An Irishman Abroad

After relocating to America, Sonia explains to Jarlath how the ghost town of Nike’s HQ campus employs a steamroller to manicure its grass, the weird coincidence that produced a chance meeting with a competitor from her past and how she managed to charm her way into getting a vaccination within 48 hours of hitting American soil. The focus then turns to the most overlooked perils of running and how we might avoid these dangers. There’s a tribute to our fallen running club ambassador Gillian Ryan and the announcement of a run in her memory on May 2nd. Paula Radcliffe takes inspiration from Sonia and ing time listener Séamus McAteer is the first caller to the Irishman Abroad WhatsApp Live Line.   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 gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes f

On what will go down as a momentous week in Black History with the conviction of Derek Chauvin, Ireland-based screenwriter Carl Austin joined Jarlath for a harrowing conversation about growing up in South Central Los Angeles. They discuss the influence the depiction of black communities in film has had on racism globally and much more. In this crossover episode from our forthcoming 3rd series of Men Behaving Better in which racism is under the spotlight, Carl explains how he didn't meet a white person his own age until he was a teenager. We hear why he was reluctant to drive through Bel Air with his wife in recent years and Carl also explains how racism caused him to have two identities growing up. Carl looks back on a shocking incident when a routine traffic stop resulted in him being held at gunpoint with a police officer holding him down with a knee on his back. This is a truly powerful conversation that you simply don't want to miss. To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-ca

With so much conflicting information out there and so many vested interests, it’s hard to know what to believe about running. Today Sonia takes aim and busts a few of the myths that hold us back when it comes to running well. Jarlath has picked up an injury and opens up for the first time about the impact it is having on his training and life. Sonia offers some no nonsense advice and announces her plans to head Stateside in the lead up to the Olympic Games for a very exciting project. There’s also one of the most bizarre and hilarious emails of the week.   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 gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad.   Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky tim

Horse racing legend Jessica Harrington sits down with Jarlath seven days on from Rachel Blackmore’s Grand National win to talk about her own remarkable journey. One of the very first female Irish racehorse trainers, Jessica has seen every side of the industry from the bitter disappointments to the glorious triumphs at the biggest events. How does she remain positive when the losses far outweigh the wins? Jarlath digs into her attachment to the animals, their welfare and her previous life representing Ireland at European, World and Olympic levels in three day eventing. Finally Jarlath asks Jessica about stereotypes about male and female horses, how they were extended to humans in the business and how they are gradually getting rolled back with each passing season. Whether you’re a racing fan or not there is something for everyone in this conversation with an Irish sporting pioneer. To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not a

Following a bizarre incident involving a stray dog, Sonia finds herself on the examination table looking down the barrel of a health situation she has never faced before. The journey back to running after a layoff is something the Irish legend reflects upon with Jarlath. Together they examine the essential components of a thoughtful comeback. Sonia opens up about her like of self-kindness during her career and how that has changed now. An email from a listener allows Jarlath to realise something his coach has been telling him for 6 months and there’s a review of the Cobh 10 mile virtual road race plus lots lots more.    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 gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabro

This week, Newstalk's Off The Ball and Virgin Media's 6 Nations presenter Joe Molloy joined Jarlath for a rare long-form conversation about his life and career. With a refreshing honesty, Joe outlines his mixed feelings over the 'tricky' infamous Roy Keane interview which "wasn't a good night" for him, the overwhelm he felt in Newstalk after the sudden departure of the Second Captains team and his thoughts on how social media has turned angry in recent years. From the beautiful story of how he was headhunted for his Virgin Media role to the art of interviewing, turning to Enda McNulty for help and much more, this is a fascinating conversation with one of Ireland's top sports broadcasters. To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad   Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of re

Ireland’s greatest athlete gives us a masterclass in how to respond to setbacks, failures and unforeseen problems. After a week where Sonia asked all our listeners to see how high they could climb, a month when Ireland has struggled to see light in the darkness and a year when everyone has been forced to dig deep, there really has never been a better time to talk about resilience. Jarlath goes deep into Sonia’s Olympic past to find out how she learned to respond during her darkest moments and why speed was the key. There’s a review of the leaderboard, a new book club selection, email of the week from another Cóbh native and discussion of dogs on nudist beaches   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 gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint eve

This week, award-winning writer Kevin Barry joined Jarlath for a fascinating conversation about writing and the mystery of the creative process.   Kevin speaks about the deal fiction writers make with their subconscious mind, the importance of embracing failure, trusting the gut and reveals the book he regards as his "awkward child".   This chat is full of the classic Irish observations you’d expect from Kevin and few strange revelations such as his early attempts to write after returning home from a heavy night out to his admission that he couldn’t ride a bike until he was 15. This conversation is the perfect antidote to the bleakness we have all gotten used to this past month. Irishman Abroad brings you more light next Friday with Harry Hill joining our online comedy show in aid of frontline workers. Go to www.returnofthecraic.com to reserve your stream and see the rest of the stellar lineup.   To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes

Niggly pains and aches are among the hardest aspects of running at any level. The intuition and detective work needed to decipher whether a nagging pain is just a passing change taking place in your body, a part of the normal discomfort of pushing yourself or something that if left unchecked will develop into something way more serious - can be immense. Whether you suffer with tender shins, heals, toes, arches or hips, tight achilles or glutes, Irish athletics legend, Sonia O’Sullivan is here to help with the detective work you need to do. Together with Jarlath she tries to provide some simple no nonsense solutions and guides to help with whatever ails you. There’s also a preview of this week’s Elevation event, our listener of the week, the conclusion of Shoe Dog and a discussion of whether a sliotar is a ball or not. Get more by joining the podcast’s running club on Strava. https://www.strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad   Join our running event on strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad and help raise vit

Our special Organ Donation Awareness Week episode brings together three very different stories from three very different individuals who have had their lives changed by this modern medical miracle. RTE courts reporter and Irish Kidney Association ambassador Vivienne Traynor donated a kidney to her nephew in 2009 but that’s only the beginning of her story. Lucy Davis received a kidney from her mother in 1997 and until now has not spoken about the experience in great depth. She explains to Jarlath why she has taken the decision to speak out and the grotesque press treatment she received following the donation. James Nolan has helped to raise almost 2 million euro for kidney research projects and has represented Ireland at the World Transplant Games. He was one of the first recipients of a kidney from a live donor in the history of the Irish state and has been instrumental in Jarlath’s own transplant journey.   To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abr

You’ve probably heard of Kobe’s “Mamba Mentality” of work ethic and perfectionism. This week Irish athletics legend who is also know by just one name, takes us inside the “Sonia Mentality” for running. Whether you’re struggling to get out the door or break 20 minutes for 5K, Sonia O’Sullivan’s tips on the right headspace or mental approach to running and life will help you. With an honesty you rarely hear, Sonia explains her own mental struggles during and after her career. She gives Jarlath a few tips to help him reset after last week’s ferocious training load and together they assess “Shoe Dog” our book of the month. There’s also a breakdown of last Wednesday’s event and the winner of our “Biggest Eejit” fancy dress competition.”   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 gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad e

Patrick Kielty sits down with Jarlath to talk about the long and winding road from rural Northern Ireland to London and L.A. and back again. Recorded the day after Piers Morgan stepped down from his television duties, Jarlath starts by asking Paddy about the first time he realised he was tabloid fodder and the poet of modern media. With standup firmly on his mind, Jarlath digs into how laughter solved some of the pain from the trauma he suffered in his teens. We hear how the Empire Comedy Club came to be and why it took off the way it did. In 2018 Patrick produced a stunning piece of documentary for the BBC about the death of his father and the peace deal that followed. Together they look at some of the finer points of the situation Northern Ireland finds itself in now and whether there might be a way out.    To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patr

Sonia and Jarlath discuss a subject that is long overdue on this podcast and in society in general. Jarlath asks Sonia about fear that comes with running for women and what men can do to help make the running experience less threatening. The Irish Olympic legend opens up about her own fears and the intimidation that even world class athletes feel on their runs. Together they try to find at least one charge we can all make today to immediately change the current situation. There’s also a review this weekends event for Jigsaw.ie and look forward to our St Patrick’s Day 5K.   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 gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad.   Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In

Colin O’Donoghue had his light bulb moment in Drogheda when he got roped into performing youth theatre. Today he confides in Jarlath that the craving for more work, more projects, more challenges has never changed since. The star of such global hits as Once Upon A Time, The Rite and The Right Stuff, Colin speaks for the first time about how close he came to quitting the business completely. Jarlath gets into what kept him going through these difficult times and the projects that would soon follow including one with the legend Dolly Parton. Together Colin and Jarlath examine his most challenging ties to date for Disney. There’s even the startling account of the time Colin witnessed an exorcism and the brilliant moment he realised that Sir Anthony Hopkins was actually really sound. Jar also makes a big announcement about how standup special Notions Eleven.    To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for ju

Jarlath puts your questions on nutrition to the Irish athletics legend Sonia O’Sullivan. From the basics of what our daily plate should look like to the more insider knowledge of gels this episode covers everything. With our Mothers Day and St Patrick’s Day events on the horizon Sonia gives us a few pre and post race tips and her recipe of the week. Finally we hear Aisling Demaison of the Running Home project about an idea that came to her while out for Sunday run that is now taking over her life. runninghome.ie is raising vital funds for the Father Peter McVerry Trust by encouraging Irish people abroad to team up and cover the miles back to their hometown. Just like the Irishman Running Abroad Challenge they have two events coming up on the 14th and 17th with My Ireland Boxes prizes on offer for the winners.   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

This week, Laura Whitmore joined Jarlath to discuss her new book No One Can Change Your Life Except For You. More than a memoir, it’s a book filled with exceptional advice on how to live your best life and take charge of your own story.   Laura speaks about the pitfalls of modern life, the phenomenon of expectations and her delicate treatment of writing about past relationships. From her jaw-dropping Meg Mathews story to the damage of comparing yourself to others, the challenge she faces with privacy, her excitement about becoming a mother and much more, this is a truly enlightening conversation with one of Ireland's most successful women in the media.   To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad   Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people

It’s remarkable that it has taken us 6 months to get to the issue of balance in running given it is perhaps the most essential component of biomechanics and the training itself. Sonia leads Jarlath through the basic theory of teaching your feet to react to changes in your body position. There’s a look at some of the more unusual training exercises to improve the reaction of our proprioceptors and how to pronounce proprioceptors. There’s the new book club section with the announcement of our first book choice, “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight. Sonia then broadens the discussion of balance into our wider training and explains to Jarlath why running slowly needs to be the biggest part of his week.   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 gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for

Mark Horgan joins Jarlath for an in depth discussion about the production and impact of his global hit podcast series, “Where Is George Gibney?”. We hear of Mark’s first awareness of the case and how eve the was confused as to whether Gibney was imprisoned for the initial sexual abuse charges against him. Jarlath digs into the exact judicial loophole that allowed Gibney to leave the country and evade. We get an inside look into Mark’s initial hesitancy to pursue the project out of concern for the victims, the overarching aim to tell their stories and his own views on how we sometimes try to explain away pure evil in others.  The victims and their courage is a central focus of the discussion and Jarlath asks Mark about the significance of Gary O’Toole in the process. Later in the conversation we hear about the moment Mark confronted Gibney face to face and how Florida gun laws had him and Ciaran Cassidy on edge at all times. Now that Mark has returned to his old stomping ground with the Second Captains team a

Lockdown malaise can kill a run before it happens. Sonia chats to Jarlath about motivating ourselves when it feels like we can’t get out the door. Trying to encourage your friends, family or kids to join you on a run can seem like an impossible task. Jarlath asks Sonia if there’s an easier way to get your child interested in exercise. For the first time we hear about her challenges motivating both of her daughters. We also get some timely advice on running hills and admission from Sonia on the difficulty she has with our latest Strava event.   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 gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad.   Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw pr

This week, Virgin Media News Reporter Richard Chambers makes a welcome return to the show after many requests from listeners in recent weeks for an episode just like this. Richard gives us the most up-to-date status on the vaccine rollout in Ireland, explains the reasons for its slow progress and addresses whether Boris may have been right about the power being truly with a country's independence from Europe. To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad 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