An Irishman Abroad

In this latest instalment of An Irishman Running Abroad, Sonia O'Sullivan announces our next event, discusses her recent secretive London Marathon experience and explains the fascinating reason why she is currently in Spain working alongside future record holders. As always, Sonia gives Jarlath her invaluable advice on how to take things to the next level, discusses the surprising advantages of running in the rain and the potential pitfalls of posting each run on social media. 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 Twit

This week Jarlath is joined by legendary writer Paul Howard. Having made his first appearance on the podcast over 5 years ago, Paul rejoins us to talk about his new book 'Braywatch' and to have a rare in-depth discussion about his time spent as a sports writer. Paul speaks Frankly about his relationship with Ross (5:00), the fit of optimism which resulted in him destroying 4,000 copies of his first self-published book (12:00) and the letter he received from Bray Chamber of Commerce which influenced him to write 'Braywatch' (17:00). Paul also tells us how Donald Trump once caused him to scrap a book! (29:00). In a fascinating discussion about his time spent as a sports writer, Paul explains how he could wallpaper his office wall with solicitor's letters received from Pat Hickey (1:01:00), why he resents his tax money going to the FAI (1:04:00), the incredible story about Sonia O'Sullivan's honesty (43:00), why he thinks Mick McCarthy tried to drive Roy Keane out (34:00) and much more. This is just a taster.

Navigating the technology options available to new and established runners can be as hard as running itself. That’s why this week Sonia and Jarlath invited Jess Kelly onto the show to break down a few basics and not so simple aspects of modern running gadgetry. Jess Kelly isn’t just one of the most respected tech journalists in Ireland, she makes the truly excellent Tech Talk radio show and podcast for Newstalk.  Check out the items recommended in the episode and a few other bonus tips by joining us on Strava.com/irishmanabroad and patreon.com/irishmanabroad. Jarlath also reveals how his first week under Sonia’s running plan went and how much he fears being murdered by a crazed listener. 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 peopl

Clare Dunne joins us this week to discuss the journey of writing, creating and starring in her first feature film “Herself”. Until now Clare was best known for work on stage but here for the first time she examines how her life as an actor almost never came to be. “Herself” is an up-lifting and heartbreaking story of a young Dublin mother attempting to escape her abusive partner and with the help of some friends building something they can rely upon. It sparks a discussion with Jarlath about the true meaning of Irish identity and its impact on every decision that went into making this critically acclaimed film (15:00). Clare speaks about the value of having Sharon Horgan in her corner (54:00), her rollercoaster of being broke one minute then on the set of Spiderman the next(48:00). In rare brutal detail Clare explains the lightning bolt that hit her while struggling to make ends meet in New York (43:00). This is one of those chats where you need to hear every single minute. This is just a taster. To hear th

If you’re just starting out or are a seasoned half marathon enthusiast you’re going to need Sonia’s advice on how to prepare a training plan. Fresh off the high of his first 5K, Jarlath asks Sonia about the come-down after an event that we might have pinned all our hopes upon. How do we survive success, find the next mountain and park the imagination when the next mountain looks remarkably similar to the last one.  Sonia looks at giving each run a purpose and explains the power of threshold training as she devises Jarlath's training plan. To see the plan, join our running club on strava.com/irishmanabroad. There’s even a brief trip down memory lane as Jarlath asks Sonia about seeing the Dream Team at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. 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

This week, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor makes his much-anticipated return to An Irishman Abroad. A lot has happened in Tom's life and career since his first appearance on the show almost 7 years ago.  Tom tells us about his incredible Marvel experiences which includes a hilarious audition tape story (34:00) and he also details his role as Colm in Rialto and what it was like working alongside Peter Mackie Burns - the director who was not afraid to call bullshit on him (4:00). Tom opens up about his battle with nerves while staring in the one-man show Howie the Rookie (27:00), the challenge of finding a good work-life balance (49:00) before finally teasing his exciting new project Frank of Ireland alongside Domhnall and Brian Gleeson (59:00).  This is just a taster. To hear this episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 350 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 provid

To honour and preserve the memory of Pat Smullen we are re-releasing his episode today. Pat wasn’t just a champion on the track he was a true gentleman and ambassador for courage in the face of tremendous adversity. Rest in peace Pat.  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.

In this latest instalment of An Irishman Running Abroad with Sonia O'Sullivan, Sonia and Jarlath open up the mailbag which is full to the brim of listener' questions. In response to your questions, Sonia addresses the phenomenon of the runner's high while also offering advice and her thoughts on common knee issues, shin splints, supplements, running in very high temperatures, how to change your gait and more. If you haven't yet signed up to Jarlath's first virtual run (The Ireland Funds 5K) on September 19th, you can do so here https://irelandfunds.org/g5k-2020/ 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 m

John McGrath’s story has to be heard to be believed. A gold medal winner for Ireland in rowing, his career cut short by a horrendous back injury. For most that would be the end for John it was just the beginning. He went on a pilgrimage studying self-mastery and the power of the mind, learning how to harness the mind to push the body through the most extreme physical barriers. Under Bruce Lee’s teacher DoJuNum Ji, John earned his black belt in Hapkido and returned to compete for Ireland again as a martial artist. Again, for most people that would be enough. But John McGrath has never conformed.    For years he travelled the world again as a strong man literally bending steel with his mouth, tearing up phone books with his bare hands. On his return he established one of the most respected gyms in the country only for the crash to take it all away. Defeat isn’t in this man’s vocabulary. He upped sticks for South Africa where today he has built a life and business consulting, advising and coaching the everyone f

Running is mental. In this latest instalment of An Irishman Running Abroad with Sonia O'Sullivan, Sonia explains the importance of mental fitness, the challenge of getting out the door while also providing some nutrition advice ahead of a run. Sonia also discusses the phenomenon of being either a morning or evening runner, how therapy can be found in running before addressing the nose-or-mouth-breathing debate. Jarlath also gets embarrassed in front of the class! If you haven't yet signed up to Jarlath's first virtual run (The Ireland Funds 5K) on September 19th, you can do so here https://irelandfunds.org/g5k-2020/ 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 n

Physical artist Ronan Brady has toured the world and graced the biggest stages with his one of a kind cyr wheel performances. Today he joins Jarlath to discuss how he went from normality and comfort of being Roscommon county footballer and school teacher to a travelling circus act respected across the globe. Ronan opens up for the first time about his struggle to write his best-selling new book 'Worlds Apart' (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 pa

Sonia gives us her expert tips on how to avoid injury, one thing that changes everything and she pushes Jarlath to announce his first running event. The Ireland Funds 5K on September 19th (https://irelandfunds.org/g5k-2020/) After your incredible response to the pilot episode of An Irishman Running Abroad last week, we are proud to bring you the inaugural episode of our new series with Sonia O'Sullivan. 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 jigser.com or email the show directly on irishmanabroadpodcast@g

This week, Jarlath is joined by Mundy for a rare and fascinating conversation about his life and career. Mundy opens up about the impact that meditation has had on his music (5:00), what life was like growing up in an Offaly pub with no routine (10:00) how he tested the energy of success by being an ass (15:00) and the moment he got his big break featuring on the Baz Luhrman 'Romeo and Juliet' soundtrack (21:00). From how parenthood made him feel low (31:00) to how he found LA overwhelming while trying to break out of Ireland (41:00), the incredible story involving a lost guitar, Joe Biden and performing for Barack Obama (43:00), his memories of supporting Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Oasis (55:00) and much more, this is a enlightening conversation with a true gent of Irish music.   To hear this episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 350 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad. Supp

Like so many of us, Jarlath is reluctant to go back to the gym and risk infection. He’d like to start running but he fears possible injuries, boredom and making a fool of himself in front of his neighbours. Who better than Sonia O’Sullivan to guide him and you on the journey towards getting out there, getting fit again and maybe running a marathon. If you ever wanted to start running, if you used to run or if you are a running devotee, you’re going to enjoy and Irishman Running Abroad, the brand new branch of Irishman Abroad with Irish sporting legend Sonia O’Sullivan.   Over the course of this new weekly series Sonia and Jarlath will dive into everything from the best running gadgetry to the fundamentals of form, the headspace for establishing a sustained practice to the most common mistakes everyone makes. Expect guests, recommended reading, insight into competing at the highest level and Sonia’s guidance on improving your times regardless of what they might be.   To gain access to the entire back-catalogue

As Editor of The Journal and one time presenter of Virgin Media's Ireland AM, Sinéad O'Carroll knows a lot about being busy. She found time to join Jarlath for a conversation about where news and media are headed as well her own life and career. Sinéad speaks about the gruelling schedules that she has endured for her career (thejournal.ie and its impact in today's consumption of news media. To purchase a ticket for https://www.thelockinn.io/irishmanabroad or sign up by becoming a proud Irishman Abroad patron on www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad to also hear this episode in full and to gain access to our entire back-catalogue of over 400 episodes for just the price of a pint every month. 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

Damien Molony, star of Brassic, Game Face, Suspects, Crashing and Ripper Street joins Jarlath for a rare conversation about his life, career and a few of the more ridiculous moments that have gotten him to where he is today. There’s plenty I’d laugh out loud moments as Damien explains how he learned of Patrick Stewart’s obsession with Huddersfield Town (42:00), his show stopping performance as Kung Fu Panda (19:00), his unusual audition and instant connection with Roisin Conaty on the set of Game Face (46:00).   We also get a scoop on the hotly anticipated season 3 of Brassic (1:14:00) and much more. There is also news on the next Irishman Abroad Online Comedy Club and a new series starting at the end of the month.  To hear this episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 250 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 partn

How to you go from failing the Leaving Certificate to running company valued north of 1 billion dollars? This week, Jarlath is joined by Workhuman's co-founder and CEO Eric Mosely to find out how he took a gift cards idea and turned it into something that could change business forever.  Eric speaks candidly for the first time about his struggles in school (5:00), how he tasted poverty he experienced growing up in Tallaght in the eighties stayed with him (13:00), the deficit of ambition he has in Irish CEOs and where it might come from (31:00). There’s a fascinating discussion on the much maligned millenials (48:00) and his thoughts on the current state of America (1:11:00). Eric explains what he calls the art of rewarding people at work (43:00) and much more. If you’re looking for a truly rare and insight into one of Ireland's top business minds, you’ve found it.  To hear this episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 250 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTun

Irishman Abroad is moving. This episode marks the beginning of a new chapter for Irishman Abroad podcast. Jarlath explains how you can join up and help write it and a special offer he is running for anyone who wants to join Irishman Abroad Premium in the next two weeks.   Today’s conversation with Siobhán McSweeney doesn’t just cover her starring role in Derry Girls, together she and Jarlath talk about her curious path from UCC science student to drama school in London and onwards. Siobhán opens up about something a lot of Irish people struggle with, parental expectation and how she managed to over come it. In the full version over on Patreon, Siobhán speaks in detail about her writing, Derry Girls, season 3, the possibility of a Sister Michael spin-off series, on set challenges and much more.   Jigsaw.ie is our chosen charity. Their work to equip Irish young people with the mental health life skills they will need is needed now more than ever. Visit jigsaw.ie and see if they can help you or maybe through

In this very special episode of an Irishman Abroad, we bring you the story of World Vision and their campaign to end violence against children across the world.   Jarlath is joined by World Vision Ireland's Programmes Director Maurice Sadlier and two of its Ambassadors food-writer and former model Roz Purcell and one of the stars of Game Of Thrones, actor Liam Cunningham.    Maurice explains the essence of the work that World Vision does globally (www.worldvision.ie   To access this episode in full and to hear all of our episodes in full each week, visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad and sign up for just the price of a pint every month. In return, you will gain full access to our entire archive of all of the podcasts we have ever released including - An Irishman In America, Men Behaving Better and An Irishman Behind Bars. If you come over and join in the first two weeks of August 2020, you will be given something very special as an additional thanks that won't disappoint.   Our charity partner is jig

Colm Meaney is a national treasure. This week Jarlath sits down with him for a one of a kind conversation about his early life, work and struggles. For the first time, we hear his experience of being Irish in the UK during the Troubles (31:00), getting his big break in the 1980s in America (38:00) and why juggling Star Trek with features such as The Van, The Snapper and The Commitments worked for him (51:00).   From joining Sinn Féin as an 'anti-establishment' 13 year old (12:00), to and how Margaret Thatcher once 'fucked the whole thing up' with regards to funding and the arts (30:00), the Hollywood culture of telling people what they want to hear (50:00), the series of incredibly unfortunate events that killed the prospects of one of his proudest acting projects (56:00) and much more, this is a fascinating and rare conversation with a true Irish acting legend.   To hear about the chaotic nature of filming Alpha Papa alongside Steve Coogan, Colm's thoughts on how the film/TV industry is changing, the art