Veteran sports presenter Bill O’Herlihy has been praised as a "national treasure" in the wake of his sudden death at the age of 76.
The Cork native, who anchored his final World Cup for RTÉ before retiring last summer, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his Dublin home yesterday.
Hours before his death, Mr O’Herlihy, who had survived a heart attack in 1984 and colon cancer in 2007, had attended the 2015 IFTA Awards at Dublin’s Mansion House.
President Michael D Higgins led tributes, saying that his "rapport" with sports fans had been "legendary" while Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he had been a "national treasure" and "consummate professional" who had "loved his work and his family, and never forgot his Cork roots, or lost his Cork accent."
Mr O’Herlihy began his journalism career as a teenager working for the Evening Echo in Cork, before joining RTÉ. He worked on the current affairs programme, 7 Days, but was transferred to the sports department after a controversy over a TV piece on illegal money lending.
The move proved to be fortuitous with Mr O’Herlihy making his mark presenting for programmes like Sunday Sport and Sports Stadium, and covering major events like the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cups and the UEFA European Football Championships. In total, he covered 10 World Cups and 10 Olympic Games.
His legendary partnership with sports pundit Eamon Dunphy began in 1978, with John Giles joining the panel in 1984, followed by Liam Brady in 1998.
Mr Dunphy said his friend had been a "fantastic broadcaster and a decent man" who had been "great fun" and had made a "massive contribution to the happiness and understanding that people derived from sport."
John Giles said the broadcaster had allowed the soccer panellists to "piggy-back on his talent" as a presenter whose journalistic background had allowed him to "broaden the conversations brilliantly."
RTÉ director general Noel Curran said the late presenter’s former colleagues had been left "devastated" by news of his passing, describing him as a "giant of the sporting and broadcasting worlds" in Ireland.
"He never hid his emotions on those big [sporting] occasions, from disappointment to utter joy, and for this he was greatly loved. But he was also a fantastic broadcaster and interviewer, getting the very best out of his interview panels and provoking debate and insight, and for this he was also hugely admired," Mr Curran said.
FAI boss John Delaney said the presenter would be honoured by the football body, adding: "A true national treasure, he was a fantastic journalist and interviewer, who made a unique contribution to Irish sports journalism."
Mr O’Herhily also became a force in public relations after founding the O'Herlihy Communications Group in 1973, merging with Insight Communications in March this year.
In a statement, the firm described the Cork man as "one of the leading voices in the Irish public relations industry."
A life-long Fine Gael supporter, Mr O’Herlihy acted as one of the late taoiseach Garret FitzGerald’s media ‘handlers’ during the 1980s.
Former Fine Gael strategist Frank Flannery described his long-time friend and collaborator as an "an indomitable, proud Cork man" and "one of the true loves of my life."
"He was absolutely a product of his county. He was just a wonderful, wonderful person to know. It was a great privilege of mine…I really loved that man," Mr Flannery said.
As chairman of the Irish Film Board, Mr O’Herlihy had also worked tirelessly to promote the industry.
IFB chief James Hickey said: "He was wonderful company to be with and was always full of good humour and kindness with everyone he met. We will all miss him greatly."
Mr O’Herlihy is survived by his Hillary, the couple’s daughters Jill and Sally, and their grandchildren.
