The GAA Social - podcast cover

The GAA Social

BBC Radio Ulster•www.bbc.co.uk
Sports

The GAA Social brings to life stories from Gaelic Games. It features pundit discussions and wide-ranging interviews with the sport’s players, managers and officials.

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Episodes

Joe Diver. Derry Midfielder. Alcoholic. Fighting back for life

This is a remarkable podcast. Joe Diver had the world at his feet. A beautiful wife, family, talented footballer, successful job and drinking a bottle of whiskey at 10am in the morning. Wild. Ultimately, alcoholism could have cost Joe his life. He turned it around, returned to University and is a mental health counsellor. He doesn't drink anymore and hasn't for some time. Helping people is what he wants to do. Addiction is a growing problem and what Joe is finding out, people are presenting with...

Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 24 min

Kevin Mussen. The first man to bring Sam across the border. A brilliant podcast

Kevin Mussen was the first man to bring Sam Maguire across the border. He still remembers the night and the customs posts. Different days. He and his Down team lit up the 60’s and Kevin remembers it all. Eamon de Valera, climbing the steps, bringing Sam to school and looking back on a truly historic moment for the GAA. Kevin is the oldest person we’ve ever had on the podcast- and full of craic. There's a devilment to this witty, kind man. Older people tend to say it how it is. There’s plenty of ...

Jun 17, 2025•57 min

Ray Cosgrove. Dublin superstar, walking away under Tommy Carr. Dubs 2025. Missing that free

King of the celebration, a proper Dublin superstar who had to wait seven years for his breakthrough season. Wins, bringing Dublin back from obscurity and in 2002 finishing joint top scorer- but missing that crucial free v Armagh. What could have been. What is the ultimate embarrassment for any Gaelic footballer? Tommy Carr brought Ray Cosgrove on as a substitute in Croke Park, 1999 Leinster final. He was then taken off. Cruel. Their relationship pretty much ended and Ray couldn't play under Tomm...

Jun 10, 2025•1 hr

Johnny Glynn. Miscarriages, IVF, hope. Winning All-Irelands with Galway and now New York. Pure love

In one of the most powerful and impactful episodes of the GAA Social, Johnny Glynn & Thomas Niblock lift the lid on their experiences of multiple miscarriages. Johnny and his wife Serena, along with Kirstie and Thomas have travelled similar paths. It’s difficult. This is a male perspective. One very rarely, told publicly. Why is that? Johnny has just captained his county to an All-Ireland in Croke Park. On Thursday before the final, he found out their last attempt at IVF, failed. It’s always...

Jun 03, 2025•1 hr 10 min

Mickey Niblock- being replaced by Pele At New York Cosmos. Derry, Cork, GAA, approaching 80 Total faith. Life

The surname probably gives it away. Yes related to Thomas, but if you're of a particular age- you will know of the exploits of Mickey Niblock. An All-Ireland winning minor and U21, Derry seniors flew him back to play for the team in the 70's, when New York was his home. The building sites of the Bronx was his home. Derry could win Ulster championships- but they couldn't beat Kerry. 50 years later and watching his son David play for Cork and Nemo Rangers, Mickey has a sheep farm in "Seamus Moynih...

May 27, 2025•58 min

The life & legacy of Sean Brown. Explained by his daughter Clare and 87-year-old wife Bridie.

In 1997, less than a year before the Good Friday Agreement, Sean Brown was locking the gates of Bellaghy GAA club. He was abducted and killed by loyalists, his body dumped beside his burnt out Ford Sierra. 28 years later, the Brown family continue to search for answers. Bridie Brown lost her husband, she also lost her son Damian. The entire Brown family were flanked by 10,000 people in the Co Derry village recently, and their search for 'what' and 'why' continues. But who was Sean Brown? What wa...

May 20, 2025•57 min

Aidan Walsh. Being let go. Winning an All-Ireland, moving to Kerry

Life after inter-county GAA takes a period of time to adjust. When your a Cork hurler and footballer you've dined in two hotels- both five star. Life has now brought Aidan Walsh to West Kerry. He transferred to the home of the O'Se's An Ghaeltacht and life is good. Love can do that sort of thing. A beautiful wee boy (yes-wearing a Kerry jersey) has changed perspective. Living in one of the most beautiful places in Ireland- but he can't speak the language. In this podcast we discuss being dropped...

May 13, 2025•58 min

Dara Ó Cinnéide- All-Ireland winning Kerry captain. Turning 50. Life

Dara has turned 50- what does that mean? In this podcast we explore life in Kerry. A child star growing up- who made it! Now it's chairman of the club, helping out with the senior team, climbing mountains and digging into a very delicate question- what actually is Gaelic football, what does it say about us and what does it really mean? There's plenty of craic along the way, Kerry's chances in 2025, losing out to Oisin's Armagh in 2002, working in media and an insight into the great Páidí Ó Sé. A...

May 06, 2025•59 min

Galway-Mayo Clinker, Title 86 for Kerry- Skorts or strike?

What could have been for Mayo in a frantic Connacht final. They had their chances but Galway came through- led by the superb Paul Conroy and Cillian McDaid. There were others. Their reward is the group of death. As for Kerry, it was more straight forward in Killarney- but Kerry look really good. In the camogie Leinster semi-final, both Kilkenny and Dublin players wore 'shorts' not 'skorts' and the game was almost abandoned. The game eventually took place, after the players changed into skorts. A...

May 04, 2025•35 min

Jimmy Barry Murphy. An icon, in Cork & beyond.

Jimmy Barry Murphy. One of the most successful GAA players of all-time. All-Ireland winning manager, the glory of Cork hurling and still involved at 70 years young. This was a brilliant sit down with JBM. All-star trips, the best he ever played against, dealing with the hurt of criticism, dog racing, dropping players, a son coaching in the Premier League, Denis Irwin as a footballer and hurler with St Finbarr's and being the best mate of Roy Keane (kind of) It’s a packed podcast with one of the ...

Apr 29, 2025•1 hr 4 min

Conor Gormley- A Tyrone rivalry with Oisin & Armagh explained. A Brilliant listen

Two men who really didn't like each other sit down in a room. This is some podcast. Conor Gormley won three All-Ireland's with Tyrone and when the Armagh rivalry was at it's height- he was the enforcer. He marked the dangermen and said the 2005 All-Ireland semi-final was the most intense game of his life. Gormley, quiet by nature explains being overlooked by Mickey Harte as a minor, exploding onto the scene because he marked Peter Canavan at club level and feeling almost bitter about saying good...

Apr 22, 2025•1 hr 6 min

Kerry survive, hooter must go, Monaghan fall short. Donegal & Galway through along with Clare and Down. Munster Hurling is king

The Munster Hurling championship has saved the world from doom! Packed into a big football weekend, Cork/ Clare and Limerick/Tipp shook us all. Magnificent stuff. The football was good too. Donegal will play Down in the Ulster semi-final. Cork really could have/ should have beaten Kerry, Oisin wants to bin the hooter- Monaghan might agree! Questions remain over Mayo but Galway look in a really good place. A painful weekend for Fermanagh.

Apr 20, 2025•36 min

Ross Carr- gratitude for life

When you sit down to record a podcast, you never quite know how it’s going to turn out. This was one of those. Ross Carr is one of those interesting people you come across in life and this is an intimate reflection on living and growing older. Ross Carr is just north of 60, young- but fully aware of the fragility of life. There’s been losses, Eamonn burns being one, and the former All-star has responded with a more rounded outlook on what life should be. The Mournes and the splendid Clonduff cer...

Apr 15, 2025•1 hr

Tyrone romp Cavan, Meath super comeback, Antrim & Wicklow compete- really well!

Mind games and addressing the elephant in the room. Seanie Johnston has an interesting take on the flat Cavan performance in Omagh. Tyrone take on Armagh next (what a game) and Meath come from 10 down to beat Offaly. Wins for Dublin, Louth, Armagh and Kildare. Westmeath, Antrim and Wicklow lose- but there's lots of positives.

Apr 13, 2025•26 min

Ger Houlahan. All-star, TV pundit, Armagh captain, life is for laughing

What a laugh and what a man. He wore the orange of Armagh for almost two decades. He captained the team, All-star award, but watched as all those teams around him picked up Sam Maguire, while Armagh missed out. He did collect back-to-back Ulster titles towards the end, but it wasn’t quite the same. Craic, depth, fun and emotion. This is Ger Houlahan at his best. One of the original TV pundits, icon, celebration king and continues to give back.

Apr 08, 2025•1 hr

Gareth McKinless- What's happened Derry, picking up the pieces. Hope & learning.

He’s one of the finest footballers in the modern game. An All-star award in November 2023, proof of the quality possessed by Gareth McKinless. Since then, it hasn’t quite worked out for Derry. Why? Paddy Tally’s team go into this weekend’s opening championship game against Donegal, with hope, good footballers, but just one win in a year. A change in management has taken place again and three All-star defenders won’t be in Ballybofey. Conor McCluskey is out, Chrissy McKaigue has retired and McKin...

Apr 01, 2025•58 min

Jimmy Smyth- Armagh captain, 20 years behind the mic

1977 Jimmy Smyth led Armagh to the All-Ireland final. An All-star and two Ulster titles were collected, but no Celtic cross. For Club it was an outstanding level of success. Nine county titles, three provincial championships and a lifetime involved in GAA- but he almost played for Down! Sliding doors moment. Chairperson of the Ulster schools, still giving back. A great talker, a great man, this is the brilliant Jimmy Smyth

Mar 25, 2025•59 min

The final day drama of the league

In an incredible few minutes, Mayo go from relegation to finishing top of the league. It's the final day of the Allianz leagues- we're ready no for Championship

Mar 23, 2025•30 min

David Coldrick- it's time to mic-up referees

A hugely strong podcast and a fabulous lens into the world of the referee. David Coldrick has been the 'man in the middle' during four All-Ireland finals. He'd like another. Broadly speaking, Coldrick is a supporter of the new rules and the work carried out by the FRC. Although, the Meath whistler, fair and balanced, says it was a mistake not to include a referee on the initial panel. Former referee Maurice Deegan is now part of the FRC. There’s more. Coldrick looks back on the time he failed a ...

Mar 18, 2025•1 hr
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