Ireland

Broadcaster Jimmy Magee remembered as 'sports and entertainment genius'

The funeral was held yesterday for legendary broadcaster Jimmy Magee
The funeral was held yesterday for legendary broadcaster Jimmy Magee The funeral was held yesterday for legendary broadcaster Jimmy Magee

JIMMY Magee was yesterday remembered as a "sports and entertainment genius" as leading figures from the worlds of sport, politics and broadcasting gathered for his funeral.

Hundreds of people packed into the Church of St Laurence O'Toole outside Dublin to say their final farewell to the legendary RTÉ commentator.

Father Brian D'Arcy - a close friend of Magee - told mourners how he had become "the voice of the most historic events of Ireland and the world".

As his coffin was brought to the church, it was met by a guard of honour of members of the Jimmy Magee All Stars charity programme.

Among the sports stars in attendance were Republic of Ireland assistant football manager Roy Keane, former Olympic boxers Bernard Dunne, Michael Carruth and Kenneth Egan, and swimmer Michelle Smith de Bruin.

Former colleagues Des Cahill, Micheál O Muircheartaigh, Larry Gogan, Marty Morrissey and Tony O'Donoghue also attended and President Michael D Higgins was represented by his Aide De Camp.

GAA President Aogán Ó Fearghaíl, former Gaelic footballer Mick O'Connell and minister for sport Shane Ross and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin also paid their respects.

Magee, known as the 'Memory Man' for his remarkable breadth of sporting knowledge, passed away on Wednesday aged 82.

One of the world's longest-serving broadcasters, he was behind the microphone for many of the greatest days in Irish and international sport, working at 11 Olympic Games and 12 World Cups.

An emotional Fr D'Arcy said "no-one could sum up the life and times of the legendary Jimmy Magee".

"The 'Memory Man' is dead, but what memories he left and his memory will live forever," he said.

"It's as if an era died with him, all the sport and entertainment memories.

"The voice of Jimmy Magee is silent now, we'll never hear those quirky turns of phrase... but we'll never forget Jimmy."

Among the gifts brought to the altar to symbolise Magee's life was a broadcasting award, boxing gloves and a replica of an Olympic torch given to him by the International Olympic Committee to acknowledge his contribution to sport.

Fr D'Arcy said Magee was a "sport and entertainment genius, but he was also a man of faith".

"He was decency, he was fun... every meeting with him was a Eucharist," he said.

"He became the voice of the most historic events of Ireland and the world for the majority of Irish people."