Ger Canning is an Irish sports commentator with Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ).
Ger Canning | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 May 1951 Cork, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | Sports commentator |
| Employer | Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) |
Career
editGer Canning was born in Cork on 10 May 1951. He was a secondary school teacher at South Presentation school in Cork City when he began his broadcasting career with Cork Local Radio in 1978.[1]
Two years later in 1980 he joined the national broadcaster, Radio Telefís Éireann, as a member of the station's sports department. As a fluent Irish-speaker his first All-Ireland final commentary was on RTÉ 2 in 1981, because the station then had a policy of using the two channels for commentaries in both English and Irish. After Michael O'Hehir's retirement due to ill-health in 1985, Canning became the main Gaelic games commentator on RTÉ television. Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh took over O'Hehir's duties as a radio commentator. To date Canning has broadcast nearly 75 All-Ireland finals (including three in Irish).
Canning commentated on every All-Ireland senior hurling final from 1985 to 2016.[2]
Canning has worked on many sporting events for RTÉ, including:
- Soccer, including five World Cups
- Six Olympic Games
- Basketball
- International rules football
- Greyhound racing
- Olympic hockey qualifying[3][4]
- League Of Ireland
- National Hurling League
- National Football League (Ireland)
He was assigned commentary duties for the 1985 European Cup Final, before which he witnessed the Heysel Stadium disaster.[5] He was assigned commentary duties for the UEFA Euro 2020.[6]
Other interests
editCanning played association football for University College Cork A.F.C. and College Corinthians and played minor and junior Gaelic football for St Finbarr's.[1]
He has lectured in Radio Broadcasting at Colaiste Stiofan Naofa in Cork.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ a b Moynihan, Michael (1 June 2009). "Three decades making the big calls for Canning". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
- ^ "An Amazing Broadcasting Streak Will End During The All-Ireland Hurling Final". Balls.ie. 2 September 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ "RTÉ Sport will broadcast live coverage of the Irish Women's Hockey Olympic Qualifier final". RTÉ Sport. RTÉ. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
- ^ Watterson, Johnny (26 March 2012). "Ibrox was bouncing - and this time it wasn't the cheques". The Irish Times. Irish Times Trust. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- ^ "Heysel: Ger Canning recalls nightmare from the stands". 29 May 2015.
- ^ "RTÉ announces details of UEFA EURO 2020 coverage – live and exclusive". about.rte.ie. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.