The 71-year-old died overnight on Wednesday.

O'Flaherty was well-known for his longevity and passion for calling greyhound racing, horse racing, football and the Melbourne to Warrnambool bike race – which he broadcasted 10 times.

The father-of-four and grandfather-of-seven burst onto the south-west sporting scene as a 17-year-old after calling a horse meeting at Penshurst and enjoyed a career of nearly 40 years a greyhound broadcaster in Warrnambool.

Warrnambool greyhound training stalwart Ray Drew said O'Flaherty would be remembered as a popular and approachable figure in the south-west.

“He’s been a champion bloke. He had his own thoughts on things and was always willing to promote local people and local sports wherever he went,” he told The Standard.

“I knew him for a long time. We played football against each other when he was at Russells Creek. I remember him playing a couple of games for Warrnambool (Blues) as well.

“He will be remembered as a very good sportsman, as well as a great race caller.”

O'Flaherty retired from race calling in 2007, but continued to follow racing and sport avidly until his death.

Drew said he was a popular figure around the Warrnambool Greyhound Racing Club and would often attend the club’s race regular mid-week race meetings.

“He very rarely missed a night of racing through illness, even though he had diabetes,” he said.

“I reckon could count on one hand the amount of nights that he missed on one hand. He was very well respected around the place.

“He was well up (to date) on the form and would help anyone by going through a race with them or anything. He was always a man willing to help, as he would often help out with picnic meetings or anything we had up there.”

A Requiem Mass will be offered at the Our Lady Help of Christians Church on Monday, starting at 11am.