Shows
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballLosers to Legends - Northern Ireland and the 1958 World CupOn this week's Green Shoots: a history of Irish football with Kehlan Kirwan and football historian Gary Spain they're looking at how Northern Ireland qualified for the 1958 World Cup and how they fared at the tournament in Sweden. From being a team that everybody beat to cementing they're place in Northern Ireland football history, this is the story of how a team became legends. 2025-07-311h 15
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballThis Football Life - Alfie Hale (Part 2)In part 2 of our interview with Alfie Hale we talk about his career at Waterford FC, management, plus we talk about academies, young players and board rooms too.Next week Gary is back and we’re going to be talking about N. Ireland’s qualification and journey to the 1958 World Cup. Some great stories in there so join us for that.Don’t forget to share the show on your own social media channels as well as liking, subscribing and turning on notifications to the show on whatever platform you listen to us on.2025-07-241h 03
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballThis Football Life - Alfie Hale (Part 1)On this week's podcast Kehlan talks to League of Ireland legend Alfie Hale about his footballing life. Alfie has played for Waterford FC, Doncaster Rovers, Newport County, and Aston Villa and more. He has six league of Ireland titles (including being top goal scorer in a few of them as well) he’s won the league of Ireland as a manager and got Kilkenny City promoted to the premier division as champions of the first division.In Part one we talk about growing up playing football and what happened when he moved to England to pl...2025-07-1758 min
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballREWIND - The Origins of Irish FootballThanks to the thousands of you who have listened to the show so far. This week we're rewinding all the way back to our very first show at the start of this year. How did Irish football begin on the Island? Who were the first clubs? Let find out by listening to the origin story of Irish football. We’re only just beginning and with your support we’ll be doing something great things over the next year.2025-07-1049 min
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballBaggio In His Pocket - Rep. of Ireland & USA '94On this week's Green Shoots Kehlan and Gary are talking about the Rep, of Ireland's World Cup adventure in USA '94. Don’t forget you can listen to us on host of audio platforms including Spotify and Apple podcasts. Where ever you listen make sure to subscribe and turn notifications on for the podcast so you know exactly when new podcasts for the show come out. And share the show on your own social media to network to spread the history and heritage of Irish football.2025-07-031h 06
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballOne Night In November - USA '94 QualifyingOn this week's podcast Kehlan and Gary discuss the Rep. of Ireland's qualifying campaign for the 1994 World Cup in the United States. It was a campaign that was nip and tuck throughout and went down to the final game of the group. With dramatic twists and turns the campaign all came down to one night in November amidst the backdrop of murder and a circle of violence in Northern Ireland. One nations pride and another's glory hung in the balance. 2025-06-261h 14
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballIt Might Have Been - the Euro '92 Qualifying CampaignOn this week's podcast Kehlan and Gary talk about Ireland's campaign to qualify for Euro '92. The national team says goodbye to Dalymount Park, while the likes of Denis Irwin and Roy Keane make their debuts. Plus, they look at the players and matches of the campaign that were looking to get the Rep. of Ireland to a third straight major tournament in a row. 2025-06-1952 min
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballBetween the Wars - Northern Ireland 1920-1939On this week’s show Kehlan and Gary are on a new journey as we look at the Northern Ireland international team from 1920 through to 1939. The player that scored 96 goals in a single season and famous victories for the national team in a 2 decade span that is absent of Home Nations tournament championship wins. 2025-06-1253 min
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballLiving The Dream - Italia '90We’re at Italia '90 where Kehlan and Gary talk about how we got there, playing in the world cup and Gary will be bringing us some of those incredible fan stories that happened along the way including some espionage in Hungary, the head of the FAI getting arrested and being in Sicily when their much loved hero, Toto Schillaci, scored.2025-06-051h 37
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballThe '90s - The Decade of Crazy Finishes?In this week's show Kehlan and Gary talk about the League of Ireland in the 1990s. A decade that saw some crazy last day league champions and leahue title playoffs. Plus shock cup winners like Bray Wanderers, Sligo Rovers and Galway United. 2025-05-291h 26
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballThis Football Life - Pat Byrne (Part 2)We’re giving you the second part of our great interview with League of Ireland legend Pat Byrne where he talks about his footballing life including playing at Bohemians, Philadelphia Fury, Leicester City, one of the great all-time teams in Shamrock Rovers and managing Shelbourne to a league and FAI CUP.If you haven’t listened to part 1 you can go back and listen to that first, all about his early childhood and how he developed in the game.2025-05-251h 09
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballThis Football Life - Pat Byrne (Part 1)On this week's podcast Kehlan talks with one of the all time greats of the game. Pat Byrne’s journey in football has been varied from Ireland to the United States, to Leicester City and Hearts in Scotland and back home again to play. Success followed him almost everywhere he went. 6 League of Ireland titles, 4 FAI Cups, an English 2nd Division title as player and won the league and cup with Shelbourne and brought KilKenny City into the premier Division too as a manager. This is part 1 of 2 episodes with Pat, the 2nd part to be published in the co...2025-05-221h 04
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballA Coming of Age - Jack Charlton & Euro '88On this week's show Kehlan an Gary look at the Rep. of Ireland football team as Jack Charlton is named the new manager and brings the country to its first ever major tournament, Euro 88'.We look at Jack Charlton getting the Ireland and how he beat Bob Paisley, yes that Bob Paisley from the great Liverpool team, to the job.We’ll look at how they made it to Euro 88, the players, the build up, what was it like to travel to it, getting around the tournament and what it meant after the tournament ha...2025-05-151h 29
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballWhite Hot HoopsOn this weeks show Kehlan and Gary go through the 1980s in the League of Ireland. One team above all else would dominate the decade, Shamrock Rovers. Considered by many to be one the greatest LOI teams ever, they won 4 league titles in a row and 3 FAI cups in a row. A treble-double.They also discuss Limerick becoming champions, the start of the tiered system with the introduction of Division 1 and Derry joining the LOI. 2025-05-081h 18
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballThis Football Life - Eoin HandOn this weeks show Kehlan sits down with former Rep. of Ireland manager, Eoin Hand. Eoin talks where his love of football comes from as well as playing and managing in a League of Ireland winning team, being boss for the Rep. of Ireland national team, and fighting racism and apartheid in South Africa. So join us for a journey through the amazing footballing life of Eoin Hand. 2025-05-011h 14
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpisode 14 - A Robbery in BrusselsIn this weeks episode Kehlan and Gary talk about the Rep. of Ireland national team from 1979 to 1985. This includes and infamous night in Brussels in 1981, where Ireland were robbed of a goal and their efforts to reach to the World Cup in Spain would fall agonisingly short. We also look at the tenures of Johnny Giles, and Eoin Hand who managed the team and Alan Kelly who was nearly the full-time manager before Hand got the job. 2025-04-241h 18
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballThe Scramble for GloryIn this weeks Green Shoots podcast Kehlan and Gary talk about the remarkable decade that was the 1970's in League of Ireland history. With so many great teams and so many vying for League and Cup titles, why then did so many start to walk away from League of Ireland football? 2025-04-171h 09
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballThis Football Life - Pat FenlonOn this weeks show Kehlan Kirwan talks with a former player and manager that has been a serial winner throughout his career. Where he goes trophies usually follow. Pat Fenlon is now Director of Football at Bohemians F.C. and he talks with Kehlan about his football life and getting Bohs back to winning trophies in the League of Ireland. 2025-04-101h 28
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpisode 11 - Rich Talent, More DroughtIn this weeks Green Shoots: a history of Irish football Kehlan and Gary talk about Irish international football from the late 50s through to the early 1970s as they play in front over 100,000 people in Poland, a memorable or maybe not so memorable 1-0 win against West Germany in Germany and we get introduced to a young man who would leave a huge impact on Irish football, Johnny Giles.2025-04-031h 11
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballChris Lee - Author of 'Shades of Green - A journey through Irish Football'On this weeks show Kehlan talks with Chris Lee, the author of a brand new book 'Shades of Green – a journey through irish football'. Chris has also written 'Origin Stories: The pioneers who took football to the world' and 'Defiant – A history of football against Fascism'. To see why he turned to writing about Irish football we sat down and had a chat with him about his brand new book. 2025-03-2050 min
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpsiode 9 - The Champagne 60'sOn this weeks show Kehlan and Gary talk about the League of Ireland at its zenith during the 1960s. We also chat about:- That extraordinary 1956 cup final between Shamrock Rovers and Cork Athletic- The one that Gary has been waiting to talk about, Limerick are the 1960 League champions- We talk about European football as Drumcondra beat Bayern Munich 1-0 and some glamorous and not so glamorous European ties for Irish clubs in the 60s. including a surprise win for Waterford over Northern rivals Glentoran.- Plus we talk...2025-03-131h 13
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpisode 8 - 'Coad's Colts' In this weeks episode Kehlan and Gary talk about one of Shamrock Rovers greatest ever managers, Paddy Coad. His teams had an emphasis of young players and would set the foundation for some of the greatest League of Ireland teams of all time. Plus we look at Evergreen United FC, Waterford FC, Shelbourne FC and some famous results for the Rep. of Ireland national side. 2025-03-0655 min
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpisode 7 - What's in a Name?On this weeks show Kehlan and Gary look at the disputes of the 1950's that arose between the IFA of Northern Ireland and the FAI of the Republic of Ireland.With players playing for both footballing bodies how did it come to end and how did FIFA recognise the two bodies? Subscribe to our Patreon on www.pateron.com/greenshootspodcast2025-02-2750 min
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpisode 6 - The Heroes of GoodisonOn this weeks episode we're looking at one of the most momentous victories in Irish international football. On the 21st of September 1949 Ireland beat England at Goodison Park to become the first foreign team to ever beat England on English soil. We also talk about the recent League of Ireland attendance record being broken at Landsdowne Road as 33, 208 fans turn up to watch Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers at the historical context of it. We also discuss:The rise of St. Patricks AthleticLimerick's Tom 'Bud' AherneThe loss of Belfast Celtic & Drumcondra F.C.2025-02-201h 02
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpisode 5 - A World at WarOn this weeks show Kehlan and Gary discuss how Irish football survives through World War II as a divided island is both at the forefront of the war and vehemently neutral. 2025-02-131h 04
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpisode 4 - Superstars & RingersOn this weeks show Kehlan and Gary talk about superstars turning up in the League of Ireland, some shady deals to bring players in for matches and a national side coming agonisingly close to playing in World Cups. You can donate to the podcast on patreon.com/greenshootspodcast2025-02-061h 00
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpisode 3 - Out of the Shadows (1923-1933)In this weeks episode of Green Shoots: a history of Irish football we look at an Irish international side making history at the 1924 Olympics in Paris. We explore where the domestic league and discuss the opportunities that arose for teams as the newly established FAI League of Ireland added teams to its fledgling league. 2025-01-3058 min
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpisode 2 - The SplitIt’s episode two where we delve into probably the most tumultuous time in Irish History. 1914-1923. In that time Ireland, with growing nationalism and desire for independence, would have to deal with World War 1, a war of independence, the partition of the island between north and south and civil war. How did football survive through such a time?2025-01-2355 min
Green Shoots - A History of Irish FootballEpisode 1 - OriginsIn episode 1 of Green Shoots Kehlan and Gary look at the origins of football on the island of Ireland. From where the game came from to a fledgling international team, they discuss what football looked like in the latter end of the 1800's and how football took root in communities across the island. 2025-01-1649 min