An Irishman Abroad

Before sitting down to chat to national marathon champion Aoife Cooke, Jar and Sonia take a moment to announce and explain three new Irishman Running Abroad events suitable for all kinds of runners. The two time world champion has put a lot of time and effort into coming up with events that will keep you motivated through lent. By challenging us all to see can we gain as much elevation as possible Sonia takes our training to new heights and Jarlath hopes his aching legs can keep up. Aoife Cook knows a thing or two about aching legs. Her training program includes almost 200K per week as she gears up for Tokyo. Jarlath and Sonia ask her all about her journeys to Arkansas to Kenya and how a rare bone issue forced her out of running for seven years. Aoife’s inspiring attitude to training is something that we all need right now in these challenging times. There are a few laughs as usual during the quick fire round. Don’t forget to sign up to our running club on Strava and join hundreds of other listeners receiving

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, rules he would consider changing, his time in America and professionalism. This is just a taster. To hear this 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

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 of injury or snow. Sonia’s Lent Event starts next week. She walks us through some homework you’ll need to do in order to take part.    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/iris

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 Kavanagh takes a look at some pieces of technology that could boost your work-life balance and general organisation when working at home. The one and only Tom Dunne then points you to some great pieces of music you might have missed, from global classics to local up-and-coming greats in the making. To close, Rory Cashin (Entertainment at lovin.ie) and Eoghan Doherty (Movies & TV at JOE.ie) trawl through all platforms to find the movies and shows that may have passed you by. To hear each episode in full every sin

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. Together they work out a new Lent Event as Sonia ponders whether we can all go faster by cutting out the treats for 40 days and 40 nights.    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/

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 out about the “not in front of people I know” route into standup, the successful TV writing career he built and how he chose to end it. The friendship with Gary Delaney that changed everything for him, the buzz of getting his work optioned for TV, the exciting bidding war which ensued and much more, this is a thoroughly heart-warming conversation with one of Ireland's true creative writing talents. To hear each episode in full every single week and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abro

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 also an extensive questions and answers section with Sonia where Jarlath puts some of our listeners’ questions to the Irish athletics legend. Don’t forget to join our running club on Strava and sign up for this Saturday’s event.    Be kind to yourself and others this January. 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-catal

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 8. We hear of Roland’s heartbreak as how he watched him both attempt to destroy, the Jordan comparison and the touching letter Kobe wrote to his daughter.  Jarlath quizzes Roland on the big difference between Kobe and modern stars. They find common ground on a Roy Keane comparison as Roland explains how Kobe's maniacal work ethic saw him wear his body and teammates  down. Featuring rare and intimate insights into the life and mind of one of the most ferocious competitors ever to have lived, this truly is a remarkabl

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 her questioning of how diverse the Irish education system is in hiring people of colour, the need for an anti-bullying policy in Irish schools and her experiences living in Mississippi on a basketball scholarship, this is a truly eye-opening and sobering conversation about 'everyday racism' and how it needs to be addressed.   To hear each episode in full every single week 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 pi

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 transitioning to shoeless running or minimal shoes. There’s look at Jarlath stalled progress after he suffered a hip injury this week. How will this impact his plan to run 2000K for Jigsaw.ie? And we hear one of the funniest emails the show has ever received. Sonia also tells us about the return of Park Runs to Australia and her 19 minute 5K effort for her beloved Snowy the dog.   Be kind to yourself and others this January. Join our running event on strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad and help raise vitally needed funds f

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 Christian Brothers school. From being a 'real nasty bastard' in sealing negotiations to detailing the important work of his charity Amber, his role as a sort of spy in the Lewis Hamilton/Mercedes deal, who he believes to be the best driver of his era and much more, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss. Click here for more information on The Amber Foundation: http://www.amberweb.org/ To hear each episode in full every single week and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episode

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 cuts through the nonsense like a knife through butter. While Jarlath feels the relief of knowing he’s not the only one who has become overwhelmed by a big training task. Following last week’s food episode Jarlath attempted to make Sonia’s powerballs. Somehow, he nearly burns his house down. There’s news on an upcoming guest and some sad personal news about one of Sonia’s most faithful running companions. RIP Snowy. Don’t forget to get in touch with the show via irishmanabroadpodcast@gmail.com we want to hear from you.   

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 nothing about online misinformation for so long and his concern about the sudden regulation of the President.   The second half of the interview is essential listening (available on Patreon) It delves deeper into Ireland’s relationship with secrets, money and power, and Peter’s own difficult past. There’s also a discussion of how blind the Republic of Ireland can be to the political complexities of the North and the hilarious high-risk move which secured him an interview with former White House Chief Strategist Steve Ba

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 fear of blowing his progress on Cadbury Celebrations. We get Sonia's extensive guide to making your own muesli and why it’s not as hard as it sounds, a handy new wrap snack recipe and the definitive guide to making Sonia’s Powerballs from scratch. There’s a heart-breaking listener email, an incident involving Jarlath overstepping the. Line with a dog and definitive discussion of whether toast is a good or a bad thing for runners.    Be kind to yourself and others this January. Join our running event on strava.com/clubs

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 Margaret O'Shaughnessy who tells the incredible history of the first international airport in Ireland, the birth of Irish coffee and the key role that Hollywood star Maureen O'Hara plays in the legacy of the Museum. This is just a taster. To hear this 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 t

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 unusual goal for him and the listeners that will allow everyone to get excited about the dark month ahead. We hear how “the temptation to look in the oven” can spoil the reward at the end of a training framework. Jar gives a shout to a loyal listener and next week’s cookery episode gets a preview.     Join us on https://www.strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad to get even more access and info.   To gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 400 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just th

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 on the music business and much more, this is a thoroughly enlightening and charming conversation to listen to on Christmas week. This is just a taster. To hear this 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 th

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 show called “Sonia’s Heroes” and the announcement of a fun Christmas Day mile event.   Join us on https://www.strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad to get even more access and info.   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 the

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 man’s life and subsequently gave him a huge amount of perspective on his own existence. This is the perfect conversation for this Christmas after the year that it has been. As it’s so special, as a gift to you, the full length version of this conversation is available to all of our listeners. To hear each episode in full every single week 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

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 mistake of mockery during last weekend’s Tasmanian 10K. There’s news on this weekend’s event for Jigsaw and a few of your questions answered as usual. Hozier plays us out with his classic running anthem “Almost”.     Join us on https://www.strava.com/clubs/irishmanrunningabroad to get even more access and info.   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 par