Micheál O'Hehir (1920-1996), Irish sports commentator and journalist
Micheál O'Hehir was born in Dublin in 1920. He was educated locally and began to broadcast commentaries on GAA matches as a schoolboy of 18. He abandoned his engineering studies at University College Dublin after one year to become a full-time sports commentator. In 1944 he became a sports journalist for Independent Newspapers, while continuing to broadcast commentaries for Radio Éireann and the BBC.
In 1961 Teilifís Éireann was founded and O'Hehir was appointed head of sports programmes. O'Hehir was not confined to sports commentaries: he covered the visit of Prsident John F. Kennedy to Ireland and his subsequent funeral in 1963, the funeral of Roger Casement in 1965 and the celebrations marking the 50th Anniversary of the Easter Rising in 1966. His radio broadcasts on GAA matches during the 40's and 50's were eagerly listened to all over the country. In 1962 he transferred to television broadcasting.
O'Hehir retired from broadcasting in 1984 due to illness. The following year he suffered a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair.
Micheál O'Hehir died on 24 November 1996 in Dublin.
