Coinín ag fiach Sionnaigh – Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh RIP

A broadcasting legend of our time passed away today – Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

In a statement, Taoiseach, Simon Harris said: “The word ‘legend’ gets used too often, but for Mícheál, it is almost not enough.

“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.”

Agus Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh ar shlí na fírinne, seo deich gcinn de na giotaí tráchtaireachta leis atá ar an idirlíne um thráthnóna (ó Tuairisc.ie)

Tá an clog stoptha. Faoi Dhia agus an réiteoir atá sé anois. Pat Horgan an réiteoir. Dia é Dia.

The stopwatch has stopped. It’s up to God and the referee now. The referee is Pat Horgan. God is God.

Tá sé ar a chamán ag Pat Fox agus é ag déanamh go maith anois …ach seo chugainn Joe Rabbitte sna sála air… is mó iontas feicthe agam, ach Coinín ag fiach Sionnaigh ar fud Pháirc an Chrócaigh!

Pat Fox has it on his hurl and is motoring well now… but here comes Joe Rabbitte hot on his tail… well I’ve seen it all now, a Rabbitte chasing a Fox around Croke Park

Ní cóir don bhfear seo a bheith ag imirt peile. Is geall le Lazarus an téarnamh atá déanta aige ó éalang chroí. Ba bhreá an fear é Lazarus ach ní chiceálfadh sé pointe chomh maith le Colin Corkery.

This man shouldn’t be playing football. He’s made an almost Lazarus-like recovery from a heart condition. Lazarus was a great man but he couldn’t kick points like Colin Corkery.

Ó Teddy McCarthy go Mick McCarthy, gan aon ghaol eatarthu. Ó Mick McCarthy ar ais go dtí Teddy McCarthy, fós gan aon ghaol eatarthu.

Teddy McCarthy to Mick McCarthy, no relation. Mick McCarthy back to Teddy McCarthy, still no relation

Seán Óg Ó hAilpín…as Fear Manach a athair, as Fidsí a mháthair, ní áit mhór iománaíochta ceachtar acu.

Seán Óg Ó hAilpín…his father’s from Fermanagh, his mother’s from Fiji, neither one of them a hurling stronghold.

Anthony Lynch, an lánchúlaí sa chúinne ag Corcaigh, an duine deireanach a ligfidh síos tú – adhlacóirí iad a mhuintir.

Anthony Lynch, the Cork corner-back, will be the last person to let you down – his people are undertakers.

…agus tá Brian Dooher gortaithe agus é ar an talamh. Fad is atá sé sínte, inseoidh mé scéal beag daoibh. Bhí mé in Times Square i Nua-Eabhrac an tseachtain seo caite agus caitheamh i ndiaidh na Craoibhe sa bhaile agam. Suas liom mar sin go dtí seastán nuachta agus dúirt, ‘Is dócha nach mbeadh The Kerryman agaibh?’ Agus chas an fear ón Éigipt a bhí laistiar den chuntar chugam agus dúirt sé liom, ‘An é eagrán Chiarraí Thuaidh nó eagrán Chiarraí Theas atá uait?’ Bhí an dá cheann aige agus mar sin  cheannaíos an dá cheann uaidh… Agus tá Dooher éirithe ina sheasamh arís.

…and Brian Dooher is down injured. And while he is, I’ll tell ye a little story. I was in Times Square in New York last week, and I was missing the Championship back home. So I approached a newsstand and I said, “I suppose ye wouldn’t have The Kerryman, would ye?” To which, the Egyptian behind the counter turned to me and he said, “Do you want the North Kerry edition, or the South Kerry edition?” He had both – so I bought both. And Dooher is back on his feet!

D’imir siad leis an ngaoth sa chéad leath. Leis an liathróid a d’imir siad sa dara leath.

In the first half they played with the wind. In the second half they played with the ball.

1-5 in aghaidh 0-8… bhuel, bíodh tú sa Laplainn nó san Antartach, sin comhscór is cuma cén teanga atá agat

1-5 to 0-8… well, from Lapland to the Antarctic, that’s level scores in any man’s language.

Chonaic mé scata daoine ó Shligeach ag an Aifreann i Sráid Gardiner ar maidin agus dea-chomhartha dóibh go raibh na dathanna céanna á gcaitheamh ag an sagart is atá ar gheansaí Shligigh! Daichead slat amach ar thaobh Ardán Uí hÓgáin tá Ciarán Whelan imithe ar ruathar. Agus cúl! Anois cá bhfuil an creideamh!

I saw a few Sligo people at Mass in Gardiner Street this morning and the omens seem to be good for them. The priest was wearing the same colours as the Sligo jersey! 40 yards out on the Hogan Stand side of the field, Ciarán Whelan goes on a rampage … it’s a goal! So much for religion.