Magee, Jimmy

Jimmy Magee (1935-2017) journalist and commentator was born in New York, he grew up in Louth and began his broadcasting career in the 1950s as a reporter for the RTÉ Radio programme 'Junior Sports Jimmy Magee Magazine'.

Presented by Harry Thuillier, 'Junior Sports Magazine' was broadcast on a Saturday and mainly covered rugby, hockey and athletics.

Magee doubled his early years in broadcasting with a full-time clerical post in British Rail. On leaving British Rail, he presented a number of sponsored radio programmes before concentrating on sport. He covered his first World Cup for RTÉ Radio in 1966 and then covered every world cup up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Since the 1968 Mexico Olympics, Magee has commented on all the Olympic Games for RTÉ, including Katie Taylor’s victory fight in London in 2012.

Jimmy Magee co-hosted the quiz show 'Know Your Sport' on RTÉ Television alongside George Hamilton from 1987 to 1998. Such was his sporting knowledge that he was fondly known as 'the memory man'. Throughout his career he also worked as a commentator for Channel 4 and UTV.