Episodes
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Inside the Inter‑County Training Camp: A Day at Quinta de Lago
This episode takes you inside an inter‑county Gaelic football training camp, describing a typical day from morning flexibility and tactical meetings to on‑pitch sessions, recovery facilities and evening psychology work. It explains how focused sessions, top‑class recovery and uninterrupted time...
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Playing Time: should every player get equal minutes in youth sports?
This is a quick hitter of an episode; a short discussion on whether or not every child should receive equal playing time in youth sports - weighing development and retention against competition and winning. This episode invites listeners - coaches, parents, and players - to share their views on...
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Cycling for a Cause: Danny O'Sullivan - Turning Grief into Generosity
In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, I have a conversation with Danny O'Sullivan from Tralee, County Kerry. Danny shares the profoundly emotional experience of losing his wife, Alison, at just 37 years of age to a sudden and aggressive form of cancer just 10 weeks after diagnosis. Despite the...
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Exploring the Challenges of High Performance with AFL's Nick Walsh
In this insightful episode, we delve into the world of sports coaching with Nick Walsh, a former Gaelic football player turned AFL high-performance expert. We explore the unique challenges athletes face when transitioning from Gaelic games to Australian Rules Football and discuss the importance…
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Skill Development Unlocked: A Conversation with Dr. Ed Coughlan
Listen in to this insightful episode as we delve deep into the world of coaching with Dr. Ed Coughlan, an expert in skill acquisition. Discover how to create the optimal environment for players to develop their skills effectively, beyond the traditional drills. Dr. Coughlan shares his expertise…
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Unlocking Youth Sports Success: Insights from sports psychologist Dr. Ciara Losty
Welcome to an engaging episode where we delve into the psychological intricacies of coaching youth in sports. After a brief hiatus, we're back to explore how parents and coaches can create a nurturing environment for young athletes. Joining us is Dr. Ciara Losty, a lecturer in Applied Sport and...
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Unveiling the Gaps: PE Challenges in Irish Schools
In this thought-provoking first episode of 2025, we delve into the current state of physical education (PE) in Irish national schools, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for improvement. Host Mike engages in a compelling discussion with Stephen and Peter Lavin, the passionate educators...
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Building Champions: Youth Development, Coaching, and Collaboration with Des Ryan
In this episode, I'm joined by Des Ryan, a renowned expert in youth athletic development and coaching, with a career spanning elite roles at Arsenal, Irish Rugby, and now as Director of Sport and Physical Activity at the University of Galway. Des shares his wealth of knowledge on developing young...
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Searching for balance between the AFL and the GAA - former Kerry & Sydney Swans footballer Tommy Walsh
Kerry's Tommy Walsh is both an All Ireland winner and former professional Aussie rules player with both St Kilda and the Sydney Swans. Following commentary by Kerry GAA county chairman Patrick O'Sullivan recently about the need for the GAA to become more proactive about putting structures in…
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Unlocking the Secrets of High-Performance Coaching: A Deep Dive with Jason McGahan
Jason McGahan is the high-performance manager with Kerry GAA, and shares his journey from playing football in Armagh to managing performance for one of Ireland's top GAA counties. He provides valuable insights into building high-performance structures within sports teams, illustrating how clubs…
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Declan Quill - Raising standards and driving success with Kerry ladies football
Join us in this episode as we delve into the world of coaching with Declan Quill, former joint manager of the Kerry Ladies football team. Hear inspiring stories and insights from Quill on how he and his team transformed the coaching approach, leading the Kerry Ladies to All-Ireland glory.…
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Speed matters with Hall of Fame sprint coach Tony Holler
In this episode, I’m thrilled to introduce Tony Holler, a Hall of Fame sprint coach from the United States and the mind behind the revolutionary “Feed the Cats” training philosophy. Known for challenging traditional approaches to speed training, Tony has transformed the way coaches think about...
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Unleashing the power of coaching and the role of the sports parent with Wayne Goldsmith
In this insightful episode, we delve deep into the world of coaching with the legendary Wayne Goldsmith. A highly respected Australian coach, Wayne has spent over 30 years revolutionising sports coaching across various disciplines, including swimming, rugby, triathlon, and cricket. Join us as…
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Empowering Change: The Journey of Louise Quill and Tír na nÓg Children's Foundation
Welcome to Season 4 of the Mike Quirke Podcast, where we dive deeper into the realms of sports coaching, performance, and the psychology of being a sports parent and plenty more. In this episode, we explore an inspiring story of change and resilience. Meet Louise Quill, a remarkable woman from...
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Key coaching messages from series 3
In this week's episode, the last of the series, I wanted to provide a recap of some of the brilliant messages shared by all the various guests along the way. I'd like to say a sincere thanks to all of those people who have come on and shared their vast knowledge with us and I'd also like to thank...
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Dr. Mark O’Sullivan - challenging the established norms of coaching our young sports people
In this week's episode, I got the opportunity to pick the brains of Dr Mark O'Sullivan, originally from Cork, the 'accidental' academic is now an associate professor of football at the Norwegian School of Sports Science and formerly head of youth development at AIK Stockholm who specialises in...
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Think it, Do it, Become it - John McGrath’s remarkable journey from Mount Sion to Cape town
John McGrath is a former GAA player, an international rower, a circus strong man, a world record holder and so on... The 6'6" Irish man lives in Paarl, South Africa and has earned renown as a strength and conditioning coach working with rugby players, the South African women’s tug-of-war team…
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Navigating the nutrition minefield: John O’Connor - Kerry senior football head performance nutritionist
John O'Connor is this week's guest on the podcast - owner of Target Nutrition and head performance nutritionist with the Kerry senior football team. This episode is slightly different to previous efforts, where we talk all things food and nutrition information and misinformation. As parents, how…
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Asking the right questions of a games based approach to coaching - Niall O’Mahony
I want to say a big thank you to PST Sport for their continued support as title sponsor for this project. Go to pstsport.com for world class delivery of all your artificial grass pitch needs. Niall O'Mahony is this weeks guest - a lecturer and PhD candidate working in the health and leisure...
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Limerick’s Stephen Lavin - blazing a new trail for the modern coach and player
I want to say a big thank you to PST Sport for their continued support as title sponsor for this project. Go to pstsport.com for world class delivery of all your artificial grass pitch needs. Stephen Lavin played senior inter-county football for Limerick for the best part of 13 years. Having...
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Liam McHale - an Irish basketball icon and the transition into coaching GAA
I want to say a big thank you to PST Sport for their continued support as title sponsor for this project. Go to pstsport.com for world class delivery of all your artificial grass pitch needs. This week's guest is Liam McHale is a household name throughout Ireland for his contribution and prowess...
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How to keep kids more engaged with Scottish FA development officer & creator of Scoreboard Soccer David Baird
I want to say a big thank you to PST Sport for their continued support as title sponsor for this project. Go to pstsport.com for world class delivery of all your artificial grass pitch needs. This week's guest was David Baird who has coached youth football for over 15 years and is currently a…
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Clare GAA Head of Performance - Rob Mulcahy takes a longer-term view of developing players
I want to say a big thank you to PST Sport for their continued support as title sponsor for this project. Go to pstsport.com for world class delivery of all your artificial grass pitch needs. Rob Mulcahy is a native of Kerry but has been the head of athlete development with Clare GAA for nearly 7...
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Dublin’s Mick Bohan - a unique perspective on coaching men & women at all levels
Mick Bohan has travelled a fairly unique coaching journey from being a PE teacher for over 33 years to becoming a skills coach with Dublin under Jim Gavin before working with Colm Collins in Clare, winning Sigerson cups with DCU and eventually leading the Dublin ladies football team to multiple…
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What is the Lily Daly Foundation?
It's great to be putting out a third series of the coaching podcast and I'm delighted to link up with the Lily Daly Foundation to help raise much-needed funds for the heart centre in Crumlin's childrens hospital as well as Ronald McDonald house. Here, I chat with Lily's mom Caroline about her...
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Answering listener questions | The importance of people skills, underage coaching and another look at biobanding | Ep 23 | The Mike Quirke Podcast
For this episode, the final one of the season, we take a look at some of the questions that you have asked during the series about different episodes or specific parts of the various conversations. (3.00) – Why developing people skills is so important (7.15) – Specific advice for coaching…
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Ronan O’Gara on lessons learned and why good people make good players | Ep 22 | The Mike Quirke Podcast
With nearly 130 caps for the Irish rugby team, a British and Irish Lion, Munster’s all-time leading points scorer - Ronan O’Gara is one of Ireland’s sporting icons. From Munster to France, to New Zealand and back now as coach of LaRochelle, O’Gara talks with great honestly and openness about his...
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Learning through coaching with Kieran Donaghy - switching sports, working with kids and intercounty | Ep 21 | The Mike Quirke Podcast
Kieran Donaghy will be well known to listeners for his exploits as an All-Star player both on the football pitches and basketball courts of Ireland for the bones of nearly 20 years. In this episode he takes us through his fledgling coaching career having coached and managed Tralee IT in Sigerson...
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From Galbally to Killarney – Paddy Tally on a journey through coaching, teaching and learning | Ep 20 | The Mike Quirke Podcast
Paddy Tally is currently coaching the Kerry senior football team, having previously started his 15 years of inter-county football experience with Tyrone back in 2003. There have been plenty of stops along the road, including Sigerson success in St Mary’s Belfast, as well as stints in Down and...
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Dr Phil Kearney on maximising skills acquisition, coaching and performance | Ep 19 | The Mike Quirke Podcast
Phil Kearney is a lecturer in Skill Acquisition, Coaching and Performance in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences in the University of Limerick. His research has examined human motor behaviour; that is, how humans control their movements and develop their skills across their...
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Alan Keane: the Irish man coaching Great Britain basketball | Ep 18 | The Mike Quirke Podcast
Alan Keane is the Irish man carving out his own coaching path on foreign soil since leaving his home town of Tralee, and found himself coaching his way through UK basketball, from professional level in Reading, to working his way up to coaching England and Great Britain under 16, under 18 and…
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Frank Dick OBE and ex-British Olympic coach on being better today than you were yesterday | Ep 17 |The Mike Quirke Podcast
Frank Dick has done most everything that can be done in the world of coaching. From being the British Athletics Federation’s director of coaching to becoming the high-performance director with the South African Olympic committee while helping to deliver several medals along the way. In 2016 Frank...
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Former Kerry captain Fionn Fitzgerald takes a closer look at the genetic lottery | Ep 16 | The Mike Quirke Podcast
Fionn Fitzgerald will be well known to followers of GAA, having captained Kerry to a senior football All Ireland title in 2014. The Dr Crokes club man is a lecturer in MTU Kerry campus and is currently undertaking a PhD looking at the area of biobanding, relative age effect and maturation rates…
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Performance coach Tony Griffin on a road less travelled | Ep 15 | The Mike Quirke Podcast
Episode 15 – A road less travelled with performance coach Tony Griffin Long before he made a name as a Performance Coach with the All Ireland champion Kerry footballers this year and previously the Dublin hurlers, Tony Griffin carved out an impressive All-Star hurling career of his own with his...
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Final episode - answering your questions
This is episode number 14 and my final one for the fundraiser for Temple Street Childrens Hospital. Over the past few weeks, I've been asking people to submit any coaching questions they may have and in this 30 minutes or so I've tried to answer some of those queries. While this is the final...
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Patrick Harding - Performance coaching in the world of Formula one, pro boxing and more.
Patrick Harding is the Irish man working as performance coach to the likes of Formula one driver Alex Albon from team Red Bull, professional Irish boxer Michael Conlan as well as various others. If you've watched the "Drive to survive" documentary on Netflix over the rolling lockdowns, you might...
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Ray Boyne - Performance analysis explained
Ray Boyne started his involvement with Dublin GAA when Mickey Whelan brought him in with the minor county football team back in 2003. He has worked with the various senior football set-up's since then, as well as helping the county hurlers and camogie teams before joining the Tipperary hurling…
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Barry Solan - Arsenal FC first team strength and conditioning coach
Barry Solan is a Mayo man from Ballaghaderreen in the west of Ireland who has found his home as strength and conditioning coach with Arsenal FC's first team for the past 6 years. He's previously worked in rugby and GAA over here, most recently with Mayo. In this episode, Barry shares his vast...
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Jonny McMurtry - Coaching insights from Rugby Australia
Jonny McMurtry is originally from Northern Ireland but living in Brisbane for the past 16 years, and has been involved for the best part of 10 years working in high performance age grade rugby programs across Australia. He's also currently putting together research in conjunction with University…
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Ann Downey - The case for camogie and how much coaching has developed
Ann Downey is a Kilkenny camogie legend having won 12 All Ireland inter-county titles as well as 7 club All Ireland's as a player before adding to that collection in 2016 as manager to her own county. Ann talks us through her journey from player to coach and manager, how her philosophies like...
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Alan Ringland - Exploring the psychology of sport
Alan Ringland is a lecturer of sport psychology in the Munster Technological University and is an accredited practitioner who has worked in amateur and professional sport (everything from Sigerson GAA football success to Warrington rugby league football) for more than 20 years. He has spent the...
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Joe O'Connor - Keeping strength & conditioning effective & in perspective
Joe O'Connor is a lecturer in health and leisure in MTU Tralee and has been the S & C coach for All Ireland winning hurling sides Clare in 2013 and more recently Limerick in 2018 as well as working with other inter-county GAA teams along the way. As well as his athletics background, Joe is...
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Nick Potter - High performance at Duke basketball
Nick Potter is the director of High Performance and Sports Science at Duke university men's basketball. His role involves monitoring player health, performance, recovery, and wellness with key team personnel to ensure optimal athlete individualization and holistic development. Nick works hand and...
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Derek McGrath - The importance of evolution
Derek McGrath played hurling at all levels for Waterford for many years, before eventually taking over as manager of the senior county side in 2013 for 5 seasons. A deep thinker about the game and coaching in general, he is a regular newspaper columnist with the Irish Examiner and Sunday Game...
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Dave Power - A journey through golf coaching
Dave Power is the PGA club pro in Tralee golf club, Co. Kerry. The Tralee course is regularly listed among the top 10 in Ireland and is widely regarded as one of the most scenic tracks you'll find anywhere in the world. In episode 4, Dave talks us though his transition from being a collegiate...
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Bernard Jackman - Lessons learned from amateur to professional
Bernard Jackman played rugby and won titles for numerous teams, most notably Connaught, Leinster, Sale and Ireland, while later coaching with the Dragons in Wales and Grenoble in France. In this third episode of the series Bernard takes us through his colorful journey from starting playing the…
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Jason Sherlock - Putting coaching philosophy into practice
Jason Sherlock was an inter-county footballer with Dublin for 15 seasons, having played everything from tennis to soccer and basketball as a youngster. In this episode, Jason shares how that multi-sport involvement shaped his coaching philosophy and how he put it into practice first with a Dublin...
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Rus Bradburd - Coaching from Texas to Tralee
This first episode is with somebody I know well... Rus Bradburd is a American basketball coach who has worked with some legendary NCAA coaches like Don Haskins and Lou Henson throughout his time as an assistant coach and recruiter in UTEP and New Mexico State. Years later, he travelled to Ireland...