The Replay
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland
TBWA\Dublin
Overview
The Replay – Using the voice of Ireland’s most iconic sports commentator to help people living with dementia reconnect with lost memories.
The Challenge
Gaelic Games are Ireland’s most popular sports and a cornerstone of national identity. For over 50 years, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh was their voice as a radio commentator. When he died in June 2024, it felt as though a part of Ireland’s cultural memory disappeared with him.
Even with Ireland’s small population, more than 64,000 people live with dementia, with 11,000 new cases each year. Memory loss can erode identity, relationships and connection. We saw the opportunity to use the familiarity of Micheal’s voice to help people living with dementia reconnect with lost memories and identity.
The Solution
We created The Replay – An online archive of Micheál’s most well-known match commentary from 1985-2010, allowing users to relive iconic sporting moments.
These matches can be used as part of Reminiscence Therapy, which uses familiar stimulus like smells, visuals and particularly sounds to bring back lost memories. It acts as a form of mental time-travel; helping them become the person they were when first listening to Micheál’s commentary.
