Michael Lyster, one of the most recognisable voices in Irish sports broadcasting, has died at the age of 71.
He was best known as the presenter of The Sunday Game, a role he held for more than three decades.
Lyster began his journalism career at The Tuam Herald in County Galway before moving to RTÉ around 1979–1980.
In his first year with the broadcaster he was part of the team covering the Moscow Olympic Games.
He took over as host of The Sunday Game in 1984 and remained the programme's anchor until retiring from the show in 2018, stepping down after presenting that year's All-Ireland Gaelic football final between Dublin and Tyrone.
Beyond Gaelic games, Lyster presented a wide range of sports for RTÉ, including horse racing, athletics, rugby, football, motorsport and greyhound racing.
He also had a personal passion for rallying and once finished third in the Cork International Rally.
Messages of sympathy have flowed in from across Ireland.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was deeply saddened by Lyster’s passing and praised his role in modernising the way sport is broadcast in Ireland, noting his close association with major Olympic and Gaelic moments.
RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst paid tribute to Lyster as a true gentleman and a gifted broadcaster who loved sport, particularly the GAA.
Declan McBennett, head of RTÉ Sport, remembered him as calm, composed and effortlessly professional, someone who steered panel discussions and big-match coverage with dignity.
Lyster’s steady presence and measured style made him a fixture of Irish sports television for generations of viewers.
He leaves behind a legacy as one of RTÉ’s most trusted sports voices.
