One of the most enjoyable things I have done is to spend two weeks in Centre Court, from 2005 to 2008, commentating ‘as Gaeilge’ on Wimbledon!’
take much for the virus to spread rapidly in the community and we might have to move back a phase which would be very dispiriting.
“All of us have to take personal responsibility and hopefully we will get to enjoy both club and county action.”
As TG4’s main GAA commentator over the past 24 years, he’s seen many great matches and memorable moments.
“Too many to mention,” he says but we press him and he names the comeback by the Cork Ladies - there was virtually no ladies’ football on TV before TG4 showed an interest and now it’s gaining an ever growing following - against Dublin when they were 10 points down in the All Ireland Final in 2014.
Other recollections that he remembers fondly include Kerry’s victory over Dublin in the 2017 Allianz League Final, one of the only times the Five-in-aRow All Ireland winners have been defeated in recent years and Frankie Dolan’s late late goal which earned St Brigid’s an All Ireland club title in 2013.
He defends his own impartiality with zeal and sets out his commentating philospophy thus;
“My goal as a commentator is to give as good an account as I can on the action as it happens in front of me.
“The person at home can see what’s happening but my job is to convey the atmosphere, tension and what’s happening off camera.”
“Obviously, I need to call the plays but I’m conscious of not getting in the viewer’s way of enjoying the match.
“I try not to be critical of players, managers and referees and obviously I try to be as impartial and fair as I can.
“I have no time for the type of criticism that amateur players are often subjected to on social media.”
Up in the commentary box, where he acknowledges he has the best the seat in the house, Brian is often accompanied by a former GAA player lending his or her expert analysis to proceedings and they may weigh in with an opinion from time to time.
“I spend a lot of time preparing for every match (4-5 hours) and make out notes on each player and the background and context of each match. I may only use some of the information but it’s important to have it done and learned just in case something unusual happens..... such as a long delay due to injury or as happened in the All-Ireland U21 football final in 2015 when a spectator unfortunately had a heart attack in the stand and the game was held up for 40 minutes.
“I also make a point of speaking to the ‘people in bibs’ or ‘ the guy with the keys’ before games...they’re the salt of the earth and often have the inside track on teams/players!”
Brian’s father, the late Pádraig Tyers, worked in UCC as a director of Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha and also compiled Irish languae courses for pupils attending ‘Coláistí Samhraidh/ Summer Colleges’. Brian retains that enthusiasm for the language and he hopes that more sports commentary as Gaeilge will have a positive impact on the speaking of Irish by all but particularly by young people.
“For young people to see sport at the highest level being broadcast on TG4, with the commentary as Gaeilge can only have a very positive impact on attitudes towards Irish, particularly amongst the young.
“They see their heroes being interviewed as Gaeilge and it normalises the language for them and they see it as a natural fit to life outside of the classroom.
“I certainly would be all for more commentary as Gaeilge on sport in general. TG4 have covered rugby, The Tour de France, Wimbledon, Horse Racing, Soccer and Basketball and the majority of people have no issue with the commentary being as Gaeilge.
“Obviously TG4 and the GAA and Peil na mBan have a very strong relationship which is not only beneficial to all parties but also to the language.
“The promotion of the language is one of the goals of the GAA and hopefully their commitment to the language will see TG4 play a central role in the coverage of games for many years to come.”
But apart from the language, there’s the sport and he loves the access his job gives him to football and hurling - and other sports
“Iget to see so many great matches from the best seat in the house, and have the pleasure of meeting players, managers and supporters and the fantastic local volunteers who are the heartbeat of the association.
“One of the most enjoyable things I have done is to spend two weeks in Centre Court, from 2005 to 2008, commentating ‘as Gaeilge’ on Wimbledon!”