This week, three-time All Star and Mayo Captain Aidan O'Shea joins Jarlath for a fascinating conversation about his life and career. In this rare chat, Aidan speaks frankly about handling the media, nerves and battling with keeping the right mindset as well as the relationship between players and referees. Aidan also speaks about the frustration of the Dubs, the secrets of various GAA clubs which can be "borderline hostile at times", how the game of Gaelic Football has changed in recent years, r...
Feb 14, 2021•30 min•Ep. 348
Sonia opens her medicine cabinet to reveal the over the counter fixer-upper tricks and treatments she has accumulated over the years. Everyone has niggling running pains but nobody has more solutions to cure them than the Irish athletics legend. We hear of a less than normal plant based solution for stimulating blood flow that has Jarlath on the floor and a rare bird oil sparks a memory for Sonia. There’s also a look at alternatives to running to help maintain your fitness at home during periods...
Feb 09, 2021•50 min•Ep. 346
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of content out there, if you’ve ever felt like you’re forever scrolling but never finding what you should be listening to, watching or reading, The Section Box is the podcast for you. The only monthly recommendations podcast you need returns for to let our experts sift through all the content so you don’t have to. First up, award-winning Irish author and Sunday Times chief arts writer Eithne Shorthall selects her latest book recommendations. Úna-Minh...
Feb 07, 2021•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 345
Sonia walks us through the four keys to helping your body feel better after heavy exertion. And this weekend we really exerted ourselves for the Jigsaw.ie PB Loop Challenge. Hundreds of you took part so what better time to address all your questions about the myths, tricks, supplements and gadgets aimed at aiding the body’s natural healing ability. From inflatable pants to thigh high compression socks, magnesium or Epsom salts, massage guns and protein shakes, Jarlath quizzes Sonia on it all. To...
Feb 02, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 343
This week, Caimh McDonnell, author of the best-selling Dublin Trilogy, the McGarry Stateside books and Stranger Times joined Jarlath for a conversation about how rejection paced the way for his success. Caimh opens up about his journey to self-publishing success including the doors that were slammed for the most ridiculous of reasons. We hear how the motivation to move to London struck him when he realised how fast his life was passing away in Dublin without very much happening. Jarlath finds ou...
Jan 31, 2021•30 min•Ep. 342
For our January food episode Dave and Stephen Flynn join Sonia and Jarlath to talk about soup, running and all things plant based. The Happy Pear have created an Irish culinary empire around eating right and making wholesome food fun. Their new book Vegan Cooking For Everyone has ten chapters covering everything you’ve ever wanted to know about vegan food but were afraid to ask, adaptable recipes that will blow your mind and “teach man to fish” ideas that will change how you eat at home. There’s...
Jan 26, 2021•58 min•Ep. 340
It is now one year since the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash on their way to a youth basketball game. In this episode Kobe’s friend and author of 'Kobe Bryant: Showboat', Roland Lazenby, makes his return to speak to Jarlath and pay tribute to the NBA legend. Roland speaks about the role of one particular man at Adidas in his early life, the organic spirit that made Kobe a great competitor and the birth of his own relationship with a kid wearing number ...
Jan 25, 2021•10 min•Ep. 339
This week we see the much-anticipated return of Men Behaving Better and for this series, we're putting racism in the spotlight. In this first episode of our third series, Jarlath speaks to one of Ireland's only black Irish teachers, Emer O'Neill. Emer speaks to Jarlath about the phenomenon of micro-aggression, the exceptional challenges that she faced growing up as a person of colour in Ireland and her shocking experiences of racism in adulthood. From her powerful words on calling out racism to ...
Jan 24, 2021•30 min•Ep. 338
Can all repetitive strain injuries be traced back to modern running shoes? Jarlath asks Sonia about this and other claims of the barefoot running movement. It makes sense on paper. We have conditioned our feet to expect a type of cushioning that encourages heal striking rather than the flat strike that lets the miracle of engineering that is human foot so its job. Sonia looks back at her days running barefoot at competitive events, the Kenyan model, Zola Budd, ice baths and the danger of transit...
Jan 19, 2021•56 min•Ep. 336
This week businessman, broadcast and motorsports legend Eddie Jordan joined Jarlath for a one of a kind conversation about his life, career and charity The Amber Foundation. Eddie discusses the art of motivation, the key to spotting talent like Ayrton Senna and how he takes care of his mind and body these days. Eddie speaks about his dismay over this week’s report on mother and baby homes and his unpopular view that he was 'deserving' of the corporal punishment that he received while in a Christ...
Jan 17, 2021•30 min•Ep. 335
Whether you’re worrying about starting out or over stressed about your big running goal, there comes a point where running can feel like an unpaid part-time job. It can stress you out, occupy all your headspace, leave you grouchy with loved ones and unable to enjoy the process on any level. Sonia sits Jarlath down to remind him and you of a few methods she uses when she feels this way. Getting to a place where our exercise is a release rather than a chore is sometimes tricky. As always Sonia cut...
Jan 12, 2021•44 min•Ep. 333
Was the riot on Capitol Hill the articulation of a larger loss of faith in a political system driven by dark money? Peter Geoghegan is the author and journalist behind a book that everyone needs to read: Democracy For Sale: Dark Money and Dirty Politics. This week he joined Jarlath to talk about his book which looks at the current crisis-point and how a lack of accountability and untraceable funding have impacted upon it. Peter details the phenomenon of 'dark money,' why Mark Zuckerberg did noth...
Jan 10, 2021•30 min•Ep. 332
Jarlath has fallen off the health and fitness wagon so many times in the last 20 years it’s now his routine. Sonia thinks she knows why. She explains why setting the bar too high is the number one reason why New Year’s resolutions tend to fail. Although he’s not known as a running guru Francis Brennan provides one of the best tips on the size necessary for a resolution to work. Jarlath digs into the idea of viewing any healthy changes as additions rather than deprivations and opens up about his ...
Jan 05, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 330
To start the New Year, we have a very special episode for you from our Irish Aviators series. In a year which has seen the world of aviation essentially come to a complete stand-still, these two conversations are full of the positivity that is needed at this time of year. Jarlath is joined by Dubai Duty Free CEO Colm McLoughlin who tells the fascinating journey from Galway to running a multi-billion dollar business in Asia. From the Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum, Jarlath is joined by ...
Jan 03, 2021•30 min•Ep. 329
Getting ahead of the January blue is essential. It doesn’t matter who you are, January can be a tough month. Sonia opens up about her difficult times during this period and shares the secrets she’s discovered in refocusing her targets to make the end goal “near” rather than “far away”. If the first few months of this series were about establishing a solid foundation, Sonia walks Jarlath through her theory on building the best training bracket in the absence of actual races. She created a very un...
Dec 29, 2020•55 min•Ep. 327
This week, Irish music legend Jack Lukeman ('Jack L') joined Jarlath for a fascinating conversation about his life, career and how 2020 has treated him. Jack speaks about leaving school at the tender age of 15 and the importance of learning how to work. Jack also tells the story of his move to Holland, how his performance style developed and how he plays every show as if it were his last performance. From his fondness for his hometown of Athy to handling creativity in the pandemic, his thoughts ...
Dec 27, 2020•30 min•Ep. 326
It’s the most exhausting time of year. Jarlath and Sonia take a look at how residual fatigue from both running and life can swallow our best laid plans at the end of a testing year. We got top tips and tricks on how to allow yourself to rest and not lose focus and a few timely reminders of what should remain our priorities as runners and people. Sonia opens up about her struggle at last Saturday’s event while Jarlath laments his toddler level Strava art skills. There’s also a new section of the ...
Dec 22, 2020•45 min•Ep. 324
Writer and director John Connell is the bestselling author behind The Cow Book and The Running Book. With a life of multiple peaks and devastating troughs, John’s incredible life story and philosophy of making each day ‘your masterpiece’ simply must be heard. John details his journey to figuring out this thing called ‘life’, the after-effects of colonialism, and his battle with depression. In a very moving part of the discussion, John also explains how his conversation with Ryan Tubridy saved a ...
Dec 20, 2020•54 min•Ep. 323
The language of running comes under the microscope this week as Sonia and Jarlath untangle some of the more complicated concepts, terms and phrases doing the rounds today. In typical no nonsense fashion the Irish athletics legend explains how simple terms such as splits, intervals and strides have very different meanings. There’s a few laughs to be had at Jarlath’s expense as explains his brief relationship with plyometric training. And Sonia gives us the details of a cocky runner who made the m...
Dec 15, 2020•57 min•Ep. 321
This month, the Irishman Abroad's recommendations podcast The Selection Box is back by popular demand! If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of content out there, if you’ve ever felt like you’re forever scrolling but never finding what you should be listening to, watching or reading, The Section Box is the podcast for you. First up, the one and only Tom Dunne selects the defining tracks of 2020 and points you to the music you might have missed. After that, award-winning Irish author and ...
Dec 13, 2020•28 min•Ep. 320
This week’s slightly delayed episode looks at the most deceptively important aspect of running. Subtle problems and changes to a runner’s form can mean the difference between long term injury and PBs. Sonia introduces Jarlath TJ the concept of “chi-running”. Created by Danny Dreyer after suffering a long term injury, Sonia explains that her introduction to the concepts came from another Irish running legend Catriona McKiernan. After examining drills that can activate the essential muscle groups ...
Dec 09, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 318
Daryl McCormack joins Jarlath this week to talk about his fascinating life and career. Daryl opens up about growing up different in Nenagh, how the challenges moulded him and the impact that the community had on his life. Daryl speaks about working alongside Alec Baldwin in his latest movie Pixie and how he struggled to keep a straight face with Dylan Moran on set. Jarlath digs into his experiences of imposter syndrome while starring in Peaky Blinders, his current Amazon series The Wheel of Time...
Dec 06, 2020•30 min•Ep. 317
Sonia guides Jarlath through the maze of pitfalls when buying a stocking filler for the runner in your life. With so many running products swamping our timelines, what’s good and what’s not, what’s the safe bet and what’s too personal to bother even trying to guess. Jarlath finds a few odds and ends that he found online and a few bits and pieces that he says will go down a treat. There’s also news on the Irishman Running Abroad challenge. Jarlath gets told off for not listening to Sonia’s guidan...
Dec 01, 2020•51 min•Ep. 315
This week, Irish Times writer, essayist and musician Patrick Freyne joined Jarlath for a fascinating conversation about his life and career. His new book 'OK, Let's Do Your Stupid Idea’ is perfect for any Irish person abroad. Patrick gives an in-depth look into his approach to writing funny, growing up in a town of 'lunatics' and the art of interviewing. Jarlath digs into his notorious relationship with Dermot Bannon, how organisation has become a key to his writing and why he is so cautious abo...
Nov 29, 2020•30 min•Ep. 314
Sonia and Jarlath talk about legal performance enhancers and discuss you suggestions for ways to improve your running times. Everything from changing shoes to coffee comes under the microscope. After last week’s injury Sonia advises Jar on the importance of a gradual return and together they mull over what the next Irishman Running Abroad event should be. Why not get in touch with your suggestion? There’s also a discussion of the power of music and Sonia reveals a few surprising bangers that use...
Nov 24, 2020•46 min•Ep. 312
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of content out there, if you’ve ever felt like you’re forever scrolling but never finding what you should be listening to, watching or reading, The Section Box is the podcast for you. In our brand new monthly recommendations podcast our experts sift through it all so you don’t have to. The one and only Tom Dunne points you to the music you might have missed. Award winning Irish author and Sunday Times chief arts writer Eithne Shortall selects the abs...
Nov 22, 2020•30 min•Ep. 311
Some days you just don’t feel like it. That’s true of every activity including running but how can we overcome it. In this bumper episode Jarlath presents Sonia with a few of top reasons why people give up on running and asks how avoid falling into the same traps. Regardless of whether you run Sonia’s tips on goals, planning, identity and self-care will help you. She freely admits to losing her motivation regularly including in the last week. Jarlath explains why he has suffered his most recent ...
Nov 17, 2020•58 min•Ep. 309
Critically acclaimed Irish author Colum McCann gives us a rare insight into his latest novel and the power of storytelling. When you listen to this powerful conversation, you will not be surprised to hear that Colum has won the Rooney Prize, the Novel of the Year Award, the National Book Award and International Dublin Literary Award. His Man Booker Prize longlisted book Apeirogon has lead critics to ask if a book can bring about peace in Israel. Jarlath digs deep into the experience that lead Co...
Nov 15, 2020•30 min•Ep. 308
After a week of comfort eating watching America nearly implode, Jarlath asks Sonia for some nutrition advice this week. Having escaped her quarantine hotel at last, the Irish athletics legend is on a high and gives some priceless tips on mindset and discipline that we can all apply to our intake. There’s news on our up-coming event on November 18th and a look at Jarlath’s speed of progression with his training plan. Join us on https://www.strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad To gain access to ...
Nov 10, 2020•44 min•Ep. 306
This week, Jarlath is honoured to be joined by Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu. This episode is part of Irishman Abroad’s continued effort to raise awareness of the mental health challenges facing young people and our chosen charity partner jigsaw.ie . Hazel explains how she and her family were on the devastating receiving end of racism as the only Chinese family in Celbridge ( www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad Supplementary research provided by John Meagher. Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie ....
Nov 08, 2020•30 min•Ep. 305
