Shows
Murder Most IrishThe One With The Terrible Sound. Episode 116**Trigger Warning for mentions of sexual assault and extreme violence**
Hello, hello!
This week Emma covers the case of the horrific murder of Jayne Toal Reat. 43 year old Jayne was murdered whilst saving her daughter Charlotte's life.
Also lads, listen. Sarah Jane is in London and Emma is in Edinburgh and we recorded online. In true MMI fashion it went to shit so we apologise profusely for the sound quality. Also Colin is a LEGEND and managed to pull this together so thank you, Colin!
Have a great week and don't doom scroll!
Case begins at 20:35
References:
https://www.judiciaryni...
2023-04-0644 min
Armagh I PodcastLibby Clarke talks cattle and property and how her work family keep her groundedAt the tender age of fifteen it was clear to Libby Clarke that sales was the route for her, however, a change of product was on the cards.
In the fourth and final episode of our Female Entrepreneur series, in partnership with Tarasis Enterprises – Supporting Female Entrepreneurs – we speak to the Portadown businesswoman who explains how property was not her first dabble in sales.
Growing up with a farming background, cattle was always Libby's first passion and she recalls selling her first property at fifteen.
Following Libby's father's retirement, the keen saleswoman took on a...
2022-08-1438 min
Armagh I PodcastFemale Entrepreneurs: Sinead O’Donnell’s business spirit shines in the darkest of timesIt is not always clear what the future holds. Plans are laid down and ideas cultivated but life often has a way of reshaping those plans.
This is the third episode of our four part series, in partnership with Tarasis Enterprises, Supporting Female Entrepreneurs.
In 2019, Benburb-based beautician Sinead O’Donnell was hard at work laying the foundations for her own brand of self-tanning products. Then, in 2020 with the onset of the Covid Pandemic her world was suddenly upended with the untimely and tragic passing of her beloved father, Patrick Hughes.
Despite her incredible he...
2022-08-0629 min
Armagh I PodcastFemale Entrepreneurs: Petra Carroll on how she ’foiled’ the stereotypical business planWhat do you need to start a business? Qualifications, money, a business plan? Not according to long-standing Armagh based hairstylist and salon owner, Petra Carroll.
Petra's is the second episode of our four part series, in partnership with Tarasis Enterprises, Supporting Female Entrepreneurs.
'Conventional' would not be the word to describe Petra. Her route to business, whilst not perhaps a stereotypical journey, is a reassuring one. She demonstrates that the key to success is intrinsic. It’s something she believes we all hold.
Petra champions those around her and places huge emphasis on th...
2022-07-3040 min
Armagh I PodcastFemale Entrepreneurs: Emma Stinson lays bare her love for leather and loomMost people can say that they have inherited something significant from an elderly relative, but few can say they have inherited a passion. Emma Stinson, of Richhill Co. Armagh, has inherited just that from her beloved Grandfather Jackie Stinson, saddler and restorer extraordinaire.
This is the first of our four part series, in partnership with Tarasis Enterprises, Supporting Female Entrepreneurs.
2022-07-2435 min
Armagh I PodcastSean Cavanagh: Why Armagh is such a cultural fit for Tyrone legendFor all intents and purposes, Sean Cavanagh is a son of Tyrone – a former county captain, three All-Ireland medals, five All-Stars; the list of accolades goes on.
So much so, he says his parents' home is like a sporting monument; his own home, you would struggle to tell he played football at all.
But strangely enough, Sean says his affinity – certainly off the sporting fields – lies on the Armagh side of the River Blackwater...
Listen to Sean's story in business and how he keeps growing, despite the many challenges he faces – including a fire in...
2022-07-1532 min
Armagh I PodcastMartin Carvill’s mindful philosophy helps cancer recovery and return to the top of his gameIn 2019 Martin Carvill was on a life support machine battling for survival against oesophageal cancer.
Three years later, almost to the day, since Martin underwent surgery, he won the singles championship title in the Banbridge and District Darts League.
During the previous decade the world-class dart thrower was at the top of his game - a regular on the World Darts circuit and competing well in events like the Dutch, Belgium and Czech Opens, along with winning countless tournaments and trophies around Ireland as well as in Newry, with whichever team was lucky enough to...
2022-06-1851 min
Armagh I PodcastKevin Bell Repatriation Trust brings loved ones home to restThe KBRT logo can be seen on GAA jersey’s from Crossmaglen to Kilcoo and even across the water in San Francisco. The little bird emblem is significant for Kevin Bell’s parents Collie and Eithne whose charitable organisation, The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust [KBRT] is their son’s legacy.
Kevin was killed in a hit and run car accident in New York in 2013 and it took a network of family, friends and the community home and abroad to gather the funds needed to repatriate his body home to his loved ones in just three days.
The...
2022-06-0534 min
Armagh I PodcastTherese Hughes MBE – a compassionate hairdresser who knows her wigsIn 2008 Therese Hughes stayed in the Ritz, had afternoon tea at the House of Commons and was invited to to Buckingham Palace where HRH Prince Charles awarded her an MBE as a recipient in the Queen’s Honours list for her work with the Health Services in Northern Ireland.
That work included a compassionate practical solution to people suffering from hair loss - often due to the side effects of chemotherapy. Sometimes it’s the little things that help when a person is seriousl ill, and sometimes, in cases like the non-life-threatening condition alopecia, the service provided by Tr...
2022-05-2150 min
Armagh I PodcastYoung entrepreneur Ellen Mooney talks fashion and her own approach to branding and marketingCovid lockdowns had their downsides, there’s no denying it, but for twenty-five year old Banbridge designer Ellen Mooney the solitude inspired her to be creative and do something positive.
Ellen, who studied fashion design at University, dusted off her sewing machine and began creating her own brand of quirky hair scrunchies.
Demand grew rapidly and before long Ellen had progressed from scrunchies to sweaters and was growing her own streetwear brand ELN.
Functional, sustainable and extremely fashionable, Ellen tells us about the factors that are most important to her brand.
We...
2022-05-2028 min
Armagh I PodcastThe Bay writer Daragh Carville - first to know where the bodies are buriedAn average of over seven million viewers are hooked on ITV crime drama The Bay, which first aired in 2019.
The show, set in the small seaside town of Morecambe in Lancaster, is on its third season, with a fourth in the works. And the man behind the critically acclaimed and hugely popular whodunnit was born and bred right here in Armagh.
Daragh Carville brought the complex characters and stories to life as writer and co-creator of The Bay and while it’s probably his best-known work, the screenwriter, playwright and university lecturer has produced plenty of...
2022-05-1537 min
Armagh I PodcastHow twin entrepreneurs Aaron and Andrew have built themselves a business empireBorn together, business partners forever. Over the last nine years entrepreneurial Banbridge twins Aaron and Andrew Burns have built themselves a remarkable business empire, now based in the heart of Markethill.
This is Part Three in a four-part series of podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union.
Astute and ambitious, the twins recognised their own set of skills early on and kick-started their journey into self-employment by leaning into what they were most passionate about, sports and nutrition, and established a multi-sports coaching company, Burns Skills School, in 2013.
Fast forward...
2022-05-0924 min
Armagh I PodcastDani Larkin takes the folk world by storm with mesmerising debut albumShe grew up in Madden as Danielle Carragher, but since reaching back in time and taking her maternal great grandmother's long lost surname as her stage name, Dani Larkin was born.
And it’s not just the name that Dani has adopted from the past. The Armagh singer/songwriter and musician’s songs also transcend time, steeped in Irelands ancient landscape, mythologies and folklore.
Dani began writing at the age of 11 with a poem and since then years of working hard and performing , eventually saw her become the quintessential overnight success.
Her debut albu...
2022-04-2134 min
Armagh I PodcastMountain man Glyn O’Brien still tearing up the tracksAnyone who has even the slightest interest in mountain biking will know the name Glyn O’Brien. The Newry man is a legend in the sport, and for good reason.
Glyn’s racing career spans the 90’s to the present day, and he’s crammed in plenty over the decades. He raced the UCI Downhill World Cup circuit from 1997 to 2006, and in 2009 came second I the World Masters Downhill Championships.
But in 2003 Glyn lost the plot altogether – taking himself off to Utah where he competed in the Red Bull Rampage – and finished an incredible third.
Legenda...
2022-04-1234 min
Armagh I PodcastAtmosphere Immersive keeping Jake’s legacy alive and businesses ahead of the curveAn innovative media company is putting Portadown on the map with their 360-degree technology and high quality video content helping local businesses stay ahead of the curve.
Atmosphere Immersive Media was established by Gerda Visinskaite and her boyfriend Jake Bailey-Sloan.
Jake set up The Mill, the indoor combat centre on Bleary Road, when he was just a teenager, but sadly passed away in October, at the age of just 23.
This is Part Two in a four-part series of podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union.
Armagh I caught u...
2022-04-1130 min
Armagh I PodcastScience student Matthew Sherry brings a little slice of Italy to Armagh CityArmagh may be quite some distances from Naples, but one young entrepreneur is bringing perhaps the region's most important invention to the Orchard county.
Matthew Sherry, a Co Monaghan native, set up shop (quite literally) in the city centre when he opened up his artisan pizza shop, Basil Lane, less than two months ago.
This is Part One in a serial of Armagh I podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union.
Matthew realised his dream of serving the woodfired delights whilst studying science at university in Dublin.
It...
2022-04-1128 min
Armagh I PodcastVincent Loughran: 50 years of confessions from an Armagh photographerVincent Loughran has been a photographer in Armagh for the best part of 50 years. He's been there, done it and, as the saying goes, got the t-shirt. He's had his near misses too...
Like life itself, it's been a rollercoaster; there has been the good the bad and, indeed, the very ugly. Fires, hijackings, bombings – The Troubles in general – have been juxtaposed against happier times. An avid Armagh GAA fan, Vincy was there for the All-Ireland triumph in 2002 and before that, the All-Ireland defeat to Dublin in the '77 final. The contrast he says was "unreal".
Tim...
2022-03-2927 min
Armagh I PodcastHow Harvard-educated Ric Dyer went from fighting HIV pandemic to distilling gin in BenburbIt's been a road well-travelled for one local gin distiller who has enjoyed a remarkable career; one which once had him at the forefront of the battle against the HIV pandemic.
Nowadays, you can find Ric Dyer distilling his beautifully crafted gin in a lab in Benburb.
It's been an unconventional route for Ric, but his Symphonia Gin is fast becoming a household name in a saturated gin market; his story, like his liqueur, is a unique one.
2022-03-1450 min
Armagh I PodcastChernobyl Aid Newry needs help for Belarus more than everThe casualties of war are often unseen and that’s never been more apparent than in poverty-stricken Belarus.
The country, tied up with Putin’s Russia, is ruled by dictator Alexander Lukashenko and its poorest and most vulnerable citizens are locked away in abysmal conditions in institutions and orphanages out of sight hidden in forests throughout the country.
Belarus was the country most affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the fallout continues, as the children – who never grew old, watched their children suffer on with illness, disability and poverty.
Chernobyl Aid Newry was foun...
2022-03-0749 min
Armagh I PodcastTaeKwon-Do Master Cathal Fegan teaches girls bigger isn’t betterHalf-way up Chequer Hill in Newry sits an unassuming building that around six years ago was just a shell. Since then the space has been transformed into the hub of one of the most successful martial arts clubs in the country, with Northern Irelands TaeKwon-Do Master, Cathal Fegan at the helm.
His Dojang training Centre is the epicentre of clubs the fourth Dan Black belt runs – from Dundalk to Silverbridge - with around 200 students of all ages.
Cathal has been involved in martial arts since he was five years old and it didn’t take him...
2022-02-2740 min
Armagh I PodcastKieran Quinn of Playr-fit – the Co Armagh sporting goods brand making waves in the marketFor this week's podcast, I spoke with Culloville's Kieran Quinn of Co Armagh sporting goods brand 'Playr-Fit'.
Kieran, alongside his business partner and friend Steven Burns, from Lurgan, started the brand having worked together for a number of years prior to the launch. It was a punt; a leap of faith that, despite Covid, has produced some serious results since.
A pandemic and an exiling of spectator sport did not stop the in their tracks; in fact, they grew bigger and stronger, against the odds.
By chance, the pair brought in Monaghan GAA g...
2022-02-1433 min
Armagh I PodcastThe world according to Zeke goes viral on TikTokThere’s something magical about discovering the world through the eyes of a child, but capturing that essence is rare.
Take two videographers, their adorable two-year-old son, a mic and the video-sharing platform TikTok though, and it’s a different story.
Dan and Hannah Gillespie wondered what ‘chatterbox’ Zeke was saying when out of earshot as he explored the park on family days out, so, while out and about on a holiday, they stuck a mic on him and listened.
Zeke’s musings were so sweet, his parents decided to share some of those mome...
2022-02-0540 min
Armagh I PodcastAlex Clifford and Aaron McNeill of getactiveabc on FREE borough-wide programmesSpring is around the corner, the restrictions have lifted and there’s a sense of optimism in the air.
The outdoors beckons and there have never been more opportunities to get moving and start leading a more active life.
And it’s not exclusive to the young and healthy either.
For this week’s podcast Armagh I was back in South Lake Leisure centre speaking to Alex Clifford and Aaron McNeill about the ABC council’s MUGAS (Multi Use Games Areas) FREE programmes available across the Borough.
The community based grassroots project t...
2022-02-0152 min
Armagh I PodcastArmagh City Men’s Shed - doorway to a whole new worldRetirement or redundancy can be a lonely place for men, but in 2011 Stiofan McCleirigh got involved in a movement that would change his and many other lives in for the better.
The Men's Shed movement began in Australia and it arrived in Ireland in 2009 with the first shed set up in Tipperary. When Stiofan got wind of the concept he excitedly set the wheels in motion to bring one to Armagh.
He got the funding in place, found a premises on English Street and began knocking on doors to recruit members.
It worked...
2022-01-2251 min
Armagh I PodcastFun and Games with Football For AllSometimes when a new concept or innovation is brought to life, you wonder why it hasn't always existed.
Football For All is one of those things that really should be far more widespread than it is. The concept that 'every child wants to be part of a team' has become the motto for Warrenpoint GAA's newest Football For All team, which celebrates children with special needs and allows them to participate in games and training with their very own team.
Decky and Helen Carville's 12-year-old son Michael has special needs. The family are all members...
2022-01-1539 min
Armagh I PodcastPure chocolate heaven with the NearyNógsSo the last shiny wrapper from the countless tins of Quality Street is in the bin and you’ve sworn off chocolate … till the end of the week at least.
However, this week’s podcast might change your mind.
Nestled near the foot of the Mournes, not far outside Newry, sits a small unassuming factory with a sign at the entrance welcoming you to NearyNógs Stoneground Chocolate Makers.
If you look around you the scenery is a feast for the eyes, but once you enter building your other senses will awaken as the ric...
2022-01-0838 min
Armagh I PodcastJohn Dalzell’s eightieth birthday Sit-Out while Rostrevor enjoys 50 Christmas SwimsWhile life as we know it has changed drastically in the last few years, some things will always stay the same.
For the past 30 years religiously, John Dalzell has spent the weeks preceding Christmas camped out on Hill Street collecting funds for the Souther Area Hospice.
There was no exception this year on his eightieth birthday as John stood in his trailer and chatted to the passers by who threw money into his bucket, or those who came down specifically to show their support and wish him a happy birthday.
Over £1.85 million has be...
2021-12-2834 min
Armagh I PodcastChristmas fear as Restaurant cancellations riseWith the Omicron variant spreading rapidly and vaccine passports becoming mandatory since December 13, restaurants are being hit hard in the run-up to Christmas. Proof of vaccination, a negative Covid-19 test result or proof of natural immunity are now needed for access to restaurants and other indoor venues.
Armagh I spoke to a number of local restaurant owners in recent days and all are experiencing increasing cancellations for various Covid-related reasons. Caorlan McAllister and Gavin Bates took over the Halfway House restaurant in Banbridge in August 2020 after it was forced to shut its doors due to the pressures...
2021-12-1926 min
Armagh I PodcastFitness guru Tommy Stevenson inspires by exampleTommy has spent all of his adult life in the fitness industry in one way or another. As an instructor in various Armagh gyms, he now teaches in the South Lake Leisure Centre where his two daughters are regular visitors - as is his wife who runs marathons for fun.
He played football for St Paul's and has been part of the management team in Down club Ballyholland for a number of years, but Tommy still finds the time to compete in ironman triathlons and is constantly looking for new challenges.
So much so that...
2021-12-1152 min
Armagh I PodcastMichael Loftus: The man keeping an eye on the man in the middleMichael Loftus was just 16-years-old when he began his refereeing career.
That was over 25 years ago when he played football and hurling in his native Dublin and stepped in to referee sometimes underage games but often standing up to men, a lot older than him.
When he married a Bessbrook woman, Michael settled in Mullaghbawn and by then he was an established referee, featuring in games at every level.
He may have shared his name with another famous Mayo man, but it was this Mick Loftus whose name even became known in the...
2021-12-0548 min
Armagh I PodcastSean Donegan keeps the search alive for ‘The Missing Children’‘The Missing Children’ is a documentary about one of the darkest and most shameful episodes in Ireland’s history.
It’s the story of the Tuam mother-and-baby home and much of the tragedy is that the horrific discovery of a hidden burial site in a septic tank on the grounds of the home over seven years ago has still not been properly investigated.
The bodies are yet to be exhumed.
Sean Donegan’s work features heavily in the documentary. The Newry man's photographs and videos often depict derelict buildings dotted around the Irish landscape...
2021-11-2837 min
Armagh I PodcastPodcast: Engines rev up as Richard Swanston sets the stage for the Ulster Rally*This podcast was recorded prior to last weekend's Ulster Rally stage.
As a teenager, I remember thumbing my way across the country with my friends, hoping to catch some stages of the Circuit of Ireland and maybe get a glimpse of our hero Austin McHale.
That was some time ago, but Richard Swanston Director of the 2021 Modern Tyres Ulster International Rally, took me right back there.
It wasn’t that we were die-hard rally fanatics, but anyone who’s ever been to any one of the rallies around Ireland or beyond, knows just what...
2021-11-2243 min
Armagh I PodcastAngel with a harp Niamh Noade launches CD for children’s cancer charityWhile most of us were munching our way through lockdown, or binging on the Tiger King, Niamh Noade was busy making her mark on the music world.
Around this time last year, the 13-year-old Lislea teenager was wowing the judges at TeenStar UK Singing competition, as the only harpist ever to compete in the online show and the only Irish contestant out of the 1000 plus hopefuls.
Niamh finished fourth, performing a show-stopping rendition of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ in the final, and as the Showcase winner, the talented St Paul’s Bessbrook pupil won the opportun...
2021-11-1339 min
Armagh I PodcastLiving it up with the Hiking Hens“We are the Hiking Hens,” sang a group of women as we left the carpark near the Invisible Tree on our way via the river path to Cloughmore Stone last Wednesday evening.
That camaraderie and banter epitomised the next hour-and-a -half or so spent with around 20 members of the Hiking Hens.
The group, led and established by Fidelma and Maria, meets every Wednesday and Sunday, where they hike various routes and mountains in the Mournes - and a lot of fun is had.
2021-11-0742 min
Armagh I PodcastFiona sings her way to success at Flynn Performing ArtsOvernight success usually comes from an awful lot of hard work and for Fiona Flynn and her students that’s certainly the case.
It may seem like everything the talented soprano touches turns to gold, but behind the scenes at her music school, Flynn Performing Arts, it takes time as well as talent to bring out the best in her students.
The waiting list is long to get into the school that Fiona established six years ago – but that’s no real surprise.
Scrolling through its Facebook page brings up post after post on the...
2021-10-3054 min
Armagh I PodcastHugh Morgan and Paddy Hamilton survive hell – and death – in toughest footrace on earthYou can train, train and train some more. You can prepare everything down to the finest detail, but sometimes the unforeseen happens and sometimes that leads to a near-death experience.
That’s exactly what happened to ultra-runners Hugh Morgan and Paddy Hamilton in the scorching Sahara Desert earlier this month.
It’s billed as the ‘toughest foot race on earth’ but the Marathon des Sables (Marathon of the Sands) became even more so this year.
A crippling stomach illness spread like wildfire through the camp at the start of the race and the organise...
2021-10-2346 min
Armagh I Podcast‘The Border Game‘ playwright Oisín Kearney tells tales from the border!With the world opening up again slowly but surely, how does an evening out at the theatre sound?
I can promise you one thing, should you decide to take a run up to Belfast and pick up a ticket for ‘The Border Game’ in the Lyric Theatre, you won’t be disappointed.
Certainly if you watching anything that’s simultaneously hilarious and deeply tragic and also brilliantly acted.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. The reviews are in and the critics agree.
Warrenpoint playwright, director and filmmaker, Ois...
2021-10-1555 min
Armagh I PodcastRecalling the final journey and calls to get the Portadown-Armagh railway back on trackIn 2014, a petition was presented to Stormont with 10,000 signatures gathered from the streets and shops around Armagh, calling for the reinstatement of the local railway line.
Two years before that the Portadown Armagh Railway Society (PARS) was established with the same purpose in mind.
They also aim to educate the public on the history of the railway line between Armagh and Portadown and the huge impact its disbandment in 1957 has had on the area - not least from a connectivity point of view but also an environmental one, as cars increasingly clog our roadways.
2021-10-0156 min
Armagh I PodcastPuppy love with The Dog Guru, Keith Mathews"I've heard you help people with horse problems," says Kristen Scott Thomas' character in the film ‘The Horse Whisperer,’ to which Robert Redford's character replies: “Truth is, I help horses with people problems.”
And that pretty much sums up this week's Armagh I podcast guest, Keith Mathews - albeit with a different species of animal.
Keith, or, ‘The Dog Guru’, as he is most famously known, has worked his magic with our favourite pets for over 25 years.
He is one of the most sought after dog trainers and behaviourists in the world – and the Armagh man...
2021-09-2547 min
Armagh I PodcastRyan McShane takes us from Britain’s Got Talent to Dancing With The StarsIf you know your Paso Doble from your Foxtrot and winter weekends aren’t complete without a glimpse of the coveted glitterball and the tears and triumphs of a dance-off, then you’ll be very familiar with Ryan McShane.
The Lurgan native is one of the professional dancers on Ireland’s Dancing With The Stars since the show began in 2017, where he has taken his celebrity partners through their paces before facing the scrutiny of both judges and viewers alike.
For this week’s podcast, Ryan spills the beans on how the audition process at Britains...
2021-09-191h 00
Armagh I PodcastEmma McQuaid – Ireland’s CrossFit Queen takes the world by stormThe world is a pretty big place, so to be able to say you are one of the fittest women on planet earth in one of the most gruelling competitions in the world, is a claim reserved for the very few - but one that Emma McQuaid can shout from the rooftops.
Emma earned her place in the top echelon of the multi-disciplined sports movement, CrossFit, by finishing twelfth in the CrossFit Games held in Wisconsin last month.
The 31-year-old Lisburn fitness instructor has dedicated most of her adult life to the sport that she...
2021-09-1037 min
Armagh I PodcastCathy Brady – Award-winning Newry film maker lights up silver screen with WildfireYou know when you’re watching a film in a cinema theatre and you could hear a pin drop from start to finish, that your time is well spent.
That’s what it felt like at a screening in Belfast of Cathy Brady’s debut feature film ‘Wildfire’ ahead of its release on September 3.
The Newry writer and director won Best Director for ‘Wildfire’ at this year’s Irish Film and Television Awards and both of her leading actresses Nora-Jane Noone and the late Nika McGuigan were nominated for Best Actress.
Nika, who tragically died...
2021-09-0441 min
Armagh I PodcastGemma Winchester – Omniplex Manager stuck a pin in the map and it landed on ArmaghGemma Winchester was born and raised in Singapore until she was 15-years-old and then she moved to Australia – although most of her 15 years there was spent travelling the world by sea or air.
But two things brought the newly-appointed general manager of Armagh Omniplex to our shores - one sad, the other happy.
Gemma’s younger brother has Down’s Syndrome. He lived with their mother in Bournemouth and because of his condition they discovered he wasn’t allowed to move to Australia to join the rest of the family.
Rightly outraged, Gemma decided to...
2021-08-271h 01
Armagh I PodcastHow loss of youngster sibling led three sisters to set up Sibling Grief ClubSibling Grief Club was launched in July of this year by three sisters grieving the death of their youngest sibling.
Triona McNabb sadly passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in hospital on February 27, 2017.
She left behind a legacy of love, but also a family bereaved and desperate for support as they tried to navigate unchartered waters
Triona’s three older sisters, Maeveen, Edel and Cathy quickly discovered that there was little or no support specifically for grieving adult siblings, who are often termed as the ‘forgotten mourners’.
For this week’s podcast, Maeveen tal...
2021-08-2059 min
Armagh I PodcastAn insight into the mind of record-breaking open water swimmer Jordan LeckeyFor this week’s Armagh I podcast, we caught up with Jordan Leckey, outside the Discovery Centre in Lough Neagh where he trains regularly with the Lough Neagh Monster Dunkers. He told us all about his epic swim NI to Scotland, from exactly what it felt like the moment he dipped his toe into the water to face the long, gruelling journey ahead, to the perils he had to deal with in the freezing cold water, right to the finish line with the last kilometre feeling like the longest.
Jordan says he wanted nothing more than to gi...
2021-08-1346 min
Armagh I PodcastCara Malone of Supporting Women Newry – 'protesters with dignity'Supporting Women Newry does just what it says on the tin.
The group was set up around six months ago by seven local women, and since then it’s gathered an enormous amount of support from the public, health care staff and political parties alike.
The purpose of the group is to, 'provide free access to health care without fear or intimidation'.
And yes – they support men too – but given their remit it’s most often women who require their help.
They came into being on the back of an awareness of a grow...
2021-07-3038 min
Armagh I PodcastTony Bagnall - sportsman, musician and scribeIf you take a spin out to Camlough Lake or Newry swimming pool you might run into this week’s podcast guest.
You might also read his name on one of the eight books he’s written about subjects ranging from local football histories and sporting heroes, the story of the showband era - 'Do You Come Here Often'- the history of Derrybeg, plus the only book written on triathlons in Ireland, 'The Irish Triathlete'.
His latest book –‘The History of Newry Celtic,’ was just launched to a full house in Nan Rice’s in Newry.
...
2021-07-2353 min
Armagh I PodcastMeet the Simpsons – TikTok sensations with over one million followersIf you ask most girls in their early teens who their favourite celebrities are, chances are there’ll be at least one TikToker on their list.
If you stick your head in their bedroom door on any given evening, you’ll probably see them either watching or emulating some TikTok clip from one of the names on their list. And there’s a good chance one of the accounts they follow will belong to the Simpson family.
If you want to see what the attraction is, go on the App and check out The Simpson family...
2021-07-1547 min
Armagh I PodcastJolly Bearded Promotions' Seb Akehurst takes his toy story to infinity and beyondSeb has created an exhibition, both clever and imaginative, but also at times seemingly at odds with the innocence of toys. Upstairs in the gallery, a darker space awaits, with toys represented in wartime scenarios with recreations of iconic photographs and movie scenes from black and white D-Day battle scenes, moving to colour with the Vietnam War and the Middle Eastern conflicts.
In his final year at the University of Ulster in 2014 studying Interactive Media Arts, Seb focussed on War Photography.
Frank Capa, Roger Fenton and Matthew Brady became major influences on his work – particularly ho...
2021-07-0843 min
Armagh I PodcastIntergalactic craic with Heather and Courtney – the final frontier for Armagh PlanetariumHeather Alexander and Courtney Allison are Education Officers at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP), and their knowledge and enthusiasm for the job is infectious.
Imparting that knowledge and encouraging children to pursue a career in science and space exploration is part of their job, and it’s one that the pair are very good at.
The AOP has been in existence since 1790 as an observatory before it expanded to become a planetarium in 1968.
Heather explains the history behind its origins and the work that goes on at the AOP, which has had a...
2021-07-0146 min
Armagh I PodcastPodcast: Armagh author Stuart Neville talks crime noir thrillers and gigging at Glasto!Stuart Neville’s novels have come a long way from his native Armagh to bookshelves across the globe, but his stories remain very much rooted in home.
His stellar career began with a manuscript at a John Connolly book reading in Dublin, handed to the established author by the aspiring crime writer, who had a publishing deal, but no readership as yet.
That would soon change.
“One of the finest thriller debuts of the last ten years,” Connolly wrote on the flyleaf of Neville’s finished product after it was published in 2009.
‘The G...
2021-06-2458 min
Armagh I PodcastRe-Gen's Joseph Doherty on origins of the family business and re-imagining a greener planetFor this week’s podcast, Armagh I spoke to Joseph Doherty about the evolution of Re-Gen and the different components of the business. He speaks about ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’ when it comes to the human aspect of recycling; what it’s like working closely with his family, and the expertise and drive within the entire team that makes for a successful business. He talks about new innovations in the pipeline and what’s next for Re-Gen.
2021-06-1744 min
Armagh I PodcastNight at the museum with the Paravent crew…and 'friends'!It’s probably fair to say that ghost hunting isn’t usually high on the agenda for most people on a Friday night.
And I’d count myself amongst that number.
Last weekend however - after declaring on our recent podcast with Sharon Moen, that I’d join Paravent for their next excursion - I put my money where my mouth was and headed down the motorway towards the Irish Military War Museum in Collon.
There I met up with the Paravent crew – Sharon, Elaine, Eddie, Anthony, Fra and Harry, who were getting their ghos...
2021-06-101h 14
Armagh I PodcastLondon calling for Armagh man Niall McCart who made scooters his businessFrom going halfsies on his very first scooter to breathing new life into vintage models by developing electric conversion kits.
The metropolis of London is far from Niall McCart's upbringing in Armagh but that is where he has called home for over 30 years.
For this episode of Armagh I’s podcast, we caught up with Niall ,who could have been seen ‘raking about’ on scooters in his home city during the 80s and has now developed a kits which convert vintage Vespas and Lambrettas to electric.
A self-confessed home-bird who flew the nest back in...
2021-06-0250 min
Armagh I PodcastErosion of hope and services leaves Armagh mum with autistic adult sons at wits' endAs lockdown restrictions lift, most of us have emerged from our homes to mingle, shop, eat out and enjoy the everyday freedoms of life.
Not so for some however, as the past year has had a devastating effect on people with learning disabilities, whose services have been decimated.
Kathryn Taylor never intended to be a spokesperson for such families, but the situation has become so difficult for her family, that she’s been left with little choice.
While the rest of us are out and about, not much has changed for Kathryn, who is...
2021-05-2743 min
Armagh I PodcastLong Meadow Cider blossoming with Amazon dealThey say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and that’s certainly the case with Long Meadow Cider.
The McKeever family has run their farm for over 50 years - spanning three generations. But innovation is key in any business and Pat, Catherine and their son Peter have been hugely successful at that, since diversifying to produce naturally crafted cider in 2014.
Pat’s father, Peter, used traditional methods growing the Bramley apples that Long Meadow Cider still use for their products in the main, but over the years the family has introduced different apple...
2021-05-2044 min
Armagh I PodcastOisín McConville on post-pandemic rise in gambling and Armagh GAA predictionsThe pandemic as taken its toll on everyone in one way or another but some of the problems caused have yet to materialise.
The statistics for gambling addiction are frightening, with a 60% increase since the pandemic began, and Oisín McConville says the lockdown has exasperated the issue and kept it hidden behind closed doors more than ever before.
If anyone can give advice on problem gambling it’s the former Armagh County star.
He doesn’t flinch when he talks about his own well-documented gambling addiction, which began at the tender age of 14...
2021-05-1242 min
Armagh I PodcastLGBTQ+ champion Councillor Pete Byrne on wearing a mask he was unable to take off for 10 yearsMost of us have got used to wearing a mask over the past year, but imagine not being able to take it off for 10 years.
That’s what Pete Byrne says his life felt like until he finally told just four people that he was gay – at the age of 24.
Since then the well-known and highly-respected SDLP Crossmaglen Councillor has become a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, including championing the annual Pride festival. He also married his husband Trevor in 2012, after struggling for years with worries and fears about acceptance in his small rural village.
2021-05-0553 min
Armagh I PodcastCo Armagh's very own Paranormal Investigator of things that go bump in the nightI never imagined I’d be jumping at shadows following a trip to Keady in broad daylight, but a visit to Sharon Moen’s house left me slightly ruffled.
Not that Sharon was anything but lovely company, but it was our conversation that made be glad I wasn’t driving home through the countryside in the dark Sharon is a Paranormal Investigator – or as some might say – Ghosthunter.
She set up a group called Paravent who believe that the dead are very much in tune with the living, and the group actively seeks these spirits out - or i...
2021-04-2849 min
Armagh I PodcastSeán Treanor and bringing stories to life through Newpoint PlayersFor this week’s podcast we had a wide-ranging chat with Seán Treanor about his life, from his idyllic schooldays at the Abbey; channelling Donn Byrne through a strange coincidence; the plays he’s written, directed and acted in and people who he’s worked with; marking Martin O’Neill in a football match; his use of music in his work, from Gregorian chant to Philip Glass to Sean-nós, and much, much more including a poem about a childhood teacher Miss Sands.
2021-04-1953 min
Armagh I PodcastPeople of the Year: Gary McCoo, Leeanne Gillespie and Philip JohnstonThe inaugural Armagh I People of the Year awards celebrates extraordinary individuals for the extraordinary impact they’ve had on their communities over the past year.
In the previous podcast we spoke to two of the five winners and for this episode, proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy, Armagh I caught up with the other three winners – Gary McCoo, Leeanne Gillespie and Philip Johnston
2021-04-1136 min
Armagh I PodcastBernie O'Connor talks autism and daughter Jodie as Stephen Fields champions communityAfter a year like no other, positivity and selflessness has never held more meaning.
The inaugural Armagh I People of the Year Awards epitomises just what community spirit is all about and the nominees and winners that you voted for are prime examples of that.
In this and the next week's podcast, we speak to the winners in each of the five categories.
For this episode, proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy, Armagh I caught up with Bernie O’Connor, mother of Jodie O’Connor who won the Inspirational Young Talent Award.
It’s...
2021-04-0634 min
Armagh I PodcastQuitting smoking and healthy eating tips from the Southern Trust teamIt’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Covid 19 stopped the world in its tracks and changed life as we knew it.
While we’ve all struggled - to varying degrees - there is support out there in terms of looking after our health.
For the next two episodes of Armagh I’s podcast, proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy, we speak to some of those who are here to help from the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust provides health and social care services...
2021-03-2238 min
Armagh I PodcastArmagh's Stephen Darragh takes us behind scenes of Bloodlands, Line of Duty and more..Bloodlands broke BBC viewership records in Northern Ireland after the first episode aired recently - with over 300,000 tuning in to the gritty crime drama.
But while James Nesbitt and Charlene McKenna kept us all on the edge of our seats, the magic on the screen was seen from a completely different angle by those on set.
For this week’s podcast, proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy, we spoke to Armagh’s own Stephen Darragh who is one of those who knows just how much effort and money goes into a production like this – being one of the...
2021-03-141h 04
Armagh I PodcastSinead O'Sullivan – Armagh's very own rocket woman who reached for the stars at NASAMany from a young age have a fascination with space but very few would see this as a viable career path....well it is rocket science after all!
So it may surprise you that one of Armagh's very own has had a hand in NASA's designs for human spaceflight missions to Mars.
Sinead O’Sullivan might have spent her very really early years in Johannesburg, South Africa, but it is in Armagh that she developed her love for science.
Whilst at the Southern Regional College – or tech as she knew it – in the city...
2021-03-0757 min
Armagh I PodcastThe world from a different perspective: Aviator Raphael O’Carroll on loss of daughter and incredible flying featLooking at the world from a different perspective is something Raphael O’Carroll believes everyone should do at least once in a lifetime.
That perspective is from the sky, where Raphael and his fellow aviator Liam Lynch, have spent quite a bit of time throughout theirs.
Raphael is the owner and chief flying instructor at his flight school, Kernan Aviation in Tandragee. The pair have been breaking records in the skies with a series of challenges for a very worthy cause.
In 2013 Raphael’s daughter Christine was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Tragically, she...
2021-02-2848 min
Armagh I PodcastPaddy and Philippa McShane the complete package with successful businessNerves of steel, unwavering self-belief, knowing your product and having good people around you, are the base ingredients for growing a successful business according to a couple who know exactly what they’re talking about.
Twenty-five years ago this month, Paddy McShane borrowed £3,500 from Armagh Credit Union, bought a second hand van, rented a small unit in Dungannon Business Centre and started to build what today is the hugely successful McShane Packaging company.
Paddy had a background in sales. His wife Philippa says, ‘he could sell snow to the Eskimos.’
She was working in Belf...
2021-02-2140 min
Armagh I PodcastHidden histories captured on camera by Newry Man Lost, Sean DoneganIn his everyday life Sean Donegan is a commercial photographer with a studio in Newry, but his alter ego, Newry Man Lost, is increasingly is becoming the main focus of his attention.
It started as a hobby around eight years ago, when Sean, who is also an historian, set up a Facebook page and began a journey that would soon grow legs.
His interest in local history led Sean to seeking out the secret stories behind old buildings and ruins dotted around his hometown and far beyond.
As an urban explorer, Sean has...
2021-02-1452 min
Armagh I PodcastArmagh suppliers surviving and thrive amidst restrictions caused by Brexit backlogOn January 1, 2021, the NI protocol was introduced, placing a border in the middle of the Irish Sea, and causing a lot of hassle for local businesses.
But could opportunities be found amidst the onerous restrictions?
For this episode of Armagh I’s Podcast, proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy, we talk to a number of local business owners affected by the change in trading conditions between NI and GB.
2021-02-0636 min
Armagh I PodcastGunmen in the Northern Bar to drinking with Bono – a rock 'n' roll life with Martin RaffertyFrom nicking Oasis B side songs and claiming them as his own at the ‘Wonderwall’ in Ardmore, to a nasty encounter with some gunmen while gigging at the Northern Bar, Marty’s career had an adventurous edge from the start.
With success came festivals and tours, initially with his band Ignition, and now as a solo artist along with his current band members, Conor Cunningham, Dave Mulgrave and Jordie Kelly.
Playing to 10,000 people ahead of Feeder, at the Lee Stock Festival was a highlight, as was drinking beer with Bono and the Edge.
But th...
2021-01-3145 min
Armagh I PodcastArmagh GP Dr Frances O’Hagan on Covid, vaccine and toughest challenge of her careerFinally, there really is some light at the end of this bleak, year-long tunnel.
The Covid -19 vaccines are here and the rollout is underway.
The over-80’s were the first recipients of the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine, and they made their feelings on any controversy surrounding the vaccine known, by voting with their feet.
There was an unprecedented 100 percent turnout at Dr Francis O’Hagan’s Friary surgery in Armagh, and she says there was a joyous and celebratory atmosphere amongst her patients and a sense of freedom returned.
For this episode of Armagh...
2021-01-2435 min
Armagh I PodcastNew Year tragedy for Lough Neagh Rescue crew but volunteers responsible for saving so many livesJust a couple of weeks ago, at the start of the New Year, Lough Neagh Rescue, along with the RNLI and other rescue organisations, recovered the body of missing person who was believed to be in a boating accident in Fermanagh.
Situations like this are of course devastating for the team, but Lough Neagh Rescue chairman Sean Rocks sees some positivity and a sense of achievement through bringing the body back to the family and giving them some semblance of closure.
2021-01-1646 min
Armagh I PodcastTales, anecdotes and madcap misadventures with Damian McCulloughHe is known throughout the county and far beyond as the voice of Armagh GAA.
His catch phrases are as unique and individual as his broadcasting style.
We're all familiar with, 'Mary from Killeavy,' the magnetic pull of the hill,' and - of course - 'The Holy Mary Mother of God score.'
When you hear, 'We're coming to you from the ecclesiastical capital,' over the radio or on Armagh TV, you know Damian McCullough is on the mic.
He has taken advice from Rowan Hand, who told hi...
2021-01-1054 min
Armagh I PodcastJemar Hall talks football, family, racism and new venturesIt was a year like no other, but with 2020 behind us, we can only look forward to a bright tomorrow and for Armagh GAA that also holds true.
Jemar Hall is one of the Orchard County’s finest players. He is a breath of fresh air on and off the field, and also one of three county players who helped their club Forkhill to the Junior Championship title.
Jemar is a proud Forkhill native, but his athleticism comes in part from his American father Sherman, who was a basketball and NFL player, before taking up ba...
2020-12-3133 min
Armagh I PodcastPat Jennings on growing up in Newry, pals with George Best and the 'worst day of my life in football'He is hailed as one of the greatest goalkeepers the world has ever seen.
He has an incredible 119 caps for Northern Ireland, including featuring in two World Cups.
He has played over 1000 games in his footballing career - which ended on his 41 st birthday, in what couldn’t have been a more fitting manner – against the country that popularised the phrase ‘the Beautiful Game’ – Brazil - in the 1986 World Cup Finals in Mexico.
He won the FA Cup with his club Tottenham Hotspur, along with league titles and a UEFA Cup, before having similar su...
2020-12-2649 min
Armagh I PodcastSteven Beacom tells weird and wonderful stories of Ulster’s greatest sporting legendsDid you know we have an Olympic Bobsleigh gold medalist from Ulster? His name is Robin Dixon – first cousin of the infamous Lord Lucan who introduced him to the sport.
Did you know we have a blind multiple World Champion water-skier named Janet Gray, who has overcome the most challenging difficulties imaginable to excel at her sport?
We all know ‘Yer Maun,’ multiple World Champion Motorcyclist – King of the Roads - Joey Dunlop, who is, “more popular in Northern Ireland than an Ulster Fry.”
But did you know that he almost died, along with his bro...
2020-12-1437 min
Armagh I PodcastCarragher fighting fit for Tokyo Olympics and Armagh crowned All-Ireland championsIt may have been delayed for a year but plans for the Tokyo Olympics to take place in 2021 are full steam ahead and on board will be one of Irelands finest physiotherapists.
When it comes to keeping elite athletes in tip-top shape, Paul Carragher is the man you want in your corner. So feels the Olympic Federation of Ireland as he was selected as one of the physiotherapists for Team Ireland when they go for gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Newtownhamilton physiotherapist has worked with some of the best athletes on the island of...
2020-12-0743 min
Armagh I PodcastThe need for speed as Adam Hylands chases the World TitleIt’s a well-loved sport in Northern Ireland - particularly in places where the tracks are situated -, and one such home for Hot Rod racing is the Tullyroan Oval, where one of the best drivers in the country, Adam Hylands, honed his skills.
Oval racing has a rich history in Armagh, where the Portadown Oval had a big following before it was built over by Shamrock Park. The love of oval racing in the Armagh region was sown however, and it was reignited in the area when Tullyroan Oval was built in 2011.
For this ep...
2020-11-3030 min
Armagh I PodcastPadraig Mallon swims through the oceans of the mind“What water does for peoples mental health and physical health is second to none in my eyes,” says Padraig Mallon - and this is one adventurer who is well qualified to make a statement like that.
The Infinity Crew member and owner of the swimming pool in Bessbrook of the same name, has travelled the world in search of the coldest waters, highest heights and the most difficult endurance challenges known to man.
2020-11-2345 min
Armagh I PodcastAnnagh Utd in but Armagh City out of Irish Cup plus reaction from GAA championshipsIt’s been a weekend of huge highs and desperate lows on the GAA front and likewise on the football scene.
Last week the IFA decided that – given the fixture delays due to Covid-19 - the 2020/21 Irish Cup will only feature 32 teams – those being the 24 Premiership and Championship clubs, along with the 2019/20 Intermediate Cup semi-finalists and the next four teams in the league pyramid.
That decision sees current Premier Intermediate Champions Annagh United FC in – while they still await their first league match since promotion to the Championship – and Armagh City FC left out in the cold...
2020-11-1649 min
Armagh I PodcastHow Armagh TV became a beacon of hope during trying timesYou have to start somewhere, as the saying goes – and for Linwoods Armagh TV, that was back in 2011 at the Armagh County Final following on from a casual conversation a year earlier.
Paul Heaney had dabbled in the idea of live streaming games and vaguely agreed to try it out for Armagh County Board in passing in 2010...
2020-11-1045 min
Armagh I PodcastHow Armagh TV became a beacon of hope during trying timesYou have to start somewhere, as the saying goes – and for Linwoods Armagh TV, that was back in 2011 at the Armagh County Final following on from a casual conversation a year earlier.Paul Heaney had dabbled in the idea of live streaming games and vaguely agreed to try it out for Armagh County Board in passing in 2010...
2020-11-0900 min
Armagh I PodcastArmagh ladies ready to break new ground while men enjoy Ulster victory over DerryArmagh Senior Ladies enjoyed a 6-16 to 3-13 victory over Tyrone in the group stages of this year’s truncated TG4 All-Ireland Championship in Breffni Park on Friday but the even bigger news for Armagh ladies is their vision for the future, as work continues on McKeever Park in Killean, where the only training facility on the island of Ireland dedicated to the ladies game is being built.
We also spoke to Armagh Senior player Aidan Forker and coach Jim McCorry after the Orchard men beat Derry 0-17 to 0-15 at Celtic Park in the Ulster SFC qu...
2020-11-0240 min
Armagh I PodcastO’Hanlon honoured at IFA Awards and McGeeney looks forward to life in Division OneJohn O’Hanlon has been a well-known name in footballing circles for many years – 25 of those with Windmill Stars FC - both at youth and senior managerial level as well as on the field.
His work has not gone unnoticed by his club, nor by the IFA, who recently named him the regional McDonalds IFA Grassroots Volunteer of the Year, at their awards ceremony in Windsor Park.
We also hear from Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney, after the Orchard County beat Clare in the final Allianz League fixture of the 2020 season, to win promotion to Division 1 for t...
2020-10-2643 min
Armagh I PodcastArmagh GAA's Hugh Campbell and Armagh City Chairman Aidan MurphyIt was a disappointing defeat for Armagh on Saturday but while it could have been even more bleak, as there were no supporters allowed – there was a feeling of hope and optimism at the Athletic Grounds.
Every sound echoed around the empty stadium with only essential staff and media present and socially distanced. The air was chilly, but the seats were warmed by over 3,000 Armagh school children’s smiling faces.
Those faces took the form of self-portraits by primary school children throughout Armagh, in support of their team, their county and most of all as a me...
2020-10-1948 min
Armagh I PodcastFather and Daughter refereeing duo Gerry and Lauren MurrayIt’s not that unusual to hear of a son following in his father’s footsteps, in picking up a referee’s whistle, but Gerry Murray and his daughter Lauren are trailblazers in that regard.
They are the only father-daughter referees in any code in the country and hopefully they will be trendsetters too.
We also caught up with the managers of two teams we spoke to before the Mid-Ulster Football League began.
Division 3 table-toppers Bessbrook United hosted Mindwell FC, at Orior Park a few weeks ago and they drew 2-2.
2020-10-1246 min
Armagh I PodcastThornton and McGrane put golf’s – and Co Armagh's – hidden gem on the mapThe Ring of Gullion is officially one of Ireland’s areas of outstanding natural beauty but not too many know about a hidden gem at its heart – until recently that is.
Cloverhill Golf Club is a spectacularly beautiful 18-hole course in Mullaghbawn, accessed by a number of routes via either Camlough or Forkhill.
Either way, navigating the twists and turns of the narrow roads, requires a map - but it’s well worth finding.
2020-10-0535 min
Armagh I PodcastNew City of Armagh head coach Chris Parker plus reaction from final weekend of GAA club actionFor this week’s The I on the Ball, proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy, we spoke to City of Armagh’s new head coach Chris Parker who can’t wait to get going again.
It was also the last week of GAA Club Championship action, with wins for Forkhilll in the Junior Football Championship final replay, Craobh Rua in the Junior Hurling Championship final, with Middletown’s Senior Hurling Championship final victory, ending the competitions on Sunday.
2020-09-2933 min
Armagh I PodcastThe Mighty Quinn packs a punch and reaction from JFC and IFC Championship finalsFearghus Quinn was due to make his professional boxing debut in April but when Covid-19 hit, his big day was put on hold.
The Belleek fighter got his chance a few weeks ago however, and he took it with both fists, beating a tough opponent Robbie ‘the Camden Caretaker’ Chapman in six rounds.
The I on the Ball also spoke to a very relieved Belleeks manager, Gareth Thornton, after the final whistle in their JFC final win over Forkhill – where Quinn played a part too.
On Sunday Clan na Gael had a big win in...
2020-09-2137 min
Armagh I PodcastMind over matter for FC Mindwell and family affairs for victorious Maghery and Armagh Harps LadiesFC Mindwell is a football club who are all about community spirit. They consist, for the most part, of a group of ex-footballers – many of whom are household names - who have come together with a strong ethos of supporting mental health, to ply their trade in Division 3 of the Mid-Ulster Football League.
Keith Gillespie, and most recently Roy Carroll are just two of the big names who play for Mindwell but the club is about far more than football as former Irish League and Stoke player Matty Hazley tells us in this week’s episode of The...
2020-09-1432 min
Armagh I PodcastJustin McNulty on football, family and career & Stefan Campbell helps Clans into finalFor this week's ‘The I on the Ball’ podcast, proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy, one of the heroes of that day, Justin McNulty, takes us back to that moment in time in 2002, and describes his preparations for the momentous day.
Justin also has high hopes for Kieran McGeeney’s current squad when inter-county football resumes.
The current MLA also speaks about his family, his career, and how he doesn’t think the season will be disrupted again by Covid-19.
We also catch up with Clan na Gael's Stefan Campbell as the Lurgan side booked t...
2020-09-0735 min
Armagh I PodcastRichard Bullick: The man in the know and Cross' captain James MorganIf there’s a person that has more knowledge on female sport in Armagh or indeed other so-called minority sports than Richard Bullick, I’ve yet to find them.
We also spoke to an utterly exhausted Crossmaglen Rangers senior football captain James Morgan, after his side made it past Killeavy by two points at the Athletic Grounds.
The current champions will be going for an epic 46th title when they take on Maghery who saw off Pearse Og in the other semi.
2020-08-3138 min
Armagh I PodcastMagic Mackin back with a bang and Windmill Stars' Fitzpatrick on new seasonIn this week’s 'The I on the Ball' podcast – proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy - Aimee Mackin talks about her joy at returning to the sport she loves - “There’s nothing better than putting your club jersey back on.”
Also, we also spoke to Windmill Stars FC’s new manager Raymie Fitzpatrick ahead of the Mid-Ulster Football League opener last Saturday.
2020-08-2537 min
Armagh I PodcastThrowing bullets with Chris and Kelly Mallon as Cross' boss laments treatment of O'Neill brothersFor this week’s The I on the Ball podcast, proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy, we spoke to Armagh Road Bowling Association Chairman Chris Mallon, whose daughter Kelly – Armagh captain, Armagh Harps star and Madden Camogie captain – is the most decorated female Road Bowler in Ireland, with eight championship titles under her belt.
We also caught up with Kelly a few days later and spoke with Crossmaglen manager Stephen Kernan who, despite a comprehensive championship victory over Mullaghbawn, lamented the treatment of O'Neill brothers – Oisin and Rian.
2020-08-1745 min
Armagh I PodcastCorrinshego’s field of dreams & Armagh GAA championship reviewCorrinshigo are a small club, up the mountain on the outskirts of Newry but they have big plans which are plain to see if you just take the short drive up Barcroft hill.
David O’Brien is a busy man, as Chairman of what is the oldest club in Newry and the only Armagh Club in the city. He is also involved in Craobh Rua Hurling Club and the Armagh County hurlers.
But, David still finds the time to oversee the grass cutting at Corrinshego’s new pitch which was Phase 1 of a huge development proje...
2020-08-1041 min
Armagh I PodcastCrooked Lake's Catherine Murphy and Armagh CC’s stat man – Brian WeirFor only the second time in its 17-year history, the hugely popular Crooked Lake Triathlon was cancelled this year due to the pandemic. We spoke to the event’s main organiser Catherine Murphy.
Our second guest is Armagh Cricket Club’s stats man – Brian Weir, who knows everything there is to know about Armagh cricket. He literally wrote the book on it to celebrate their 150-year anniversary back in 2009 - “Armagh Cricket Club 150 Years Not Out.”
2020-08-0341 min
Armagh I PodcastMUFL Chairman Sean O'Neill and Dromintee's John Kennedy“It’s a hot topic,” said Mid-Ulster League Chairman Sean O’Neill recently when he spoke to Armagh I for our latest sports podcast, The I on the Ball. Sean was referring to the handling of suspensions after the Covid-19 cancellation of the NIFL, and his premonitions that there would be headaches ahead, have come to pass. We also spoke with Dromintee manager John Kennedy following their win over Armagh Harps. He also gave his thoughts on Killeavy and their Covid situation.
2020-07-2743 minArmagh I PodcastAidan Forker and Ronan Clarke on first game of delayed GAA seasonWe speak to Maghery and Armagh's Aidan Forker after his side defeated Crossmaglen in the opening game of the league on Sunday, while Silverbridge manager Ronan Clarke discusses his side's emphatic win over south Armagh rivals Mullaghbawn on Friday night.
2020-07-2027 min
Armagh I PodcastJamie Smith on gambling addiction and how he tried to end his lifePortadown man Jamie Smith's candid story of gambling addiction that began when he was just 16-years old and almost destroyed him.
2020-07-1342 min
Armagh I PodcastMoving on up: Bessbrook United make the switch from Carnbane to Mid-Ulster LeagueWe speak with Bessbrook United managers on Tommy Mooney and Ben Treanor on their side's move from the Carnbane League to the Mid-Ulster Football League as well as their now infamous 2018/19 Junior Cup run to the final they never got to play and what's in store for this season's competition, with the coronavirus preventing that mouth-watering quarter-final clash with Enniskillen Rangers...
2020-07-0740 min