Bill O'Herlihy facts for kids

Bill O'Herlihy (born September 26, 1938 – died May 25, 2015) was a famous Irish television presenter. He was also a public relations expert. He was best known for his work on Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), especially for sports.

Bill presented 10 FIFA World Cups and 10 Summer Olympic Games. People often remember his catchphrase, "Okey Doke." He stopped working for RTÉ after the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Many people in Ireland loved watching Bill O'Herlihy on TV.

Early Life and Education

Bill O'Herlihy was born and grew up in Glasheen, a part of Cork city in Ireland. His father worked for the local government. His grandfather, William O'Herlihy, was a news editor for the Cork Examiner newspaper.

Bill went to Glasheen boys' national school. Later, he studied at St. Finbarr's College, Farranferris.

Starting in Journalism

After finishing school at age fifteen, Bill followed his grandfather's path into journalism. He got a job at the Cork Examiner newspaper. When he was just seventeen, he became a sub-editor for the Evening Echo. He held this job for five years. He also worked as a reporter, covering news, special stories, and sports.

A Career in Broadcasting

In the early 1960s, Bill O'Herlihy started his broadcasting journey. He began reporting on local soccer games from Cork for Radio Éireann. In 1965, he made his first TV appearance. This was on a show about the sinking of the Lusitania ship.

After three years, Bill joined RTÉ's current affairs show, 7 Days. He helped with reporting from different places. This show was known for its strong investigative stories. Bill reported on many topics, from illegal fishing to problems in Northern Ireland.

Moving to Sports

In November 1970, a report Bill did for 7 Days caused some discussion. It was about illegal money lending and used hidden cameras. After this, Bill moved to the RTÉ Sports department.

Even though he faced challenges, Bill presented RTÉ's TV coverage of the Olympic Games that year. He also helped create many sports programs. Soon, he became a regular presenter for shows like Sunday Sport and Sports Stadium.

Becoming a Sports Icon

In 1978, Bill became the main host for RTÉ Soccer. He worked with famous football experts like Eamon Dunphy, John Giles, and Liam Brady. From 1974, Bill was RTÉ's chief sports presenter. He covered all Olympic Games until 2012. He also presented FIFA World Cups until 2014.

Bill covered UEFA European Football Championships until 2012. He also presented European and World Track and Field Championships. He hosted RTÉ's highlights of the Ryder Cup in 2006. He continued to present coverage of Ireland's international soccer games.

He also hosted rugby union coverage in the 1980s and early 1990s. When RTÉ got the rights to show the Premier League in 1992, Bill covered it. He also covered Irish International matches and the Champions League. He presented the first Rugby World Cup on RTÉ in 1987. He also helped start The Sunday Game in 1979.

In 2012, while covering the 2012 Summer Olympics, Bill made a comment about badminton. This led to some complaints. However, it also started a discussion about history.

Bill O'Herlihy presented RTÉ Sport's coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This was his ninth World Cup. He hosted 18 European Championships and FIFA World Cups for RTÉ. His last tournament was the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He retired after this event. He passed away the next year.

At the time of his death, Bill was working on a sports version of Reeling in the Years. This project was then cancelled by RTÉ.

Public Relations Work

After the 7 Days discussion, Bill O'Herlihy started a new career in 1973. He created a public relations company called Public Relations of Ireland. This company helped different groups share their message.

Bill also advised the Fine Gael political party. He helped their leader, Garret FitzGerald, during his time as Taoiseach (Prime Minister) in the 1980s.

Death

Bill O'Herlihy attended the 12th Irish Film & Television Awards on May 24, 2015. He died the next day at age 76. This was almost a year after he retired. He was survived by his wife, Hillary, and his two daughters, Jill and Sally. His friends and colleagues, Johnny Giles, Liam Brady, and Eamon Dunphy, paid tribute to him on The Late Late Show.