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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Sandra Mallon

Daughter of late RTE sports broadcaster Bill O’Herlihy pays tribute to dad on seventh anniversary of death

The daughter of late sports broadcaster Bill O’Herlihy has told how she misses her beloved father’s “unconditional love” every day as she marks his seventh anniversary.

Jill O’Herlihy said her late 76-year-old father was her “champion” who “championed her”. Paying tribute on the anniversary of his death, she wrote on Twitter: “7 years. I miss his unconditional love and support every day. He was my champion and the one who championed me.”

Bill was undoubtedly the face of Irish football for years - arguably most well-known for hosting RTE's coverage of our journeys at Euro 88 and the World Cups in 1990, 1994 and 2002.

READ MORE: Funeral details announced after shock death of Love/Hate actor

He retired from RTE in 2014 and died in 2015 unexpectedly from a heart attack just hours after he attended the Irish Film and Television Academy Awards.

Comedian PJ Gallagher also paid tribute on his anniversary, saying: “Such a brilliant man.” In 2007, PJ caught out the presenter on RTE's the Naked Camera when he pretended to be an incompetent taxi driver.

O'Herlihy managed to keep composed but did lament "'what kind of a fu**ing eejit'" once the Gallagher stepped outside of the car.

Fellow RTE football journalist Tony O'Donoghue wrote: "He is sorely missed by all of us Jill."

And when he retired after more than 40 years of a stellar broadcasting career, he bid an emotional farewell to viewers at the end of the 2014 World Cup.

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