*Michael O’Connor will be conducting the interviews. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
A podcast series is to be released by Clare GAA throughout the month of March.
Newly elected President of Clare GAA, Naoise Jordan, ex Clare goalkeeper Carl Walsh, the county’s first camogie All-Star Catherine O’Loughlin, 1997 All-Ireland minor medallist Gearoid Considine and Clare’s first Ladies Football All-Star Mary Keane are among the twelve names appearing in the series which will be broadcast on Clare GAA TV.
Ex Clare hurler and prominent coach Michael Guilfoyle, former inter-county referee Ambrose Heagney, selector to John Maughan and the Clare footballers in 1992 Pat Hanrahan, Banner GAA stalwart Brid Dilleen, senior championship winner with Éire Óg in 1966 Des Neylon, National Hurling League winner Mickey Murphy and Paudie Neylon of the famed footballing family complete the line-up.
‘My Life and My Sport. Clare GAA and How It Shaped Me’ will be presented by Clare GAA PRO Michael O’Connor. “I hope that in its own way these chats can recall the social history of the GAA in the lives of outstanding personalities who gave much to volunteerism in their community. It will also highlight those who moved away to foreign shores but never extinguished their love of home and culture,” O’Connor said of the interviews.
Listening to the interviews will prove timely with the absence of games, the Crusheen man stated. “In a time of great difficulty for many it will be an escape back to a time when 10 people got into a car to go to a game, playing of the sport was central to a community every seven days and that the GAA was vastly important to the creation of modern Irish society”.
Jack Chaplin, Chairman of Clare GAA believed the podcasts will allow hard-working volunteers behind the scenes be moved to “the forefront of our association to recollect their life, times and those who shaped their lives”.
