The Mike Quirke Podcast

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. Discover the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned along the way. Whether you're a coach, parent, or sports enthusiast, this episode is packed with wisdom and practical insights to help you foster success in sports and life. Tune in to learn from one of the best in the field and explore new ways to enhance your coaching journey. We also highlight a heartfelt initiative focusing on raising funds for the Tír na Nóg Foundation in Tanzania, run by Declan's sister, Louise Quill. You can help support Tir Na Nóg orphanage by contributing to the fundraiser I've set up for listeners of the podcast; http://bit.ly/4fypLSh   I'd also like to thank MFC Sports who have come on board as main sponsors of the podcast series and look forward to developing a productive relationship moving forward.  

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 developing sprint performance. Today, he’ll share his insights on prioritizing speed, avoiding burnout, and rethinking what it means to train athletes for peak performance. Whether you're a coach, parent, or sports enthusiast, this episode is packed with wisdom and practical insights to help you foster success in sports and life. Tune in to learn from one of the best in the field and explore new ways to enhance your coaching journey.   You can help support Tir Na Nóg orphanage by contributing to the fundraiser I've set up for listeners of the podcast; http://bit.ly/4fypLSh   Finally, I'd like to thank MFC Sports who have come on board as main sponsors of the podcast series and look forward to developing a productive relationship moving forward.

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 Wayne shares his innovative approach to coaching, focusing on athlete development, high performance, and youth empowerment. Wayne's passion for fostering environments where young athletes can thrive is evident as he discusses the importance of resilience, motivation, and a growth mindset. He emphasizes the critical role of sports parents in supporting their children's athletic journeys and offers valuable advice on how parents can nurture a positive sports experience. Through his extensive experience working with national teams, elite coaches, and community sports programs, Wayne has inspired countless individuals to rethink traditional approaches to youth sports. His unique perspectives on adaptability, creativity, and long-term athlete development have transformed how coaches, athletes, and families engage with sports, focusing on enjoyment, balance, and holistic growth. Whether you're a coach, parent, or sports enthusiast, this episode is packed with wisdom and practical insights to help you foster success in sports and life. Tune in to learn from one of the best in the field and explore new ways to enhance your coaching journey.   You can help support Tir Na Nóg orphanage by contributing to the fundraiser I've set up for listeners of the podcast; http://bit.ly/4fypLSh   Finally, I'd like to thank MFC Sports who have come on board as main sponsors of the podcast series and look forward to developing a productive relationship moving forward.

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 Tralee, County Kerry, recently named Kerry Person of the Year. Her journey began with a vision to create a better future for children in Tanzania. Louise founded the Tír na nÓg Orphanage, a sanctuary that has transformed the lives of countless children in one of Africa's most poverty-stricken areas. This episode introduces you to the incredible work Louise has accomplished, building a sustainable facility that supports children from infancy to adulthood, equipping them with education and opportunities to break the cycle of poverty. Discover how you can contribute to this life-changing cause, whether through child sponsorship or donations, and become a part of a story that continues to make a profound impact. Join us as we learn from Louise's journey and her unwavering commitment to fostering change, one child at a time. Help us support that change by contributing to the fundraiser I've set up for listeners of the podcast; http://bit.ly/4fypLSh   Watch Kilimanjaro Mama on Youtube - https://youtu.be/2IYoOKNVoyw?si=hwjGa8nLBbCpxJxX   Finally, I'd like to sincerely thank MFC Sports who have come on board as main sponsors of the podcast series and look forward to developing a productive relationship moving forward.

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 all of you that have listened, shared, and contributed to the fundraiser along the way. 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. Similar to both of the previous two seasons, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with the Lily Daly Foundation, who are a new charity raising funds for the heart ward in Crumlin children's hospital and Ronald McDonald house. For more info, listen to the podcast about the Lily Daly Foundation. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to the Lily Daly Foundation through the link here: https://bit.ly/3t9EtfI  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, please share it around, leave a review and follow the podcast. You can also check out Game Sense Coaching who run an online GAA coaching platform that advocates for a games-based approach that is suitable for teams of all ages. www.gamesensecoaching.com Thanks for listening.

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 skill acquisition, coaching, as well as coach and youth development. Mark is regarded as being at the cutting edge of a new wave of thinking about how best to coach our young sports people. This is an episode not to be missed. 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. Similar to both of the previous two seasons, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with the Lily Daly Foundation, who are a new charity raising funds for the heart ward in Crumlin children's hospital and Ronald McDonald house. For more info, listen to the podcast about the Lily Daly Foundation. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to the Lily Daly Foundation through the link here: https://bit.ly/3t9EtfI  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, please share it around, leave a review and follow the podcast. You can also check out Game Sense Coaching who run an online GAA coaching platform that advocates for a games-based approach that is suitable for teams of all ages. www.gamesensecoaching.com Thanks for listening.

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, and, most famously, Olympic silver medal and World Athletics Championship gold medal long jumper, Luvo Manyonga.  Luvo came from a poverty stricken local township, and John tells of the incredible story how the pair struck up a strong bond that saw the young South African athlete kick an addiction to crystal meth and go on to achieve athletic greatness in both the Olympics and World Championships. This is an interesting listen about a fascinating journey. 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. Similar to both of the previous two seasons, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with the Lily Daly Foundation, who are a new charity raising funds for the heart ward in Crumlin children's hospital and Ronald McDonald house. For more info, listen to the podcast about the Lily Daly Foundation. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to the Lily Daly Foundation through the link here: https://bit.ly/3t9EtfI  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, please share it around, leave a review and follow the podcast. You can also check out Game Sense Coaching who run an online GAA coaching platform that advocates for a games-based approach that is suitable for teams of all ages. www.gamesensecoaching.com Thanks for listening.

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 do we fuel our young sports mad children? As coaches, how do help kids develop positive long-term associations with food, nutrition and hydration. I found this a really informative chat about a subject that can be hugely confusing given the overload of information out there on the subject. 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. Similar to both of the previous two seasons, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with the Lily Daly Foundation, who are a new charity raising funds for the heart ward in Crumlin children's hospital and Ronald McDonald house. For more info, listen to the podcast about the Lily Daly Foundation. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to the Lily Daly Foundation through the link here: https://bit.ly/3t9EtfI  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, please share it around, leave a review and follow the podcast. You can also check out Game Sense Coaching who run an online GAA coaching platform that advocates for a games-based approach that is suitable for teams of all ages. www.gamesensecoaching.com Thanks for listening.

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 department of MTU Kerry campus who is currently coaching the Kerry minor football team. Previously he would have coached the Kerry under 20 side under Declan O'Sullivan, and before that he worked for 3 seasons as S & C coach with the Kerry senior squad.  Niall combines the latest coaching science research with the real-world practical applications and listeners will come away with some fantastic insights on the use of questioning as well as a more nuanced approach to games based coaching. Similar to both of the previous two seasons, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with the Lily Daly Foundation, who are a new charity raising funds for the heart ward in Crumlin children's hospital and Ronald McDonald house. For more info, listen to the podcast about the Lily Daly Foundation. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to the Lily Daly Foundation through the link here: https://bit.ly/3t9EtfI  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, please share it around, leave a review and follow the podcast. You can also check out Game Sense Coaching who run an online GAA coaching platform that advocates for a games-based approach that is suitable for teams of all ages. www.gamesensecoaching.com Thanks for listening.      

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 finished playing several years ago, the school principal now finds himself as the head of the Limerick GAA football development squads, following on from the foundations laid of Paul Kinnerk. Stephen coaches UL's sigerson team and during covid, himself and his two brothers started a passion project that is now Game Sense coaching. The website is a fantastic resource for GAA coaches with huge amounts of detailed information for coaches of all age groups. We get into the nuts and bolts of his philosophy on coaching, the overlap between teaching and coaching, lessons learned from Paul Kinnerk and plenty more. Similar to both of the previous two seasons, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with the Lily Daly Foundation, who are a new charity raising funds for the heart ward in Crumlin children's hospital and Ronald McDonald house. For more info, listen to the podcast about the Lily Daly Foundation. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to the Lily Daly Foundation through the link here: https://bit.ly/3t9EtfI  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, please share it around, leave a review and follow the podcast. You can also check out Game Sense Coaching who run an online GAA coaching platform that advocates for a games-based approach that is suitable for teams of all ages. www.gamesensecoaching.com Thanks for listening.      

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 both on the football field and particularly the hardwood. Assisted by his brothers Sean and Anthony, brother-in-law Paul McStay and honorary Mayo man Deora Marsh, he helped to catapult his hometown Ballina to the forefront of Irish basketball and indeed Irish sport. Here he discusses those heady basketball days and how he's used the lessons learned along the way to transition into the world of GAA coaching to club and county Similar to both of the previous two seasons, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with the Lily Daly Foundation, who are a new charity raising funds for the heart ward in Crumlin children's hospital and Ronald McDonald house. For more info, listen to the podcast about the Lily Daly Foundation. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to the Lily Daly Foundation through the link here: https://bit.ly/3t9EtfI  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, please share it around, leave a review and follow the podcast. You can also check out Game Sense Coaching who run an online GAA coaching platform that advocates for a games-based approach that is suitable for teams of all ages. www.gamesensecoaching.com Thanks for listening.

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 UEFA A Licence and UEFA Elite Youth A Licence candidate. He currently works as a Coach Educator and Football Development Officer for the Scottish Football Association. Prior to this he spent time coaching in the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates. David is clearly passionate about increasing participation and performance in youth sport and his creation; scoreboard soccer is a really interesting twist on how to keep kids more engaged during practice and is definitely worth checking out for all coaches out there. Similar to both of the previous two seasons, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with the Lily Daly Foundation, who are a new charity raising funds for the heart ward in Crumlin children's hospital and Ronald McDonald house. For more info, listen to the podcast about the Lily Daly Foundation. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to the Lily Daly Foundation through the link here: https://bit.ly/3t9EtfI  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, please share it around, leave a review and follow the podcast. You can also check out Game Sense Coaching who run an online GAA coaching platform that advocates for a games-based approach that is suitable for teams of all ages. www.gamesensecoaching.com Thanks for listening.    

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 years. Initially, he worked under long-serving Clare senior football manager Colm Collins as a strength and conditioning coach, with his time now more focused on developing the physical characteristics of the young players within the county. Rob talks about the 'syllabus' they use within Clare GAA, their use of bio-banding at development squad level, the benefits of kids playing multiple sports, reasons for the drop-out and much more.  Similar to both of the previous two seasons, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with the Lily Daly Foundation, who are a new charity raising funds for the heart ward in Crumlin children's hospital and Ronald McDonald house. For more info, listen to the podcast about the Lily Daly Foundation. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to the Lily Daly Foundation through the link here: https://bit.ly/3t9EtfI  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, please share it around, leave a review and follow the podcast. You can also check out Game Sense Coaching who run an online GAA coaching platform that advocates for a games-based approach that is suitable for teams of all ages. www.gamesensecoaching.com Thanks for listening.    

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 All Ireland senior titles as manager. He shares his thoughts here on coaching, on developing skills, the differences and similarities of coaching men and women, managing people and much more in a must-listen episode. To purchase Mick's recently released coaching manuals for coaching Gaelic Games you can go to; mickbohan.myshopify.com for more information. Similar to both of the previous two seasons, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with the Lily Daly Foundation, who are a new charity raising funds for the heart ward in Crumlin children's hospital and Ronald McDonald house. For more info, listen to the podcast about the Lily Daly Foundation. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to the Lily Daly Foundation through the link here: https://bit.ly/3t9EtfI  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, please share it around, leave a review and follow the podcast. My sincere thanks also 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. You can also check out Game Sense Coaching who run an online GAA coaching platform that advocates for a games-based approach that is suitable for teams of all ages. www.gamesensecoaching.com Thanks for listening.

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 heartbreaking story and the promise she made to her daughter. The Lily Daly Foundation The Lily Daly Foundation (LDF) was set up in Memory of Lily Daly with the aim to support and help as many families as possible in hospital who have kids with Heart related issues. The LDF goal is to raise funds to provide supports and services to the families with loved ones in hospital with heart related issues by running public fund-raising events which the LDF plans to run over the coming years. The Lily Daly Foundation is currently at an early stage but the aim is to support families going through similar challenges and journeys Lily and her family went through. Lily’s parents know what it’s like to be in the hospital and to hand your child over to the medical team. It’s the most traumatic experience a parent can go through and that’s why The Lily Daly Foundation was established to assist and support similarly affected families. The Lily Daly Foundation plan to run events over the next few years to build on the foundation and to support families in hospital with heart related issues. The first of these events will be “Lily’s Pink Challenge” where all proceeds raised will be directed to both the Heart Centre in Crumlin Childrens Hospital and Ronald McDonald house two facilities which Lily and her family have a strong association with.  

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 underage sport (12.15) – Another look at biobanding (29.50) – Skill acquisition                                                                                                  Similar to season 1, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with Recovery Haven in Tralee, who provide free cancer support services for the people of Kerry and beyond. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to Recovery Haven through the link here: https://bit.ly/3tfsxWw  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, share, leave a review and follow the podcast. My thanks also to PST Sport for their support with this project. Go to pstsport.com for world class delivery of all your artificial grass pitch needs. Thanks for listening.  

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 experiences and lessons learned from the many different professional coaching environments he’s been a part of.  (3.30) – A confidence player (11.11) – Good people make better players (17.00) – Consistent buy-in (24.24) – The importance of fun (35.07) – Developing personal relationships   Similar to season 1, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with Recovery Haven in Tralee, who provide free cancer support services for the people of Kerry and beyond. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to Recovery Haven through the link here: https://bit.ly/3tfsxWw  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, share, leave a review and follow the podcast. My thanks also to PST Sport for their support with this project. Go to pstsport.com for world class delivery of all your artificial grass pitch needs. Thanks for listening.

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 cup football, as a performance coach with the Galway hurlers and currently as a forwards coach under Kieran McGeeney with the Armagh senior football team. He also has an interesting perspective on children’s sport given his involvement in running hugely popular basketball / football camps for hundreds of kids each year. That crossover between basketball and football is a recurring theme through this episode with some interesting takeaways for coaches off all ages. (19.50) – Basketball influencing Gaelic football (29.00) – Developing better communication (32.00) – Camp coaching (43.28) – Parenting and coaching (51.33) – Working with Kieran McGeeny   Similar to season 1, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with Recovery Haven in Tralee, who provide free cancer support services for the people of Kerry and beyond. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to Recovery Haven through the link here: https://bit.ly/3tfsxWw  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, share, leave a review and follow the podcast. My thanks also to PST Sport for their support with this project. Go to pstsport.com for world class delivery of all your artificial grass pitch needs. Thanks for listening.

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 Galway. As a lecturer in the PE department in St Mary’s for 25 years, he shares some of the gems he has picked up along the way in a lifelong journey through coaching, teaching and learning.   (10.00) – lessons learned over 15 years (20.00) – how do you motivate players (30.30) – teaching games for understanding (TGFU) (36.00) – developing your own culture                                                                          Similar to season 1, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with Recovery Haven in Tralee, who provide free cancer support services for the people of Kerry and beyond. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to Recovery Haven through the link here: https://bit.ly/3tfsxWw  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, share, leave a review and follow the podcast. My thanks also to PST Sport for their support with this project. Go to pstsport.com for world class delivery of all your artificial grass pitch needs. Thanks for listening.

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 lifespan. His recent research has concentrated on youth sport, in particular within the context of track and field athletics.    (20.00) – What is skill? (32.40) – How long does it take for skills to stick? (37.27) – Fast-tracking your learning (54.40) – Developing life-skills through sport and coaching                                    Similar to season 1, I've set up this podcast with a dual purpose in mind, firstly to provide some thoughtful debate for coaches, but I've also linked up with Recovery Haven in Tralee, who provide free cancer support services for the people of Kerry and beyond. If you found some value in the podcast, it would be great if you could donate any amount, no matter how small to Recovery Haven through the link here: https://bit.ly/3tfsxWw  If you enjoyed this episode, click on the like button, share, leave a review and follow the podcast. My thanks also to PST Sport for their support with this project. Go to pstsport.com for world class delivery of all your artificial grass pitch needs. Thanks for listening.