The Coaching Field

Mairéad McParland is the Director of the Canal Court Hotel and Spa and the manager of the Carrickdale Hotel and Spa in Armagh. A huge GAA fan, she has spent much of her life in the backroom and county board for Armagh Ladies GAA.Mairéad originally trained and worked as an accountant, but is now working in her family business in hospitality. In our conversation we discussed the importance of financial support for female teams, and the impact sport has across communities, both in the North and South of Ireland.We also chatted about the need to support local club teams, and how they are the lifeblood of our county panels. This is a conversation for all GAA fans to listen to!Produced by @cutdownstudios

Orna Murray is a ball of energy driving sports participation forward with a particular interest in female health. A two-time Irish national squash champion and European Cross Country runner, she pairs elite sports experience with academic rigor, holding a degree in Applied Psychology (UCC) and a masters in Health Psychology (NUIG). Her dedication to using evidenced-based information to inform practice has positioned her as a leading voice in women’s sports participation. Through Move2B,a social enterprise she runs with her sister Niamh, she is using her expertise to challenge outdated narratives and ensure that sport is more inclusive, accessible and empowering for girls and women.In our conversation Orna shares her personal story and why she felt she had to set up Move2B.Produced by @cutdownstudios

Anna Caplice is a former Irish international rugby player from Mallow in Cork. Following starting playing rugby at 17, Anna quickly joined Munster underage teams and progressed in her career to play for Richmond, Harlequins and La Rochelle clubs.Anna’s studies also led her to experience rugby in Spain and Argentina, and following her retirement she now works as a rugby coach, commentator and presenter. Anna shares the reality of being a top-level female rugby player, including the challenges of having little or no financial support.  She also discusses the opportunities and her aspirations for women’s rugby in the future.Produced by @cutdownstudios

Imogen Cotter is a former pro cyclist who won the Irish National Road Race Championship in 2021. An accomplished athlete, Imogen had previously won medals at All-Ireland cross country events as a teenager, before switching to track cycling.Following her national title win, she signed a professional contract with Plantur-Pura team in 2021 and moved to Girona.Before she had the chance to race for the team, Imogen suffered serious injuries following being hit by a car while out training. She got back to professional racing, but in 2024 she announced her retirement.Since then, Imogen has pivoted her career towards sports journalism and presenting, and she has built up her social media presence to almost 130,000 followers. Our conversation covers everything from grit and resilience to knowing when to quit.This podcast is sponsored by Ideal Bathrooms and Tiles @idealbathroomsireProduced by @cutdownstudios and @fractionleadership

Christina Foley is a Chartered Physiotherapist with her own practice in Kenmare, and she is also the owner of Inish Living. Inish Living is a B Corp Certified luxury lifestyle and wellbeing brand nurturing wellness through Movement, Rest and Play.Christina grew up working in the hospitality industry with her mother, restaurateur Maura O’Connell Foley.While co-producing My Wild Atlantic Kitchen, her mother’s cookbook which launched in April 2020 during Covid, Christina felt the urge to start something creative blending her health and wellness expertise with her love of functional design and materials.Christina also has a background in a variety of sports including gaelic football, rugby and competitive skiing.This podcast is sponsored by Ideal Bathrooms and Tiles @idealbathroomsireProduced by @cutdownstudios and @fractionleadership

Sam Beveridge is the Women’s Team Manager for England and Great Britain Hockey, where she also works as a Coach Developer, playing a vital role in cultivating the next generation of elite coaches and athletes. With 17 years of teaching experience, she currently leads the management of the England and Great Britain Women’s Teams in Olympic and world-level competitions, offering invaluable insights into high-performance settings.Her coaching emphasises the development of intelligent, adaptable players while promoting a culture of continuous improvement both on and off the pitch. In our conversation we discussed Sam’s background in gymnastics and hockey. We also spoke about how to develop high performance teams, the value of everyone understanding their role in the team, and the impact of providing feedback when developing players and coaches. In our conversation, Sam referenced two books; Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed Start with Why by Simon SinekThis podcast is sponsored by Ideal Bathrooms and Tiles @idealbathroomsireProduced by @cutdownstudios and @fractionleadership

Louise Nealon is a writer from Co. Kildare. She studied English literature in Trinity College Dublin, and then completed a Masters in Creative Writing at Queen’s University Belfast.Her first book , ‘Snowflake’ was published in 2021, and went straight to number one on the bestsellers list where it stayed for a number of weeks. It received many awards including Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year at The An Post Irish Book Awards 2021, and the One Dublin One Book choice for 2024.Louise’s second book ‘ Everything that is beautiful’ has just been released and is high in the Irish fiction charts.Louise is a former camogie player with Cappagh camogie club, and intertwines her love of the sport and the GAA community in her writing.This podcast is sponsored by Ideal Bathrooms and Tiles @idealbathroomsireProduced by @cutdownstudios and @fractionleadership

Niamh McGowan is the founder of McGowan Physio and she is one of a handful of specialist scoliosis physiotherapists in Ireland.Niamh captained Down to a memorable win over Fermanagh in 2014, and we discuss what it took to get there and how her sporting experiences have shaped her, and her business. We also discuss inequality within sport, and the unique challenges faced by female sports players, which often hinders their ability to compete at the highest level or reach their full potential.This podcast is sponsored by Ideal Bathrooms and Tiles @idealbathroomsireProduced by @cutdownstudios and @fractionleadership