Fred was the first choice commentator up to about the 1995 World Cup inclusive Iād say and was then respectfully phased out George Hamilton/John Motson style over several years. Iām sure Fred did the famous France-New Zealand World Cup semi-final at Twickers in 1999 but not the final.
Jim might well have done some of the āotherā (deferred) Five Nations matches in the late 80s/early 90s but my recollection is George Hamilton was ahead of him in the pecking order at this time.
George did the live commentary of Simon Geogheganās Vuelta a Espana at Twickers in '94 but Iād say George was never in the running to become first choice rugby commentator because of his association football commitments.
Thus Jim was made the first choice rugby commentator. Jim was definitely first choice by the time of the Wales Ireland Five Nations game in Cardiff in 1997 when Denis Hickie and David Corkery scored lovely tries. āTouchdown Ireland?..Yes Sir!ā
Jim is very much the voice which made the Heino what it was in this country.
I always found Jim Sherwin a bit aloof or something. I donāt doubt he was a rubby fan but, as an avid rubby fan myself back then, I never liked him the way I liked George Hamilton in football or Marty Whelan in Eurovision commentary. I also thought Sherwin came across as someone who LIKED what he commentated on but didnāt necessarily UNDERSTAND it. He was prone to talking shite. Didnāt he sue RTE for being shunted out of the main commentator role?
Jim was Patrician by nature. If there had been a separate RTE sports department for Protestant/upper class sports, Jim would have been the natural choice to run it.
Nevertheless, his commentaries on Munster in the Heineken cup showed he could slum it with the real people.
The minutiae of rugby in the professional era are not meant to be understood. Rugby as a television sport should be about narrative and storytelling. Jim understood that and credit to him for it. Peter Alliss understood the same thing about golf.
The mistake too many rugby analysts now make is they try to explain deathly dull tactical or rules minutiae, and within about three seconds forget they are supposed to be explaining, and retreat into an impenetrable coded language of bullshit.
Jim would have been the main man covering AIL matches between Cork Con and St. Maryās or similar during the 90s. I recall him standing in for Brendan OāReilly on Sports Stadium an odd time too but Wikipedia doesnāt tally with my memory.
His commentary for the closing moments of Michelle Smith de Brunās whiskey fueled third Olympic gold medal will go down in the Irish sporting annals.
Somebody posted a video lately of Sherwin presenting Sports Stadium. Think the wrong clip was played after his intro & it cut back to him. He made a withering comment without flinching & moved onto the next item.
Did Jim do swimming at the olympics?
Vague recollection of Jimbo (Iād say he was never called Jimbo) covering ireland golden time in the pool in Atlanta 96
Yeah he did.
RTEās current swimming team are top class. John who used present the hard rock show on 2fm and Nick OāHare very engaging on commentary with Andrew Bree, Earl McCarthy and Grainne from Wexford providing great analysis in studio.
All thatās missing is a bit of decent Irish talent in the pool
Jim bought a big Ariston microwave oven off me in Switzers in 1989. He told me his car was parked around the corner and asked in his dulcet D4 tones if I would mind carrying it back there for him. Turns out his car was parked around several corners at the RIAC car park in Dawson st. My arms were hanging off me by the time we got there and I was sweating like a guard. No tip either. He mugged me off good and proper so he did. God be good to him all the same