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While the Irish have no team in the Olympic tournament, Timmy McCarthy’s eccentric, enthusiastic commentary has earned him his own fervent fan base.
Aug. 8, 2024, 4:30 p.m. ET
Every four years, the Summer Olympics brings forth a collective fever dream of strange, communal treasures. We discuss synchronized diving instead of the weather. Flava Flav is temporarily rebranded as a champion of women’s water polo. The phrase “pommel horse” re-enters our shared lexicon. Snoop Dogg feeds carrots to dressage horses.
And, for those who know where to look, the lyrical lilt of Timmy McCarthy returns to the Irish airwaves to commentate — at loud, joyous volume — on basketball. He growls. He sputters. He shrieks so loudly the microphone crackles.
SHAKE AND BAKE!
COAST TO COAST!
Taking a shot from….DOOWWNNTOWWNN!
In a crowded field of feel-good Olympic quirks, Mr. McCarthy, who turns 64 on Friday, may be one of the longest-running — a hidden gem that is both uniquely Olympian and uniquely Irish, broadcast only to those with access to Ireland’s state broadcast channel.
First tapped by Raidió Teilifís Éireann in 2004 to anchor basketball for the Athens games, Mr. McCarthy’s commentary has since spawned memes, a Soundboard, Facebook fan pages, YouTube remixes and a modest but mighty fandom for whom his appearances are an Olympic touchstone — and the only Irish connection to the Games’ popular basketball series, in which Ireland has failed to qualify.
“Timmy is a national treasure that gets dusted off every four years,” said Brendan Boyle, an Irish writer and basketball fan who lives in Spain and has followed Mr. McCarthy’s broadcasts.
