Carl O'Malley, who died suddenly aged 36 last month, was one of Ireland's first online journalists and a key figure in the Irish Times sports department for almost 15 years.
He was passionate and doggedly innovative when it came to this strand of new media, always striving to package live sporting events for readers in new and exciting ways.
His live blogs from Republic of Ireland soccer matches and Irish rugby internationals were entertaining, insightful and, most importantly for him, fun.
O’Malley, originally from Kimmage but who later settled in Sallynoggin with his young family, had a twinkling sense of humour and was always tremendous company. There were no awkward silences in his company – he just wouldn’t stand for it.
He was fun and he was funny, he was charming and genuine, and those traits shone through in his writing, both online and regularly in the printed newspaper.
Online readers enjoyed live interaction with the writer and O’Malley, strong in his conviction, wouldn’t shy away from a debate if he thought it worthwhile.
Indeed, there was a reason his interactive blogs were among the most-read sports items on the Irish Times website.
Article on Qatar
His last assignment for the newspaper before his sudden death was a feature from Qatar, where he shone a spotlight on the controversial preparations for the 2022 World Cup.
He was immensely proud of this investigative work and it was published in the paper and online in the week after his death.
Carl O'Malley joined The Irish Times in 2000, having completed a journalism degree at Griffith College Dublin. He loved his trade: a career in sports journalism was something he had aspired to from his teenage days.
Close friends recall a young man who was always assured of where he was going in life, be it professionally or, in his latter years, as the dedicated family man he became.
O'Malley began working with the Irish Times website, known then as ireland.com, which was first launched in 1994.
He specialised in soccer writing and became an active member of the Soccer Writers’ Assocation of Ireland, a body which represents the working interests over 100 journalists in the field.
Having previously covered countless Ireland games for this newspaper, Carl reported on Euro 2012 from the ground in Poland and then drove the online content for World Cup 2014 from Dublin.
But O’Malley was equally at home covering a variety of sports, such was his wide-ranging knowledge across the board.
Irish Times sports editor Malachy Logan said: "His instinct for a story, writing ability and technical knowledge were key components for The Irish Times as it developed its sports coverage in print and online."
In the earliest days of the website, O’Malley was central in a tight-knit sports team that specialised in unique “micro sites” for large-scale sporting events such as the Olympics, World Cups, European Championships and rugby Six Nations contests. Indeed, his work in this regard was ahead of its time.
While journalism was a passion and music another, O’Malley found his true calling as a dedicated family man, having met his wife to be, Moira Tully. They married at Barberstown Castle in Straffan, Co Kildare in June 2011, with their eldest child, Charlie, there to celebrate with them.
O’Malley could also turn his hand to DIY and together with Moira, an architect, they oversaw the redesign and extension of their home in Sallynoggin.
A daughter, Arwen, soon followed and baby Carl - initially named Leo but renamed in the days after his father’s death - then completed the household. The tragedy of his sudden death was deepened by the fact O’Malley was on paternity leave at the time, with his son just seven days old.
Double loss
He is also survived by his parents, Dr Carl O’Malley and Dr Katherine O’Malley, his brother John and sister Katherine, grandmother Cassie, mother-in-law Maura Tully and sisters-in-law.
The Tully family then suffered a double loss with the death of Moira’s father, George, four days after O’Malley had taken ill during a soccer game in Dublin. The two men were extremely close and liked to play golf together.
There will be an empty seat in the press box at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow night, where Carl would have been covering Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland. But when his children, Charlie (6), Arwen (3) and Carl (three weeks) are of an age, they will not be long discovering what a talented and good man their father was.