An Irishman Abroad

Ellen Keane: Being More Than An Athlete

When Ellen Keane claimed gold at the Tokyo Paralympic Games last summer she understood and accepted the responsibility to be more than just an elite athlete. Ever since she burst onto the scene, qualifying for her first Paralympics as a thirteen year old, she has travelled a personal journey towards understanding and accepting who she is as a person and her responsibility to other disabled young people. In this relaxed and fun conversation on the eve of Christmas Eve, Jarlath and Ellen reflect on the past year and the journey towards finding peace with herself. RTE’s Dancing With The Stars is just around the corner. Ellen is Jarlath’s tip to win the entire show. She explains how the training is going so far and why it might not be as cut and dry as Jarlath believes despite her competitive hip hop dancing past. Supporters of Irishman Abroad can hear a further 40 minutes of this interview which includes Ellen revealing her shock at how other athletes treated her upon her return from Tokyo, her secrets to finding more in yourself and lots more.

 

To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 500 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.

Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation.

For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.

Catherina McKiernan: Paying It Forward

Catherina McKiernan joins Jarlath for a fascinating and rare conversation about the highs and lows of her life and career.

 

Catherina is an Irish sporting legend and yet she often looks back on her glittering career with mixed feelings. She opens up about her battles with remaining in love with the sport when the business side of things took over. We hear about her realisation about the importance of striking a balance after becoming burned out relatively early in her career.  Catherina was 92 seconds away from setting a world record time in the marathon in Amsterdam and yet she says it does not haunt her. Jarlath asks why and gets an answer he wasn’t expecting.

 

For more information on Catherina visit https://www.runwithcatherina.ie/

 

To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 500 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.

Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation.

For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.

Claire Walsh: Learning To Breathe Again

The headline might read, 'Claire Walsh - the only Irish person ever to compete at the Freediving World Championships' but there is way more to the story of this trailblazing Irish woman. Jarlath caught up with Claire at an unusual crossroads in her life. Before all hell broke loose, when she wasn’t travelling the world taking part in one of the toughest sports known to man, Claire Walsh taught businesses and individuals how to harness the power of their breath. All that came to an abrupt halt for obvious reasons. Today as she prepares to write her story for the first time, we get the unfiltered account of what brought her to the edge and what stopped her from tipping over. Thanks to all those who support Irishman Abroad in whatever way you can. The best way is to kick in a couple of euro a month on Patreon in return for access to all our content including hundreds of hours of archived interviews and up-coming conversations with the likes of Jack Whitehall and Catherina McKiernan.

 

To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 500 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad  

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.

Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation.

For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.

Irishman Running Abroad with Sonia O‘Sullivan: ”The Women In Sport Episode”

This week Jarlath talks to Sonia about all the challenges facing women in sport and how we can keep young girls involved. Together they reflect on how few and far between the options once were for young girls interested in pursuing sport in a serious way in Ireland as recently as the early 90s. Has enough changed? Sonia gives her opinion what needs to happen for change to take place for this generation. We also get an update on her elite training group at Nike HQ in Oregon. This week German athletics hero Konstanze Klosterhalfen invited Sonia to a yoga class on a rest day. We get her take on an activity she has resisted for some time.

 

Join our running event on strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad and help raise vitally needed funds for our chosen charity partner jigsaw.ie and all the work they do to support young people in Ireland. Why not join Jarlath in raising money for Jigsaw by signing up to the Irishman Abroad challenge over at https://www.idonate.ie/event/2576_.html

 

To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 500 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad

 

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.

 

The Irishman Abroad Liveline is now open. You can now get in touch with us and feature on our shows by sending your WhatsApp voice note to 0044 7543 122 330. Why not pose a running question to Irish Olympic Legend Sonia O'Sullivan or ask our America Correspondent Marion McKeone her thoughts on a current talking point Stateside? Of course, if you have an issue with traffic or elephants on the loose in your area, Jarlath can do his best to sort that out too.

 

Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation.

 

For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com.

 

Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.

Marcus O’Sullivan And The Unlikely Path To Athletic Greatness

What is the X factor? When everyone competing in an activity has talent, what is the extra bit that takes one person above and beyond? Irish athletics legend Marcus O'Sullivan might be one of the best qualified people in the world to unravel this. For almost a quarter of a century he has been the head track and field coach at Villanova University and in charge of spotting talented kids who might just have that extra something. He sits down with Jarlath to discuss his own incredible journey from making sails in Kinsale to electrifying the crowds at Madison Square Garden with his infamous final kick. 

Marcus discusses the importance of getting comfortable with failure, the philosophy of cheating, technological advances in athletics, the impact Donie Walsh's mentorship had on him, the Irish running boom and of course, his most astonishing achievement - 101 sub 4 minute mile races. This is a one of a kind in-depth conversation with one of the true unsung heroes and early influencers of Irish sport.

To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 500 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.

Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation.

For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.

The Rob Kearney Episode

This week, Leinster, Ireland and Lions rugby legend Rob Kearney joined Jarlath for a rare long-form conversation about his life and career.

Rob opens up about being bullied at school, how he is being patient with himself in retirement and how a mistake in the gym one day at the age of 19 caused him one of his biggest career regrets.

Rob speaks openly about why international rugby in Ireland is suffocating, his recent move to the GAA, Michael Cheika, contemplating staying in Australia, how he didn't feel welcome at Leinster for a number of years and much more. 

To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 500 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.

Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation.

For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.

Irishman Running Abroad with Sonia O'Sullivan: "Trying To Do Too Much: What To Do When We Feel Overwhelmed"

After almost 12 months and nearly 50 episodes, Jarlath and Sonia meet face to face for the first time to discuss that awful sense we all get from time to time. Feeling like you’ve bitten off more than you can chew whether it’s at work or in running can leave us feeling frazzled, depressed and completely exasperated. Sonia has some simple yet effective advice as always for anyone feeling this way. Unlike most of us, she has felt the weight of the world on her shoulders when performing on the world’s biggest stage. Few can relate to Simone Biles better than Sonia. Jarlath gets her take on what took place in Tokyo this week, asks how the Irish fared, gets Sonia’s highlight of the games so far and a few tips for what is coming next. There’s also her tip of the week, Rob Heffernan’s Brendan Boyce and much more when you sign up on Patreon.

 

Join our running event on strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad and help raise vitally needed funds for our chosen charity partner jigsaw.ie and all the work they do to support young people in Ireland. Why not join Jarlath in raising money for Jigsaw by signing up to the Irishman Abroad challenge over at https://www.idonate.ie/event/2576_.html 

 

To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 500 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad

 

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.

 

The Irishman Abroad Liveline is now open. You can now get in touch with us and feature on our shows by sending your WhatsApp voice note to 0044 7543 122 330. Why not pose a running question to Irish Olympic Legend Sonia O'Sullivan or ask our America Correspondent Marion McKeone her thoughts on a current talking point Stateside? Of course, if you have an issue with traffic or elephants on the loose in your area, Jarlath can do his best to sort that out too.

 

Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation.

 

For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com.

 

Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.

The Aidan Igiehon Episode

How do you go from picking up ball for the first time at 13 years old in a Clondalkin secondary school to becoming one of the most talked about NBA prospects in America? This week, Aidan Igiehon tells Jarlath about this journey and all the bumps along the way.

With an incredible honesty Aidan speaks about his phenomenal growth both on and off the court during his teenage years. The Irish Hulk as he is known, was growing an inch a month in one crazy period where his mother sought medical help to slow him down . We also hear about the trip to the Philadelphia 76ers camp that changed everything for him.

Aidan opens up about his brutal training regime at the age of 14 upon his arrival in the States when as he puts it, his childhood effectively came to an end due to the level of commitment he had to give to the game. Aidan also explains the importance of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel when battling injury.

We get the never before told story of the game that changed his life, the 30 scholarship letters that quickly followed it and a candid explanation of why the move to Grand Canyon from Louisville was the best decision for him.  Hear the whole fascinating conversation with one of Ireland's fastest rising sports stars by joining us on Patreon.

To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 500 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.

Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation.

For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.

Irishman Running Abroad with Sonia O'Sullivan: “Running For Weight Loss: Sonia's Definitive Guide"

Weight loss is a global obsession and often the hidden motivation behind a lot of new and old runners. Today on the podcast Sonia looks at a subject she has taken as a basic by-product of her job and considers why so many struggle with it. Jarlath quizzes the Irish Olympic legend on the errors most people make, her cheat code for meal prep and how to design your running schedule to maximise your chances of getting your body composition to match your running goals. There’s also listeners’ questions answered and a look at Roy Keane’s ability to move tea. 

 

Join our running event on strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad and help raise vitally needed funds for our chosen charity partner jigsaw.ie and all the work they do to support young people in Ireland. Why not join Jarlath in raising money for Jigsaw by signing up to the Irishman Abroad challenge over at https://www.idonate.ie/event/2576_.html 

 

To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 500 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad  

 

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.

 

The Irishman Abroad Liveline is now open. You can now get in touch with us and feature on our shows by sending your WhatsApp voice note to 0044 7543 122 330. Why not pose a running question to Irish Olympic Legend Sonia O'Sullivan or ask our America Correspondent Marion McKeone her thoughts on a current talking point Stateside? Of course, if you have an issue with traffic or elephants on the loose in your area, Jarlath can do his best to sort that out too.

 

Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation.

 

For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com.

 

Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.

Irishman Running Abroad with Sonia O'Sullivan: “Drills, Drills, Drills!"

Want to run more efficiently, with more balance, better posture and less chance of injury? Apparently “drills” are the only way to go. Today Sonia explains what the hell a drill is apart from a handy yoke around the house. The principles behind them and why pretty much every runner should regard a solid selection of drills as essential at least twice a week. With the US Olympic trials concluded Sonia is completely exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of seeing her athletes qualify in style and see their dreams come true, or get pipped at the post and ponder what happens next. Later in the show over on Patreon, members can get their questions answered by the Irish athletics legend, find out what drills she recommends and what drills should be avoided by beginners. There’s also comprehensive illustrated notes containing more advice for members on Patreon. 

 

Join our running event on strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad and help raise vitally needed funds for our chosen charity partner jigsaw.ie and all the work they do to support young people in Ireland.  

 

To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 500 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad  

 

Supplementary research provided by John Meagher.

 

The Irishman Abroad Liveline is now open. You can now get in touch with us and feature on our shows by sending your WhatsApp voice note to 0044 7543 122 330. Why not pose a running question to Irish Olympic Legend Sonia O'Sullivan or ask our America Correspondent Marion McKeone her thoughts on a current talking point Stateside? Of course, if you have an issue with traffic or elephants on the loose in your area, Jarlath can do his best to sort that out too.

 

Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation.

 

For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com.

 

Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.