A Christmas gift: enjoy the magic moments of Jerry Hannon

ROAAARRRING BULL!!! ROAAARRRING BULL!!!

This Christmas it will be five years since racing commentator Jerry Hannon took his high-octane calls to another level as he described a grandstand finish to the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Leopardstown.

Even now, after umpteen replays, the passion and incredulity in Hannon’s voice never ceases to delight.

As Roaring Bull somehow snatches victory from the jaws (more like bowels) of defeat, Hannon has no chance to describe the late twist happening before his bulging eyes. Instead, he risks injuring his vocal chords with two passionate elongated cries of ROAAARRRING BULL!!! ROAAARRRING BULL!!! 

And it works. Brilliantly.

Of course, it wouldn’t have been the same had the winner been called Fitzhenry or Plan Of Attack (they were the horses also involved in that rousing finale but nobody ever remembers them). It was a day when all the stars aligned.

This was no one-off, with the Hannon highlights package stretching back to his first call at the Athea Pony Races on October 17, 1999.

The 43-year-old was fascinated by horse-racing commentators from an early age and his party pieces would include mimicking Michael O’Hehir’s famous 1967 commentary of Foinavon winning the Grand National at Aintree.

Now, it is others imitating the man from Listowel.

He says he tries to keep things simple and treats even some of the mundane midweek action as if he’s watching the Derby or Grand National. Consequently, there is never a dull moment when he is on duty, which seems most days.

We’ve put together a montage of some of his magic moments since Racing TV began showing all Irish racing in 2019.

It’s a festive treat, even if we do say so ourselves. And naturally, we start with the commentary that most can instantly recall, but there are 26 other Jerryisms (listen out for a second, less celebrated mention of Roaring Bull) that showcase his skill, turns of phrase and moments when, briefly, we think he might have expired live on air!