Legendary RTÉ Sport broadcaster Michael Lyster sadly passed away at the age of 71 over the weekend.
Michael hosted The Sunday Game Live for three decades.
He hung up his mic in 2018, hosting his last All-Ireland Final after almost forty years with RTÉ.
He presented a wide range of sports programmes, from GAA to motorsport to the Olympics.
A minute’s silence was held before Galway’s match with Dublin in the Allianz Football League on Sunday afternoon.
Tributes poured in for the broadcaster, with President Catherine Connolly leading the remembrance.
“It is with the greatest sadness that people all over Ireland will have learned of the death of Michael Lyster,” she said.
“Michael was a familiar presence in almost every household in the country and will forever be synonymous with Gaelic games coverage following his 34 years as presenter of the Sunday Game.
“His warm presenting style and expert chairing of analysis was a central part of so many memorable matches over the years.
“May I extend my deepest condolences to Michael’s wife, Anne, his children Mark, Jack, Rebecca and Ellen, and all of his family, friends and colleagues.”
Declan McBennett, Group Head of RTÉ Sport, said: “Michael will forever be remembered as the face of The Sunday Game bringing the GAA’s greatest moments to a national audience.
“Always calm, measured and the consummate professional he managed and guided the panels across the biggest days in the GAA calendar with poise and grace. Those who worked with him in RTÉ will treasure his friendship and his easy manner in dealing with the pressure of the most intense days in sport.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he modernised coverage of the sport: “I’m deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Michael Lyster, a moderniser of sport broadcasting.
“The iconic anchor of The Sunday Game, Michael was synonymous with many outstanding sporting moments, especially in the Olympics and Gaelic games. Condolences to his wife Anne and family.”
While Marty Morrissey said: “Michael Lyster was always in a good mood, always had a smile. His jokes went on and on a bit admittedly, but we’d always laugh at the end of it, and he always loved to tell a story.
“But it was as a presenter and as a broadcaster that he made his mark. He was a great listener. He might probe a little bit, he was a journalist at heart, but he also knew that his pundits needed a little bit of probing.
View this post on Instagram
“He never looked for controversy, but if they went a little bit AWOL, Michael was there. You knew as a broadcaster that you had safe hands there, and he always was dependable.
“He had a connection, which is a gift, and few have it in our world, and he obviously had it. There was always great acclaim from people around; they always wanted to photograph Michael Lyster, but he was never in a bad mood.”
Tanaiste Simon Harris said: “I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Michael Lyster. A proud Galway man, Michael was a giant of sports broadcasting in Ireland and was synonymous with RTÉ’s coverage of Gaelic games.”