AFTER FOUR DECADES as the self-proclaimed “facilitator” on RTÉ’s football panel, legendary broadcaster Bill O’Herlihy signs off with one final “we’ll leave it there so” tonight.
The 75-year-old Cork native is set to retire after this evening’s World Cup final — calling time on a career which has spanned over eleven World Cups, ten European Championships and countless other historic sporting occasions.
The funny thing is, he never wanted to get into television in the first place.
As a highly-ambitious print journalist, O’Herlihy’s goal was to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, who had been news editor, by becoming editor of The Cork Examiner (nowadays The Irish Examiner).
In 1965, however, RTÉ’s Frank Hall was making a programme to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania and asked Bill to interview one of the survivors.
“It took me three days for them to persuade me to do that interview,” O’Herlihy explains. “These days you get about three seconds to make up your mind.
I eventually said I’d do it provided they didn’t use it if it was bad. I thought it was a terrible interview but Frank must have seen something that I didn’t see.
“Eventually I was offered a one-year contract from RTÉ and my poor mother was saying: ‘How could you leave a permanent job in The Examiner for a one-year job. But I wanted to see if I was good enough.”
It was a time of great change at the national broadcaster and O’Herlihy was involved in the development of Newsbeat, which covered stories around rural Ireland. From there, he moved on to current affairs before ending up in the sports department.
“It was a very sleepy place back then,” he says. “You knew what you were going to do in September or October because there were very limited opportunities. But that was to change. We got the Premiership, the Champions League, a great amount of rugby and the whole landscape changed.
“I was very lucky to part-and-parcel of the whole development of three different departments in RTÉ. I had a great time and learned an awful lot working with great people.”
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In the late ’70s, Dunphy, a moderate footballer who had decided to turn his hand to journalism, joined Bill as a football analyst and a few years later persuaded his friend and former Ireland manager John Giles to follow him. Ex-Arsenal and Ireland midfield general Liam Brady would later come on board in 1996.
Love them of loathe them, people have been tuning in to hear the views of the ‘three stooges’ ever since, whose style is often seen as being more openly-opinionated than some watered-down pundits on BBC or Sky Sports.
O’Herlihy has covered some truly great moments in Irish sport down through the years, but what are his personal stand-outs?
“The obvious one is the penalty shootout between Ireland and Romania in the 1990 World Cup. Then there was Sonia O’Sullivan in the 5,000m final against Gabriela Szabo at the Sydney Olympics.”
Watch the panel’s reaction to Ireland’s qualification to the quarter-finals at Italia ’90:
The likeable Darragh Maloney has already been confirmed as O’Herlihy’s long-term replacement. And while it will take time for the young pretender to fully settle alongside the trio, he has a bright future according to Bill.
“Darragh is the most comprehensively talented broadcaster in the sports department,” he says. “I think the choice is terrific. There will be a culture change, he will have to get used to working with the lads.
“I’ve been working with them since 1978 and even before that with Eamon. The dynamics will change a bit but he is very good. He’s a much better presenter than I am and he will get used to how to gauge the mood of the lads and all that kind of stuff.
My great heroes were Gay Byrne and Michael Parkinson because they listened to what people were saying and picked up on that. They didn’t have their own agenda, which an awful lot of anchors have.
“They taught me how to listen and Darragh’s the same. He will be much better than me in due course. They’ll be saying ‘Bill who…?’.
He admits considering retirement last year but saw the World Cup final as the perfect way to “go out at the top”. So when all is said and done after Argentina’s meeting with Germany at Rio’s Maracanã, O’Herlihy will say a few words, but insists he doesn’t want to make a song and dance about his departure.
“All I want to say is thank you to the three lads and to the audience. In many respects, my talent is a very limited talent and I’ve piggy-backed on the abilities of the three fellas for years and years.
“It’s very important to them that I know my place. And my place is not to be a football expert. My place is to be a journalist and ask the appropriate questions.
“We all know our own places and my place is to make sure that I know what I’m talking about in terms of the essence of a particular match. Not necessarily in terms of the great tactical nuances of the game but the overall, important elements in it. And that’s how we have worked it.
I just want to say thank to them because whatever I am, they’ve made me.”
A two-week holiday with his wife Hilary in their house in Spain is planned before he returns to continuing running his successful public relations company. It might be the end of his days with the sports department, but at 75, he isn’t closing the door on other TV work in the future.
“I couldn’t imagine myself doing nothing and my wife Hilary would be much more annoyed if I was hanging around the house,”he laughs.
“I’d be interested in doing a chat show. I’ve given this up because if I wanted another contract, which I could have had, it’d be another two years as there is nothing really happening next summer and the summer after that is the Olympics and the Euros.
“I’d be coming in with a zimmer frame and would start losing names so I said time is up. The worst thing you can ever do is to go beyond your sell-by date and mine is now.
“An interview programme would be a different proposition.”
As a thirty something, I don’t remember watching Republic of Ireland on telly without him being there. All the best Bill.
If history repeats itself we will be looking at Daragh Maloney for another thirty years and Kenny Cunningham, Richie Sadlier and Didi Hamman growing ancient beside him !
“There’s no good weisbeer in Dublin !” moaned Didi and Kenny Cunningham blamed the defence !… World Cup 2030
Just watched the end of Mr.O’Herlihy’s World Cup coverage ;
If ever a man had to get down on his knees and extend a grovelling apology for shooting his fingers off then it is me !
Mr. o’Herlihy ;
YOU ARE WERE, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A LEGEND WITH A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN THE IRISHMAN’S HEART !
THANK YOU !
It won’t be the same without Bill, nobody stirs the 3 amigos better
The end of an era, thanks & best of luck in the future.
No harm he is going, a biased and mediocre presenter……….
Only ever biased when man utd were playing.
an excellent presenter.
Wish him all the best.
Ciaran he’s actually an Arsenal fan according to his interview the other day So take your BS somewhere else
Well you learn new something everyday.
A legend, thanks Bill.
He’s a lobbyist for the tobacco industry.
So
He’ll do anything for money.
I heard he was an undercover operative for the CIA
In business most people will do anything for money
Looks like Bill’s PR flunkies are working overtime in the comments section!
Mike, you’re a fcukin nut job!
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/bill-o-herlihy-defends-role-as-lobbyist-for-tobacco-industry-1.1828430
He’s also rumored to have dated Thelma Mansfield and Anne Doyle at the same time
And you’re a foul mouthed buffoon.
Fancy a pint, Mike?
Assume it’ll be on Bill, Mark? No thanks.
In fairness bill did an excellent job and he has a point to get out while he can still remember names unlike gay byrne who has exceeded his sell by date by at least 10 years.
Hopefully he actually retires and enjoys his retirement unlike Super Gaybo who’s still churning out rubbish. Memories with Gaybo, Laugh with Gaybo, Cooking with Gaybo…
Even Dying with Gaybo !!
That’s RTE giving him ANOTHER dig out; for such a patronising human being who thinks he’s God’s gift to Ireland, Gay Byrne can’t seem to keep onto his money and whenever he blows his fortune on property, RTE is called up to give him a taxpayer-funded lifeboat. They even made him head of the RSA (more taxpayer’s money) and the thick still blew his money on property. I’m sure Bill O’ Herlihy has more respect for himself that that greedy blowhard.
That’s cos gaybo lost all his money in Anglo shares he’s broke and has to work
A living legend and a true gentleman…Thanks.
The panel will never be the same without him. Watching him stoking the flames, and watching the others bite was pure gold. You’ll be missed Bill
All the best bill. What a great career of 40 years plus. Alot of great memories. Sure look at gay byrne still going. So bigger and better things to come bill.
Gay byrne is still patronising hisbway around the Irish media scene because he hasn’t a shilling (he sold the big house in Howth), it’s not because he wants to.
That won’t happen to Billo as he has the family in the PR company he set up
Larry – he’s a cigarette lobbyist isn’t he?
Thanks for the memories Bill. Yourself and the three lads were miles ahead of the fence sitting bland BBC and SKY analysis. Oakey doke, we’ll leave it there so…
Genuinely the end of an era – Bill knows it’s time to go, he’s had a good innings and everyone will wish him well.
What a man, just wont be the same without him absolute legend. He looks well for a 75 year old. All the best bill
Great profile pic Conor….
Been an pleasure to watch happy retirement
The difference between him and that chiles muppet on UTV cannot be quantified.
Best of luck bill, you are leaving a very big pair of shoes to fill.
#lovebill
Wonder will Garth Brooks surprise him with a Harley……
The funniest thing about the world cup was the “news” that Joe Duffy and Derek Mooney are in Eamos dressing room …Apres Match last night ;- Classic !
I don’t want you to GO BILL!!!
An absolute legend and a perfect foil for Giles, Dunphy and the likes. He knows how to get the most of the guys and stir it up when required.
He looks great for 75, I would have guessed mid 60s. Have a long and happy retirement Billllllllllllll.
RTE never give youth a chance Bill O Herily John Giles Gay Byrne Larry Googan Marian Finucane all auld dinosaurs on big fat wages
Larry Googan?
With all due respect, Darragh is already better than you, Bill.
The match analyse has been stale and dated by around 2002 World Cup at best.
For a couple of years since then it’s only asset was comedy value, which is now gone
Glad he is retiring but you can sure as hell bet his production company will still be supplying rtes football production
rte and it’s jobs for life and beyond -75? Really shows what this country is like stale and afraid of change
The man is a multi millionaire and he has about four other jobs. Dont forget its us the mug licence payer who pays for this greedy gombeen.
How is he greedy?
Be more in your line to get a job Denise instead of moaning about people that work hard for a living…tulip..
I think she has appoint ; this job in R.T.E.. has nothing to detract from his money making ability in his private capacity . Had he retired when all other civil servants did then he wouldn’t be open to this criticism !
Having said that I wish him all the best on his retirement … he could have had a longer one if he had considered 65 the age to retire as most others do ; either way have a good retirement Mr. O’Herlihy ; you deserve it !
A useless presenter, but my god I’ll miss him!!
Great love for bill.. Bring in Eoin Mc Devitt.. Knowing rte that is out of the question because he came from newstalk.. Sad though isn’t it ?
The likeable Darragh Maloney?? I must be missing something, sure Bill knows nothing about football and yea it is time for him to go into the sunset but Maloney is just not capable of filling that seat, it is very clear Darragh has little interest in football and his views are all over the place, wrong man.
End of an era. We’ll miss you Bill. We’ll leave it there so.
Goodbye and good luck to ‘Buffaloon’ Bill.
Spoofer.. Pity tho there is no one better to replace him!
About time, hopefully he will take dunphy giles and brasy with, totally outdated view on the game
Bill is a rte legend, best presenter going, if he knew everything about football it wouldn’t be any good, he knows quite well he doesnt know everything, that’s why there’s eamon liam and john to help him, it’s not the bill o herily show.
I know I’ll probably get red thumbs for this. The indo yesterday had an article about him that resembled a job application form. I read the paper to look at news, not read someone’s cv. Apparently he’s available for work so if anyone can help see yesterday’s indo for details. Pity we don’t all get front page coverage when we need work.
The ultimate professional. Best of luck Bill.
I wonder if he’ll find time to watch a live game, in person, at the stadium, now.
An bill please stay until you are eighty or so …we’ll get another world cup out of you !
Dareagh Maloney is an insufferable non entity…billo was the man
The coverage won’t be the same without him,hard to replace.
Glad he is going another overpaid idiot who will get a huge payoff thanks to the taxpayers his cork brogue was so annoying,it was always a moan fest he was always interrupting throwing his irrelevant points in ,Giles is the only one who makes sense,Dunphy just says things to be controversial no real knowledge of the modern game ,Peter Collins is a good presenter professional and able to break rank when needed
A legend!! You will be missed Bill!! Well. Played!
Great man, despite his FG connections. RTÉ football coverage is by far the best thing on Irish tv. Hope he gets a chat show.. he actually has a likeable personality unlike Miriam O’Callaghan and Tubridy.
Oh no another funeral without a corpse!! End of an era!!
The best there’s ever been in my book. Good luck Bill.
Hope he enjoys his retirement, and stays off the telly, any chance he could take the three other old men with him, so boring to look and listen too. Let’s have some new fresh, younger and better looking men to look at, but then again that’s not going to be hard.
Thank god
Great career and gentleman. If only gay Byrne would follow suit!!