The Southern Star Sport Podcast

PAUL O'Donovan might have chosen to take some time off after winning his third Olympic – and second gold – medal in Paris during the summer. He would have been well within his rights to rest, recover and let everything sink in.Instead, he travelled to Canada just a couple of weeks later and won his seventh World Rowing title. He also started working as a doctor in the interim.His recent achievements, along with his European and national titles got us thinking, at Star Sport HQ, is Paul O'Donovan the greatest Irish sportsperson of all time?There are plenty of contenders to the title: Roy Keane, Katie Taylor, Henry Shefflin to name but a few.O'Donovan has dominated a sport like no other Irish person has, and has raised the profile of a sport in a way perhaps only Katie Taylor can match.We're obviously biased down here in West Cork, but spoke about why he just might be Ireland's greatest sportsperson of all time on this week's podcast.All this and more on this week's Star Sport Podcast. Watch above. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, by using the player below or by searching 'Southern Star Sport Podcast' wherever you get yours.Follow our hosts on Twitter: @dyldonot & @KieranMcC_SSProduced by Dylan Mangan.Paul O'Donovan's medal haul – the highlightsOlympicsGold medal (Lightweight double sculls, Tokyo 2020)Gold Medal (Lightweight double sculls, Paris 2024)Silver medal (Lightweight double sculls, Rio de Janeiro 2016)World RowingO'Donovan has seven World titles, four in the double (2018, ’19, ’22 and ’23) and now three in the single (2016, ’17 and ’24).Olympic rowers' homecomingPaul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy will be joined by thousands of fans, who are expected to descend on Skibbereen this Sunday afternoon for the homecoming thatwill celebrate the incredible exploits of Skibbereen Rowing Club’s Olympians at the Paris Games.For the second Olympics in a row, four Skibb rowers – Paul O’Donovan, Fintan McCarthy, Emily Hegarty and Aoife Casey – flew the West Cork flag on the world stage, and again they wowed.Olympic champs Paul and Fintan won back-to-back gold medals with their victory in the lightweight men’s double in Paris, Aoife finished fifth in the lightweight women’s double sculls and Tokyo bronze medallist Emily was part of the Irish women’s four that won the B final.Since then, Paul has added a seventh World title to his collection with his latest success at the World Rowing Championships last weekend adding another reason to celebrate this Sunday.

CELEBRATIONS raged across Cork last week as the All-Ireland winning senior camogie team returned from Dublin with a second O'Duffy Cup in as many years.The Rebels’ reign is well underway. That’s now back-to-back All-Ireland senior camogie titles. With Cork also winning the All-Ireland intermediate crown, the first leg of the double, at Croke Park last week.Courcey Rovers stars Fiona Keating and Saoirse McCarthy played important roles in this year's triumph, and join the podcast this week to chat about the win, camogie in West Cork and the difference in feeling between the first and second titles.Elsewhere, we look at a busy weekend of club championship action, with defending premier senior champions Castlehaven in good form, while Carbery Rangers fought back from six points down to salvage a draw against rivals Clonakilty.All this and more on this week's Star Sport Podcast. Watch above. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, by using the player below or by searching 'Southern Star Sport Podcast' wherever you get yours.Follow our hosts on Twitter: @dyldonot & @seanholland_15Produced by Dylan Mangan.***The Star Sport Podcast is brought to you in association with Access Credit Union.Access Credit Union - Where your bank really does matter. Choose the Credit Union, Choose Local, Choose Community.For more visit www.accesscu.ie

PHIL Healy is the special guest on a special episode of the Star Sport Podcast, as The Ballineen Bullet joins Kieran McCarthy to reflect on a whirlwind couple of weeks at the Paris Olympics.Phil was welcomed home to the twin villages of Ballineen and Enniskeane in style last week, as she was paraded through the streets in a vintage Rolls Royce!She looks back on an incredible performance at Paris 2024, where the Irish women's 4x400m relay team came fourth in the final, just missing out on a medal place.We chat about the Paris experience, getting a hero's welcome at home and how the whole experience has lit a fire in Phil ahead of a busy 2025.All this and more on this week's Star Sport Podcast. Watch above. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, by using the player below or by searching 'Southern Star Sport Podcast' wherever you get yours.Follow our hosts on Twitter: @dyldonot & @KieranMcC_SSProduced by Dylan Mangan.

PHIL Healy ran an incredible race last Saturday night, clocking a time of 50.94 in the women's 4x400m relay final to help get Ireland to within eighteen hundredths of an historic bronze medal.It was an emotional race for Phil and her teammates, who were in tears afterwards, wondering what could have been.Now that the dust has settled, we can look back at what was one of the most memorable races involving Irish athletes ever – one that will live on long in the memories of those watching at home.We chat about the magnitude of Phil's achievements in Paris, the incredible performances from West Cork athletes across the board and reflect on a really fun couple of weeks.It's not over though, as there will be a homecoming for Phil in Ballineen and Enniskeane this Thursday night and we also have the rowers' homecoming to look forward to on September 1st!Elsewhere, Cork retained the All-Ireland senior camogie championship with a narrow victory over Galway, coming out on top by 1-16 to 16 points. Ger Manley's side had plenty of West Cork links and we look at their achievements in a season where they felt like they had a target on their back.Club football is also back! We reflect on the first round of opening games before looking ahead to some big clashes across the divisions this weekend.All this and more on this week's Star Sport Podcast. Watch above. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, by using the player below or by searching 'Southern Star Sport Podcast' wherever you get yours.Follow our hosts on Twitter: @dyldonot & @KieranMcC_SSProduced by Dylan Mangan.***The Star Sport Podcast is brought to you in association with Access Credit Union.Access Credit Union - Where your bank really does matter. Choose the Credit Union, Choose Local, Choose Community.For more visit www.accesscu.ie

PHIL Healy is a two-time Olympic finalist!The Ballineen Bullet along with Sophie Becker, Kelly McGrory, and Sharlene Mawdsley qualified in third position in heat two of the 4x400m women's relay to qualify automatically for the final. The Irish quartet ran a fantastic race, just finishing marginally behind Jamacia and the Netherlands with a time of 3:25.05.Becker led the team off with a 50.9, with Healy keeping Ireland in front from lane eight with a 51.9. McGrory ran a 52.6 to keep Ireland in touch, and Mawdsley ran a blistering 49.6 split to send Ireland into the final.The final will take place on Saturday at 8.14pm.Star sports editor Kieran McCarthy and digital manager Dylan Mangan react to a brilliant performance.

WE have a very special treat for Southern Star fans as we caught up with two-time Olympic gold medallist Fintan McCarthy to chat about his experiences at the Paris Games.One-half of the dominant Irish lightweight men’s double alongside Paul O’Donovan, Fintan reflects on the A final, the build-up, sharing the moment with his family and friends, and the celebrations in Paris.

They only went and did it! Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy are Olympic champions once again following victory in the men's lightweight double sculls final this morning.It's a massive achievement for the Skibbereen pair, who will go down in the history books as some of Ireland's greatest-ever athletes.Paul O'Donovan is now the only Irish person to medal at three separate Games – Silver in Rio, Gold in Tokyo and Gold again in Paris. History.Fintan McCarthy becomes only the fifth Irish athlete to medal at two separate games.On this episode of the Star Sport Podcast, Sports editor Kieran McCarthy and digital manager Dylan Mangan react to an amazing day for Skibbereen, West Cork, Ireland and beyond!All this and more on this week's Star Sport Podcast. Watch above. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, by using the player below or by searching 'Southern Star Sport Podcast' wherever you get yours.Follow our hosts on Twitter: @dyldonot & @KieranMcC_SSProduced by Dylan Mangan.***The Star Sport Podcast is brought to you in association with Access Credit Union.Access Credit Union - Where your bank really does matter. Choose the Credit Union, Choose Local, Choose Community.For more visit www.accesscu.ie  

SKIBBEREEN will have three rowers competing in Olympic finals on Friday morning after Paul O'Donovan, Fintan McCarthy and Aoife Casey – with Rochestown's Mags Cremen – all qualified after impressive performances in their semi-finals.On today's podcast we look back on an exciting morning for West Cork, Cork and Ireland as Star Sports editor Kieran McCarthy reports from outside Skibbereen Rowing Club on the River Ilen, where it all began.O'Donovan and McCarthy qualified in style, winning their semi-final ahead of second seeds Switzerland, and will be gunning for gold at 11.02am on Friday.Casey and Cremen are also in contention now for a medal, with bronze a real possibility.Exciting times in West Cork!All this and more on this week's Star Sport Podcast. Watch above. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, by using the player below or by searching 'Southern Star Sport Podcast' wherever you get yours.Follow our hosts on Twitter: @dyldonot & @KieranMcC_SSProduced by Dylan Mangan.***The Star Sport Podcast is brought to you in association with Access Credit Union.Access Credit Union - Where your bank really does matter. Choose the Credit Union, Choose Local, Choose Community.For more visit www.accesscu.ie

SKIBBEREEN rowers are heading into one of the biggest weeks of their sporting career, as competition at the Olympics hots up.All four rowers from West Cork were out in action on Sunday, with Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy dominating their heat to qualify straight into the men's lightweight double sculls semi-final on Wednesday morning.We chat about their performance and confident demeanour as the pair look like they are in a great spot for the rest of the week.The path to the final is not as straight-forward for Emily Hegarty and the Irish women's four who finished third in their heat, which means they need a repechage race to make a semi-final. Their repechage takes place on Tuesday morning at 10.30am.Aoife Casey, alongside Rochestown woman Mags Cremen also finished third in their heat on Sunday, but were back out again early on Monday morning to win their repechage and set up a semi-final on Wednesday morning.All this and more on this week's Star Sport Podcast. Watch above. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, by using the player below or by searching 'Southern Star Sport Podcast' wherever you get yours.Follow our hosts on Twitter: @dyldonot & @KieranMcC_SSProduced by Dylan Mangan.***The Star Sport Podcast is brought to you in association with Access Credit Union.Access Credit Union - Where your bank really does matter. Choose the Credit Union, Choose Local, Choose Community.For more visit www.accesscu.ie