Podcasts about Roscommon

Welcome back to The Football Pod with Paddy, James and Tommy - we're building up to a huge weekend of Gaelic Football. There's so much to discuss, and we get stuck into plenty of it.(00.10) - Pod catch-up; New friends, Fitzy on Love Island, Ger Brennan v Burns.(20:00) - Stars struck down by the Cruciate curse; Kinsella and McGinnis ruled out.(25:00) - Derry-Meath breakdown, with so much on the line…(39:00) - Shootout expected in Clones; Monaghan v Roscommon.(45:00) - Kerry and Donegal off Broadway, can Kildare or Cork cause bother?(59:30) - Sunday's Knockout ball; Cavan hope cools, Dublin to bounce back?(01:10:00) - ‘Oil' Clasico, Westmeath giddiness, Calling Mayo-Tyrone The Football Pod on Off the Ball is brought to you by Movember, Ahead of the Game, already reaching over 16,500 players, parents and coaches across Irish clubs with the tools to look after their mental health. Visit aheadofthegame.movember.com to find out how you can be part of it.Thanks for tuning in, we'll be back next week with two shows. Chat then.

Lisa O' Rourke's journey to the top of boxing is an interesting one and far from straightforward. Growing up on a farm in Roscommon, Lisa only started boxing at the age of 15. Since then, it's been a roller-coaster journey - one that involves her sister Aoife, the GAA, plenty of setbacks and ultimately a World Championship title.In this interview, Lisa lets us inside the curtain of what it takes to be a top boxer. Already a world champion and world silver medallist, Lisa is not content and has her sights set on bigger and brighter stages. The 2028 Olympics in LA is the ultimate goal but there are several hurdles to jump before that. Listen to Aoife's story on this week's Young Stock Podcast.Join us at the UCD Lyons Crops Open Evening on Thursday, the 25th of June at 6pm where we will be recording the Irish Farmers Journal Tillage Podcast LIVE. You'll get a tour of cutting-edge research into milling wheat, intercropping, and nitrogen rates. Hear from UCD's Finbar Mulligan on feeding native Irish grain to dairy cows, plus Kevin McDonnell and Tomás McCabe on the season so far. It's a night not to be missed. Register now by clicking the link below Please see link here: https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/1TD2IPxPUTuyqGnuWFnPwQwets9e or www.ifj.ie/tillagepodcastlive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mayo are off to Omagh on Sunday to face Tyrone in Round 2A of the All-Ireland football championship. With both Tyrone and Mayo having recovered from provincial disappointment to record Round 1 wins over Roscommon and Monaghan respectively, the significant prize now on offer for the victors at Healy Park this weekend is a place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals, while the losers will be left with one last chance to progress via a Round 3 knockout tie the following weekend.In this podcast show we kickstart the countdown to what will be the eighth ever championship meeting between Mayo and Tyrone. Rob and John discuss the challenge and the opportunity facing Andy Moran's team this weekend and they run the rule over a Red Hand side made up of a mix of veterans from the All-Ireland winning team of 2021 augmented by a number of newer faces who have tasted All-Ireland success at underage level with the county in recent years. Rob also chats with podcast regular Nigel Reape, who points to the pluses and minuses from Mayo's win over Monaghan and argues why a more coherent defensive structure will need to be in place if the visitors hope to emulate the county's achievement of twelve months ago by coming away from Healy Park with a win. 

Racing in Ireland on Monday is in Roscommon (8th June 2026) with the first of eight races going to post at 4.43. There are two feature races - the €25,000 Dermot Hughes Car Sales Handicap Hurdle at 5.48, and the €25,000 tote.ie Connacht National Handicap Steeplechase at 6.48. With a full preview, here's Galway Bay FM's George McDonagh.

In this fun, chatty, empowering episode, recorded live at WellFest, Melanie Morris sits down with Ireland's elite sporting dynamos: sisters Aoife and Lisa O'Rourke. From a family of five girls in Co. Roscommon, they originally picked up boxing gloves just to improve their fitness—and went on to conquer the world stage. Today, Aoife holds the World Boxing Championship Gold Medal (75kg middleweight), and Lisa is the 2022 IBA World Champion (light middleweight). Beyond the ring, they are record-breaking Hyrox athletes, invited to compete globally in the top 15 pro series.What We Cover In This Episode:- The Roots: From farm life and local GAA to international gold medals.- The Olympics: Aoife's Tokyo and Paris experiences, plus her sights on Los Angeles 2028.- Sibling Rivalry: How their close sisterly bond fuels their competitive drive.- Elite Mindset: The training, discipline, and performance habits of world champions.- Hyrox Pro Series: Smashed world records and what it takes to rank in the global top 15.The IMAGE Wellness Project is powered by Alflorex and sponsored by Boots, Vita Coco, Manhattan and Cocoa Brown. Follow Aoife and Lisa on Instagram: @aoifeorourke327 and @lisaorourke528

Jessica joined the show this morning to take on Rhyme It, our fast-paced word game that puts players under serious pressure. The rules are simple: you get 30 seconds to answer as many questions as possible, but every answer has to rhyme with a word you're given.It sounds easy… until the clock starts ticking.

This is a live show, recorded on stage at the Antique Bar in Melbourne. Joining me on stage were three guests who between them have cycled through some of the most remote, challenging and eye-opening places on earth, Fergal Guihen, Em Hulbert and David McCourt.Fergal cycled from Roscommon, Ireland to Sydney via Mauritania, Iran, Afghanistan, the Tibetan Plateau and beyond. Em Hulbert is mid-journey on a solo ride around the world, delivering water filters to communities in need through her project The Water Cycle. David McCourt set off from Melbourne bound for Northern Ireland, taking a route through Central Asia, Iran, Bangladesh, Nepal and Turkey that took years and produced stories he'll be dining out on forever.In this episode we cover:Going from thought bubble to turning pedalsLuxury items on the bike and what actually earns its placePerceptions versus reality: China, Iran, Bangladesh and ThailandGetting drugged and robbed in the Iranian desertA sex dungeon in rural Thailand at 4am after 250 kilometresThe Nullarbor without music, podcasts or any distraction at allSolo female bicycle travel and the extra layer that comes with itThe spaces in between and why that's where the magic happensWhy the hardest moments are the ones you'd go back and reliveWant to hear the full individual episodes with each guest? Find them here:Em Hulbert: Ep. 127: David McCourt: Ep. 99: and Ep. 120. Fergal Guihen: Ep. 144 and Ep. 145: Follow the guests on Instagram:Em Hulbert: @emhulbertFergal Guihen: @rossi.to.aussieDavid McCourt: @longwayhome__2022 Check out Old Man Mountain's new Manzanita Handlebar Cradle  Support the showBuy me a coffee!I'm an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:

Ella McSweeney talks to locals in Roscommon who feel there is better environmental and cultural value to be had on their bog than the climate benefits that would come from a proposed wind farm.

Mayo's team selection for Sunday's All-Ireland SFC series game against Monaghan shows five changes from the side that started the defeat against Roscommon. Aidan Kilcoyne joins Mike to discuss Andy Moran's selection, including the decision to drop the likes of Rob Hennelly, Paddy Durcan and Aidan O'Shea and hand championship debuts to Jack Livingstone, Diarmuid Duffy and Darragh Beirne. 

Tánaiste Simon Harris has told the Fine Gael parliamentary party that the Government is preparing the biggest overhaul of rural housing rules in two decades.The changes will allow those who have a social or economic need to live in a rural area, or those who have lived in a rural area for a defined period of time at any point in their life, have a reasonable expectation they can get planning.Joining Shane to discuss this is Independent Ireland TD for Roscommon and Galway, Michael Fitzmaurice, and Professor of Economics at UCC, Frank Crowley.

A recent hospital visit means there is no new episode this week, but it reminded me of this classic from early 2024! Tune in to find out more How difficult was life in the Middle Ages? This is something archaeologists and historians have debated for decades. In recent years, new techniques, including genetic analysis, have given us new insights into the lives of our distant ancestors in the Medieval Era. Their findings are unsettling. Life in the Middle Ages was far more difficult than we imagine.My guest in this episode is Prof. Eileen Murphy from Queen's University Belfast. Eileen has recently published groundbreaking research on daily life in early medieval Ireland, based on her analysis of human remains excavated in Co. Roscommon. In this podcast, she answers all your questions on what life was like.Eileen shares her discoveries on how people survived in a hard and difficult world. It's not for the faint of heart.This episode is not suitable for children.Our interview is based on the book "The Forgotten Cemetery: Excavations at Ranelagh, Co. Roscommon," available for free at https://www.tii.ie/technical-services/archaeology/publications/tii-heritage/.Eileen is the deputy head of the School of Built & Natural Heritage at Queen's University Belfast: https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/NBE/.Sound by Kate Dunlea Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mick McCarthy, Matthew Brennan and Tommy Rooney talk us through this weeks football Power Rankings after Kerry and Donegal's 'halftime brawl' and Tyrone's win over Roscommon in a thriller. The Power Rankings on Off the Ball, with Harvey Norman, Official Stats Sponsor of the GAA

Well, that was some way to launch the 2026 All-Ireland series, we get stuck into the big stories on and off the field in Gaelic Football - as awesome Donegal take out Kerry in a game that changed after a half-time brawl. Meath fall short in Cork. Tyrone take out Roscommon and Galway catch fire. All of that and much more too. Enjoy(00.10) - Kerry and Donegal - a brilliant first-half(15:00) - Half-time brawl, the red card, McGuinness reaction, Clifford lucky?(26:00) - Kerry's poor second-half, booing Murphy, how Donegal were so on it.(33:00) - Cork's rousing win with 14 men, harsh red, brilliant Sherlock, Meath shortcomings.(50:00) - Frank McGuigan, a Tyrone great.(53:00) - Tyrone beat Roscommon.(01:05:00) - Tailteann Cup fallout, the draw and highlights.(01:09:00) - Quickfire All-Ireland series predictions for next weekendThanks for tuning in, we'll be back next Monday, as usual.

Two weeks following their defeat to Roscommon in the Connacht Final, Galway's senior footballers begin their quest for All-Ireland silverware this Saturday (23rd May) when they host Kildare in Round 1. Memories of one of Galway's great days will come flooding back (the 1998 Final) but the Tribesmen have a very impressive record against the Lilywhites.  They haven't lost to Kildare in competitive action since 1985, and are aiming to go 15 games unbeaten against the Leinster side. Leading up to the game, former Galway footballer Gareth Bradshaw, who scored in the last championship meeting between the two counties in 2018, looked ahead to the game with Galway Bay FM's Darren Kelly. == Throw-in at Pearse Stadium on Saturday is 7.30pm and we'll have LIVE coverage here on Galway Bay FM.

Image details : Start-ups around the country supported by Irish BICs (Business Innovation Centres) received €34 million in funding in 2025. The findings of the annual report have been published ahead of the Dublin Tech Summit where the Irish BICs will showcase and lead the first ever Accelerate Hub. Pictured are Larry O'Donoghue, AxisBIC; Mary Ryan, WestBIC; Fionnuala Wall, AxisBIC; Rosemary Ward, Propelor BIC; Majella Murphy, Furthr; Martin Murray, Furthr and John Brennan, WestBIC. Photo: John Allen Start-ups around the country supported by Irish BICs (Business Innovation Centres) received €34 million in funding in 2025. This consisted of €26.5 million in Innovative High Potential Start-Up (iHPSU) funding and €7.5 million in Pre-Seed Start Fund (PSSF) funding. Start-ups received €35 million in funding in 2025 The Irish BICs Annual Report for 2025 also shows that the group supported 110 start-ups in their applications for iHPSU and PSSF funding last year. With over 35 years of experience, the Irish BICs have supported thousands of founders in accessing funding, developing strategy, and scaling internationally and is made up of four regional organisations including AxisBIC, Furthr, Propelor BIC and WestBIC. Some of the companies supported by the group in 2025 include Valentia Island Vermouth, Reso Health, ALPACA, and Silicate. The annual report findings have been released ahead of this year's Dublin Tech Summit, where the Irish BICs will showcase and lead the first ever Accelerate Hub. This will serve as a dedicated on-site space, connecting entrepreneurs with a network of advisors, mentors, and service providers. The initiative aims to provide practical, hands-on support across key areas of business growth, including funding, validation and scaling. Alongside the hub, the Accelerate Stage, powered by the Irish BICs will feature a specially crafted programme of content covering the most pressing topics for founders in 2026. Sessions will explore areas such as raising funding, scaling sustainably, navigating competitive markets, and leveraging ecosystem support to accelerate growth. Dublin Tech Summit 2026 takes place in the RDS in Dublin on Wednesday 27th and Thursday, 28th of May. To further support early-stage companies, Dublin Tech Summit has also introduced a dedicated startup ticket offering of €145 ex. VAT (RRP €445). Speakers will include: Mark Little, Tech Entrepreneur, Former Foreign Affairs Broadcaster and Journalist Barry Downes, Managing Partner, Sure Valley Ventures (SVV) Rena Maycock, Founder, Chirp Faye Walsh Drouillard, Founder and General Partner, WakeUp Capital Liam Dunne, CEO and Co-Founder of Klearcom Chair of the Irish BICS, Martin Murray CEO of Furthr, said: "For the Founders of highly-innovative start-up and scale-up enterprises, the pace of change has never been so fast, and the level of disruption has never been so great. Technological, geopolitical, financial and social change are impacting every aspect of what you do. In this environment, even successful serial entrepreneurs require guidance, mentoring and support. The Irish BICs have been providing that support for almost 40 years. If you're a Founder with big ambitions, come and talk to us at the Accelerate Hub. We work pro bono, so the only thing we are focused on is your success." The four Irish BICs are: AxisBIC – Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick Furthr – Cavan, Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Meath, Monaghan and Wicklow Propelor BIC – Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford WestBIC – Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath Start-ups supported by Irish BICs received €34 million in funding in 2025. The figure has been released ahead of the Dublin Tech Summit where Irish BICs will showcase and lead the first ever Accelerate Hub. See more breaking stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can ...

In a bid to improve school attendance, some schools have introduced incentives like pizza parties and hot chocolates for all students...But, are these so-called bribery tactics really a good idea to boost school attendance?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Noel Loftus, Principal of St. Attracta's National School in Roscommon, Eoin Dolan, Principal of Mother of Divine Grace National School in Finglas, Nessa Hill, Barrister & CEO of Neurodiversity Ireland and listeners.

Racing in Ireland on Monday is in Roscommon (18th May 2026). Cross-channel, there are meetings in Carlisle, Lingfield, Redcar, Windsor and Wolverhampton. With a full preview, here's Galway Bay FM's George McDonagh.

This week I sit down with Paula Naughton from Roscommon, mum to three boys Archie, George, and Isaac. All three were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD, a life-limiting illness with no cure.Sadly Paula lost her son Archie at just 16 years old. George and Isaac, now also 16, continue to live with the condition as their family fights tirelessly for access to emerging treatments and trials.In this deeply moving conversation, Paula speaks about grief in all its forms, the loss of Archie, the heartbreak of watching your children lose their health, and the reality of living with anticipatory grief while still trying to hold hope.Paula speaks with incredible honesty, strength, and insight about motherhood, resilience, advocacy, and the unimaginable balancing act of loving fiercely while living with uncertainty every day.To learn more about DMD and support the family's campaign, visit:

On Wednesday, Billy Horan was looking forward to listening to the All-Ireland under 20 football semi-final match involving Kerry and Roscommon on Radio Kerry. He and his family were also going to watch the match online. But when he went online, he found something suspicious.

Here's the first few minutes of our bonus chat about the Connaught final and Arsenal's big game at the weekend . If you want to hear the rest of this episode, AS WELL AS all our episodes ad free AND all the bonus stuff we've ever done you can get it over on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Headstuff+⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . And if you want to see our faces we're on ⁠⁠YouTube , ⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠and ⁠⁠TikTok , Kevin Larney & Jason Brennan . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are a music fan, but unsure if you should take your children to a festival, our next guest has all the tips.The Night and Day music festival is taking place in Lough Key Forest Park in Roscommon from the 29th to the 31st of May.The festival is family friendly with musicians such as The Saw Doctors, Imelda May and the Boomtown Rats playing.There are also activities to keep the kids amused with Coillte hosting guided tours of the forest for kids attending, informing them about all the wildlife that lives there.Aoife Burns, better known as the Play With Me Mammy on Instagram, has the ultimate guide to taking your kids to festivals this summer, and joins Shane to discuss.

Tommy Rooney of Off The Ball joins Paul to dissect Galway's defeat to Roscommon in the Connacht Senior Football Championship final.This Podcast is brought to you by Hoare Chartered Accountants and Drone Works Ireland. Drone Works Ireland is your go to place when it comes to buying a drone, repairing your drone and also when you need professionals to carry any aerial work you may need ,check out their website www.droneworksireland.ieHoare Chartered Accountants based in Galway City are a leading provider of Audit, Accountancy and Taxation services.. For more information, visit their website on www.hoarecharteredaccountants.ieIf you have any questions or thoughts for upcoming podcasts, email the maroonwhitepod@gmail.com

With the dust settling on Mayo's exit from the Connacht championship, and Roscommon celebrating a clean sweep of provincial titles, the next phase of the season is just around the corner. Ger Flanagan joins Rob and Mike to chat about how the Connacht Final played out, how the order in the province has changed, and what it says about Mayo's chances of getting back on track. The lads also discuss how most of the county lads lined out with their clubs last weekend, and Ger tells us how he's found the first few rounds of the senior league - including his evening marking Fergal Boland in Aghamore! 

With An Garda Síochána recently reporting that over 2,100 motorists were caught speeding during the Easter Bank Holiday surge, road safety is now an important story.While the national figures show the scale of the problem, new research of 60,000 policies by Irish provider its4women identifies exactly where these habits are most ingrained. Their data reveals Cavan as the nation's speeding hotspot (26% "dangerous speeding" rate), while Limerick and Roscommon emerged as the most compliant.Crucially, the study shows that telematics (black box) tech is actually fixing the issue, and in Limerick, claims for black box users dropped to less than 1%. To find out more about this I spoke to its4women's CEO, Gary McClarty. Gary spoke about his background, the its4women's analysis, telematics and more.More about its4women:its4women provides fast, flexible and reliable car, home and travel insurance available anytime, anywhere. You can make an amendment, view your documents or even renew your insurance policy via their quick and easy Customer Portal.

Well now, we were treated to another smashing weekend of Gaelic Football. The Football Pod are breaking it all down, James was in Killarney, Tommy was in the Hyde, and Paddy is on top of it all. Chapters(01:00) - Kerry's 'dream' Munster title - Cork issues, Clifford, Donegal worries.(20:00) - GAA+ vs. RTE, Tailteann Cup run-through, upsets and big scores(29:00) - Roscommon seize the day, Galway aren't done yet.(54:00) - Leinster & Ulster finals - what to expect...Thank you for tuning in, we'll be back next Monday after another weekend of Championship football.

After what was a MENTAL weekend in sport... Ger Gilroy, Mick McCarthy, Enda Coll & Dara Smith-Naughton run through a busy Performance Rankings!Viagra Connect 50mg film-coated tablets. Contains sildenafil. For adult men with erectile dysfunction. Subject to suitability. Maximum dosage one 50mg tablet per day. Always read the label.Catch The Off The Ball Breakfast show LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am or just search for Off The Ball Breakfast and get the podcast on the Off The Ball app.SUBSCRIBE at OffTheBall.com/join

There were scenes of joy across Roscommon as the county celebrated its historic win. For more on this our reporter Sally-Ann Barrett.

Tonight on 'Over The Line' with George McDonagh, Sean Carley and Dararen Kelly: Jason Byrne discusses Galway's defeat to Roscommon in the Connacht Senior Football Final; Imelda Hobbins looks back on Galway's successful defence of the All-Ireland under-16 camogie championship Rob Murphy chats about Connacht's bonus point win over Munster, and the upcoming clash with Edinburgh; All this and more. == The 'Over The Line' review show with George McDonagh broadcasts every Monday evening from 8pm on Galway Bay FM.

Racing in Ireland on Monday is in Killarney and Roscommon (11th May 2026). Cross-channel, there are meetings in Catterick, Southwell, Windsor and Wolverhampton. With a full preview, here's Galway Bay FM's George McDonagh.

This week, Noel Bardon catches up senior policy advisor with Copa Cogeca Niall Curley. The Roscommon man who lobbies policymakers on issues of farmer concern gives an overview of who makes the decisions in Brussels and why a nitpicky approach to new EU rules are needed to ensure farmers do not bare an undue burden from legislation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oliver chats to Roscommon's greatest football ambassador, Paddy Joe Burke, after the Rossies victory over Galway to win the Connacht Provincial Championship

Roscommon came late to make history in a thrilling Connacht SFC final in King and Moffatt Dr Hyde Park!Overcoming Galway to deny them their fifth-in-a-row of provincial titles, the Senior success followed minor and U-20 Connacht titles, marking the first time Roscommon have ever won all three in the same year.Tommy Rooney chats to Roscommon's Conor Carroll, Dylan Ruane, Ronan Daly, captain Diarmuid Murtagh, and Roscommon boss Mark Dowd amongst party scenes in Dr Hyde Park. #GAA

FOOTBALL: Galway minor manager Cossie Gilmore with Galway Bay FM's Tommy Devane after their Connacht MFC Final defeat to Roscommon

Despite a thrilling second half comeback that led to a shot to win the game, Galway came up one point short to Roscommon in the Electric Ireland Connacht Minor Football Final in Tuam Stadium on Friday (8th May 2026). Goals from Jayden Concannon and Joshua Coyne gave Roscommon a 2-8 to 0-5 interval lead with the wind.  But Darragh Kelleher's second half strike gave the visitors control before Adam Healy's goal ensured Galway stayed in touch until the finish. Galway Bay FM's match commentary team were Tommy Devane and Kevin O'Dwyer. == Galway will now play the Ulster champions next month in the All-Ireland Minor Football quarter-finals.

Barry Cullinane and Evan Talty preview Galway's clash with Roscommon in this Sunday's Connacht Senior Football Championship final.This Podcast is brought to you by Hoare Chartered Accountants and Drone Works Ireland. Drone Works Ireland is your go to place when it comes to buying a drone, repairing your drone and also when you need professionals to carry any aerial work you may need ,check out their website www.droneworksireland.ieHoare Chartered Accountants based in Galway City are a leading provider of Audit, Accountancy and Taxation services.. For more information, visit their website on www.hoarecharteredaccountants.ieIf you have any questions or thoughts for upcoming podcasts, email the maroonwhitepod@gmail.com

“I'm getting in touch because I've written the attached open letter as a serving Garda,” this email was one of many we received since Sinead O'Sullivan came on the podcast. “I've never done anything like this before,” it continued, “but I felt I had to say something given how things are going. I wrote it out of a genuine sense of frustration with the direction the country seems to be heading. More than that, I'm writing as a father of a young family, and I'm increasingly worried about what kind of Ireland my kids are going to grow up in.”On Free State today we ask why people hurting has been turned into an urban versus rural debate when everyone is affected. Does this tell us something about the inability of the ruling class to see beyond the short term? Why is there always a defensive attack or a short term fudge rather than leadership?And when it comes to lack of leadership? Could things actually get worse for Mayo? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on 'Over The Line' with George McDonagh, Sean Carley and Darren Kelly: Cyril Farrell joins us to look back on the hurling weekend including Galway's senior championship win over Offaly Jason Byrne reflects on Galway beating Leitrim, Roscommon running rampant on Mayo, and Donegals' shock Ulster football championship defeat to Down And Mike Rafferty talks about an exciting end to the junior soccer season, and the fortunes of the two Galway United sides All this and more. == 'Over The Line' broadcasts every Monday evening from 8pm on Galway Bay FM.

Come on in to The Football Pod after a stunning weekend of Championship Football. We had to get stuck into it all on Sunday night after Down's sensational take-down of Donegal in Ulster and Roscommon's clinic in Castlebar. Leitrim put it up to Galway, Kerry and Cork got the job done in Munster. Whilst Armagh made through too. We get stuck into your questions, the biggest talking points from the weekend and also look ahead to four cracking semi-finals next weekend too. Fill your boots.Chapters(01:00) - Conor Laverty's wonderful Down beat Donegal - the fallout.(22:00) - Paddy's report on Leitrim-Galway and Armagh-Fermanagh.(27:00) - Roscommon deliver knockout blow to Mayo - how and why?(47:00) - Kerry win in Clare - and the 'screening' debate.(01:02:00) - Louth v Dublin, Con's fitness, Pod listener thoughts and questions.Thank you for tuning in, we'll be back next Monday after another weekend of Championship football.

The latest research by Switcher.ie has revealed the most affordable places for first-time buyers in Ireland. Our First Time Buyer Affordability Index 2026 shows the least and most attainable areas for joint buyers and sole buyers based on how long it would take to save for a deposit in each region. For housebuyers starting to save this year, our calculations estimate that gathering a deposit could take longer than in previous years. This is due to people saving less and property price rises of typically around 7% throughout 2025, although projections will change year on year due to market and seasonal fluctuations. The average time it takes for a couple to save for a mortgage deposit in Ireland is 7 years 2 months, up from 4 years 7 months last year. Cork, Galway and Meath first-time buyers see deposit saving times almost double. Longford is the most affordable place for first-time buyers, taking 2 years, 3 months to save for a deposit – up from one year, 7 months in 2025. Dún Laoghaire is the least affordable place and could take up to 21 years, 3 months to raise a down payment, which is similar to last year. Roscommon is most affordable for sole buyers. Saving for a deposit takes 3 years, 5 months. Whereas in Dún Laoghaire it could take a staggering 66 years, 5 months. Longford, Leitrim, Donegal, Roscommon, Mayo, Cavan, Clare, Limerick City, Offaly and Monaghan are the 10 most affordable regions. Dún Laoghaire, South Dublin, Galway City, Louth, Wicklow, Fingal, Dublin City, Meath, Kildare, and Cork County are the 10 least affordable places. 65% of Ireland's new builds were completed in the 10 most expensive regions during 2025, while the cheapest 10 areas only attracted 11% of new dwellings. This disadvantages first-time buyers who need to use Help to Buy schemes. Find out how your region ranks and see the full Index at Ireland's most affordable places for first time buyers. * Deposit saving calculations are based on median annual earnings, median property prices and household savings rates from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). For Joint Buyers Top 5 most affordable places for joint buyers Longford was the most affordable place for joint first-time buyers for the third year running. One of the cheapest places to buy a house, it would take just 2.3 years to save the minimum 10% deposit. Leitrim, Donegal, Mayo, and Roscommon joined Longford in the top five most affordable counties for home buyers. To save a deposit in the shortest time, buyers should look to one of these counties or others at the top of our Affordability Index. Couples earning the average salary in Leitrim could save for a mortgage deposit in two years and four months, in Donegal, Roscommon or Mayo, it could take two years and five months. Our research showed that the most affordable places for first-time buyers were not necessarily the areas with the lowest house prices. Although cheaper property prices help, having a comparably higher income makes your mortgage more affordable, and deposits take less time to save. The income-to-house price ratio was around 1 to 3 in these areas. Rank RPPI Region Median first time buyer house price Median annual earnings JOINT BUYERS Years to save 1 Longford €224,000 €38,857 2.3 2 Leitrim €245,000 €41,162 2.4 3 Donegal €225,000 €36,967 2.5 4 Roscommon €260,000 €42,150 2.5 5 Mayo €255,000 €40,657 2.5 Top 5 least affordable places for joint buyers Unsurprisingly, areas in and around Dublin were the most out of reach for first-time buyers, with Dún Laoghaire the least affordable place for both joint and sole buyers. Dún Laoghaire ranks as most out of reach for mortgage seekers, requiring a couple to save for a staggering 21 years and 3 months. South Dublin, Galway City, Louth and Wicklow follow at around 10 years, making them the most challenging regions for joint buyers. The income-to-house-price ratio of over 1:5 makes buying in these desirable areas an impossible dream, even for most dual-income households without a ma...

The Inaugural Connacht Masters Gaelic Football Championship will take place this Saturday at the Connacht GAA Centre in Bekan. Six teams are involved with Galway joined by Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, London and Longford/Leitrim. The Galway Masters have been drawn in group A along with Sligo and London and will play their first game against Sligo at 12 Noon with their second game against London throwing in at 1.20. All proceeds from the Championship will go to Down Syndrome Ireland. Eoin O'Donnellan spoke to John Mulligan about the weekend and he told John that everyone is looking forward to it.    You can donate to Down Syndrome Ireland at the link below. https://www.idonate.ie/event/InauguralConnachtMastersGAABlitz 

John Waters returns to Hearts of Oak to discuss the fuel protests in Ireland involving farmers, hauliers, and building contractors. He examines the economic pressures on these groups, government policy responses, media coverage, and the wider context of national identity and sovereignty. John considers the protests as a potential basis for greater public unity and the emergence of new leadership. John Waters is an Irish writer and thinker, exploring themes from society's spirit to rock ‘n' roll, the human self, and modern life's meaning. Starting as a journalist with Hot Press in 1981, he went full-time in 1984, moving to Dublin. He tackled controversial issues like colonialism's impact and fathers' rights, writing for The Irish Times for 24 years until 2014. His articles now appear in First Things, The Spectator, and others. He's published ten books, including Give Us Back the Bad Roads (2018), reflecting on Ireland's cultural decline. A playwright, songwriter, husband, father, and lapsed agnostic, he was born in Roscommon, belongs to Sligo, and lives in Dublin. Connect with John... X                                 https://x.com/johnwaters2024 @johnwaters2024 SUBSTACK                https://johnwaters.substack.com/ WEBSITE                    https://www.johnwaters.ie/ Connect with Hearts of Oak…

The Football Pod is coming at you after the opening weekend of the 2026 SFC. Armagh outlast Tyrone, just about. Leitrim secure a Sligo scalp. Cork get the job done. Mayo and Roscommon set-up a semi-final meeting - and are the Leinster big dogs coming in cold under a bit of pressure this weekend? We get stuck into it all. Enjoy.Chapters(01:00) - The Masters, Playa Blanca and Championship is back.(05:00) - Leitrim beat Sligo, Martin McGowan v Mickey Graham, Barry McNulty stars.(09:00) - Mayo hit London for 31. Roscommon win in NY but Cregg is sent off.(14:00) - Sheedy catches the eye for Cork. Waterford fall short in Tipp three-peat.(18:00) - Leinster run-down; Wicklow chip on shoulder, Laois win, Westmeath dangers.(30:00) - How Armagh defeated Tyrone - McGeeney tactics, Tyrone's status.(48:00) - Conaty's man-markers, Championship edge, Leinster quarter-finals.Thank you for tuning in, we'll be back next Monday after another weekend of Championship football.

Mayo had it all their own way at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park this afternoon as they had 21 points to spare over Roscommon in a one-sided National Football League final round encounter. The result sees Andy Moran's team finish third in the Division One table, just missing out on a final place to Kerry on the head-to-head rule, thus guaranteeing a three-week break ahead of their Connacht Championship opener against London. Rob and John were joined after today's game by Edwin McGreal to assess the importance of the result. We then hear post-match reaction from Andy Moran, in conversation with Mike, while Rob chats with fellow Ballinrobe man Diarmuid Duffy before Rob, Mike and John wrap up the show with a few final thoughts. 

Mayo's 16-point defeat to Kerry on Saturday was their worst ever in the National League but a win over Roscommon in the final round this Sunday could yet see them qualify for this year's Division One decider. Host Rob Murphy is joined on the pod by Edwin McGreal and Nigel Reape to assess the damage done by the hammering inflicted by Kerry in Tralee and to look ahead to the challenge Roscommon are likely to pose, coming into Sunday's game in Castlebar having inflicted a first defeat this year on high-flying Donegal last time out. Ed considers how Mayo's performance in Tralee might impact the progress made to date this year while Nigel ponders how Andy Moran's team are likely to set up against Roscommon on Sunday.