Tributes to former RTÈ athletics commentator Tony O'Donoghue

The Dublin man commentated on athletics for 40 years covering some of the greatest Irish sporting moments.

Mon, 27 Feb, 2023 - 12:41

Fiona Halligan

Tributes have been paid to former RTÉ athletics commentator Tony O'Donoghue who has passed away at the age of 86.

From the Munich Olympics in 1972 to the London Games in 2012, the Dubliner covered the action from the world of athletics for over 40 years and was the voice of some of the greatest Irish sporting moments.

The most famous of these sporting moments was Eamon Coughlan's World Championships 5,000m Gold in 1983 as O'Donoghue declared: "Eamonn Coghlan is going to do what he has been threatening to do all his life."

Here is the commentary @LiamHennessy6 .

Great when a commentator’s finest moment coincides with an athlete’s finest moment. https://t.co/kAkibOgOb5 pic.twitter.com/awGGQDod05
— Jeremy Lyons (@Jeremy_P_Lyons) February 27, 2023

A distinguished athlete himself, O'Donoghue was one of the home representatives in Santry in 1958 in the famed Golden Mile race, when history was made when five men - Murray Halberg, Ronnie Delany, Albie Thomas, Herb Elliott and Merv Lincoln - ran sub four minutes in the same race.

He moved into administration and served on the first committee of Bord Lùthcleas na hÈireann, now Athletics Ireland, in 1967.

A brilliant statistician on athletics, O'Donoghue released a book in 2005 - Irish Championship Athletics 1873-1914 which was launched by Olympic Champion Ronnie Delany.

O'Donoghue was also a member of the Association of Track and Field statisticians. He was involved in the production of their ATFS annual, considered the stats bible in athletics.

Liam Hennessy made the announcement of Tony's passing. "Sad to report the passing of Tony O'Donoghue distinguished statistician and chronicler of our sport's history. For many years Tony was an RTÉ commentator and called Eamonn Coghlan's historic world 5000 metres from Helsinki 1983," he wrote.

Many tributes have been paid to the former commentator.

Greg Allen remembered his colleague with a tribute: "Tony O’Donoghue (RIP) was a colleague I looked up to & my thoughts are with his family. He was so much more than a fine athletics commentator - a historian & statistician who backed his commentaries with painstaking deep ‘pre-internet’ research. And this was his finest moment….."

George Hamilton's tribute to his friend: "A genial colleague, a true gentleman who wore his sporting and historical knowledge lightly, and above all else, the most wonderful friend. So sorry for his treasured family."

Also paying tribute Des Cahill: "Really sad news. I loved Tony as a commentator, and he was great company. May he rest in peace."