Over the years, many factors have defined an Irish summer. Yet, from 1984 to 2018, there was perhaps no sign of summer more ubiquitous in Irish households than the iconic theme tune of RTÉ’s Sunday Game, followed by the equally distinct voice of Michael Lyster. After news had broken of Lyster’s unfortunate passing at the age of 71 on March 21st,t there followed an outpouring of grief befitting the high esteem in which the late presenter was held.
Michael Lyster was born in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, on April 11th 1954. His father was a member of An Garda Síochána and was transferred to Barnaderg in Galway when Michael was just four years old. It is here that the Lyster family would settle, and Michael would spend his youth. He attended St. Jarlath’s College in Tuam. In Tuam, Michael took his first foray into the world of journalism, beginning his career writing for the Tuam Herald newspaper. In 1979, Lyster began working with the national broadcaster as part of RTÉ Radio 2’s sports team. He began his career in RTÉ as a newsreader; however, his flair for sports journalism was soon noticed, and Lyster was given a stint as presenter of the RTÉ television magazine show Saturday Sport.
In 1984, upon the retirement of a fellow Galway journalist, Jim Carney, Michael Lyster was selected as the presenter of RTÉ’s flagship sports programme, The Sunday Game. This placed Lyster at the heart of Gaelic Games coverage and cemented his position as one of Ireland’s most respected sports journalists.
Throughout the years, Lyster would be given the unenviable task of managing big personalities such as the strongly opinionated Joe Brolly and Pat Spillane. Yet Lyster always performed his duties with an unmistakable degree of charm, fairness and elegance. In the midst of heated debate and hotly contested points, Lyster remained a neutral arbitrator and facilitator of an engaging and informative discussion.
Outside of his work on the Gaelic Games, Lyster would further solidify his role as a legendary figure of Irish sports broadcasting through his coverage of the Olympic Games. By 201,8, due to persistent health issues, Lyster stepped down as host of The Sunday Game and handed the reins over to current host Jacqui Hurley.
Following news of his death, Uachtarán na h-Éireann Catherine Connolly described Lyster as “A familiar presence in every household in the country” and someone who “Will forever be synonymous with Gaelic Games coverage following his 34 years of the Sunday Game.” An Taoiseach Micheál Martin T.D. described him as “A moderniser of sport broadcasting.” While his Sunday Game colleague Marty Morrissey described him as a man who was both loved and admired.
Tributes at the time of his retirement and following his death could leave no doubt that Lyster’s presence would be greatly missed and that his inherent talent was deeply and widely appreciated.
Darragh Sinnott – Contributor