Michael O'Hehir
Encyclopedia
Michael James Hehir was an Irish
hurling
, football
and horse racing
commentator and journalist. Between 1938 and 1985 his enthusiasm and a memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many. He is still regarded as the original 'voice of Gaelic games'.
, Dublin to parents who had moved from Clare
. His father, Jim O'Hehir, was active in Gaelic games
, having trained his native county
to win the 1914 All-Ireland
title in hurling. He subsequently trained the Leitrim
football team that secured the Connacht
title in 1927 and he also served as an official with the Dublin Junior Board.
O'Hehir was educated at St. Patrick's National School in Drumcondra
before later attending the O'Connell School, a Christian Brothers
-run institution in the city centre. He later studied electrical engineering at University College Dublin
, however, he abandoned his studies after just one year to pursue a full-time career in broadcasting.
O'Hehir never played football, however, he enjoyed a distinguished hurling career with the St. Vincent's
club in Raheny
.
game between Wexford
and Louth
. His microphone test impressed the director of broadcasting so much that he was invited to commentate on the whole of the second half of the match.
Two months later in August 1938 O'Hehir made his first broadcast - the All-Ireland football semi-final between Monaghan
and Galway
. He went on to commentate on the second semi-final and that year's final between Galway and Kerry
. The following year he covered his first hurling final - the famous "thunder and lightning final" between Cork and Kilkenny
.
Sports broadcasting in Ireland was still in its infancy at this stage, however, O'Hehir's Sunday afternoon commentaries quickly became a way of life for many rural listeners.
from the Polo Grounds
in New York City
. Over 1,000,000 people were listening to the broadcast back in Ireland and O'Hehir was the one link between the game in New York and the fans in Ireland. The broadcast had to be finished by five o'clock local time, however, the match ran late. The last few minutes of O'Hehir's commentary included him pleading with the broadcast technicians not to take him off the air. His pleas were successful and the Irish people were able to listen to the game in full.
as a sports sub-editor, before beginning a seventeen-year career as racing correspondent in 1947. His racing expertise were not just limited to print journalism as he became a racing commentator with Radio Éireann in 1945.
Even though O'Hehir's star was on the rise with the national broadcaster in Ireland, he applied to the BBC
for a position as racing commentator. His application was accepted and he provided commentary for the Cheltenham Gold Cup
. The BBC bosses were sufficiently impressed with O'Hehir to offer him further commentaries.
O'Hehir subsequently became a staple of the BBC's coverage of the Aintree Grand National
, arguably the most famous horse race in the world. He would invariably pick up the commentary at the Becher's Brook
fence and take the race to Valentine's Brook, a vital section of the race where many a favourite fell. Foinavon
's famous victory in 1967 will be remembered as one of O'Hehir's finest moments in racing commentaries and won him great respect for the speed and smoothness with which he picked out the unconsidered outsider. O'Hehir later confessed in an interview that he it had been his inability to identify the colours on his card when inspecting the riders silks in the weighing room prior to the race that had led him to question rider John Buckingham who his mount was. Buckingham advised O'Hehir that Foinavon's silks had been changed at the last minute as his regular green colours were considered unlucky. It was because of this chance meeting that he was able to identify the 100/1 outsider and carry the commentary.
In addition to horseracing O'Hehir also covered showjumping, including the Dublin Horse Show at the RDS
in Ballsbridge
.
, was founded and O'Hehir was appointed head of sports programmes. As a result of his influence O'Hehir secured the broadcasting rights to the closing stages of the All-Ireland hurling and football championships for the new station. As well as his new role O'Hehir continued to keep up a hectic schedule of commentaries.
when US President John F. Kennedy
was assassinated. O'Hehir was asked by Telefís Éireann to provide the commentary for the funeral. The live five-hour broadcast proved a huge challenge for him, as he had had no association with political or current affairs broadcasting up to that point and lacked the resources available to more established television stations. O'Hehir's commentary, however, won widespread acclaim in Ireland and showed a different side of his nature. He later described it as the most moving and most demanding commentary of his career. O'Hehir was known in the United States prior to this as he had worked with ABC
as a racing commentator. His presentation of the Kennedy funeral brought offers from American broadcasters, however, he preferred to remain in Ireland.
O'Hehir later provided commentaries for other non-sporting events such as the funeral of Roger Casement
in 1965 and the celebrations marking the golden jubilee of the Easter Rising
in 1966.
but left the following year to continue writing and broadcasting as a freelance journalist. This work took him to the United States
where he commentated for NBC
in races such as the Arlington Million
. This association with the American broadcaster lasted well into the eighties.
In 1975 O'Hehir was honoured by The Late Late Show
with a special tribute show.
In his commentary O'Hehir aimed at impartiality but admitted that he was always blamed for being "against the losers." Similarly he was also blamed for making a game out of nothing. Shortly after Dublin
defeated Galway in 1983 in a tense All-Ireland final about thirty Dublin supporters attacked him in the commentary box when he was commentating at another match in Navan
. Only the presence of an armed detective - there to protect the microphone - saved him from serious injury.
and Galway. It would be a special occasion as it would mark his 100th commentary on an All-Ireland final. Two weeks before the game he suffered a stroke
which left him using a wheelchair and with some speaking difficulties. This illness denied him the chance to reach the century milestone.
O'Hehir was subsequently replaced by Ger Canning
on television, and on radio by Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh
. He had hoped to return to broadcasting one day to complete his 100th final, however, this never happened.
In 1987 the centenary All-Ireland football final took place and a special series of events was planned on the day at Croke Park
. There was a parade of the 1947 Polo Grounds finalists, however, the biggest cheer of the day was reserved for O'Hehir who was pushed onto the field in a wheelchair by his son Peter. Nobody expected the standing ovation and the huge outpouring of emotion from the thousands of fans present and from O'Hehir himself.
Over the next few years O'Hehir withdrew from public life. He returned briefly in 1996 when his autobiography, My Life and Times, was published.
Final for all the Irish listeners
"Ring
in front of the goal is going through. He steadies himself, he takes a shot. It's blocked by Art Foley and it's cleared out by Art Foley. Oh, a great clearance there by Art Foley" - O'Hehir's description of Art Foley
's famous save in the final moments of the 1956 hurling final
"And Tom Cheasty
breaks through with Kilkenny
defenders falling around him like dying wasps" - during one of the Kilkenny - Waterford games of the late 1950s or early 1960s
"And it looks like there’s a bit of a schemozzle in the parallelogram" - O'Hehir's ubiquitous euphemism for a fight
"The greatest freak of all time" - after Mikey Sheehy
lobs the ball into the goal while Dublin
goalkeeper, Paddy Cullen
is arguing with the referee
"And it looks as if they were winning the way the Offaly
men are dithering and dawdling...and here they come. This is Liam Connor
the full-back...a high, lobbing, dropping ball in towards the goalmouth...a shot and a GOAL, a GOAL, a GOAL FOR OFFALY! There was a goal in it! Oh, what a goal!" - O'Hehir's reaction as Séamus Darby
scores the winning goal for Offaly, denying Kerry a famous fifth consecutive All-Ireland title
"And the bare-footed wonder with the ball now" - O'Hehir's description of Babs Keating who played some of the 1971 All-Ireland Hurling Final
in his bare feet
"And there he is, Alan Lotty
. He may be bootless, he may be sockless, he may be stickless, but he is certainly not ball-less." - O'Hehir's unusual description of Cork's Alan Lotty after he discarded his boots and socks and lost his hurley in a collision with another player
"And it is a penalty. And Paddy Cullen, heaven help him, in there in the goal" - during the 1974 all-Ireland football final.
"And the Jacks
are back alright and the way they're playing right now the Galway
backs are jacked!"
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
, football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
commentator and journalist. Between 1938 and 1985 his enthusiasm and a memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many. He is still regarded as the original 'voice of Gaelic games'.
Early life
O'Hehir was born in GlasnevinGlasnevin
Glasnevin is a largely residential neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland.-Geography:A mainly residential neighbourhood, it is located on the Northside of the city of Dublin . It was originally established on the northern bank of the River Tolka...
, Dublin to parents who had moved from Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
. His father, Jim O'Hehir, was active in Gaelic games
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
, having trained his native county
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
to win the 1914 All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
title in hurling. He subsequently trained the Leitrim
Leitrim GAA
The Leitrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Leitrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Leitrim. The county board is also responsible for the Leitrim inter-county teams.-Gaelic football:In the 1924 Connacht...
football team that secured the Connacht
Connacht Senior Football Championship
The Bank of Ireland Connacht Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition for the senior county teams of Connacht GAA. A series of games are played during the summer months and the final is played in July....
title in 1927 and he also served as an official with the Dublin Junior Board.
O'Hehir was educated at St. Patrick's National School in Drumcondra
Drumcondra, Dublin
Drumcondra is a residential area and inner suburb on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. It is administered by Dublin City Council.The River Tolka and the Royal Canal flow through the area.-History:...
before later attending the O'Connell School, a Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
-run institution in the city centre. He later studied electrical engineering at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
, however, he abandoned his studies after just one year to pursue a full-time career in broadcasting.
O'Hehir never played football, however, he enjoyed a distinguished hurling career with the St. Vincent's
St Vincents GAA
St Vincents is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Marino, on the northside of Dublin, Ireland. The club was founded in 1931, originally in Raheny, but it moved to its home in Marino in 1987. St Vincents merged with Marino Camogie Club in 1997 to form the St Vincents Hurling, Football and...
club in Raheny
Raheny
Raheny is a northern suburb of Dublin, the capital city of Ireland. It is an old area, centred around an old village, and is referenced back to 570 AD but after years of light settlement, with a main village and a coastal hamlet, grew rapidly in the 20th century, and is now a mid-density...
.
Early career
O'Hehir became fascinated with the radio when he received a present of one as a child. He had just turned eighteen and was still a school-boy when he wrote to Radio Éireann asking to do a test commentary. O'Hehir was accepted and was asked, along with five others, to do a five-minute microphone test for a National Football LeagueNational Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
game between Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
and Louth
Louth GAA
The Louth County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Louth GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Louth. The county board is also responsible for the Louth inter-county teams....
. His microphone test impressed the director of broadcasting so much that he was invited to commentate on the whole of the second half of the match.
Two months later in August 1938 O'Hehir made his first broadcast - the All-Ireland football semi-final between Monaghan
Monaghan GAA
The Monaghan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Monaghan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Monaghan and the Monaghan inter-county football and hurling teams. Separate county boards are responsible for the...
and Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
. He went on to commentate on the second semi-final and that year's final between Galway and Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
. The following year he covered his first hurling final - the famous "thunder and lightning final" between Cork and Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
.
Sports broadcasting in Ireland was still in its infancy at this stage, however, O'Hehir's Sunday afternoon commentaries quickly became a way of life for many rural listeners.
The Polo Grounds Final
By the mid-1940s O'Hehir was recognised as one of Ireland's leading sports broadcasters. In 1947 he faced his most challenging broadcast to date when he had to commentate on the All-Ireland Football FinalAll-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
from the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Over 1,000,000 people were listening to the broadcast back in Ireland and O'Hehir was the one link between the game in New York and the fans in Ireland. The broadcast had to be finished by five o'clock local time, however, the match ran late. The last few minutes of O'Hehir's commentary included him pleading with the broadcast technicians not to take him off the air. His pleas were successful and the Irish people were able to listen to the game in full.
Horse racing
In 1944 O'Hehir joined the staff of Independent NewspapersIndependent Newspapers
This article refers to the New Zealand company. For the Irish company formerly of the same name, see Independent News & Media.Independent Newspapers Limited was a media concern in New Zealand.-History:...
as a sports sub-editor, before beginning a seventeen-year career as racing correspondent in 1947. His racing expertise were not just limited to print journalism as he became a racing commentator with Radio Éireann in 1945.
Even though O'Hehir's star was on the rise with the national broadcaster in Ireland, he applied to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
for a position as racing commentator. His application was accepted and he provided commentary for the Cheltenham Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
. The BBC bosses were sufficiently impressed with O'Hehir to offer him further commentaries.
O'Hehir subsequently became a staple of the BBC's coverage of the Aintree Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
, arguably the most famous horse race in the world. He would invariably pick up the commentary at the Becher's Brook
Becher's Brook
Becher's Brook is a fence jumped during the Grand National, a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is jumped twice during the race, as the sixth and 22nd fence, as well as on four other occasions during the year...
fence and take the race to Valentine's Brook, a vital section of the race where many a favourite fell. Foinavon
Foinavon
Foinavon was a relatively undistinguished Irish racehorse, until he became famous for winning the Grand National in 1967 after the rest of the field fell, refused or were hampered or brought down in a mêlée at the 23rd fence. He was at one time owned by Anne, Duchess of Westminster, whose colours...
's famous victory in 1967 will be remembered as one of O'Hehir's finest moments in racing commentaries and won him great respect for the speed and smoothness with which he picked out the unconsidered outsider. O'Hehir later confessed in an interview that he it had been his inability to identify the colours on his card when inspecting the riders silks in the weighing room prior to the race that had led him to question rider John Buckingham who his mount was. Buckingham advised O'Hehir that Foinavon's silks had been changed at the last minute as his regular green colours were considered unlucky. It was because of this chance meeting that he was able to identify the 100/1 outsider and carry the commentary.
In addition to horseracing O'Hehir also covered showjumping, including the Dublin Horse Show at the RDS
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
in Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, named for the bridge spanning the River Dodder on the south side of the city. The sign on the bridge still proclaims it as "Ball's Bridge" in recognition of the fact that the original bridge in this location was built and owned by a Mr...
.
Head of Sport
In 1961 Ireland's first national television station, Telefís ÉireannRTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
, was founded and O'Hehir was appointed head of sports programmes. As a result of his influence O'Hehir secured the broadcasting rights to the closing stages of the All-Ireland hurling and football championships for the new station. As well as his new role O'Hehir continued to keep up a hectic schedule of commentaries.
Current affairs broadcasting
O'Hehir's skills did not just confine him to sports broadcasting and, in November 1963, he faced his toughest broadcast. By sheer coincidence he was on holidays with his wife Molly in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
when US President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
was assassinated. O'Hehir was asked by Telefís Éireann to provide the commentary for the funeral. The live five-hour broadcast proved a huge challenge for him, as he had had no association with political or current affairs broadcasting up to that point and lacked the resources available to more established television stations. O'Hehir's commentary, however, won widespread acclaim in Ireland and showed a different side of his nature. He later described it as the most moving and most demanding commentary of his career. O'Hehir was known in the United States prior to this as he had worked with ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
as a racing commentator. His presentation of the Kennedy funeral brought offers from American broadcasters, however, he preferred to remain in Ireland.
O'Hehir later provided commentaries for other non-sporting events such as the funeral of Roger Casement
Roger Casement
Roger David Casement —Sir Roger Casement CMG between 1911 and shortly before his execution for treason, when he was stripped of his British honours—was an Irish patriot, poet, revolutionary, and nationalist....
in 1965 and the celebrations marking the golden jubilee of the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
in 1966.
Later career
In the early 1970s the initial challenge of being head of sport had faded as Telefís Éireann was now an established broadcaster. In 1972 he became manager of the newly designed Leopardstown RacecourseLeopardstown Racecourse
Leopardstown Racecourse is an Irish horse-racing venue. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing. Located in Leopardstown, County Dublin, 8km south of the Dublin city centre. The course was built by Captain George Quin and modeled on Sandown Park Racecourse...
but left the following year to continue writing and broadcasting as a freelance journalist. This work took him to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he commentated for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in races such as the Arlington Million
Arlington Million
The Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flathorse race in the United States for thoroughbred horses aged three years and upward. It is raced over a distance of 1¼ miles on the turf at Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois in August each year...
. This association with the American broadcaster lasted well into the eighties.
In 1975 O'Hehir was honoured by The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
with a special tribute show.
In his commentary O'Hehir aimed at impartiality but admitted that he was always blamed for being "against the losers." Similarly he was also blamed for making a game out of nothing. Shortly after Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
defeated Galway in 1983 in a tense All-Ireland final about thirty Dublin supporters attacked him in the commentary box when he was commentating at another match in Navan
Navan
-People:Navan was the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, who appeared in the television series Remington Steele and was the fifth film actor to play James Bond. TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, and comedians Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan also hail from Navan....
. Only the presence of an armed detective - there to protect the microphone - saved him from serious injury.
Illness and later life
In August 1985 O'Hehir was preparing to commentate on the All-Ireland hurling final between OffalyOffaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
and Galway. It would be a special occasion as it would mark his 100th commentary on an All-Ireland final. Two weeks before the game he suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
which left him using a wheelchair and with some speaking difficulties. This illness denied him the chance to reach the century milestone.
O'Hehir was subsequently replaced by Ger Canning
Ger Canning
Ger Canning is an Irish GAA hurling and football commentator with Raidió Teilifís Éireann .-Career:Born in Cork on August 1, 1951. Ger Canning was a secondary school teacher at South Presentation school in Cork City when he began his broadcasting career with Cork Local Radio in 1978.Two years later...
on television, and on radio by Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh
Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh
Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh is an Irish Gaelic games commentator for the Irish national radio and television, RTÉ. In a career that has spanned six decades he has come to be regarded as the "voice of Gaelic games." His prolific career has earned him a place in Guinness World Records.-Early...
. He had hoped to return to broadcasting one day to complete his 100th final, however, this never happened.
In 1987 the centenary All-Ireland football final took place and a special series of events was planned on the day at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
. There was a parade of the 1947 Polo Grounds finalists, however, the biggest cheer of the day was reserved for O'Hehir who was pushed onto the field in a wheelchair by his son Peter. Nobody expected the standing ovation and the huge outpouring of emotion from the thousands of fans present and from O'Hehir himself.
Over the next few years O'Hehir withdrew from public life. He returned briefly in 1996 when his autobiography, My Life and Times, was published.
Quotes
"And if there's anybody along the way there listening in, just give us five minutes more" - O'Hehir saving the 1947 Polo GroundsPolo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
Final for all the Irish listeners
"Ring
Christy Ring
Nicholas Christopher Michael Ring , better known as Christy Ring, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Glen Rovers club from 1941 until 1967 and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1939 until 1963. Ring is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in...
in front of the goal is going through. He steadies himself, he takes a shot. It's blocked by Art Foley and it's cleared out by Art Foley. Oh, a great clearance there by Art Foley" - O'Hehir's description of Art Foley
Art Foley
Michael Arthur Foley , better known as Art Foley, is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Aidan's of Enniscorthy and with the Wexford senior inter-county team from 1946 until 1956.-Club:...
's famous save in the final moments of the 1956 hurling final
"And Tom Cheasty
Tom Cheasty
Tom Cheasty was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with two clubs Ballyduff Lower and Portlaw and with the Waterford senior inter-county team in the 1950s and 1960s. He is regarded as one of Waterford's greatest-ever players.-Biography:...
breaks through with Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
defenders falling around him like dying wasps" - during one of the Kilkenny - Waterford games of the late 1950s or early 1960s
"And it looks like there’s a bit of a schemozzle in the parallelogram" - O'Hehir's ubiquitous euphemism for a fight
"The greatest freak of all time" - after Mikey Sheehy
Mikey Sheehy
Mikey Sheehy is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Austin Stacks and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1987. Sheehy is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.-Club:Sheehy played his club football with the...
lobs the ball into the goal while Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
goalkeeper, Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen is a former inter-county goalkeeper and manager with the Dublin GAA senior football team. During his player career Cullen won three All-Irelands and four all-stars awards....
is arguing with the referee
"And it looks as if they were winning the way the Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
men are dithering and dawdling...and here they come. This is Liam Connor
Liam Connor
Liam Barrington Connor is a fictional character from the British ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street, played by Rob James-Collier from 2006 to 2008.-Creation:...
the full-back...a high, lobbing, dropping ball in towards the goalmouth...a shot and a GOAL, a GOAL, a GOAL FOR OFFALY! There was a goal in it! Oh, what a goal!" - O'Hehir's reaction as Séamus Darby
Séamus Darby
Séamus Darby is an Irish former sportsperson who played Gaelic football for County Offaly in the 1970s and 1980s...
scores the winning goal for Offaly, denying Kerry a famous fifth consecutive All-Ireland title
"And the bare-footed wonder with the ball now" - O'Hehir's description of Babs Keating who played some of the 1971 All-Ireland Hurling Final
All-Ireland Hurling Final
The All-Ireland Hurling Final is the last match to be played in the All-Ireland Hurling Championships . The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final is one of the biggest sporting occasions to be held in Ireland every year...
in his bare feet
"And there he is, Alan Lotty
Alan Lotty
Alan Lotty was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Sarsfield's and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1939 until 1949.-Club:...
. He may be bootless, he may be sockless, he may be stickless, but he is certainly not ball-less." - O'Hehir's unusual description of Cork's Alan Lotty after he discarded his boots and socks and lost his hurley in a collision with another player
"And it is a penalty. And Paddy Cullen, heaven help him, in there in the goal" - during the 1974 all-Ireland football final.
"And the Jacks
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
are back alright and the way they're playing right now the Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
backs are jacked!"