RnaG axes long-running sports programme

The longest-running and most popular Irish language sports radio programme in the country was broadcast for the last time officially last Sunday.

Spórt an Domhnaigh (Sunday Sport), a weekly sports round-up programme, is being axed by RTÉ Radió na Gaeltachta (RnaG) after 46 years on air.

The programme first hit the airwaves about a fortnight after the Irish language radio station opened its doors in Casla in the Connemara Gaeltacht in 1972.

Before the advent of local radio stations, social media and mobile phones, it was always first with the results of matches throughout the Gaeltacht areas in particular but also national and international. The show gave a comprehensive round-up of the weekend’s results, as well as match reports, analysis and sometimes interviews with players and managers.

Given the ethos of RnaG, it was focused on GAA, in particular, and Gaeltacht teams but covered all sports.

It gave as much prominence to underage sports, and junior and intermediate results as it did to adult, senior and professional sports.

Its bread and butter was catering for clubs such as Na Piarsaigh, a junior football club in Ros Muc, where listenership was strongest; but it also appealed to sports enthusiasts with limited Irish as a one-stop shop for a full run-down of the day’s results.

RTÉ RnaG did not respond to queries but it is understood dropping Spórt an Domhnaigh is part of wider schedule restructuring being implemented by the national broadcaster; and an attempt to cut back on its extensive weekend sports coverage.

The station introduced schedule changes back in April due to a “lack of resources”. Those changes came after seven staff members confirmed they were taking voluntary redundancies and would not be replaced. At the time, management said they would review the schedules again later in the year, and Sport an Domhnaigh was last week confirmed as one of the casualties.

Industry sources are baffled by the axing of the programme, as it cost very little, if anything, to produce, because it was a round-up programme of matches that had already been covered – and paid-for – earlier in the day.

Secretary of the Irish National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Seamus Dooley, was in Galway last week meeting with members who are affected by the changes at the station.

Speaking to Tuairisc.ie, who broke the story, former sports editor with RnaG Mártan Ó Ciardha said he was “upset and perturbed” that it is being axed.

He said it is the type of programming that has been at the heartbeat of the service RnaG was asked to provide when the station was set up.

“Since its inception Spórt an Domhnaigh has provided a service that crossed all sports and more importantly all levels of sport – underage, junior, intermediate and the top levels at club and county level in Gaeltacht areas. How will those listeners access that information now?” said Mr Ó Ciardha.

He said he was not prepared to comment further until the reasons for the axing are clarified.

A former employee of RTÉ, Jim Carney, the first presenter of The Sunday Game, in 1979, a GAA commentator, and former sports editor of Tuam Herald, said he is “sad” and “angry” about this. He described it as a “bad decision” and a “mistake”.

“That programme was essential listening for me while driving back to Galway from games all over Ireland. I would’ve seen one game that day but Spórt an Domhnaigh gave me the news of the day, especially club results – an-tabhachtach! (very important) – while driving home. There were thousands like me,” he recalled.