Bill O’Herlihy took his leave of Ireland’s public sporting life last night. He has overseen 10 World Cups, 11 Olympic Games and many of the sporting stories of generations of Irish people. Having had the pleasure to work with him for a period, it was great to see behind the public persona and discover little difference between the two.
O’Herlihy dominated sport on our screens over a time when there was a genuine sense of the nation gathering. In the same way as Bill McLaren, Sir Peter O’Sullevan or John Madden, he was there to introduce moments of magic that lit up our national history in sport. His was the background voice to memories of loved ones now departed, of times gone by.
This was RTE’s poignant and very effective tribute playing out last night’s farewell…
