"I am deeply saddened by the passing of Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, the iconic voice of Gaelic Games.

"He was a true hero of the Irish people. He had a beautiful voice and incredible attention to detail. He brought every game to life on radio.

"He had tremendous empathy and respect for sportspeople generally and sought to understand them more deeply than others. He loved the world of sport.

"Hailing from the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht in West Kerry, he had a natural and beautiful command of the Irish language and was one of its greatest ambassadors.

"My deepest sympathies to the Ó Muircheartaigh family."