Funeral details for Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh announced
Legendary broadcaster to be buried in native Kerry at weekend
The legendary Gaelic games broadcaster, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, of Calgath, Kilcock, Kilcloon, will be laid to rest in his native Kerry on Saturday, following a day-long reposing in Dingle on Friday.
The commentator died yesterday (Tuesday) morning, aged 93, surrounded by his family in the Mater Hospital, Dublin.
The Kerry native’s career in RTÉ had spanned over 60 years. He provided commentary on his last All-Ireland Final in September 2010, when Cork faced Down in the football final at Croke Park.
In retirement, he lived in Kilcloon with his wife, Helena, and was the inaugural master of ceremonies at the Meath Chronicle/Cusack Hotels Sports Personality of the Year Awards, presenting the ceremony in Trim for many years until Evanne Ni Chuileann took over.
Born in Dún Síon just outside Dingle, Co Kerry, in 1930, his first assignment for RTÉ was to provide an all-Irish commentary on the 1949 Railway Cup Final on St Patrick's Day; he continued teaching up until the 1980s when he became a full-time broadcaster with RTÉ.
While he had been broadcasting commentaries in English on RTÉ Radio since 1956, Micheál also covered All-Ireland minor semi-finals and finals in both hurling and football in the Irish language on RTÉ for over 25 years from the inception of television coverage in 1962.
When Mícheál O'Hehir retired from broadcasting in the mid-1980s, Ó Muircheartaigh took over as RTÉ’s premier commentator.
RTÉ extended sincere sympathies to Micheál’s family, friends and colleagues. Director-General Kevin Bakhurst, said: “Speaking at the time of his retirement, Micheál said, ‘There's only a while in everything. Sin mar a tá an scéal.’ His wisdom exemplifies his enormous modesty, as the truth is that Micheál was legendary for a reason. He captured the essence of his beloved sports and brought them to life for generations. His love for Gaelic Games was matched only by his love for the Irish language and his native Kerry, and his legacy stands proudly as a seminal contributor to sporting life and culture in Ireland, to the life of his language, and the life of the nation.”
President Michael D. Higgins said: “Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, and in particular his unmistakable voice, will forever be linked with our memories of some of the greatest matches in GAA history. His beautiful Irish delivered with a love of its sounds and sense to Gaelic games is a wonderful legacy that Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh leaves.
“Indeed, so many matches may in fact be remembered more for his commentary than for the action on the pitch. For Mícheál turned every match into an epic tale, his commentaries capturing like no other the sense of occasion, the atmosphere in the stadium and on the terraces, the ebb and flow of the play and of every movement.
“Mícheál’s encyclopaedic knowledge of players, their clubs, antecedents and relatives, his evocation of each parish and townland across the country, provided unparalleled insight to the listener and viewer,” the President stated.
“Over the 61 years over which he provided us with such fine commentaries, his unique and distinctive voice transformed sound to picture, effortlessly filling us with the atmosphere of anticipation of victory or defeat, but most of all, with immense suspense, excitement and delight.
“Away from the microphone, Mícheál was full of kindness and wry humour, a man who will be remembered fondly by all of his colleagues, former students, and all throughout the country and among our diaspora who got such joy from his commentaries each weekend. As chairman of Bord na Gaeilge, he travelled the country promoting the Irish language in all its aspects.”
Paying tribute, Taoiseach Simon Harris said: "His voice, his colour, his excitement, his love of sport, his turn of phrase were often as exhilarating as the action he was describing on the pitch as the audience held its breath for what Mícheál would say next. He also had a humour you could not learn, “Teddy McCarthy to Mick McCarthy, no relation, Mick McCarthy back to Teddy McCarthy, still no relation.”’
“For a generation of the Irish diaspora, Mícheál was also a treasured link and the voice of home as they listened to GAA across the world. In person, he was a gentleman to his fingertips and filled a room with a quiet and dignified aura. May he rest in peace.”
Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh is survived by his wife Helena; family, Éamonn, Niamh, Aonghus, Cormac, Neasa, Nuala, Éadaoin and Doireann; grandchildren, sisters Kathleen and Máire and all his relatives and friends.
He is reposing at O’Connor’s Funeral Home, Dingle (V92 XTR2) on Friday, 28th June, from 11am-8pm. Funeral mass at 11am Saturday, 29 June, in St Mary’s Church, Dingle, followed by burial in Milltown Cemetery.
The funeral mass will be streamed on https://www.mcn.live/camera/paroiste-naomh-muire-dingle.
Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to The Mater Hospital Foundation.
Suaimhneas sioraí dá anam uasal.
Ó Muircheartaigh, Micheál (Dún Síon, Contae Chiarraí / Cill Choca, Contae na Mí) – a d’imigh uainn ar shlí na fírinne, go suaimhneach, ar an 25 Meitheamh 2024, in Ospidéal an Mater, Baile Átha Cliath. Méala mór a bhás dá bhean chéile ionúin Helena, dá chlann Éamonn, Niamh, Aonghus, Cormac, Neasa, Nuala, Éadaoin agus Doireann, dá gharchlann, dá dheirfiúracha Kathleen agus Máire agus dá ghaolta agus cairde go léir. Imithe roimhe ar shlí na fírinne tá a dheartháireacha Pádraig, Náis agus Dónal agus a dheirfiúracha Siobhán agus Eibhlín.
Beidh sé á thórramh i dTigh Tórraimh Uí Chonchubhair sa Daingean (V92 XTR2) Dé hAoine 28 Meitheamh ó 11:00am-8:00pm. Léifear Aifreann na sochraide dó i Séipéal Naomh Muire an Daingin ag 11:00am Dé Sathairn, 29 Meitheamh agus cuirfear ina dhiaidh sin i mBaile an Mhuilinn é. Craolfar an tAifreann beo ar https://www.mcn.live/camera/paroiste-naomh-muire-dingle