Tribute to Micheál O'Muircheartiagh on his retirement. By Conor.

Micheál O’Muircheartiagh was born on the 20th of August, 1930 in Dún Síon, Dingle, Co.Kerry. In a career that spanned six decades, he has become to be regarded as the natural successor of Micheál O’ Hehir as the voice of Gaelic Games.

Micheál was the fourth child out of eight. His home, like many homes in Ireland at the time, contained no Radio. His first time listening to a match on radio was in his neighbour’s house in 1939. From that point on, Micheál was fascinated with the Radio.

O’Muircheartiagh grew up on a family farm and was educated in Dingle, Co.Kerry. In September, 1945, in Co.Cork where he was training to be a Teacher, his name changed from Micheál Moriarty to Micheál O’Muircheartiagh. In September 1948, he began his final year of his teaching training in St. Patrick’s College in Dublin.

In early March, 1949, along with ten other students, a test of commentating on a hurling game took place in Croke Park. Each student had to commentate for five minutes in Irish. The most successful would receive more commentary work.

O’Muircheartiagh has never seen a game of hurling in his life. O’Muircheartiagh was selected and his first assessment was to provide an all-Irish commentary on the 1949 Railway Cup Final on St. Patrick’s Day. He is also the main commentator on Gaelic Games Football on the Play Station 2.

On September 16th, 2010, he announced his retirement from broadcasting. On Sunday, 19th September, he commentated his last G.A.A. match when Cork bet Down by a single point in the All Ireland Football final. O’Muircheartiagh will commentate the International Rules Test Match this year. Micheál O’Muircheartiagh was known as one of the best commentators in the world and will stay in our memories forever.