# Conor McNamara

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Irish sports commentator

For the television character, see [Nip/Tuck](/source/Nip%2FTuck).

Conor McNamara Born Limerick, Ireland Education BA (hons) TV & Radio, Post-graduate diploma in Business Studies Alma mater University of Salford University College Dublin (UCD) Occupation Sports commentator

**Conor McNamara** is an Irish sports commentator. He is the lead commentator for [Premier League Productions](/source/Premier_League_Productions)[1] and also works for [BBC Sport](/source/BBC_Sport) on [Radio 5 Live](/source/BBC_Radio_5_Live) and *[Match of the Day](/source/Match_of_the_Day)*, [Amazon Prime Video](/source/Amazon_Prime_Video) and [Sky Sports](/source/Sky_Sports).[2]

In April 2026 McNamara was voted Commentator of the Year at the [Sports Journalists' Association](/source/Sports_Journalists'_Association) British Sports Journalism Awards 2025.[3] Away from sport, he voices the character of 'Squawk The Parrot' on [CBeebies](/source/CBeebies) show *[Swashbuckle](/source/Swashbuckle_(TV_series))*.[4]

## Early life

McNamara was born in [Limerick](/source/Limerick), where he attended the Jesuit [Crescent College](/source/Crescent_College). McNamara studied at the [University of Salford](/source/University_of_Salford), where he earned a Degree in Television and Radio. He also attended the [Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School](/source/Michael_Smurfit_Graduate_Business_School) at [University College Dublin](/source/University_College_Dublin) where he received a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Studies.

## Career

While still at university, McNamara did his first football commentary for Irish national radio station [Today FM](/source/Today_FM) - the [1997 FA Cup Final](/source/1997_FA_Cup_Final).

He joined the Irish TV station [TV3](/source/TV3_(Ireland)) in [Dublin](/source/Dublin) at its launch in 1998 as a sports presenter and commentator. His first commentary for national television was the [Republic of Ireland](/source/Republic_of_Ireland_national_football_team) versus [Yugoslavia](/source/Yugoslavia_national_football_team) in 1998. He became TV3's [UEFA Champions League](/source/UEFA_Champions_League) commentator in 1999, before joining the [BBC](/source/BBC) in 2002.

### Football

McNamara's first national radio commentary for [BBC Radio 5 Live](/source/BBC_Radio_5_Live) was [Bolton](/source/Bolton_Wanderers_F.C.) v [Tottenham](/source/Tottenham_Hotspur_F.C.) in August 2002. His first [Match of the Day](/source/Match_of_the_Day) commentary for [BBC](/source/BBC) television was [Everton](/source/Everton_F.C.) versus [Aston Villa](/source/Aston_Villa_F.C.) in October 2004.

McNamara regularly commentates on the [Premier League](/source/Premier_League), the [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup), the [UEFA Champions League](/source/UEFA_Champions_League) and internationals. He has worked at every [FIFA World Cup](/source/FIFA_World_Cup) since 1998 and every [UEFA European Championship](/source/UEFA_European_Championship) since 2004.[5]

Each year from 2014 to 2023, McNamara was nominated as [Football Supporters' Federation](/source/Football_Supporters'_Federation) Commentator of the Year.[6][7][8]

### Rugby union

McNamara commentates on [rugby union](/source/Rugby_union) for BBC television, [Amazon Prime Video](/source/Amazon_Prime_Video) and [Sky Sports](/source/Sky_Sports). He regularly covers [Ireland](/source/Ireland_national_rugby_union_team)'s games for BBC radio. McNamara commentated on all 13 games TV3 Ireland covered for the 2007 Rugby World cup alongside BBC colleague Philip Matthews.[9] McNamara's first live TV commentary game for the BBC was [Scotland](/source/Scotland_rugby_union_team) versus [Italy](/source/Italy_rugby_union_team) in the [Six Nations Championship](/source/Six_Nations_Championship) in 2011 and he has commentated on at least one match at every tournament since. McNamara returned to TV3 for the [2015 Rugby World Cup](/source/2015_Rugby_World_Cup) as a presenter and commentator as TV3 had exclusive rights to the tournament and covered all games on TV3 and 3e alongside Keith Wood, Peter Stringer and Stuart Barnes.[10]

McNamara provided world feed commentary for [World Rugby](/source/World_Rugby) from Japan at the [2019 Rugby World Cup](/source/2019_Rugby_World_Cup) and from France at the [2023 Rugby World Cup](/source/2023_Rugby_World_Cup).[11]

McNamara has been part of the [Amazon Prime Video](/source/Amazon_Prime_Video) commentary team for the [Autumn Nations Cup](/source/Autumn_Nations_Cup) since 2020.[12]

### Golf

McNamara is part of the BBC's golf commentary team and has worked at every [The Open Championship](/source/The_Open_Championship) since 2006. He has also regularly worked at The [Ryder Cup](/source/Ryder_Cup),[13] The [PGA Championship](/source/PGA_Championship) and The [Solheim Cup](/source/Solheim_Cup).

### *Swashbuckle*

McNamara is known to a younger, pre-school audience, as the voice of "Squawk" the parrot on the [Cbeebies](/source/Cbeebies) show *[Swashbuckle](/source/Swashbuckle_(TV_series))*.[14]

### Other BBC appearances

McNamara appears on [Phil Williams](/source/Phil_Williams_(presenter))' Team Talk on Wednesday nights on BBC Radio Five Live with fellow BBC Sport broadcaster [Dan Walker](/source/Dan_Walker_(sports_journalist)).[15]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["EPL commentator assignments on NBC Sports, gameweek 38"](https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/epl-commentator-assignments-on-nbc-sports-gameweek-38-2-20210521-CMS-334619.html). *World Soccer Talk*. 19 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Sky_Sports_2-0)** ["Sky Sports The Lions to be the home of the British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa"](https://www.skygroup.sky/article/sky-sports-the-lions-to-be-the-home-of-the-british-and-irish-lions-tour-of-south-africa). Sky Group. 28 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SJA_BSJA2025_3-0)** [Match of the Day and Gabby Logan among Broadcast winners at SJA British Sports Journalism Awards 2025](https://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/awards-news/sja-british-sports-journalism-awards-2025-broadcast-winners-match-of-the-day-gabby-logan/). Sports Journalists' Association, 27 April 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-IrishmanAbroad_4-0)** [Jarlath Regan](/source/Jarlath_Regan) (22 March 2015). ["Conor McNamara"](https://soundcloud.com/an-irishman-abroad/conor-mcnamara-episode-79). *[An Irishman Abroad](/source/An_Irishman_Abroad)* (Podcast) (79 ed.). [SoundCloud](/source/SoundCloud). Retrieved 25 March 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["McNamara's memorable MOTD moments"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52530306). *BBC Sport*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["FSF Awards 2014: Commentator of the Year - Football Supporters' Federation"](http://www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/fsf-awards-2014-commentator-of-the-year). *www.fsf.org.uk*. 11 November 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["The FSF Awards 2015 in association with William Hill - Football Supporters' Federation"](http://www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/The-FSF-Awards-2015-in-association-with-William-Hill). *www.fsf.org.uk*. 5 November 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Vote now: FSA Awards 2019 shortlists announced"](https://thefsa.org.uk/news/fsa-awards-2019-shortlists-announced/). 7 November 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["McNamara TV3 RWC 2007"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150402163322/http://www.limerickleader.ie/what-s-on/features/leader-interview-with-conor-macnamara-1-2181112). *limerickleader.ie*. Limerick Leader. Archived from [the original](http://www.limerickleader.ie/what-s-on/features/leader-interview-with-conor-macnamara-1-2181112) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["TV3 announce RWC 2015 Lineup"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150401071152/http://www.tv3.ie/rwc2015_article/12/TV3-confirms-exclusive-Rugby-World-Cup-coverage). *tv3.ie*. TV3 Ireland. Archived from [the original](http://www.tv3.ie/rwc2015_article/12/TV3-confirms-exclusive-Rugby-World-Cup-coverage) on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [https://twitter.com/ConorMcNamaraIE/status/1179669014416482304](https://twitter.com/ConorMcNamaraIE/status/1179669014416482304). {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Who are Amazon Prime's rugby pundits?"](https://www.rugbyworld.com/autumn-nations-cup/who-are-amazon-primes-rugby-pundits-115825). 3 November 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["5 live at the Ryder Cup"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/webarchive/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fblogs%2F5live%2Fentries%2F576c5a07-fbf7-32e2-a624-a5d75ce3bc73). *Behind the mic: The 5 live blog*. 24 September 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Conor McNamara: Swashbuckle's Squawk goes to the World Cup in Brazil"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/webarchive/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fblogs%2Fcbeebiesgrownups%2Fentries%2F25b6fab5-2e0b-3f50-86ae-3537f20e51c6). *CBeebies Grown-ups*. 10 June 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["BBC - Podcasts - Tony's Team Talk"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b00psvgw). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120330084935/http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/ttt) from the original on 30 March 2012.

## External links

- [Conor McNamara](https://web.archive.org/web/20090709225926/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/radiofivelive/conor_mcnamara.shtml) at the [BBC](/source/BBC)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Conor McNamara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conor_McNamara) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conor_McNamara?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.