning.
A career spanning over six decades made the Kerry-born Ó Muircheartaigh a cherished figure in RTÉ’s football and hurling telecasts. His journey with the national broadcasting corporation began with a live commentary in Irish on the 1949 Railway Cup Final on St. Patrick’s Day.
Decades later, in October 2010 to be precise, Ó Muircheartaigh announced his retirement after calling his last All-Ireland final that same year, capping off a fruitful 61-year run at the company.
Upon his departure, let’s revisit some of the most noteworthy Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh quotes that he delivered whilst holding a microphone.
“Take Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, his dad hails from Fermanagh, his mum, from Fiji. Neither known as a centre of hurling prowess.”
“Pat Fox is efficiently manoeuvering his hurl now, but Joe Rabbitte is swiftly closing in … It’s quite the spectacle, a Rabbitte in pursuit of a Fox around Croke Park!”
“Dublin has scored a duo of points, one through hand and another courtesy of the land.”
“The ball is passed from Teddy McCarthy to Mick McCarthy, they share no family ties, Mick McCarthy returns it to Teddy McCarthy, the lack of relationship stays firm.”
“Anthony Lynch, the Cork-based corner back, will be the last person to disappoint you – his family runs a funeral business.”
“From the 45, Colin Corkery kicks with his right boot. It’s flown above the bar. He shouldn’t even be on the playing field. In spite of battling a heart condition, his recovery resembles something out of a biblical Lazarus story. Despite Lazarus’s miraculous history, he could never kick points like Colin Corkery.”
“Brian Dooher is down injured. While he recovers, here’s an anecdote. Last week, I found myself in New York’s Times Square, pining for the championship back home. I walked over to a news booth and asked, “Would you happen to have ‘The Kerryman’?”. To my surprise, the Egyptian shopkeeper enquired whether I wanted the North or South Kerry version? Astounded by the availability, I purchased both. Meanwhile, Dooher is back on his feet.”
“The stopwatch is no longer ticking. It’s left to the divine intervention and Pat Horan, our on-field referee. God after all, is God.”
“Pat Fox seizes the sliotar around the 40 and dashes towards the target… His father sold me a dog the previous week. The hound participated in a race in Limerick the past Tuesday… Fox, advancing to the 21, takes a shot, but it selfishly drifts broad and left…Sadly, the hound was not the victor at the end of its race.”
“Earlier today, at the Gardiner Street Mass, I spotted a few from Sligo, and the premonitions look favourable for them. Eccentrically the priest’s attire mirrored the hues of Sligo team’s jersey! Ciarán Whelan launches into a frenzy from the Hogan Stand side of the field, about 40 yards away… He scores! So much for divine intervention.”
“The score, 1-5 to 0-8… Be it Lapland or the Antarctic, such scores read as a tie in any vernacular.”