Micheál

[5 Sams]

Jebus the recession is worse than I though. People now hate the Simpsons and even Micheál.

Just wondering what commentator the non-believers above are partial to?

One trick pony? Would that trick be an unmatchable encylopediac knowledge of the Gaa players, their clubs and their various histories?

You should try and listen to some of the buffoons that are on local radio stations all over the country .

Dear god has anyone ever listened to that Clampet on Highland radio... Michael McGee I think he's called and he's absolutely awful!

I'll see your Michael McGee and raise you 5 FM's Damien McCullough......sweet jesus

[RedandGreenSniper]

Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh and Micheál Ó hEithir are great commentators for the very reason that the Moysider correctly identifies Jimmy Magee as a great commentator. The are excellent are bringing the real joy of the games down the wire and into the living room. Sounding "just entertaining" is harder than it sounds.

Moysider, in fairness to him, at least identifies whom he thinks is good, and he's quite right about Seán Bán. I heard Seán Bán on the Portumna game for a while it and it reminded me again of just how super he is. He'll be sixty years broadcasting come next month. Astonishing to think about.

I'm really looking forward to Maguire, Canalman and Red and Green Sniper's nominations of whom they consider a better commentator than Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh. Let's be having you boys.

Not saying he's awful Iolar. Actually he can be very good on occasion, I don't doubt that. Just think he's caught up with his own hype a bit too much. He, as some posters say, is a bit hard to take on his public appearances outside of commentary and its as if there's a feeling that no GAA occasion.programme etc is complete without an obligetory appearance from Micheal.

Also when he is commentating it can tend to be all about Micheal and he sidelines his analysts way too much. Say what you like about Ger or Marty, they are well able to bring the analysts into the commentary, which is something I feel is very important for getting an insight into how a game is going, especially on radio. The 'as gaeilge' annoys me too because I don't understand it, as I'm sure is the case with 80% of the audience. If someone wants Irish commentary, surely RnaG can fulfill that need.

As I said initially he has come out with some great gems but I don't find his reports insightful, they rely more on entertainment and anecdotes which are all good and well but I don't agree with posters saying he makes you feel you are at the match, if anything I think the match is often just a background for Micheal to steal the show, thats just my opinion.

As for who is better? Well Ger and Marty obviously have plenty of flaws and I'm not suggesting they're better. Darragh Maloney is good though while Mayo's own Mike Finnerty of Mid West Radio/Setanta/TV3 is good too. There's not a whole pile of top class commentators around, but that doesn't mean we have to bow at the feet of Micheal either. He does seem to be above reproach.

[Maguire01]

I'm really looking forward to Maguire, Canalman and Red and Green Sniper's nominations of whom they consider a better commentator than Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh. Let's be having you boys.

If commentators are good, i generally don't notice them - and that's the way it should be. Good commentators should not be the stars of the show - they should just do what they do well.

[IolarCoisCuain]

If commentators are good, i generally don't notice them - and that's the way it should be. Good commentators should not be the stars of the show - they should just do what they do well.

And that's fair enough if that's how you judge them Maguire. Everyone is entitled to individual taste.

So come on now and name one of these good commentators who are not the stars of the show and do what they do well. Imagine you'd taken over from Ryle Nugent as Head of Sport, RTÉ, and could pick whatever commentator you like when Micheál does finally hang up the mic, which can't be that far away now.

Not saying he's awful Iolar. Actually he can be very good on occasion, I don't doubt that. Just think he's caught up with his own hype a bit too much. He, as some posters say, is a bit hard to take on his public appearances outside of commentary and its as if there's a feeling that no GAA occasion.programme etc is complete without an obligetory appearance from Micheal.

A little unfair to judge him as a commentator on what he does outside commentary Sniper, don't you think? You hardly hold George Hamilton's show on Lyric FM on Saturday morning's against Georgie, even though it's rotten?

Also when he is commentating it can tend to be all about Micheal and he sidelines his analysts way too much. Say what you like about Ger or Marty, they are well able to bring the analysts into the commentary, which is something I feel is very important for getting an insight into how a game is going, especially on radio. The 'as gaeilge' annoys me too because I don't understand it, as I'm sure is the case with 80% of the audience. If someone wants Irish commentary, surely RnaG can fulfill that need.

I think Micheál works quite well with Luke Dempsey actually, in fairness to him. As for the Gaeilge, I find one minute - if even that - of Irish less irksome than an interruption of ten minutes of Gabriel Irwin reporting from a 0-0 game at Turner's Cross, but maybe that's a question of personal taste.

As I said initially he has come out with some great gems but I don't find his reports insightful, they rely more on entertainment and anecdotes which are all good and well but I don't agree with posters saying he makes you feel you are at the match, if anything I think the match is often just a background for Micheal to steal the show, thats just my opinion.

I'd make a distinction between a match commentary and a match report Sniper. A commentator's job is to make listening to the radio exciting, or interesting, or informative. The post-match analysis is just that - post-match, rather than in the white heat of battle.

As for who is better? Well Ger and Marty obviously have plenty of flaws and I'm not suggesting they're better. Darragh Maloney is good though while Mayo's own Mike Finnerty of Mid West Radio/Setanta/TV3 is good too. There's not a whole pile of top class commentators around, but that doesn't mean we have to bow at the feet of Micheal either. He does seem to be above reproach.

And we agree on Maloney and Mike Finnerty Sniper. There's a guy on Setanta who works with Carlow/Kilkenny radio as well, and he's very good too. Can't remember his name - it's exotic though, Henriques or something like that.

I'm not related to Michaél, nor have I ever met him. But I do think he's a unique and special talent and I'm fully aware that listening to games  on RTÉ Radio will deteriorate considerably once Michaél retires, based on what we see now. So I think he should be celebrated while he's here, and not be subjected to some fairly petty pot-shots, if you don't mind me saying.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Not saying he's awful Iolar. Actually he can be very good on occasion, I don't doubt that. Just think he's caught up with his own hype a bit too much. He, as some posters say, is a bit hard to take on his public appearances outside of commentary and its as if there's a feeling that no GAA occasion.programme etc is complete without an obligetory appearance from Micheal.

A little unfair to judge him as a commentator on what he does outside commentary Sniper, don't you think? You hardly hold George Hamilton's show on Lyric FM on Saturday morning's against Georgie, even though it's rotten?

Well the thread is discussing him generally, not specifically as a commentator so I think its fair to comment in this regard. I just don't find him entertaining in that type of realm and his 'tales' tend to be ones I've heard several times before. Have never heard Georgie on Lyric FM so I'll have to tune in for curiousity!

Also when he is commentating it can tend to be all about Micheal and he sidelines his analysts way too much. Say what you like about Ger or Marty, they are well able to bring the analysts into the commentary, which is something I feel is very important for getting an insight into how a game is going, especially on radio. The 'as gaeilge' annoys me too because I don't understand it, as I'm sure is the case with 80% of the audience. If someone wants Irish commentary, surely RnaG can fulfill that need.

I think Micheál works quite well with Luke Dempsey actually, in fairness to him. As for the Gaeilge, I find one minute - if even that - of Irish less irksome than an interruption of ten minutes of Gabriel Irwin reporting from a 0-0 game at Turner's Cross, but maybe that's a question of personal taste.

Well I've heard him with Luke a few times and Luke does struggle to get a word in, in my opinion. John Maughan and Tommy Carr even more so. I'd agree with you about long updates about dull soccer games but thats a wider issue for RTE Radio. Two wrongs don't make a right and I feel Irish commentary on our main radio station on a Sunday immediately leaves around 80% of the listeners clueless. I think you have to be pragmatic in this regard.

As I said initially he has come out with some great gems but I don't find his reports insightful, they rely more on entertainment and anecdotes which are all good and well but I don't agree with posters saying he makes you feel you are at the match, if anything I think the match is often just a background for Micheal to steal the show, thats just my opinion.

I'd make a distinction between a match commentary and a match report Sniper. A commentator's job is to make listening to the radio exciting, or interesting, or informative. The post-match analysis is just that - post-match, rather than in the white heat of battle.

My mistake, I meant to say commentaries rather than reports. His live commentaries I don't feel transport you to the game the way some people suggest. I would argue that Mid West are better in this regard, believe it or  not. Certainly if I'm not at a Mayo game and its being covered by both Mid West and Radio 1 (whether it be Micheal, Carthy or whoever), I'll listen to Mid West.

As for who is better? Well Ger and Marty obviously have plenty of flaws and I'm not suggesting they're better. Darragh Maloney is good though while Mayo's own Mike Finnerty of Mid West Radio/Setanta/TV3 is good too. There's not a whole pile of top class commentators around, but that doesn't mean we have to bow at the feet of Micheal either. He does seem to be above reproach.

And we agree on Maloney and Mike Finnerty Sniper. There's a guy on Setanta who works with Carlow/Kilkenny radio as well, and he's very good too. Can't remember his name - it's exotic though, Henriques or something like that.

I'm not related to Michaél, nor have I ever met him. But I do think he's a unique and special talent and I'm fully aware that listening to games  on RTÉ Radio will deteriorate considerably once Michaél retires, based on what we see now. So I think he should be celebrated while he's here, and not be subjected to some fairly petty pot-shots, if you don't mind me saying.

Again Iolar, I've never said he's poor. I've just pointed out some things that I find irksome about his commentary. I wouldn't call them petty at all. You are entitled to your views on the man as am I. There will be a void when he goes because there is a dearth of quality commentators. But that's not to say that he is above reproach either, he has plenty of flaws, as do we all. He is and should be subject to due criticism, like everyone else.

[cornafean]

On the subject of commentators, it was nice (if terribly sad) to hear a clip of an old rugby commentary by the late Tom Rooney on yesterday's Morning Ireland. I always liked Tom's GAA commentaries and but for his untimely illness and passing, he would surely have been the natural successor to Micheal.  Ar lamh dheis Dé go raibh sé.

[Owenmoresider]

Speaking of idiot commentators on local radio there is no bigger spa that Kevin Blessing on Ocean FM. I know where I'd put the white flag up if I was near him....

Oh dear God yes. An absolute tool and painful to listen to. Brash mouthy types shouldn't be let near such positions, and being somewhat impartial can help too. Tommy Clarke for our side of things is better, not hard that, but still not near the standard of Finnerty or co. Was listening to the Leitrim game with Carlow a few weeks back with Blessing at the mike, was travelling and as soon as there was a half-decent reception for Shannonside it was turned over, way easier to listen to. Of course, not all Shannonside commentaries are that way....

Also when he is commentating it can tend to be all about Micheal and he sidelines his analysts way too much. Say what you like about Ger or Marty, they are well able to bring the analysts into the commentary, which is something I feel is very important for getting an insight into how a game is going, especially on radio. The 'as gaeilge' annoys me too because I don't understand it, as I'm sure is the case with 80% of the audience. If someone wants Irish commentary, surely RnaG can fulfill that need.

As for who is better? Well Ger and Marty obviously have plenty of flaws and I'm not suggesting they're better. Darragh Maloney is good though while Mayo's own Mike Finnerty of Mid West Radio/Setanta/TV3 is good too. There's not a whole pile of top class commentators around, but that doesn't mean we have to bow at the feet of Micheal either. He does seem to be above reproach.

Agree re Finnerty, very good commentator. Do enjoy Michéal, perhaps he's made up to be more than he is, but when you consider the RTÉ R1 alternative is Brian "a free, a free for Roscommon" Carthy, you do tend to appreciate him a little more.

On the analysts, it is good to let them in with their views now and again, so long as they realise they are the support, and not the commentary - Kevin McStay is a hoor for this, regularly cutting in when big/vital scores are on thier way, or when the Connacht final of 2007 ended for example. He must have felt dirty trying to be happy for us though.

[Canalman]

On the wireless I don't mind Carthy....... as posted by me earlier I'm not a fan of MÓM......gets in the way of the match itself imo.

Daragh Moloney imo is a top tv commentator.....so good you barely notice him. The best on the box though is Briain Tyers (I think) of TG4......very very good. Finnerty on Setanta is also good.

Canning,Morrissey are both pretty poor.

[Rossfan]

as soon as there was a half-decent reception for Shannonside it was turned over, way easier to listen to. Of course, not all Shannonside commentaries are that way....

[

There's only one Willie Hegarty !!!!!!!!
"He's sticking to him like chewing gum to the sole of your shoe"
" It's full duck or no dinner now....will he cook the duck...?"

[corcaioch]

Just watched it..and must say I really enjoyed it. Some gem quotes in there too, like the Charlie Carter one previously mentioned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95WqhzXfSvA

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

[corcaioch]

I assumed that it was about Mícheál Ó hEithir...... a real class act.

As for the other fella, I just can't stand him. A real overrated one trick pony........ only really liked imo by people with a passing interest in the game.
Would personally have greater time for the humblest Under 10 team mentor than a paid presenter who has somehow managed to garner this "mythical " status as a poster boy for a great organization.

Rant over.

Mícheál Ó hEithir is on there too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5WEF5b8Pj0