SportsTalk

Our good friend Dee O'Flaherty has a new podcast out with Westmeath Ladies manager Frank Browne. In the latest episode they chat to Celtic's Saoirse Noonan. Saoirse was a guest on Sportstalk a few years ago.

Mixed Bag with Saoirse Noonan Mixed Bag · Episode

Aisling O'Reilly did an excellent interview with Micheal a couple of years back for us. We will dig out in coming days...

Glad to have met him multiple times since and always the same helpful and kind.

Rest in Peace from all at Sportstalk.

💔🙏

WPGA 2024 - Glasson

2024 Glasson Golf Course - WPGA Pro Event!

The 2024 WPGA Pro Event line up!

Looking forward to starting our summer season coverage of events with WPGA Pro Am at Glasson Lakehouse, May 20 - 21. Follow us for exclusive behind the scenes coverage

RUGBY | 15:00 Ulster vs Leinster

Great mention for the book and the late great Brother Damien on the Joe Duffy show on RTE today. 24 minutes in if you would like to listen.

Self Published Books A look at self published books. Here are just some of the authors: - Katie McGrath - Edel Tobin - Naomi Lee - Breege O'Brien - Ann Linehan - Christine Ryan - Michael Fortune - Tim Conway - Mary O'Neill - Richard Birchall - Kieran Jordan - Bill Power - Sinead Wilde Allart

From 2000 to 2015, Kilkenny won 11 All-Ireland senior hurling championship titles. It was an unprecedented period of success for any inter-county GAA team, and across the land, people hailed the players and management as some of the greatest to ever grace the game. But there was another man, working silently in the background, who also played a crucial role.

Brother Damien Brennan was a Christian Brother from Laois who came to Callan, Kilkenny in 1990 to work in the secondary school, Colaiste Eamann Ris, while also assisting with the local hurling teams. After one year in Callan, he worked in Dublin for 6 years, but then returned to Callan in 1997 for his “second coming” in the town. In that season, 1997-98, he guided the school to their first, and to date, only, Leinster Senior Colleges A hurling championship, when the underdogs defeated the accepted overlords, St Kieran’s College by 1-10 to 0-09 in a famous final in Nowlan Park, Kilkenny. From that team, 5 players went onto win senior All-Ireland medals with “The Cats” including multiple winners Noel Hickey, James Ryall, and David Herity.

After guiding local side John Lockes to the Kilkenny intermediate hurling championship in 1999, Brother Damien became a selector of the Kilkenny minor team in 2001, winning 2 Leinsters and an All-Ireland in 2002, under the management of Nicky Cashin. He then took over the reins of the minor team himself, winning an All-Ireland in his first year in 2003 before narrowly being defeated in 2004 by Galway.

After stepping down from inter county management in 2006, Brother Damien took up a new role, acting as an unofficial physio and psychologist to a host of Kilkenny stars. In his autobiography, Henry Shefflin detailed how Brother Damien turned his year around in 2012, from being worried about his inter-county career being over to winning hurler of the year. In Jackie Tyrrell’s autobiography, he speaks of how the brother changed his psychological approach from being agonized and terrified in 2009 to a much stronger and more confident force in the second half of his career. Richie Hogan and JJ Delaney also described the Christian Brother as one of the biggest influences in their career.

As Kilkenny’s success grew word of Brother Damien’s influence spread to other counties with the Cadogans of Cork, Eoin and Alan, being taken under his wing. Indeed, in his retirement statement in 2021, Eoin Cadogan stated Brother Damien’s “support, belief and friendship allowed me to fully maximise my potential and achieve things I thought were impossible”.

To the great distress of all those who were guided by him, Brother Damien was unfortunately taken from this world at the age of just 59 on September 3rd 2019. Now his memory is immortalized in the book “Brother Damien Brennan-The silent man behind the Kilkenny success story”. It features interviews with over 70 of the people who were closest to and most affected by him, including some of the greatest hurlers to ever grace the game and tells how the humble man from Arles, Co. Laois changed their mindset to achieve immortality in the sport.

The book “Brother Damien Brennan-The silent man behind the Kilkenny success story” is available from bookshops across Kilkenny as well as online at www.thebookshop.ie and www.buythebook.ie Featuring a foreword from Jackie Tyrrell. There are also some copies available in The Book Centre in Waterford, All Books in Portlaoise, Made in Carlow in Carlow and The Village Bookshop in Terenure, Dublin. Price is 15 Euro.

Winners have been confirmed and announced following yesterday's International Kings Cup Qualifier at Castlewarden Golf Club.

Congratulations to all flight qualifiers who now progress to the National Finals at Glasson Lakehouse.

Next Qualifier March 31st - Donegal Golf Club

Calor Ireland Ireland's Hidden Heartlands Castlewarden Golf Club Medel Healthcare International Kings Cup Bag Boy Glasson Golf Club

Find a qualifier near you to be in with a chance.
If you and your playing partner qualify you will get to stay at Glasson Lakehouse for 4 nights, receive Bag Boy golf bags, towels & umbrellas/ Attend opening and closing dinner and play 3 tournament rounds against Team USA.
You may enter any of the qualifiers. First up is Castlewarden Golf Club on Friday 24th March.
Full link to 2023 Qualifiers - usgolfchallenge.com or call the clubs direct
Open to ladies & gents - any combination
With Calor Ireland Medel Healthcare Ireland's Hidden Heartlands Mydailychoice SportsTalk
Donegal Golf Club, Murvagh
Castlerock Golf Club
Dundrum House Hotel, Golf & Leisure Resort Glasson Golf Club