The death took place yesterday of Tom Rooney, the RTE Sports reporter and commentator. He would have celebrated his 42nd birthday next month. A native of Galway, Tom started his journalistic career with the Connacht Tribune and was sports editor of that newspaper when he joined the RTE sports staff in 1986.

While with the Connacht Tribune he had contributed on a regular basis to RTE radio sport. His move to RTE was mutually beneficial and his splendid voice became familiar across the airwaves. Radio was the ideal outlet for a man of such diverse sporting interests and knowledge.

Whether it was commentaries on a Gaelic football or hurling, a soccer or rugby match, he brought his own particular level of professionalism to his task.

More recently he specialised in rugby as RTE radio's number one commentator and reporter and he excelled in that demanding role. He covered all three rugby World Cup championships, in New Zealand and Australia in 1987, Ireland and Britain in 1991 and South Africa in 1995.

He reported on the Ireland tours to France in 1988, Canada and the United States in 1989, Namibia in 1991, New Zealand in 1992 and all the major rugby matches on the home front, domestic and international. He was on the RTE Radio team that reported the Olympic Games from Barcelona.

He was a wonderful colleague for those of us who travelled on so many of those assignments with him. One could not meet or travel with a person of greater courtesy, kindness and humility.

Four years ago, he was struck down by a serious illness but with medical skill, characteristic courage and the tremendous support of his wife Judy and his family he made a great recovery and was able to resume his career.

In recent weeks he was struck down by illness again. Unfortunately, he lost that last battle yesterday afternoon. Yet despite the seriousness of his illness never once was there a word of complaint, but concern that he might inconvenience anyone or cause his family anxiety. Tom was that kind of man.

To his many friends, and it was my immense privilege to be numbered among them and to have been his regular travelling companion, our sense of loss is immense.

Yet nowhere will that be felt more deeply than in the extremely happy home he shared with his wife Judy, his son Tom and daughter Erin. Our sincere sympathy goes to them, to his brothers and his sisters.