Humans of Gaelic

Kevin O'Brien
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  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

Conversations with experts, coaches and players, exploring elite performance in S&C and the GAA.

  1. Inside a county footballer's mind | Visualisation & journaling | Meeting Djokovic

    2d ago

    Inside a county footballer's mind | Visualisation & journaling | Meeting Djokovic

    Join 7k+ athletes - Gaelic Games S&C, Performance and Coaching newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://portal.humansofgaelic.com/newsletter What does two years in the AFL system actually teach you that you can bring back to inter-county football?  Why is a call-out culture one of the hardest things a squad can build, and why does it matter so much?  And what was it really like sitting in a room with Novak Djokovic listening to him talk about discipline? Sligo footballer Luke Towey joins the podcast this week to break it all down. Luke spent two years with the Gold Coast Suns in the AFL before returning to inter-county football with Sligo, and has since built his own Performance Journal business used by loads of GAA players and teams. In this episode, we also cover: Reflecting honestly on a disappointing season with SligoWhat actually happens inside a panel once an inter-county season endsThe two years he spent in the AFL system during COVIDBuilding culture and standards in a professional sporting environmentComparing GAA and AFL strength and conditioningA breakdown of Sligo's weekly gym schedule during championshipMental prep, visualisation and sport psychologyThe story behind his Performance Journal and turning it into a businessMeeting the 'hyper-obsessed' Novak Djokovic at the SunsHow he resets after a bad performance You can get 20% off your own journal by using the code 'HUMANS' if you go here. And you can follow Luke's business page here.

    46 min
  2. Developing two-footed footballers: 'What we're currently doing is not working'

    Jul 1

    Developing two-footed footballers: 'What we're currently doing is not working'

    Join 7k+ athletes - Gaelic Games S&C, Performance and Coaching newsletter: ⁠⁠https://portal.humansofgaelic.com/newsletter Why are GAA players being dictated to by their dominant foot without even knowing it? Why does dominant-side kicking shape a team's entire tactical shape? And why is what we're currently doing to develop the non-dominant side simply not working? Dr. Karol Dillon has just completed his PhD on bilaterality in Gaelic football - five years of research - and he's back on the podcast to break it all down. After our first conversation, Karol has spent the last year visiting clubs and counties across Ireland sharing his findings. What he found surprised even him. In this episode, we cover: Why skill development in GAA needs to be treated like a lifestyle, not a drill at training What the research actually showed when Karol ran a three-month intervention - and why the result wasn't what he expected How dominant-foot kicking shapes team tactics across every division, male and female Why left-footed players are worth their weight in gold and are undervalued What David Clifford, Shane Walsh, Tomas Ó Sé and James O'Donoghue have in common that most coaches miss Why the games-based approach is what teenage players themselves say works best The role of parents in developing the non-dominant side - and why they matter more than the coach How S&C coaches can bring this into training How GAA's own 13-week coaching webinar only dedicates one week to skill - and what that tells us Why we're playing with half a pitch and what would change if this improved by 25% over 30 years You can follow Karol on X: https://x.com/KarolDillon8

    56 min
  3. What GPS gets wrong | The reality of coaching in pro sport | GAA life in Sydney

    May 20

    What GPS gets wrong | The reality of coaching in pro sport | GAA life in Sydney

    I’m joined by Jonny McGailey, a Louth native who has worked across elite rugby, GAA, basketball and high-performance sport in Australia, with the Sydney Kings in the NBL. I played under Jonny for a season at Clan na Gael Sydney in 2023, so it was great to catch-up with him. We discuss: • Coaching NBA-level talent and managing elite athletes • The realities of working in professional sport • What GAA can learn from elite Australian systems • GPS, load monitoring and the future of athlete tracking • The rise of ADI and why traditional GPS may miss key movements • Injury prevention, asymmetries and return-to-play monitoring • The differences between GAA, rugby, basketball and AFL environments • Building buy-in with athletes across different sports and cultures • The challenge of making a career as a professional S&C coach • The GAA scene in Sydney • Lessons from working with professional teams in Australia We also dive into Jonny’s incredible personal story of donating a kidney to a close friend, and how that experience changed his perspective on sport and life. A great listen for GAA players, coaches, S&C coaches and anyone interested in elite performance environments, sports science and the future of athlete monitoring. Join 6k+ athletes - Gaelic Games S&C, Performance and Coaching newsletter: ⁠https://portal.humansofgaelic.com/newsletter

    1h 4m
  4. Mental health in the GAA: Why players are struggling

    Apr 15

    Mental health in the GAA: Why players are struggling

    If you’re training hard, ticking every box in the gym and on the pitch, but still feeling flat, stressed, or close to burnout - it might not be physical. In this episode, I sit down with Aoibheann NicGhiolla Bhuí, who researched mental health in GAA players, to break down what’s really going on behind the scenes - and why so many players are struggling to keep up. We talk about: • Why GAA demands are becoming unsustainable for modern players • The concept of psychological flexibility and how it affects performance • Why over 50% of GAA players drop out between 16–24 • The hidden pressure of balancing college, work, and GAA • Why male inter-county players are 3x more likely to repeat a college year than their peers • The role of team culture, self-talk, and social media in performance We also dive into what players and coaches are getting wrong when it comes to mental preparation - and what actually helps. Whether you’re trying to improve performance, stay consistent, or just enjoy the game again, this episode will give you a different perspective on what might be holding you back. 📕 You can read Aoibheann's book here Stay Connected Subscribe to the Humans of Gaelic podcast wherever you're listening. ⭐ Leave a Review: If you found value in this episode, please give it a rating and review - it helps me get more top guests.📢 Share the Episode: Know someone who’d benefit from this? Share it to help spread the word! Follow Along 📍 Website: ⁠humansofgaelic.com⁠ 📸 Instagram: ⁠@humansofgaelic⁠ 📘 Facebook: ⁠Humans of Gaelic ⁠🎥 TikTok: ⁠@humansofgaelic

    38 min
  5. What inter-county S&C is really like, the art of man marking & Achilles rehab

    Mar 25

    What inter-county S&C is really like, the art of man marking & Achilles rehab

    My guest this week is former Offaly captain Declan Hogan, who is currently combining playing club football while also working as S&C coach with the Tullamore senior hurlers. ⁠📲 Follow Dec's coaching page on Instagram here We discuss: - What inter-county S&C looks like and the changes he witnessed in gym work over the last decade - The level of work (gym, skill and recovery) needed to turn himself into an inter-county footballer - Adapting to playing corner-back - The 'sick' level of video analysis he does before man marking key forwards - Tragic passing of Offaly manager Liam Kearns while Dec was captain, and how the squad navigated it - Advice for young players - Achilles injury, surgery and tips for rehabbing tendons - How county football shaped him as a person ➕ I've got some great guests coming up. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes. Stay Connected Subscribe to the Humans of Gaelic podcast wherever you're listening. ⭐ Leave a Review: If you found value in this episode, please give it a rating and review - it helps me get more top guests. 📢 Share the Episode: Know someone who’d benefit from this? Share it to help spread the word! Follow Along 📍 Website: humansofgaelic.com 📸 Instagram: @humansofgaelic 📘 Facebook: Humans of Gaelic 🎥 TikTok: @humansofgaelic

    1h 4m
  6. The hidden reason for ACL injuries in GAA & why females are far more at risk

    11/13/2025

    The hidden reason for ACL injuries in GAA & why females are far more at risk

    What factors contribute to the high prevalence of ACL injuries in the GAA and why are females more at risk? Why do hurlers recover better from ACL surgery than footballers? And how are GAA players outpacing the AFL in return-to-play rates? These are just some of the findings from the biggest ever ACL study in the GAA. One of its lead authors, rehab specialist, biomechanics PhD, and Kildare S&C coach Neil Welch, breaks it all down on this week’s episode of the Humans of Gaelic podcast. He also shares advice on what players and coaches are still getting wrong in ACL rehab. In this episode, we also cover:• The role of the inter-county S&C coach in the off-season• Hamstring injuries and the best exercises to help prevent them• How to structure ACL rehab for better outcomes• Warm-up design for injury prevention• The role of movement analysis in spotting risk early• Exercises every player should be doing to protect their ACL• ACL recovery rates in GAA vs pro sports• Why female players are more at risk of ACL injuries than males Whether you’re a coach, an athlete returning from injury, or just want to avoid common mistakes - this is essential listening. ************* Time stamps: ACL injury trends in GAA (3:45) Why most rehab skips cutting work (9:00) Is NordBord testing enough? (15:30) Key benchmarks before returning to play (22:15) Hamstring strain risks during deceleration (28:00) Why multi-directional mechanics matter (35:00) What AFL can teach GAA (42:00) How to assess movement quality (47:30) ************* ➕ We've got some great guests coming up. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes. Stay Connected Subscribe to the Humans of Gaelic podcast wherever you're listening. ⭐ Leave a Review: If you found value in this episode, please give it a rating and review - it helps us hugely!📢 Share the Episode: Know someone who’d benefit from this? Share it to help us spread the word! Follow Along 📍 Website: humansofgaelic.com📸 Instagram: @humansofgaelic📘 Facebook: Humans of Gaelic🎥 TikTok: @humansofgaelic

    45 min
  7. The truth about half-time team talks: from an expert with Brazil & GAA counties

    07/09/2025

    The truth about half-time team talks: from an expert with Brazil & GAA counties

    Is your half-time team talk doing more harm than good?  Armagh native and GAA coach Eamon Devlin is the specialist who changes the way world-class sports teams approach half-time. He worked with Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid and now Brazil, while he also consults for Argentina Rugby, several inter-county GAA teams, Premier League clubs and NBA sides to help them fix the most chaotic 15 minutes in sport. We talk about: The biggest mistakes GAA coaches make at half-timeWhat world class coaches like Carlo Ancelotti and Felipe Contepomi have in commonWhy emotional regulation is the coach’s first jobHow Real Madrid and the All-Blacks structure their team-talksWhat happens when you give out too many messages?Should the full management team go into the dressing room?Is letting your opponents wait on the pitch at HT beneficial?When should players flip the switch pre-game? Whether you're a coach or chasing an edge as a player, this episode will permanently change how you think about game day and half-time. ➕ We've got some great guests coming up. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss any episodes. **************************** 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 **************************** Subscribe to the Humans of Gaelic podcast wherever you're listening. Leave a Review: If you found value in this episode, please give it a rating and review. It helps us hugely Share the Episode: Know someone who'd enjoy this show? Share it and help us spread the word! **************************** 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 **************************** For more performance tips, insights, and the latest updates, visit: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠humansofgaelic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@humansofgaelic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Humans of Gaelic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@humansofgaelic⁠⁠⁠⁠

    54 min
  8. Sleep expert for GAA: The truth about Whoop, naps, blue light, caffeine & alcohol

    06/05/2025

    Sleep expert for GAA: The truth about Whoop, naps, blue light, caffeine & alcohol

    If you’re training hard but still feeling sluggish, flat, or injured — your sleep is probably the missing piece.In this episode, elite sleep coach Tom Coleman breaks down the science behind high performance recovery, and why most GAA players are undermining their progress every night. We talk about: The most common sleep disruptors for club players What evening games and late training sessions do to your nervous system Why caffeine timing matters more than you think The 5-minute bedtime routine to help you recover faster And how county players are now using sleep as a weapon Whether you're chasing fitness gains, better focus or just want to feel fresher for matches — this episode will give you a serious edge. ➕ We've got some great guests coming up. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss any episodes. **************************** 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 **************************** Subscribe to the Humans of Gaelic podcast wherever you're listening. Leave a Review: If you found value in this episode, please give it a rating and review. It helps us hugely Share the Episode: Know someone who'd enjoy this show? Share it and help us spread the word! **************************** 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 **************************** For more performance tips, insights, and the latest updates, visit: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠humansofgaelic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@humansofgaelic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Humans of Gaelic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@humansofgaelic⁠⁠⁠⁠

    50 min
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About

Conversations with experts, coaches and players, exploring elite performance in S&C and the GAA.

Information

  • Creator
    Kevin O'Brien
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kevin O'Brien
  • Show Website
    Humans of Gaelic

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