***Please note – TX times are provisional until the final schedules are issued on Tuesday 3 December***
How do you create a portrait of a man who for 93 years never stopped, getting the most he could out of every day. Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh was the voice of the nation, the king of commentators, who travelled the world promoting the game he loved. But he was also a family man who took his 8 kids and his loving wife Helena along for the rollercoaster ride that was his life.
One of Micheál’s great mantras was “Dúíseacht le dúthracht le breacadh an lae”. Get up and get out there and make the most of every day, and he did. He didn’t believe in tiredness, never said no to any requests, was on more boards than days of the month, and made his work seem like a hobby. He was that rare thing – a constant presence in Irish life for decades who never wore out his welcome. In fact, he got more popular the older he got.
In all of his 93 years he never forgot where he was from. Dún Síon made him what he was and every night in his dreams he went home to his Kerry home, savouring and promoting the very same thing that the organisation he loved professed; that home and community was the most important thing, and that we should share that philosophy with the world. In a special tribute to the man, Cloch Le Carn – Micheál will give us a portrait of the man with the help of his family and his friends. One of the questions the contributors who feature were asked was, if they were to add a description to the title, something that encapsulated the man, what would it be? Their answers are wonderful and varied, and still only touch on the many ways that made Micheál so important to us all.
Featuring members of the Ó Muircheartaigh family, GAA legends Eddie Keher, Mick O’Connell, Cora Staunton, Kieran Donaghy and Eoin Liston, former president Mary McAleese, and many more.
Conas a chuirfeá síos ar fhear a bhain súp as gach uile lá dá shaol? B’é Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh guth na tíre seo, rí na dtráchtairí, a thaistil fud fad na cruinne ag cur na cluichí ab ansa leis chun cinn. Ach fear mór clainne ab ea é leis, ina chrann taca aige i gcónaí bhí searc a chléibh, Helena, agus ochtar clainne. Bhí meon simplí dearfach aige, “Dúiseacht le dúthracht le breacadh an lae.” Dúisigh, éirigh, agus bain tairbhe as gach lá agus tú i do bheathaigh, agus b’shin a dhein sé. Ní raibh riamh leisce air, níor dhiúltaigh sé iarratas ar bith, bhí sé mar bhall de scata coistí, agus dhein sé beag dá ualach oibre. Duine ar leith ab ea é, é mar chuid de shaol na tíre ar feadh na mblianta agus gean na nGael air ag meadú ó bhliain go bliain.
Le linn an 93 bliain sin, níor thréig sé riamh a áit dhúchais. Bhí Dún Síon ina chroí go smior, is ann a d’fhillfeadh sé gach oíche ina bhrionglóidí, Bhí an baile agus pobal na háite sin ina gcéadchloch ar a phaidrín , luachanna a bhí mar chuid lárnach don CLG leis, agus bhí an fhealsúnacht céanna a scaipeadh aige de shíor.
In ómós don bhfear speisialta seo, tugann Cláracha Gaeilge RTÉ léargas ar leith dúinn faoi Mhichíl, le cúnamh óna chlann agus a chairde. Ceann des na ceisteanna a chuireamar ar rannpháirtithe an chláir ná; “Dá gcaithfeá teacht aníos le frása nó focail a chuirfeadh síos ar Mhicheál, cad a d’usáidfeá? Bhí na moltaí ilchnuasach, lúcháireach agus nótálta, nár thug ach blaiseadh beag bídeach den chion a bhí againne go léir ar ghaiscíoch na haerthonnta.
Sa chlár speisialta seo cloisfimíd ó Mhuintir Uí Mhuircheartaigh i dteannta na laochra CLG Eddie Keher, Mick O’Connell, Cora Staunton, Kieran Donaghy agus Eoin Liston, chomh maith le hIar-Uachtarán na hÉireann Mary McAleese.
