The death has taken place of Tony O’Donoghue, the former RTÉ athletics commentator, at the age of 86. O’Donoghue was for many years a senior member of the Association of Track and Field Statisticians (ATFS).

A resident of Howth Road, Raheny in Co Dublin, O’Donoghue was a middle-distance runner of note in his youth, also serving as an executive officer during the founding years of Bord Luthchleas na hEireann (BLE) in 1967. Among his many commentating highlights was calling Eamonn Coghlan’s historic World Championship win over the 5,000 metres in Helsinki in 1983.

In 2005, he published the book of Irish Championship Athletics 1873-1914, after years of research, incorporating all the GAA and IAAA championships for the period and in addition the Ireland versus Scotland internationals and cross-country championships.

He also produced the first ever Irish all-time track and field list in 1962, and will be remembered as one of the most distinguished statisticians and chroniclers of the sport’s history. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.