Cyril Besseyre, the coach of Vannes GAA club with Fabian Jalu

This Gaelgames podcast comes from a hot bed of support for Gaelic games. Not Tyrone, Antrim, Armagh or Derry. Not Kilkenny, Dublin, Cork, or even Galway. But Brittany in France where there is an increasing number of GAA clubs on the rise.

Padraig Coyle reports from the city of Vannes where a group of French sportsmen are building a Gaelic football team. He meets team members Cyril Besseyre, Fabien Jalu and David Gauvin as well as Phillipe Cornilleau who is the president of the French Federation of Gaelic Football.

On this edition of the Gael games podcast, Oliver McVeigh, one of Ireland’s best known photographers talks to Padraig Coyle about his career as a sports snapper.

Padraig sits with Oliver on the sideline at St Tiernach’s Park, Clones as he snaps the action from the Donegal, Down Ulster Minor Championship football match. Oliver tells Gael games how he got started his career as a photographer and now works for the renowned photo agency Sportsfile.

Gaelic football fitness coach John McCloskey is heading in a new direction next season. The man who has had a major impact on the fortunes of football with Armagh, Derry, Queens University and Crossmaglen Rangers will be sharing his experiences in the surroundings of the Premiership Rugby Union club Wasps following an approach from the London club’s head coach Shaun Edwards who has also been assisting Warren Gatland at Wales and Ian McGeehan, the British & Irish Lions coach in South Africa.

On this edition of the Gael games podcast, John tells Padraig Coyle about the move to rugby and what he hopes this Gaelic football experiences can bring to the union code.

Antrim’s two victories in the 2009 Ulster Senior Football Championship may not have achieved anything other than the opportunity to meet All Ireland champions Tyrone in the July 19th decider in Clones. However for the success starved football fans of the county, the message coming from the city of Belfast, the Glens and the outlying parishes is that there is something of a revival happening in Gaelic football.

On the Gael Games podcast Padraig Coyle reports on the new feeling of optimism among Saffrons supporters as the county enjoys a season to remember. He also hears from the county chairman Dr. John McSparron and gets an independent view of one of the GAA’s most respected commentators, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh of RTE.
 

As the countdown to the Ulster SFC semi-final continues, St Gall’s and Antrim defender Andrew McClean is relishing the challenge that lies ahead from Cavan at St Tiernach’s Park Clones.

On this edition of the Gael Games podcast Andrew talks to Padraig Coyle about the incredible change that has taken place in Antrim football in 2009. He expresses hopes that the county can build on the success of beating Donegal and that the long overdue revival can begin.

Cavan’s senior team is eager to get back into big time Gaelic football and sees this weekend’s Ulster Senior Championship semi final against Antrim as an opportunity not to be missed.

On the Gael Games podcast Padraig Coyle gets the views of Cavan supporter and one of Ireland’s most exciting radio commentators, Owen McConnon of BBC Radio Ulster.

With all his years of describing the action on the field what is Owen expecting from this Saturday’s clash when the referee throws in the ball?

Fresh from the momentous Ulster Senior Football quarter final victory against Donegal, Antrim manager Liam Bradley is keeping his young team’s feet on the ground as the Saffrons aim for a place in the Ulster final for the first time in almost 4 decades.

On this edition of the Gaelgames podcast, Padraig Coyle has been to the county’s press night at Creggan Kickams, ahead of the semi final against Cavan. He hears what the man from across the county border in Derry has to say.

Antrim’s footballers confounded the critics and doom mongers by dumping Donegal out of the 2009 Ulster Senior Football Championship at Ballybofey 1-10 to 12 points on 14 June.

On the Gael Games podcast Padraig Coyle hears from Antrim manager Liam Bradley and St Gall’s midfielder Aodhan Gallagher as the Saffrons look forward to a semi final meeting against Cavan.

When Alf Murray, a former president of the GAA, died in 1999, it marked the passing of a man who had given a lifetime of service to the games, language and traditions that he loved.

But his legacy has not gone unforgotten. A new biography called Alf O’Muiri 1914 - 1999 by Eithne McAlinden tells the remarkable story of the man whose roots were deeply rooted in Armagh.

On the Gaelgames podcast Eithne talks to Padraig about her book on Alf Murray which was written a decade before his death. And the podcast also hears from Alf’s daughter Naomh, former GAA president Paddy McFlynn and former Armagh county secretary Joe Canning.

GAA coach John Morrison, who is planning the future for Leitrim's

In the midst of planning Leitrim’s ambitions to beat Roscommon and progress to mounting a challenge for a third Connacht Football Championship, John Morrison, the county’s Armagh-based head coach has found time to put together a new gaelic football coaching guide.

In this edition of the Gael Games podcast John Morrison talks to Padraig Coyle about Games Sense, his long standing coaching partnership with Derry’s Mickey Moran, their long term ambitions for Leitrim and his love of orange blossom.