Despite finally getting his hands on a green jacket last year, Rory McIlroy is still the talk of the town. How is he embracing his champion status? How will he perform this year with the pressure finally off to complete the Grand Slam? Will journalists ask him about The Daily Mail’s coverage of Alan Shipnuck's new McIlroy biography?

Elsewhere, is Shane Lowry in with a chance of success? Is it Scottie Scheffler’s competition to lose? And what are the players and US journalists saying about Tiger Woods, LIV and Donald Trump?

Also, Sinéad is slowly converting Irish football fans into figure skating enthusiasts. 

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From prodigious talent levels in childhood to dominating the sport in his 20s and 30s, to the slow and scandal-riven decline, Tiger Woods has rarely been away from the headlines.

Is the near-constant scrutiny, overwhelming fame and atypical childhood enough to engender sympathy for Woods, despite his continued driving offences which put others as well as himself in grave danger?

Or has perhaps the most recognisable athletes of the 20th century run out of chances with the public?

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Gav is optimistic but daunted on Ireland’s behalf, as they need five competitive wins in a row to make the World Cup finals in America.

Sinead, informed by her data analyst sister, says, no - Ireland just need to win one game. And then win more. A more optimistic interpretation again suggests two draws and two penalty shootout victories will suffice, but neither can entertain the cardiac stress of such a turn of events.

The pair also discuss why the men’s national football team moves the needle to the extent it does in the media as a consequence of the hold they have over the general population. Is it because the game is so widely played and easy to understand? Or is it, as Sinead suggests, because younger generations are desperate for their own Italy '90 or USA '94 moments?

The bounty of those competitions was not spent well here. Can this be different? Do we now have a stronger foundation upon which to build a robust football edifice in Ireland? The odds will be enhanced with one win on Thursday, and then another on Tuesday.

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On this week’s show, Sinéad and Gavin speak to Jonathan Sebire, co-founder of Signify, which monitors and reports online abuse of athletes.

The IRFU are among Signify’s clients, and Jonathan explains how Signify worked to identify some of those who sent abuse to Edogbo, and how some people may now be held accountable.

He also talks more widely about the social media abuse of sportspeople, explaining how it impacts sporting performance and why the solution is never as simple as telling sportspeople to get off social media entirely.

Get in touch: sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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Sinéad is joined in studio by Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn who is vice chair of the Oireachtas committee on sport and a GAA member. We talk to her about what any change to the proposed timeline could mean for the three organisations and wider society.

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With Gav on leave, she's joined by technology and media professional Steve Dempsey to dig into the deal. Was €3 million a fair price for half of a profitable, growing streaming business, or did the GAA just walk away with a goldmine?

Steve runs the numbers and builds a model showing what GAA Plus could become: a business generating €10 million in revenue and €6 million in profit within five years. They discuss why RTÉ may have been happy to trade away a headache for cash and political breathing room, and whether the GAA can now transform a broadcast app with a paywall into something closer to a super-app, folding in ticketing, merchandise and a direct line to the diaspora.

What happens to the journalism when the GAA is covering itself? And should we expect more games behind the paywall as the rights deal nears its end in 2027?

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Gav went along to the launch of the International Sports Diplomacy Framework on Tuesday to see what it was about, and to get answers on why the government seems to be speaking out of both sides of its mouth.

Also up for discussion is how this policy extends Ireland’s ambition to host big events, such as the Ryder Cup and NFL games, while modest local facilities in the shadow of Croke Park are under threat.

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The FAI have been placed in the unenviable position of having to navigate a path out of the crisis which began when Ireland were drawn to play Israel in the Nations League.

Some 93% of the FAI’s General Assembly have previously voted to suspend Israel from international football, yet the FAI are committed to fulfilling the fixtures.

Will the games go ahead? Where will they take place? What are the potential sanctions if Ireland boycott the fixtures?

Can Ireland call Uefa’s bluff? What is the worst they can do to Ireland, for making a moral stand against a country that has breached its own rules?

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Several US athletes, including Amber Glenn and Hunter Hess, have spoken up against the Trump administration this week, which has led to an inevitable backlash from the US President and his Maga base. Sinead relays the atmosphere in Italy and assesses a week where Trump has been further angered at sporting occasions, his displeasure with the Bad Bunny half-time apparent to all with an internet connection. How does this bode for the rest of the Winter Olympics, and the World Cup in the summer?

Also, Irish competitors have been flying the flag with honour in Italy. But is there one winter sport in which Ireland could go from zero to powerhouse status? If so, what could it be?

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Also, Sinead runs the rule over Ireland’s four Winter Olympians and rates their chances.

We delve into the reduced representation of 13 Russian athletes, who compete as neutrals. Is the ban fair to apolitical sportspeople from Russia - or would the presence of the Russian flag validate the Putin regime?

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They illustrate how things have moved on from the days a man would be expected to miss the birth of his child but ask if the conversation has evolved far enough, explaining how we still speak differently of fatherhood as opposed to motherhood and how this reinforces wider tropes.

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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And Judge James O’Donohoe is far from alone in Ireland in feeling comfortable criticising cyclists, despite the fact that 14 were killed in our roads last year, and 45 in the past five years.

This week Gav and Sinead discuss why so many people have such a negative view of cyclists, and cycling itself. Why are the misdemeanors of cyclists talked up while those of drivers in powerful vehicles are overlooked? Why was there a furore over the runaway costs of a bike shed at Leinster House, when the far more expensive car parking facilities are rarely discussed?

Is cycling seen in Ireland as an anachronism - more redolent of our rustic, poorer past and not in keeping with our modern view of ourselves? Or has cycling become part of the online battleground, with the seemingly neutral activity labelled as woke by some culture warriors?

How is the Irish attitude to cycling so different from other northern Europeans, in the Netherlands and Denmark for Scandinavia for example?

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We are living in a time of corporate committees running football clubs, with managers and head coaches relegated to the status of a replaceable cog in a wheel.

Yet Gavin argues that this approach is unsuitable to the world of football, where the most successful Premier League clubs in recent seasons still have one dominant, talented figure in charge: Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and now Arsenal under Mikel Arteta.

United, he argues, are afraid of talent, and need to stop investing huge responsibility in head coaches, while not giving them the requisite authority to do their job - which is to lead and do what it takes for the club to thrive at the elite and of the game.

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Most fundamentally, will it take place against a backdrop of military activity? US co-hosts Mexico and Canada have already felt the chill of Donald Trump’s threatening rhetoric, which can, as recent events show, turn to action.

Even if we are in times of peace by June, the World Cup could be beset by several issues. We discuss travel bans to fans of four competing nations and how these undermine the spirit of the competition.

Will Trump follow through on his threat to move games out of certain cities? Will ICE agents arrest fans gathering to watch games? And how will Trump seek to make the most of the global attention that will be available to him during the World Cup?

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Optimism levels in rugby country are more subdued than usual following a lacklustre Autumn series, while the provinces, especially Leinster, are not inspiring confidence.

The pair discuss what needs to happen between now and October 2027 for Ireland to break through their glass ceiling.

Can Ireland blood enough exciting players to freshen up the team? Can Andy Farrell settle on his best 10? Are the lineout and scrum fixable? Is the unwritten rule that Ireland’s internationals have to play club rugby here a help or a hindrance in the modern game? Is Irish rugby suffering a Lions hangover, or is this World Cup cycle one too many for some key players?

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But is Salah right to suggest he has been thrown under the bus by the club he has served so well for eight years? Is it natural that he feels singled out when his drop in form has been replicated across Arne Slot’s expensively assembled squad?

Or has the Egyptian gone too far in his comments, and failed to grasp the coldly transactional nature of professional football?

Gav and Sinead get to grips with the biggest Premier League football story of the season, and in the process grapple with themes of loyalty, status, ego, envy and the challenge of succession planning in a game fraught with unforeseen and crazy events - some of which led to April’s free-scoring title-winning king of Anfield being deemed past it by September.

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This week Sinead and Gav marvel at how F1 has cracked America with the help of Netflix, and wonder what Irish sports and teams could benefit from a more open attitude towards documentary series makers.

They discuss which behind-the-scenes shows have been a success, and which have left the viewers feeling short-changed as subjects, such as David Beckham and Wayne Rooney, control their own narrative.

And, in the spirit of open access, Sinead and Gav consider how much they’d like it if a camera crew were given full access to The Journal and The 42 tomorrow.

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On this week’s podcast, Sinéad and Gavin discuss Robertson’s interview, and why it led to a wider media discussion about the continuing impact of Jota’s death on everyone at Liverpool.

With Liverpool enduring a terrible run of results on the pitch, they explore how to discuss the players’ on-field underperformance in the context of this grief. Is Jota’s death and his family’s grief at risk of being trivialised by being used by pundits and journalists to explain poor results on a football pitch? Or are we doing a disservice to the players involved by not acknowledging it?

And why do we not give space to our elite sportspeople to be human beings? Is this unfair on our behalf, or is it part of the contract between supporter and the well-paid football professional: that they are not allowed any room for escapism in what is our favourite form of escapism?

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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Gavin is back from Budapest and gives Sinéad the lowdown on how the whole, mad drama played out in the stadium. But truly it doesn’t matter where you watch Troy Parrott’s winning goal - what matters is that you are united with millions of Irish people in such total happiness.

Sinéad and Gavin dig into why Ireland’s wins mean so much to so many people. Is this merely proof that we are Football Country, rather than Rugby Country? Or is there something deeper at play?

How has the national football team become such a vital part of our national identity? Why is it so important that a whole generation of players and fans experienced this moment?

Basically - why are we so ludicrously happy?

Get in touch - gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

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Ireland's stunning 3-2 win over Hungary is all anyone wants to talk about today. Unfortunately, Gav and Sinéad record on Tuesdays and Gav, naturally, is a wanted man elsewhere today. But we wanted to give our loyal listeners an extra treat - free access to The 42's Football Family podcast.

We will be back tomorrow to talk more football, and the impact of a week like we've just had. But until then, enjoy the insights from The 42's David Sneyd and Shane Keegan, alongside our own Gav.

If you like what you hear, and honestly, how could you not? You can subscribe to The 42 on a trial basis for just 1 euro a month at the moment. What a no brainer. We're in for a busy year!

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On this week’s show, Sinéad and Gavin explain how the crisis affects professional sport in Ireland, how it has come to define certain sports and competitions, and how these impacts articulate the wider issues felt by a whole generation of Irish people.

They then look at the reasons underpinning the crisis: do we simply not have enough houses? Or are there wider problems with the investment funds buying up the few houses that are put on the Irish market?

They then point to the incipient triumph of Ireland’s hosting of the Ryder Cup and ask whether politicians really believe this is a housing crisis, and whether they are committed as they claim to be when it comes to addressing it.

Get in touch - gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

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But what could happen if the language and game of hurling were not restricted to these environments? How could they begin to thrive if attempts to make them more widely available were backed rather than thwarted?

These are some of the questions tackled by Ciarán Murphy of the Second Captains in his new book, Old Parish, where he takes up hurling in his early 40s.

Today, he chats with Sinead about the humbling effects of competitive hurling, and the life-affirming adventure of returning to his father’s club in the Waterford Gaeltacht to live, write and hurl.

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This will affect sports fans in a number of ways, from there being fewer experienced people to hold organisations and individuals to account, to less depth and quality in the coverage of sport.

Why are some media organisations laying off their most seasoned journalists? Why is there less money in the fourth estate nowadays? How did the internet change the game and why did so many newspapers and websites fall foul of social media algorithm changes?

The pair ponder what’s next for the industry and Sinead explains why the future for media firms could be a return to more traditional journalistic practices.

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Sinead and Gav address these and more issues around Integration, and consider how much of the €500 million project cost is down to the ‘centre of excellence culture’ which implores county boards to invest more and more money on land and facilities for players earmarked as elite.

Also, the FAI have been criticised strongly for not attending Oireachtas Committees. Why not the same volume of headlines for the GAA, Camogie Association and LGFA who have so far not engaged with elected representatives in public despite an invitation to attend Leinster House this month?

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On this week’s show, Sinéad and Gavin explain just what the Enhanced Games are, and who its backers are. On the face of it, its creators are modelling the Games as not just an alternative but a successor to the Olympic Games, having made many compelling criticisms of the Olympic Games in its current guise. But why do they believe the alternative to the Games’ deeply-flawed anti-doping regimen is to simply allow athletes to dope? And why would sports fans tune in to simply watch world records being broken, rather than watch true competition?

Sinéad and Gavin explain why the Enhanced Games are not imagined as a sporting competition, but rather demonstrations of science, drawing a link to the libertarian and transhumanist beliefs of the Games’ founders, one of whom says that ageing “is a disease that we should be able to treat, cure, and eventually solve.”

Rather than merely highlight the Olympic Games’ many, many flaws, the Enhanced Games instead represents something else - it’s where Silicon Valley, libertarian tech bros get their hands on sport.

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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In July 2019, Bláthnaid was raped by Jonathan Moran at a house party in Galway.

Back in their hometown of Mullingar, Bláthnaid would spend the next five years living with the effects; her attacker, unable to be identified for legal reasons, continued his life working, socialising and playing rugby, before he was jailed in July 2024.

Today, Bláthnaid talks about the attack, and its devastating impact on her life and family.

She also discusses sport, and how it heightened her sense of isolation following the assault. She talks about how becoming immersed in new sports in recent years has helped her to piece her life back together.

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Does this episode now force a reset in how we look at venerated GAA figures? Does success in football put you in any kind of stead to become President of Ireland, or to withstand the brutalities of the campaign?

What next now for Gavin, a man that has seen his team dominate Gaelic football, who has reshaped the rules to breathe new life into the sport, but now faces a most public humiliation? How can he atone for the actions that ended his already beleaguered campaign?

What will he do next?

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He tells Sinead about the personal and vitriolic abuse that was directed at Europe’s players, Rory McIlroy in particular.

He describes the febrile atmosphere and tries to make sense of how we’ve arrived at a stage where this passes as acceptable behaviour for some of the attendees at Bethpage Black.

Gav details how Shane Lowry summoned extraordinary courage to guarantee Europe retained the Cup, while Sinead wonders how seismic the Adare Manor episode of the competition will now be in 2027.

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He tells Sinead why this edition of the inter-continental grudge match will be more politically freighted than usual, but that thoughts of a raucous, blue collar New York crowd have likely been curtailed by the extraordinary ticket prices.

The pair discuss Europe’s Corinthian refusal to be paid to represent the blue and gold, versus the US player’s clear preference for greenbacks. The contrast has been mischievously exploited by the travelling press pack, who are only going to stoke the fire more as the competition nears.

Meanwhile, Gav fills us in on his atypical Airbnb experience so far, where he finds himself tip-toeing around a couch-slumbering, turbo-peddling host in suburban NYC. If the price seems too good to be true, then it probably is folks.

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They also discuss the awarding of the 2026 Irish Open to President Trump’s course in Doonbeg. Are we doing this to favour or placate the American president? And if we need to do this, what does this actually say about our sovereignty? Are we actually free at all?

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie 

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Sinéad and Gav discuss their mixed emotions following Ireland's 2-2 draw vs Hungary last weekend and draw comparisons between Heimir Hallgrímsson and previous Irish managers Jack Charlton and Vera Pauw.

The duo analyse Ireland's lack of a sport psychologist due to the FAI's financial struggles, and the negative impact this can have on elite athletes competing at the highest level. Reports of imminent redundancies within the association are also addressed.

Finally, Gav reflects on Rory McIlroy's stunning dramatic Irish open win, and how he missed all of the drama while en route to Armenia.

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Into that breach now steps Jim Gavin, with an already stellar reputation burnished by his decisive role in saving Gaelic football. But can his aura survive contact with Ireland’s political system and news media?

The days of keeping the public at arm’s length while he tends to the success of a generational football team are over. Now he must engage with the Irish people and their press.

The awkward questions are about to start and they’ll come fast and frequent until polling day. Is one of Ireland’s most famously prepared and meticulous people ready for what’s next?

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Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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As we await the 77-year-old's return to Ireland after decades on the run following allegations of sexual abuse, Sinead brings us up-to-date on what happened in the Florida court last week where Gibney appeared in prison-issue clothing and consented to extradition.

Gav asks why The Journal thought it was important enough to send a reporter to an 11-minute hearing, and we talk about how this is also a story of journalism and the potential impact of doing it the right way.

Get in touch - gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

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The fight is live on Netflix, with Taylor/Serrano due to get underway in the early hours of Saturday morning, at approx. 3.30am.

Get in touch - gavincooney@the42.ie, and sinead@thejournal.ie

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They also check in on last week’s story regarding Conor McGregor’s appeal against his being found liable for sexual assault, explain the unusual withdrawal of fresh evidence, and what happens next.

Get in touch - gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

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They discuss how the FRC pulled off the job, and where it stands among other ingenious rule changes in other sports.

They then make the point that if Gaelic football can be saved, then anything is possible: what lessons can the government learn from the FRC in tackling the housing crisis, or regulating Big Tech?

And, if the GAA can fix Gaelic football in less than a year, why can't they accelerate the process of integration?

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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They discuss the appetite among Gardaí for this crackdown, and how some broadcasters are seeking to take things into their own hands.

They also debate the moral question - why do so many people feel it is not wrong to use a dodgy box? Has it become unreasonably expensive to pay for sport legitimately? And can dodgy boxes ever really be fully stamped out?

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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On this week’s podcast, Gavin and Sinéad discuss why Beckham wanted a knighthood so badly, and detail his 20-year campaign for the honour. They look back at his career, assess his legacy, and consider the controversies.

Do we underrate him as a player? Why did the English media establishment get Beckham so wrong for so long? Would sport and celebrity culture so enmeshed today had it not been for the trailblazing figure of Beckham?

And what next for Beckham and his family? Have they become an ersatz royal family for the benefit of America?

Get in touch - gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

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On this week's pod, we discuss how Kildare completed their rise, and then discuss the GAA's biggest single failing of their history: the failure to grow hurling across the country.

We discuss why hurling is a minority sport, look at its biggest single impediment - Gaelic football - and explain what the GAA have got wrong, and what they are now trying to do to make it right.

Get in touch - email gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

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Get in touch: email gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

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That's the unlikely and thrilling turn life took this year for Laura Byrne, The Journal's Opinions Editor.

This week Laura tells Sinead O'Carroll about her upbringing on the side of a GAA field in 1980s Wicklow. Football was hugely important in family life, but it just wasn't something girls played in her experience. As a result, an antipathy to Gaelic games developed - until Laura had kids of her own and they began to play hurling and football. Then, in recent times, Laura was talked into giving the 'Mothers and Others' programme a go at her local club.

After years of being on the outside looking in, Laura is now an enthusiastic participant, chasing the thrill of the next score, while remembering not to apologise to opponents for tackling them. Her sporting story is poignant and uplifting and underscores the truth that it is never too late to lace up the boots and savour the joy of being part of a team.

Get in touch: sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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They discuss how Lineker found his political voice, and why his challenging of the BBC’s impartiality rules made him a controversial figure.

They explain what those impartiality rules are, and how they are not appropriate for the coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.

They then also look at how sports bodies are using this language of impartiality to justify not ostracising Israel from international sport, as they did with Russia.

Get in touch: sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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He and Sinead consider the long odds against such a feat yet ponder whether a freewheeling and easy McIlroy can at least take the next step at the golf course with which he has a cherished relationship.

Also, the pair discuss Shane Lowry’s chances after a heartbreaking weekend at the Truist Championship.

And what legacy are the Irish pair providing back home, where playing numbers - already high - have taken an upswing on the back of their exploits?

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The Cork woman tells Sinead O’Carroll that players’ wishes should be respected, but there are more pressing issues facing camogie - such as the failure to promote the sport to a wider audience and the slow pace of integration.

Rena sets out how the big sports story of this week is a lightning rod for the more general sense of frustration felt by camogie players, from county to club level. She sets out what needs to change for the sport to truly thrive.

Get in touch - gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

This week’s episode of The42 FM is brought to you by An Post Money.

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They look into the reasons for the split season’s introduction, and debate whether the GAA have over-corrected in addressing legitimate issues. Plus, why does criticism of the split season somehow make you less of a True Gael, and whatever happened to the GAA’s founding principle: paranoia.

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On this week’s podcast, Sinéad and Gavin discuss the IRFU’s policy change, and whether its an admission the central contract system has failed. To what extent have the IRFU placed a thumb on the scale to further help Leinster, or is Leinster’s dominance an inevitable result of Irish rugby finding the best way to success? Are Leinster’s advantages unfair to the rest of Irish rugby, or should the other provinces pull up their socks? Have Joe Schmidt and Andy Farrell been wrong to pick so many Leinster players for the Irish team?

What kind of problems will arise across Irish rugby if the inequalities are not addressed? And does this policy change go far enough - or is something more radical needed?

Get in touch - gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

This week’s episode of The42 FM is brought to you by An Post Money

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They relieve their experiences of one of the most astonishing and tense nights in the history of Irish sport, and discuss how, exactly, so many people became invested in McIlroy’s story.

How did a golfer manage to bring the whole country together to live the drama? Why has McIlroy been so open with his emotions on his journey to the Masters, and should we expect that of all sportspeople? Was his wildly inconsistent performance simply an exhibition of human genius? And what does McIlroy’s victory say about sport and, in turn, about life?

Get in touch - gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ieThis week’s episode of The42 FM is brought to you by An Post Money. 

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Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

This week’s episode of The42 FM is brought to you by An Post Money.

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Research and anecdotal evidence suggest the single biggest reason behind kids' waning interest in sport is its competitiveness from too early an age. What role do coaches and parents play in creating this overly-competitive environment, and do the media create problems by celebrating winners and champions, thereby promoting highly unrealistic career paths for kids?

Is streaming according to ability the right or wrong thing to do? Also, what is sport without competition? At what age point does sport need to stress the importance of competition and winning/losing over providing equal opportunities for everyone to play?

Sinéad and Gavin also discuss their different experiences: Sinéad continues to play sport while Gavin dropped out years ago. How have these decisions shaped them, and what are their regrets?

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

This week’s episode of The42 FM is brought to you by An Post Money.

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They also ask why the Trump White House are so closely associated with MMA figures like McGregor, and why the Trump administration is changing what we understand of ‘sportswashing.’ Trump has already bagged the mega events like the World Cup and Olympics, but is showing little interest so far in their organisation, and using them as vehicles for soft power. Instead he has become more closely aligned with combat sports, as through them he exerts a more obviously hard power.

Get in touch with the show - email sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

This week’s episode of The 42FM is brought to you by An Post Money.

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More than a decade after it was first proposed, the State this month enacted its new legislation aimed at regulating the gambling industry. Sinéad and Gavin take a look at what the law now says and what will change, analyse what aspects were watered down by industry lobbying, and forecast how the new laws may change certain sports. They also delve into the long delay in passing the legislation, explain why there are going to be still more delays before the general public see substantive changes in gambling advertising and visibility, and then ask if we are far too late in addressing the problem.

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

This week’s episode of The42 FM is brought to you by An Post Money.

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Rob explains what Irish athletics is doing well at an elite level, and what it must do better.

Having founded an athletics club in Cork, Rob is also well-placed to explain the challenges and opportunities at a grassroots level. He explains why the State needs to do more to improve PE hours in school, why investment in facilities is necessary, and why better talent ID is needed for Ireland to capitalise on its potential at a moment major medals has thrust the sport into the national spotlight.

Get in touch - email sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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The comment caused despair in football circles, and the necessity for his money is the centre of this week’s episode. Sinéad and Gavin delve into the minister’s comments and wonder why they are so slow to follow through on their promises, before Gavin give the reality on the ground as to why the funding is already too late.

While there have been headline successes like Mason Melia’s record transfer from St Pat’s to Tottenham, the reality is the academy system is not close to replacing elite player development opportunities that have been lost to Irish kids since Brexit. Gavin has to stats to prove this, and they show that the question you should be asking yourself about our national teams is not ‘How have we become so bad?’, but ‘How are we still so good?’

Sinéad probes the broader questions: Is it really appropriate for taxpayer money to fund the development of a small number of elite athletes? And can the FAI be trusted with this money anyway?

Plus, there’s some listener feedback on last week’s topic of whether the sports media should play a role in helping the national team, and does Irish rugby get softer media coverage than other sports?

Get in touch - email sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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They also zoom out on the wider state of the game in Ireland, look at some of the fundamental problems holding the game back in Ireland, and analyse Canham's 'pathways plan' intended to fix many of these issues. Will the FAI's handling of high-profile issues like Healy's exit ultimately damage their plan to overhaul the sport in Ireland, and if so, does Irish football ever have any hope of fulfilling its potential?

Gavin and Sinéad also discuss the media narrative around Ireland's Six Nations game against Wales. Are we actually an arrogant people? And is it really the Irish media's job to stay on-message to the benefit of the Irish team?

Get in touch - email sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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But how long will players be content to train as professionals and generate tens of millions in gate receipts and commercial revenue and go unpaid - while all around them are earning money? Perhaps not long if you go by what Limerick hurler Tom Morrissey wrote in the Irish Times at the weekend.

Everybody on All-Ireland final days, he says, from management teams to media to food vendors and security staff are professional. But the main actors are doing it for nothing but the honour of representing their county and a modest grant payment.

Morrissey cites a recent GPA-commissioned report which claims intercounty players generate €591 million annually for the economy and support more than 4,000 jobs but are out-of-pocket by an average of €4,500 each year.

The players union says this issue must be addressed urgently - which effectively means that the taxpayer has to make up the shortfall through grants and tax breaks. Is this fair to the exchequer, or should the GAA use their revenue to compensate players? But if that happens are we in a world of open professionalism, as opposed to the more covert kind which has existed for decades?

Gav and Sinead get into the details of the debate and try to work out the best Irish solution for this most Irish of problems.

Gav wonders if the GPA has gone full Flann O’Brien in their request for more money to preserve their amateur status. Just do away with the pretence of amateurism, which is long since dead, he says.

Sinead fears a Pandora’s Box if payments to players are regularised and argues that all-powerful county managers making unsustainable demands on amateur players need to be brought into line.

Also, in the name of economic impact reports - of the which the GPA is the latest purveyor - Gav calculates the considerable value to the Irish economy of this podcast.

Get in touch with the show: email gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

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On this week’s podcast, Gavin and Sinéad explain what these rulings actually mean, and then explore the broader debate: is it fair to ban trans women from female sport?

They tease out the reasoning behind World Athletics’ new rules, and question some of its basis and forecast some potential, unintended consequences.

They also ask: why does a complex, sensitive issue such as this get so much media coverage? They look at the political reasons the topic gets so much media coverage, why Trump was so moved to sign an executive order on the subject, why Graham Linehan and JK Rowling have become so combative on the issue, and ask whether sport is really the right prism through which to look at trans issues.

Get in touch with the show: email gavincooney@the42.ie and sinead@thejournal.ie

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The biggest story of football’s January transfer window was Marcus Rashford’s move to Aston Villa from Manchester United. How did this happen? How did United’s local hero, to whom they handed a lucrative contract 18 months ago, become such a diminished figure?

Sinéad and Gavin discuss Rashford’s status and celebrity in England, his use of social media, and how he has been treated by the tabloid press. How has his off-field campaigning affected how he is viewed, and is his cautionary tale that there is no price of fame that doesn’t price in tabloid criticism?

They also discuss how the tabloid press is also used and manipulated by celebrities’ representatives for the sake of fame and money.

Can Rashford rebuild his career away from Manchester United, or is his a cautionary tale about the modern football industry, in which the price to pay for wealth and success is just too high?

Get in touch - gavincooney@the42.ie, and sinead@thejournal.ie.

This week’s episode of The 42FM is brought to you by An Post Money.

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They discuss how politics works when it comes to sport (10:35) - who makes the decisions, and why. Is sport underserved by not having its own, standalone department? And how important is it that a sports minister actually likes sport?

They take a look at the new minister, Patrick O'Donovan (17:35), and then run through some highlights and lowlights from previous sports ministers (19:10) , from attending John Delaney's birthday party to praising Dominant Puspure.

They also parse the Programme for Government (31:30): what is promised for sport over the next five years, and will the government actually deliver on their promises? And why happened to some of the manifesto promises that have since gone missing?

Get in touch - email sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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Among those getting in touch to raise their objections to the episode was Marcus O Buachalla, who is Head of Communications at Leinster Rugby.

Marcus accepted our invitation onto the podcast to debate the issue and give his insights from a different perspective.

He tells us how and why Leinster are changing their players’ approach to the media, and what he believes the media should do better to ensure better access.

We debate why content is often bland: why are athletes wary of the media? Are athletes under orders not to reveal too much in interviews? And how much of this is the media’s fault?

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

This episode of The 42FM is brought to you by An Post Money.

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On this week's episode, Sinéad and Gavin dig into this story - why did RTE and the LOI prove to be such a loveless marriage? Were RTÉ neglecting their public service remit by not screening LOI games more often, or were they right not to do so from a commercial perspective?

They explore the eternal paradox of RTÉ's public service and commercial remits, discuss more broadly the role sport plays at RTÉ, and interrogate the role sport should play at RTÉ.

Why is there such little clarity on how much money RTÉ makes from their live sport coverage? Is it appropriate for RTÉ to have so many sports rights, and is it time they launched a sport-specific channel on which to show the many sports they have?

They also discuss why RTÉ's coverage been made so much more bland than it used to be, and whether they have erred in diminishing the role of 'personality pundits?'

Plus, why is everyone so unhappy with The Sunday Game, and are RTÉ right to sell their share of GAAGO?

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

This week’s episode of The 42FM is brought to you by An Post Money. 

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Sinead O’Carroll and Gavin Cooney make the case that a more natural, authentic athlete makes for a better interviewee, which in turn enhances everybody’s enjoyment of their favourite sports. (14:32)

Sinead explains the big difference between media training and risk avoidance training. Far too many professional sports teams, she argues, behave in public like scandal-riven corporations trying to bore their way out of trouble. (16:12)

Sinead espouses a more grown-up relationship between the media and sports people, while Gavin lists some of the perils of talking to the press. He details how he once conducted an interview which led to international headlines about an Irish rugby star suffering from a potato addiction. Gav tells more stories from the front line, where PR handlers seek to control access and shape the narrative.(24:50)

Get in touch with us: sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie 

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Gavin Cooney and Sinead O’Carroll break down this week’s big GAA story.

The pair also discuss how the club game has reached quasi-professional levels and ponder where it could go next. Are the media partly responsible for a culture where winners are glorified while others are ignored? How far are clubs and county teams now willing to go in pursuit of silverware? What should be the true measure of success for a GAA club?

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There’s naturally tales and reflections of Ireland’s many Olympic glories, but also a look back on couple of heartbreaks. Gavin also talks about a month on German trains, with a little bit of Euro 2024 football thrown in.

There’s also why Rory McIlroy’s ongoing major heartbreak is effectively redeeming the whole of professional golf, why Manchester City have never been so interesting, and how Jurgen Klopp’s bombshell announcement was the final proof he got Everything Right.

Thanks for supporting the podcast through 2024, we will be back with weekly episodes from the first Tuesday of January. Get in touch: sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie.

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They delve into how the book came about and how the structure of the book was decided upon, along with discussing the process of writing it.

Gavin and Sinéad also pick their favourite sports books and offer some left-field recommendations.

You can get in touch with the show by emailing sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie. Happy Christmas!

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Why are Revenue targeting the GAA, and what specifically are they looking at? Is this matter likely to extend to under-the-table payments to managers?

How seriously is this being taken by the GAA at central level, and how worried are the various county boards? And what are the best and worst-case scenario outcomes - could the ramifications of this audit change the GAA forever?

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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Is the campaign doing more harm than good? Why is the men’s football so hostile to the LGBTQ+ community, where the women’s game is much more inclusive? Is it unfair to focus on individual footballers, when the sport as a whole does not stand up for the values it claims to hold? Is this story indicative of a wider retreat and regression on LGTBQ+ issues? And, ultimately, can sport really be the inclusive force for progressive values we sometimes like to think it can be?

Get in touch - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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Gav, a “humble sports correspondent”, puts these and other questions to Sinead, who had led The Journal’s coverage of GE24, and must therefore be in a good place to offer some general election player ratings for the party leaders, and a lot more insight besides to a man who has noted an increased sportification of how politics is covered in the media.

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Gavin and Sinéad discuss the case on today’s show, and some of the reasons why the jury may have come to their decision. They also discuss the likelihood of McGregor being granted an appeal, and salute the astonishing strength and bravery of Nikita Hand.

They also chart McGregor’s rise and fall: why did he become so popular in Ireland in the first place? And when did that popularity first begin to wane?

Plus, why did McGregor gravitate to politics, and does this case truly end the possibility of him running for president?

Get in touch - email sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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Should they be kept close to the team, or even be given a bespoke role like Johnny Sexton? Or is a clean break as in the case of Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp or Bill Shankly preferable?

Could Sexton be inhibiting the next wave of Irish out-halves, in the same manner that Alex Ferguson’s lingering presence at Old Trafford weighed heavily on successive managers?

Or is it totally different for a player, and would Ireland be mad not to keep Sexon’s rugby brain in house?

The pair debate the merits and otherwise of a dominant, era-defining character having a say in the next era. And they wonder what a young Sexton would say if faced with a similar set of circumstances when it was time for him to make the Ireland 10 jersey his own.

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Was the majesty of Taylor-Serrano II diminished by its staging as part of a farcical event featuring Jake Paul and Mike Tyson?

Was the fight so good as to deem such concerns irrelevant?

Might Netflix now seek to stage Taylor-Serrano III as a headlining event, minus the novelty sideshow involving a YouTube personality and boxer who hit his peak 38 years ago?

These questions and more are answered by Gavan Casey, our man in Dallas, who caught up with Gavin Cooney and Sinead O’Carroll this afternoon.

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Gavin Cooney and Sinead O’Carroll are joined from Dallas by Gavan Casey, and the trio discuss the rise of novelty ‘boxing’ events.

They differ on whether Taylor is compromising her legacy by taking her place on such a card. Should the Bray fighter have turned her back on this spectacle, or would she be mad to have turned down the Netflix riches; a purse that dwarfs anything she has earned before in her stellar career?

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The popularity of the provinces and the Irish national team is beyond question, but how has that fanbase grown given so few people play the game? Given the fact the Irish team is dominated by players produced by private schools, can the team be said to represent the country at large? And if not, does that even matter?

The pair sift through some of the reasons underpinning the sport’s appeal -the violence, the success, the opportunities it affords for drinking - explain the amount of media coverage afforded to the sport, and ponder what, if anything, the sport’s popularity says about class divisions in Irish society.

Get in touch with us - sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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Why have crowds increased so significantly this decade? And can the rising numbers be leveraged into that most elusive and long-desired of things: a thriving football industry in Ireland.

The pair talk about what needs to happen next to make that aspiration real, from improved stadiums with greater capacity, to television deals with major international networks and an academy structure which provides a conveyor belt of elite level talent which can further improve the standard of the league and lead to more hefty transfer fees from wealthy overseas clubs.

With Shelbourne one win away from an unlikely title triumph, the impact of Damien Duff is examined. What is it about the League of Ireland that so energises one of Ireland’s greatest ever players? He says he will never manage an Irish club other than Shelbourne, but could he step into the Ireland manager’s chair in future, despite his past differences of opinion with the FAI?

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Whenever the official election campaign swings into action, though, it’s a near-certainty that no politician will be asked about sport. Today Gavin and Sinéad wonder why that is the case: can we really be said to care about sport in any real way if it is never raised as an election topic?

Gavin and Sinéad explain why Ireland’s parish pump politics has led to inequality in access to sports facilities in different parts of the country, and ask whether it is now changing for the better.

Also, why don’t we invest more money in sport? And has the news media’s move to cover politics like sport caused more harm than good?

Contact us: sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie 

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Despite the GAA’s amateur status, successive presidents and directors-general of the Association have acknowledged that managers are paid at club and inter-county level. On today’s show, Sinéad O’Carroll and Gavin Cooney reveal how much managers are making at club and inter-county level, and ask what it means for the GAA from a reputation and taxation point of view.

Is the best remedy to regularise the payments, and if so, would that destroy the amateurism heart of the GAA? Or is that amateurism already dead?

Contact us: sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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The pair examine why Israel has been judged differently than Russia by sporting bodies so far.

They question where the moral and diplomatic lines sit - and detail how sport can be used for noble and nefarious purposes in an increasingly war-riven world.

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This week, Murray Kinsella drops into the studio to discuss the journey that Irish women's rugby has taken to get to the point where they have managed to beat New Zealand.

Sinéad, Gavin and Murray analyse the structures of women's rugby in Ireland, discuss the commercial and moral reasons behind the increased focus on the women's game, and debate what is needed to push the sport on to the next level.

Every Tuesday, The 42FM zooms out on the biggest sports story of the week, bringing the wider context and issues into play.

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Building on the success of Olympics Daily with Cooney & O’Carroll, The 42FM will zoom out on the biggest sports story of the week, bringing the wider context and issues into play.

Here, Sinéad and Gavin analyse and debate whether it is right that Limerick’s decorated wing-back Kyle Hayes was nominated as Hurler of the Year - in a year where he faced charges which could have led to him being jailed.

Is it reasonable to expect GAA players to be role models?

Should GAA leaders act as character witnesses in court?

Has John Kiely adequately addressed questions around this case and the culture of this Limerick team?

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Who has spoken up for the victim of the crime, in the way John Kiely has spoken up for Kyle Hayes?

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Off the back of their incredible success with Olympics Daily, Gavin Cooney and Sinéad O'Carroll are back with brand-new podcast The 42FM, an epic handshake between The Journal and The 42!

Every Tuesday, they will zoom out on the biggest sports story of the week to explore the wider context and issues at play - it’s sports meets news, current affairs, society and pop culture.

If you have any suggestions for future episodes, contact gavincooney@the42.ie or sinead@thejournal.ie.

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Gavin and Sinead gather at the mics for one last time, mainly because the longer they talk the longer they can convince themselves that the Games haven’t actually ended. They chat through their favourite memories from the Games, and what we learned about our greatest sportspeople.

They also reflect on today’s homecoming event for Team Ireland, as 20,000 fans flocked to O’Connell Street on a Monday afternoon to pay homage to their new heroes.

They also discuss funding: what can be done to build on Paris 2024? The government have promised extra money for LA 2028, but can they do more? And where should any additional investment go?

And finally - thanks to you for listening to this podcast during the Olympic Games - you made a great experience even better. We don’t have another Olympic Games to chat about for while, but if you have any thoughts on what you’d like to hear in this podcast feed going forward, then please let us know. We are eager to hear any and all suggestions: sinead@thejournal.ie and gavincooney@the42.ie

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They also run through their favourite moments of the past 16 days, from Irish gold medals to sport-changing performances.

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Earlier, Sinéad went weightlifting to watch a member of the Refugee Olympic Team while Gav dealt with the online fallout of his questioning of Bahraini athlete Salwa Eid Naser on Friday night.

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Earlier, Sinéad delighted in the 4x400m relay qualification while Gav enjoyed the madness of Daniel Wiffen's Seine exploits.

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They also discuss Noah Lyles’ revelation that he ran the 200m final with Covid, and ponder whether these Games may suffer a greater Covid impact thank Tokyo, and whether the idea of the athletes’ village will remain as integral to future Games.

Gavin also reports from his morning at the men’s speed climbing final, and then we hunker down for the big one: a lane-by-lane preview of tomorrow’s women’s 400m final, featuring one Rhasidat Adeleke.

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Sinead spent a day at Taekwondo with Jack Woolley, and reports on an agonising near-miss after an agonising wait. Gavin also has happier news from the morning’s track events, though is mortified by making a hames of a joke around an Irish athlete.

Plus: the perils of trying to make weight for the Olympics, and an unfortunate injury

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That was a happy sequel to a disappointing morning for Team Ireland: Sinead was out at a showjumping final that didn’t yield medals, while Gavin rolled back the years to an unhappy morning on the track for a host of Irish athletes.

We also discuss the stunning men’s 1500m final, and the alleged lights show before the women’s 200m decider.

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Meanwhile, there is live reaction to the breaking news of Ciara Mageean’s devastating, injury-enforced withdrawal from the Olympic Games. From Ireland’s point of view, it’s news to grey an Olympic Games even as vivid as this.

Sinead previews tomorrow’s showjumping final, which may deliver yet another medal, as Gavin is excited to learn of another Longford Olympian.

They also answer some of your questions, so keep them coming to sinead@thejournal.ie or gavincooney@the42.ie.

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Gavin meanwhile enjoyed/endured/loved/hated another day yoked to Rory McIlroy, as he first raised hope of an Olympic medal before losing it in one dramatic moment. Scottie Scheffler won the gold medal on a dramatic day that secured golf’s place in the Olympic Games.

Plus, Sinead reports back with some very encouraging news from Rhys McClenaghan’s future Olympic ambitions.

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Both of them were there for Rhys McClenaghan's nerves-of-steel turn on the pommel horse, and even in the madness of Olympic glory, he gave answers to some of the technical questions they had about his podium-topping routine.

And in a rematch for the ages, Kellie Harrington proved she's in the form of her life and is ready to box for gold on Tuesday.

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It was a tough night for the Irish mixed relay team, who missed out on a place in their final. We discuss whether Rhasidat Adeleke was right to sit it out, and pay tribute to Thomas Barr on his farewell to the Olympic Games.

Sinead reports back from Versailles, the opulent setting for the team showjumping event, at which Ireland let slip a genuine medal chance. Plus, there was agony and heartbreak for Ireland’s sailors, who finished fourth after the final race in the men’s skiff.

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Gav spent the day wrapping his head around the various controversies surrounding boxing so he could explain them all to our listeners in a clear-eyed, thoughtful manner. Plus, he brings us the detail of just how bad that decision was for Daina Moorehouse.

Olympics Daily will bring you all the action from Paris 2024 every day - from the Irish medals (fingers crossed) to the scandal and gossip (we’ve already got some) - with Gavin Cooney and Sinéad O’Carroll reporting from across the city.

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Gav reports back from the sensation that is Leon Marchand at the La Defense Arena - he won two gold medals in the pool on another raucous night.

Swimming has been the game’s highlight so far, but overhanging it all is the Chinese doping scandal and athletes’ dented confidence in the global anti-doping programme. Gav and Sinéad discuss how it has affected these Games.

We also get an explainer on the men’s skiff sailing as Ireland look primed for medal contention tomorrow, Sinéad meets Ireland’s favourite Olympian.

Plus: Boomer skateboarders, Rory McIlroy’s favourite Olympic sport, and the insane Canada story rolls on.

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Gav and Sinéad were there to witness both the historic 800m race and the Armagh swimmer's answer to an American's question: 'What do you want people to know about you now that you've announced yourself to the world?'

Earlier, suncream and the actual sun made covering BMX an extreme sport for Gav, while Sinéad challenged herself to report back to Olympics Daily listeners on how Simone Biles is faring - while still making it to the swimming finals.

Olympics Daily will bring you all the action from Paris 2024 every day - from the Irish medals (fingers crossed) to the scandal and gossip (we've already got some) - with Gavin Cooney and Sinéad O'Carroll reporting from across the city.

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The 23-year-old touched the wall 0.01 seconds ahead of fourth-placed Italian Benedetta Pilato. Gav and Sinéad were there to witness it all, and to chat to the country's newest minted medalist.

Earlier in the day, Gav witnessed the remarkable focus of Kellie Harrington as she vies to win back-to-back golds. Meanwhile, Sinéad was one glance of a back away from her greatest day as an Olympic journalist.

Olympics Daily will bring you all the action from Paris 2024 every day - from the Irish medals (fingers crossed) to the scandal and gossip (we’ve already got some) - with Gavin Cooney and Sinéad O’Carroll reporting from across the city.

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Gavin meanwhile has suspicions around his reputation confirmed as Jack Marley vomits at the thought of being interviewed by him. (Kind of.) We hear of how Marley has totally flipped the atmosphere among the Irish boxing team after a very difficult start.

Olympic champions Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy are trying to convince the world they are actually rank outsiders in the rowing, but Gavin explains why he isn’t buying his Yerrah on the Water act.

And Sinead recounts the experience of seeing a true GOAT, Simone Biles, up close.

Plus: a daft football comeback, forgotten sunscreen, and how Paris is actually willing to pardon our French.

Olympics Daily will bring you all the action from Paris 2024 every day - from the Irish medals (fingers crossed) to the scandal and gossip (we’ve already got some) - with Gavin Cooney and Sinéad O’Carroll reporting from across the city.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We run through some other impressive Irish performances on Day One of the Games: Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch put themselves in serious medal contention in the rowing, while cyclist Ryan Mullen had to battle hope and hypothermia.

Plus: Fifa’s absurdly harsh reaction to Canada’s spygate, and is the Taoiseach’s entrance music really Maniac 2000?

Olympics Daily will bring you all the action from Paris 2024 every day - from the Irish medals (fingers crossed) to the scandal and gossip (we’ve already got some) - with Gavin Cooney and Sinéad O’Carroll reporting from across the city.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinéad and Gav discuss the rights and wrongs of Ireland's choice of uniform and selection of flagbearers, as well as who had the better draw of assignments on Day 0 of Paris 2024. Plus, why Gav has eventually got one up on Gianni Infantino.

Olympics Daily will bring you all the action from Paris 2024 every day - from the Irish medals (fingers crossed) to the scandal and gossip (we've already got some) - with Gavin Cooney and Sinéad O'Carroll reporting from across the city.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meanwhile, Gav and Sinéad run through Ireland's greatest medal hopes from the rowers of Skibbereen to Zaur Antia's boxers.

Olympics Daily will bring you all the action from Paris 2024 every day - from the Irish medals (fingers crossed) to the scandal and gossip (we've already got some) - with Gavin Cooney and Sinéad O'Carroll reporting from across the city.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Olympics kicks off on Friday but actually it started today (Wednesday). Gav made his way from Longford to the Stade de France to watch French rugby fans worship Antoine Dupont in a 7s tournament which also features Ireland's Hugo Keenan in an impressive lineup of other extremely fast Irish men.

Elsewhere, football was embarrassing itself as the rest of the athletes train in preparation for their events which start in earnest on Saturday morning.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gavin Cooney and Sinéad O’Carroll report from the 2024 Olympics in Paris to dive into the glory, heartbreak, controversy and gossip every single night.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.