Armagh I Podcast

Jemar Hall talks football, family, racism and new ventures

It was a year like no other, but with 2020 behind us, we can only look forward to a bright tomorrow and for Armagh GAA that also holds true.
Jemar Hall is one of the Orchard County’s finest players. He is a breath of fresh air on and off the field, and also one of three county players who helped their club Forkhill to the Junior Championship title.
Jemar is a proud Forkhill native, but his athleticism comes in part from his American father Sherman, who was a basketball and NFL player, before taking up basketball and GAA coaching after moving here with his Armagh wife, who he met in the States.
Jemar is known for his speed, skill and bravery whether playing for club or county and while that in itself is more than enough, he is also a popular team member and is polite and charming company.
It’s hard to imagine that he would have to endure racism, but Jemar has experienced it at times throughout his playing career, and he is frank and honest in his assessment of why it exists and how it needs to stop.

Pat Jennings on growing up in Newry, pals with George Best and the 'worst day of my life in football'

He is hailed as one of the greatest goalkeepers the world has ever seen.
He has an incredible 119 caps for Northern Ireland, including featuring in two World Cups.
He has played over 1000 games in his footballing career - which ended on his 41 st birthday, in what couldn’t have been a more fitting manner – against the country that popularised the phrase ‘the Beautiful Game’ – Brazil - in the 1986 World Cup Finals in Mexico.
He won the FA Cup with his club Tottenham Hotspur, along with league titles and a UEFA Cup, before having similar success when he moved to rival London club Arsenal, after 13 years with Spurs.
Yet both sets of fans adored him.

Steven Beacom tells weird and wonderful stories of Ulster’s greatest sporting legends

Did you know we have an Olympic Bobsleigh gold medalist from Ulster? His name is Robin Dixon – first cousin of the infamous Lord Lucan who introduced him to the sport.
Did you know we have a blind multiple World Champion water-skier named Janet Gray, who has overcome the most challenging difficulties imaginable to excel at her sport?
We all know ‘Yer Maun,’ multiple World Champion Motorcyclist – King of the Roads - Joey Dunlop, who is, “more popular in Northern Ireland than an Ulster Fry.”
But did you know that he almost died, along with his brother Robert, when the fishing boat carrying some riders and their bikes sank on the way to an Isle of Man TT race?
These are just a few of the tales of our sporting heroes, in Steven Beacom’s book, ‘100 Ulster Sporting Legends.’
For this week’s The I on the Ball, proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy, we spoke to Steven about his new book and some of the wonderful and uplifting people, stories and anecdotes in its pages.

Carragher fighting fit for Tokyo Olympics and Armagh crowned All-Ireland champions

It may have been delayed for a year but plans for the Tokyo Olympics to take place in 2021 are full steam ahead and on board will be one of Irelands finest physiotherapists.
When it comes to keeping elite athletes in tip-top shape, Paul Carragher is the man you want in your corner. So feels the Olympic Federation of Ireland as he was selected as one of the physiotherapists for Team Ireland when they go for gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Newtownhamilton physiotherapist has worked with some of the best athletes on the island of Ireland from football, athletics, cycling, boxing, rugby, volleyball, gymnastics, and everything in-between.
Plus, it was also a joyful weekend for Armagh Camogie with a 0-19 to 3-7 victory over Cavan in the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Junior Championship Final in Kingspan Breffni Park on Saturday.
We caught up with sisters Ciara and Leanne Donnelly for their reaction after the game.

The need for speed as Adam Hylands chases the World Title

It’s a well-loved sport in Northern Ireland - particularly in places where the tracks are situated -, and one such home for Hot Rod racing is the Tullyroan Oval, where one of the best drivers in the country, Adam Hylands, honed his skills.
Oval racing has a rich history in Armagh, where the Portadown Oval had a big following before it was built over by Shamrock Park. The love of oval racing in the Armagh region was sown however, and it was reignited in the area when Tullyroan Oval was built in 2011.
For this episode of The I on the Ball, proudly sponsored by Blackhill Energy, we spoke to Adam about his hugely successful racing career.

Padraig Mallon swims through the oceans of the mind

“What water does for peoples mental health and physical health is second to none in my eyes,” says Padraig Mallon - and this is one adventurer who is well qualified to make a statement like that.
The Infinity Crew member and owner of the swimming pool in Bessbrook of the same name, has travelled the world in search of the coldest waters, highest heights and the most difficult endurance challenges known to man.

Annagh Utd in but Armagh City out of Irish Cup plus reaction from GAA championships

It’s been a weekend of huge highs and desperate lows on the GAA front and likewise on the football scene.
Last week the IFA decided that – given the fixture delays due to Covid-19 - the 2020/21 Irish Cup will only feature 32 teams – those being the 24 Premiership and Championship clubs, along with the 2019/20 Intermediate Cup semi-finalists and the next four teams in the league pyramid.
That decision sees current Premier Intermediate Champions Annagh United FC in – while they still await their first league match since promotion to the Championship – and Armagh City FC left out in the cold, along with almost 100 other unlucky clubs.
We also have the reaction from Kieran McGeeney to Armagh's loss while Sinead Reel speaks of her delight as Armagh book as semi-final spot against reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin.

How Armagh TV became a beacon of hope during trying times

You have to start somewhere, as the saying goes – and for Linwoods Armagh TV, that was back in 2011 at the Armagh County Final following on from a casual conversation a year earlier.
Paul Heaney had dabbled in the idea of live streaming games and vaguely agreed to try it out for Armagh County Board in passing in 2010...