In our final episode of 2024, Cork’s Saoirse McCarthy joined The Players Voice to chat about retaining the All-Ireland this year and to share some of the lessons learned along the way. Over the course of this wide-ranging chat, the All-Star wing-forward discusses the importance of enjoying the inter-county lifestyle, experiencing burnout and how much she has benefitted from developing as both a person and athlete. The Players Voice podcast is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. Each episode is hosted by former Cavan player and New York manager Alan O’Mara, who works as a Mental Performance Coach in elite sports in the US and Ireland. The GPA is the representative body for high performance inter-county players. Founded by players in 1999 and strengthened by a merger with the Women’s Gaelic Players Association in 2020, the GPA supports over 4,000 current male and female inter-county players, and a growing number of former players across four core pillars - Player Representation, Player Welfare, Player Development and Equality. You can learn more about their work at gaelicplayers.com. If you enjoyed this episode of The Players Voice, you can listen to previous episodes with the likes of Niall Morgan, Conor Whelan, Lauren Magee and Maria Curley. Please also rate and review the show. Thanks for listening!
Kerry’s Kayleigh Cronin joined The Players Voice to chat about winning the All-Ireland this year and her decision to try life in the AFLW in 2025. In a wide-ranging chat, the two-time All Star shares some of the lessons and insights that helped Kerry end a 31 year wait for an All-Ireland title at this level. She also opens up on her growth as a leader and person both on and off the field. The Players Voice podcast is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. Each episode is hosted by former Cavan player and New York manager Alan O’Mara, who works as a Mental Performance Coach in elite sports in the US and Ireland. The GPA is the representative body for high performance inter-county players. Founded by players in 1999 and strengthened by a merger with the Women’s Gaelic Players Association in 2020, the GPA supports over 4,000 current male and female inter-county players, and a growing number of former players across four core pillars - Player Representation, Player Welfare, Player Development and Equality. You can learn more about their work at gaelicplayers.com. If you enjoyed this episode of The Players Voice, you can listen to previous episodes with the likes of Conn Kilpatrick, Amy O’Connor, Mary Hulgraine or Ciarán Kilkenny. Please also rate and review the show. Thanks for listening!
Antrim’s Conor McCann joined The Players Voice to chat about his decision to step away from inter-county hurling after 14 years of stellar service. He talked about handling the transition out of the elite level of the game and why now was the right time to step away for him, his family and his club. Conor also reflected on lessons learned from the time spent wearing saffron yellow and shared his optimism for the future of Antrim hurling. The Players Voice podcast is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. Each episode is hosted by former Cavan player and New York manager Alan O’Mara, who works as a Mental Performance Coach in elite sports in the US and Ireland. The GPA is the representative body for high performance inter-county players. Founded by players in 1999 and strengthened by a merger with the Women’s Gaelic Players Association in 2020, the GPA supports over 4,000 current male and female inter-county players, and a growing number of former players across four core pillars - Player Representation, Player Welfare, Player Development and Equality. You can learn more about their work at gaelicplayers.com. If you enjoyed this episode of The Players Voice, you can listen to previous episodes with the likes of Conn Kilpatrick, Amy O’Connor, Mary Hulgraine or Ciarán Kilkenny. Please also rate and review the show. Thanks for listening!
Meath’s Cillian O’Sullivan joined The Players Voice for an insightful and inspiring conversation about being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Late in 2023 Cillian’s world was turned upside down on his honeymoon when his condition deteriorated. He talks us through some of the challenges he has had to overcome on this journey and how he bounced back to represent Meath within a matter of months. A clinical psychologist by profession, he also shares fascinating insight into his mindset and coping mechanisms during difficult times. The Players Voice podcast is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. Each episode is hosted by former Cavan player and New York manager Alan O’Mara, who works as a Mental Performance Coach in elite sports in the US. The GPA is the representative body for high performance inter-county players. Founded by players in 1999 and strengthened by a merger with the Women’s Gaelic Players Association in 2020, the GPA supports over 4,000 current male and female inter-county players, and a growing number of former players across four core pillars - Player Representation, Player Welfare, Player Development and Equality. You can learn more about their work at gaelicplayers.com. If you enjoyed this episode of The Players Voice, you can listen to previous episodes with the likes of Conn Kilpatrick, Amy O’Connor, Mary Hulgraine or Ciarán Kilkenny. Please also rate and review the show. Thanks for listening!
All-Ireland winner and All-Star Conor Whelan joins us for a special episode of The Players Voice on World Mental Health Day. Fresh from a Masters in Psychology, and currently doing a PHD on the Mental Health of GAA inter-county players, Conor offers fascinating insight into some of the challenges facing modern day players. In a wide-ranging conversation about mental health and wellbeing, the Galway hurler also talks about athletic identity, challenging himself to grow as a person, changing careers and the importance of volunteering. The Players Voice podcast is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. Each episode is hosted by former Cavan player and New York manager Alan O’Mara, who works as a Mental Performance Coach in elite sports in the US. The GPA is the representative body for high performance inter-county players. Founded by players in 1999 and strengthened by a merger with the Women’s Gaelic Players Association in 2020, the GPA supports over 4,000 current male and female inter-county players, and a growing number of former players across four core pillars - Player Representation, Player Welfare, Player Development and Equality. You can learn more about their work at gaelicplayers.com. If you enjoyed this episode of The Players Voice, you can listen to previous episodes with the likes of Conn Kilpatrick, Amy O’Connor, Mary Hulgraine or Ciarán Kilkenny. Please also rate and review the show. Thanks for listening!
On this week’s episode of The Players Voice, host Alan O’Mara is joined by Tipperary’s Maria Curley. An experienced leader on and off the field, Curley discusses why she is as determined as ever to keep driving standards for female GAA players. She also talks about becoming an entrepreneur and shares how her physiotherapy practice has positively impacted the community through over 65 exercise classes. The Players Voice podcast is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. Each episode is hosted by former Cavan player and New York manager Alan O’Mara, who now works as a Mental Performance Coach in elite sports in the US. The GPA is the representative body for high performance inter-county players. Founded by players in 1999 and strengthened by a merger with the Women’s Gaelic Players Association in 2020, the GPA supports over 4,000 current male and female inter-county players, and a growing number of former players across four core pillars - Player Representation, Player Welfare, Player Development and Equality. You can learn more about their work at gaelicplayers.com. If you enjoyed this episode of The Players Voice, you can listen to previous episodes with the likes of Niall Morgan, Lauren Magee, Chloe Morey or Neil McManus. Please also rate and review the show. Thanks for listening!
On this week’s episode of The Players Voice, host Alan O’Mara is joined by Kildare’s Grace Clifford. Grace talked about the decline and rise of Kildare during her career, and why she keeps coming back for more! She also chatted about the importance of players speaking up to create lasting change, empowering young girls in sport and life, and her excitement for the future of the game. The Players Voice podcast is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. Each episode is hosted by former Cavan player Alan O’Mara, who now works as a Mental Performance Coach in elite sports in the US. The GPA is the representative body for high performance inter-county players. Founded by players in 1999 and strengthened by a merger with the Women’s Gaelic Players Association in 2020, the GPA supports over 4,000 current male and female inter-county players, and a growing number of former players across four core pillars - Player Representation, Player Welfare, Player Development and Equality. You can learn more about their work at gaelicplayers.com. If you enjoyed this episode of The Players Voice, you can listen to previous episodes with the likes of Niall Morgan, Lauren Magee, Chloe Morey or Neil McManus. Please also rate and review the show. Thanks for listening!
Mickey Quinn reflects on his decision to retire from inter-county football after 13 seasons and why now was the right time to transition out of the game.In a wide-ranging chat with the former Longford stalwart and AFL player, we looked back on lessons learned from his life in elite sport and discussed some of the highs and frustrations he experienced. We also chatted about his motivation for setting up Mickey Quinn Performance and how he plans to help individuals and teams improve going forward. The Players Voice podcast is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan player and New York manager, who now works as a mental performance coach with elite sports teams. The GPA is the representative body for high performance inter-county players. Founded by players in 1999 and strengthened by a merger with the Women’s Gaelic Players Association in 2020, the GPA supports over 4,000 current male and female inter-county players, and a growing number of former players across four core pillars - Player Representation, Player Welfare, Player Development and Equality. You can learn more about their work at gaelicplayers.com. If you enjoyed this episode of The Players Voice, you can listen to previous episodes with the likes of Niall Morgan, Lauren Magee, Chloe Morey or Neil McManus. Please also rate and review the show. Thanks for listening!
The latest episode of The Players’ Voice features Derry’s Conor Glass.During this conversation, Conor reflects on lessons he learned from his experience as a professional athlete in the AFL. He talks about how working with a sports psychologist helped improve both his performances and wellbeing.The Glen clubman also discusses how Derry have rebuilt confidence and a winning mentality in recent years, how much he loves being part of his home community again and the challenge of balancing life as a cafe owner, student, and inter-county footballer.The Players Voice podcast is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. Thanks for listening!
The latest episode of The Players Voice features Cork’s Amy O’Connor.Fresh from captaining the Rebel county to the All-Ireland title and winning an All-Star, Amy sat down to reflect on a memorable year and some of the lessons learned along the way.She talked about what it was like to score 3-7 in the 2023 All-Ireland final, including a hat-trick within two minutes. Incredibly, as you will hear, she was so in the zone during the game that she didn’t realize she had scored three goals until after the final whistle!Amy discussed how much the GPA Jim Madden leadership programme impacted her professional development and helped her become a better and more authentic captain. She also chatted about her underage international soccer career and why her deep love for Camogie meant that it was always going to be the sport for her!The Players Voice podcast is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. Enjoy!
The latest episode features former Galway player Alan Kerins.Back in 2001, Alan Kerins had the rare experience of playing in both the All-Ireland football and hurling finals but since then his impact has stretched far beyond the playing field. Through his charity work, Alan has raised millions of euro that has saved and changed thousands of lives in Africa.During this conversation, Alan tells us about the upcoming ‘Plant the Planet Games’ which will see 50 inter-county players travel to Kenya to play in an exhibition game and plant trees to help tackle the devastating effects of climate change. This is the second year of the Plant the Planet Games and last year a group of footballers, hurlers and camogie players helped to raise over €500,000 and plant one million trees in the region in partnership with Self Help Africa. He also talked about leadership and legacy.Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan goalkeeper who now works as a Performance and Wellbeing consultant with sports and business leaders around the world. Check out www.RealTalks.ie to learn more about Alan and his work. Thanks for listening!
The latest episode of The Players Voice features Dublin’s Ciarán Kilkenny.The Castleknock clubman talks about life as a teacher, setting up a Yoga business and the importance of trying new things. He chats about his search for sport/life balance and lessons learned from pushing himself too hard.Ciarán also looks back on the high of recapturing the Sam Maguire this year and opens up on the mental and emotional challenges that came with being out of the starting team for some big championship games.The Players’ Voice is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. The podcast series is part of BEO 360, a GPA programme that empowers inter-county players across 4 key areas - life skills, wellbeing, dual career and transitions. Please go to beo360.gaelicplayers.com to learn more.Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan goalkeeper who now works as a Performance and Wellbeing consultant with sports and business leaders around the world. Check out www.RealTalks.ie.
The latest episode of The Players Voice features Dublin’s Lauren Magee.During this conversation, Lauren explains why Dublin's All-Ireland victory in 2023 was the sweetest of them all. She discussed how much she benefited as a person from taking a break to go traveling and what she learned from her experience in the AFLW. Lauren also opens up about losing her step-dad to suicide and her journey with grief.If you are a GPA member in the Republic of Ireland and are in need of mental health support, call 1800 98 92 85 or text ‘GPA’ to 50808. From Northern Ireland, please call 0800 044 5059 or text ‘GPA’ 85258.If you aren’t a GPA member and need mental health support, please check out the Samaritans or Pieta House.The Players’ Voice is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. The podcast series is part of BEO 360, a GPA programme that empowers inter-county players across 4 key areas - life skills, wellbeing, dual career and transitions. Please go to beo360.gaelicplayers.com to learn more.Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan goalkeeper who now works as a Performance and Wellbeing consultant. To find out more about his work with sports and business leaders around the world, please go to www.RealTalks.ie.
The latest episode of The Players Voice features Kerry’s Martin Stackpoole.The goalkeeper joined host Alan O’Mara to open up in great detail about his gambling addiction and his recovery. Martin talks about his struggle to reach out for help, what he learned from spending time in a treatment centre and how much he is enjoying living life on his own terms again.The Players’ Voice is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. The podcast series is part of BEO 360, a GPA programme that empowers inter-county players across 4 key areas - life skills, wellbeing, dual career and transitions. Please go to beo360.gaelicplayers.com to learn more.If you are a GPA member and worried about problem gambling, call 1800 98 92 85 or text ‘GPA’ to 50808 from the Republic of Ireland OR from Northern Ireland please call 0800 044 5059 or text ‘GPA’ 85258. If you aren’t a GPA member and need support, please check out gamblersanonymous.ie or problemgambling.ie.Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan goalkeeper who now works as a Performance and Wellbeing consultant. To find out more about his work with sports and business leaders around the world, please go to www.RealTalks.ie.
Welcome to the latest episode of The Players Voice - where this week we are joined by Down’s Fionnuala Carr. During this chat, Fionnuala opens up about the highs and lows of running her own business, MarVal Power. She talks about applying the ‘next ball’ mentality she learned in sport to business, as well as dealing with self-doubt and building confidence. We also chatted about retiring from the inter-county game, the positive role Clonduff GAA club plays in her life and becoming a mother for the first time. The Players’ Voice is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. The podcast series is part of BEO 360, a GPA programme that empowers inter-county players across 4 key areas - life skills, wellbeing, dual career and transitions. Please go to beo360.gaelicplayers.com for more information. Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan goalkeeper and a Performance and Wellbeing consultant. To find out more about his work with sports and business leaders around the world, please go to www.RealTalks.ie.
Welcome to the latest episode of The Players Voice - where this week we are joined by Kildare goalkeeper Mary Hulgraine. During this powerful and insightful conversation, Mary reflects on her well-being journey and recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. She talks about the importance of accepting help and shares some of the highs and lows of life in recovery. Mary also chats about learning to love herself, prioritising self-care and the things that help her stay well. If you are a GPA member in the Republic of Ireland and are impacted by this episode, please call 1800 98 92 85 or text ‘GPA’ to 50808. From Northern Ireland please call 0800 044 5059 or text ‘GPA’ 85258. If you aren’t a GPA member and want to learn more about important mental health services, check out the Samaritans, Pieta House and for addiction specific services check out Cuan Mhuire. The Players’ Voice is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. The podcast series is part of BEO 360, a GPA programme that empowers inter-county players across 4 key areas - life skills, wellbeing, dual career and transitions. Please go to beo360.gaelicplayers.com for more information. Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan goalkeeper who now works as a Performance and Wellbeing consultant. To find out more about his work with sports and business leaders around the world, please go to www.RealTalks.ie.
Welcome to the latest episode of The Players Voice - where this week we are joined by New York goalkeeper and former Down player, Mick Cunningham. One of the heroes that helped the exiles to their first ever win in the Connacht GAA championship earlier this year, Mick tells us why he moved to New York in the first place and how it has helped him to evolve as a person and a player. Away from the GAA, he is the Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer at Zelta AI. During this conversation, Mick talks about community, mindset, dealing with mistakes, work/life balance and what he has learned from taking the road less travelled. The Players’ Voice is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. The podcast series is part of BEO 360, a GPA programme that empowers inter-county players across 4 key areas - life skills, wellbeing, dual career and transitions. Please go to beo360.gaelicplayers.com to learn more. Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan goalkeeper who now works as a Performance and Wellbeing consultant. To find out more about his work with sports and business leaders around the world, please go to www.RealTalks.ie. To find out more about me or my work as a performance and wellbeing consultant, please go to www.RealTalks.ie.
Welcome to the latest episode of The Players Voice - where this week we are joined by Clare camogie star Chloe Morey and former Tyrone player Gemma Begley, who is now the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion manager with the Gaelic Players Association. During this chat, Chloe and Gemma outline why female inter-county football and camogie teams will play the remainder of their 2023 championships under protest. They explain why players feel disrespected by the GAA, the LGFA and Camogie Association, as well as the need for a centralized Player Charter Agreement to protect player welfare. They discuss why players have run out of patience and are unified behind the need to build a better future. The Players’ Voice is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. The podcast series is part of BEO 360, a GPA programme that empowers inter-county players across 4 key areas - life skills, wellbeing, dual career and transitions. Please go to beo360.gaelicplayers.com to learn more. Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan goalkeeper who now works as a Performance and Wellbeing consultant. To find out more about his work with sports and business leaders around the world, please go to www.RealTalks.ie. To find out more about me or my work as a performance and wellbeing consultant, please go to www.RealTalks.ie. But for now, please sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Players Voice - with Chloe Morey and Gemma Begley
Welcome to the latest episode of The Players Voice - where this week we are joined by Cora Staunton. During this chat, Cora shares how she is managing the transition out of her 6 year spell as a professional athlete in the AFLW. Cora tells us about her work as part of the Galway camogie management team this season and her passion for mentoring, leading and empowering the next generation as she looks ahead to her next chapter in life. She also discusses why female inter-county players need to be better supported and the importance of players speaking up for themselves. Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan goalkeeper who now works as a Performance and Wellbeing consultant. To find out more about his work with sports and business leaders around the world, please go to www.RealTalks.ie. The Players’ Voice is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. The podcast series is part of BEO 360, a GPA programme that empowers inter-county players across 4 key areas - life skills, wellbeing, dual career and transitions. Please go to beo360.gaelicplayers.com to learn more. But for now, please sit back, relax, and enjoy episode 29 of The Players Voice - with Cora Staunton.
The latest episode of The Players Voice features Kildare hurler James Burke. During this chat, the 2022 Christy Ring Player of the Year opens up about how bacterial meningitis once turned his whole world upside down. Contracting the rare but deadly infection was a life threatening experience, and James shares some of the unexpected lessons and perspective he was forced to learn as a young man. We also talk about his journey from hotshot rookie to team captain in a few short years, transitioning from student life to full-time employment while juggling an inter-county career and how much he has benefitted from engaging with the Gaelic Players Association. The Players’ Voice is brought to you by the Gaelic Players Association in collaboration with Real Talks. The podcast series is part of BEO 360, a GPA programme that empowers inter-county players across 4 key areas - life skills, wellbeing, dual career and transitions. Please go to beo360.gaelicplayers.com to learn more. Each episode is hosted by Alan O’Mara, a former Cavan goalkeeper who now works as a Performance and Wellbeing consultant. To find out more about his work with sports and business leaders around the world, please go to www.RealTalks.ie.