The Commentator: Poem sums up life of Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh

[Tony Sweeney]

The Commentator:     Poem sums up life of Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh
Readers have been paying tribute to Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

The Commentator

by James McKeon


No common man called to the stand, You gave evidence to a jury of
thousands; Speaking into life the space before you.
In teacher’s tongue you held your classroom. Though this was no
principal’s scolding, or lecture on tradition.
No judgement passed your lips; Only perception of skill and grit.
In eloquent vocabulary, bursting open the door to vitality.
You gave men capacity to dream; perhaps we can, perhaps we can, thought
many a man sat in the Hogan, radio in hand.
The game was a story, spoken not to bore thee.
Parishes, placenames and mothers' professions, all took their place
within white lines, as you drew from outside them.
A lone angler out on the peninsula.
You pulled images from rough ocean while all around you, shoals and
their prey danced the fox trot.
Twisting and turning, you caught every slide, every jibe. And with a mic
in your hand, they all moved faster, knowing the hunt would end.
The hunt has ended, your catch hanging forever proudly on the wall.
Reason to smile, even at bad news

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Thank you to the Examiner for its lovely montage of some great lines and
phrases of the late Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh from his GAA commentaries.
I especially enjoyed the picture of the Egyptian kiosk-holder in New
York clarifying if Mícheál wanted the North or South edition of The
Kerryman.
Irish Examiner