SBB bows out of radio after more than half a century!

It brings to an end that side of a career that has lasted a magnificent 53 years – three years longer than the station itself, which celebrates half a century this month.

And while he is sad to depart, the Connemara man, for so many years the station’s voice of sport, is delighted that his final game – the Mayo/Kerry Division 1 League Final which follows his beloved Galway’s Division 2 final against old rivals Roscommon.

“I hope I’ll witness success for the manager of the Galway team, Padraic Joyce, who was himself one of the best footballers I’ve ever seen,” he said this week.

SBB started on radio on April 2 1969 – and he finishes almost 53 years to the day, this weekend.

Reflecting on a glorious career this week, he listed a whole catalogue of highlights from his time behind the mic – from Katie Taylor’s Olympic gold to Sean Mannion’s famous world middleweight title fight with Mike McCallum in New York’s Madison Square Garden to Galway’s breakthrough hurling win in the All-Ireland of 1980 and Brian O’Driscoll’s spectacular arrival with a hat-trick of tries against France in Paris.

“Ironically, I did the last National League Final between Galway and Roscommon, back in 1981,” he adds.

SBB won’t disappear from the national scene entirely because he will still be broadcasting with TG4 – but it’s a sudden end to a stellar radio career, just as RnaG marks its own big birthday.