Fair Game - the women's sports podcast

Joining us in the Fair Game hot seat this evening is a woman who has represented Ireland in both football and cricket. She became the first woman in 38 years to stand as an umpire in a men’s Grade cricket match in South Australia. She is also the 8th woman to be appointed to the International Cricket Council’s development panel of umpires and most recently was one of six players to earn a central contract from Cricket Ireland. A very FUN FACT about this legend of Irish Sport is that every club she’s played for at senior level in Ireland has won the All Ireland. UCD, St Francis, St Catherines, Raheny United, Shelbourne. So obviously we are very excited for this guest to spill her secrets! 

South African Middle Distance Runner, Caster Semenya is a world record holder and Olympic gold medalist, she competes at distances from 800meters to 5000meters. She stormed to victory in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games to take gold in the 800meters. Semenya comes from a rural village in South Africa, she’s black African woman, she was born, raised and now identifies as a woman, and she is openly gay. But back in 2008, after she set her personal best of 1:55:45 in the 800meters at the Worlds, it’s reported that Semenya underwent a Gender Verification Procedure. And that is where the story starts. Caster’s performance in this these events were so dominant that the rumours started that she must be a man competing in the women’s field. The IAAF want to protect women’s sport and ensure fairness for female athletes, and have been called on to do so by athletes like Paula Radcliffe, Martina Navratalova and Lindsay Sharpe. One of Caster’s competitors, American athlete Shannon Rowberry said “I think it challenges and threatens the integrity of womens sports to have intersex athletes competing against genetically genetic women. Women have fought for far too long to even have the right to compete and now it is being challenged by intersex and trans athletes and I don’t think that’s right.” And so to try and formally decide what are the criteria for competing in the mens’ and womens’ categories, the Athletics Governing Body have are ultimately trying to define what a female athlete is, what the criteria is, what are the ways that we measure and decide upon the Question: What is Woman and what is Other?  

It's GAME DAY. You're hyped up, you've done the training and gone through all your preparations this morning. Breakfast eaten, coffee drank and kit on - jersey and white shorts. And then suddenly -  TERROR strikes. Well, not terror - but your period. But it’s ok, you can deal with this. It’s not the first time you’ll be performing in white shorts during your period, but then the cramps come. What painkillers can you take that are admissible? Ideally, you’d sleep off this wave of fatigue but that’s not an option today. But the other side-effects are the ones you’re really worried about: changes in body temperature, being faster to fatigue and maybe even a loss of coordination. Then there’s the urine drug testing afterward, the thoughts of which are just making you CRIIIINGE. That’s exactly what happened to British Tennis Ace & British Number One Heather Watson and when she spoke out about how her period affected her poor performance in the Australian Open in 2015. Heather Watson was one of the first and is still one of the few sports stars to talk about this Last Taboo - but we’re joined with two women who are serious about breaking doing the stigma around menstrual health for female athletes.. 

We’ve all seen those motivational mantras - 'it’s mind over matter! keep your head in the game'… but what happens when it’s not that easy? When your mind isn’t playing ball. Well, our guest in the Fair Game hotseat today is going to tell us how they help Ireland’s most successful athletes navigate that very dilemma.  Miriam Hussey is an integrated wellness coach who specialises in performance psychology - but Miriam knows that success isn’t based on any one thing - cognitive, nutritional, physical and mental health are all important when you’re trying to BE THE BEST. 

Joining us in the Fair Game hotseat is a woman who won her first Senior World Title at the ripe old age of 16. She is a multi-sport athlete who has accumulated quite the collection of World and European accolades representing Ireland in both Kickboxing and Karate. She is fightin’ fit to represent Ireland in Toyko 2020, and we are very excited to chat about the story so far and what the future has in store for Caradh O’Donovan. Links:  https://ie.gofundme.com/caradhs-olympic-dream 

Joining us in the FAIRGAME hotseats today are two badass women who know the importance of fuelling for success… First up, we have Kate McDaid, the nutritionist behind NutriKate, a professional nutrition consultancy. Kate is a competitive basketballer and with an MSc in Sports and Excersise Nutrition, she’s worked with sports stars including most recently the Dublin Ladies Football team. We are spoilt for choice in FAIRGAME HQ today as also joining us in studio is foodblogger Sinead Delahunty who recently brought out one of our FAVE cookbooks, called “DELALICIOUS”. Sinead is a familiar face, having played for Tipperary Ladies Football team until 2016 but she’s more likely to be found winning Dublin and Leinster titles with her club, FoxCab. And remember - use FGPOD15 to get 15% off all your orders on http://reviveactive.com

Joining us in the FAIRGAME hotseats today are two badass women who know the importance of fuelling for success… First up, we have Kate McDaid, the nutritionist behind NutriKate, a professional nutrition consultancy. Kate is a competitive basketballer and with an MSc in Sports and Excersise Nutrition, she’s worked with sports stars including most recently the Dublin Ladies Football team. We are spoilt for choice in FAIRGAME HQ today as also joining us in studio is foodblogger Sinead Delahunty who recently brought out one of our FAVE cookbooks, called “DELALICIOUS”. Sinead is a familiar face, having played for Tipperary Ladies Football team until 2016 but she’s more likely to be found winning Dublin and Leinster titles with her club, FoxCab. And remember - use FGPOD15 to get 15% off all your orders on http://reviveactive.com

Joining us in the FAIRGAME hotseat is a woman who you’ll know as one of the Cork Ladies Football panels most ferocious forwards. At just 22 years old is into her SIXTH year on the Cork Panel and has also picked up some serious silverwear playing for her college, UL. This rising star of the Cork team has had quite the journey in her short career to date, having played in no less than FIVE senior ladies all ireland finals in Croker - we are delighted to welcome Cork’s own Eimear Scally to the FAIR GAME hot-seat!

Joining us in the FAIRGAME hotseat is a woman who you’ll know as one of the Cork Ladies Football panels most ferocious forwards. At just 22 years old is into her SIXTH year on the Cork Panel and has also picked up some serious silverwear playing for her college, UL. This rising star of the Cork team has had quite the journey in her short career to date, having played in no less than FIVE senior ladies all ireland finals in Croker - we are delighted to welcome Cork’s own Eimear Scally to the FAIR GAME hot-seat!

It’s just over three years since FAIRGAME first hit the airwaves and today, we have a very special episode planned. We started this podcast because we were TIRED of complaining about how hard it was to be a fan of female athletes and women’s sports in Ireland and we thought we could change something, DO something positive rather than just give out about it.. A LOT has changed in the three years since the first episode of FAIRGAME in 2016 - like some serious sponsorship of women’s teams, Irish Women’s sporting events setting attendance records and hosting the highest attended women’s sporting event of 2017, not to mention some major moves by media to showcase the wonderful work of women. There’s been a lot done, but there’s more to do. So today, we wanna know - what is the state of play in women’s sport?  Joining us to to set the scene are two GAMECHANGERS. The brains and the brawn behind the 2020 campaign, they’ve set us all the target of changing Ireland’s cultural perception of women’s sport by 2020 and they’re doing this by making sure there is a 20% increase in media coverage of women in sport, in women’s participation at all levels and a 20% increase in the attendance of women in sport events. Sarah Colgan from the branding agency Along Came a Spider and Mary O’Connor from the Federation of Irish Sport - you’re both very welcome to FAIRGAME!

It’s just over three years since FAIRGAME first hit the airwaves and today, we have a very special episode planned. We started this podcast because we were TIRED of complaining about how hard it was to be a fan of female athletes and women’s sports in Ireland and we thought we could change something, DO something positive rather than just give out about it.. A LOT has changed in the three years since the first episode of FAIRGAME in 2016 - like some serious sponsorship of women’s teams, Irish Women’s sporting events setting attendance records and hosting the highest attended women’s sporting event of 2017, not to mention some major moves by media to showcase the wonderful work of women. There’s been a lot done, but there’s more to do. So today, we wanna know - what is the state of play in women’s sport?  Joining us to to set the scene are two GAMECHANGERS. The brains and the brawn behind the 2020 campaign, they’ve set us all the target of changing Ireland’s cultural perception of women’s sport by 2020 and they’re doing this by making sure there is a 20% increase in media coverage of women in sport, in women’s participation at all levels and a 20% increase in the attendance of women in sport events. Sarah Colgan from the branding agency Along Came a Spider and Mary O’Connor from the Federation of Irish Sport - you’re both very welcome to FAIRGAME!

Joining us in the FAIRGAME hotseat is a woman who’s been a regular on the international stage since she was just 13 years old - three Olympic tournaments later and she is a fully fledged Olympian with the Bronze Medal to prove it. She’s a World Champion who couldn’t take a bath during the European Championship in Dublin last year but she was breaking records and she came away with a GOLD MEDAL for her performance in the 100m breaststroke, and a bronze in the women's 200m individual medley. This woman has got some serious stories to share, and we are dee-lighted to welcome Ireland’s own Ellen Keane to the FAIR GAME hot-seat!

Joining us in the FAIRGAME hotseat is a woman who’s been a regular on the international stage since she was just 13 years old - three Olympic tournaments later and she is a fully fledged Olympian with the Bronze Medal to prove it. She’s a World Champion who couldn’t take a bath during the European Championship in Dublin last year but she was breaking records and she came away with a GOLD MEDAL for her performance in the 100m breaststroke, and a bronze in the women's 200m individual medley. This woman has got some serious stories to share, and we are dee-lighted to welcome Ireland’s own Ellen Keane to the FAIR GAME hot-seat!

The girls in green will line out in Donnybrook stadium, Friday 1st Feb - for the opening game of Irish Rugby Women’s 2019 6 Nations Campaign. It’s been a busy two years for the women of Irish Rugby since they hosted the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017. They've been busy with the introduction of some seriously talented new players and a fresh faced new captain to invigorate the squad. At the same time, some huge figures in the world of Irish Rugby retired after the World Cup and questions arouse about the priorities of the governing body. So as the 2019 Women’s 6 Nations series kicks off, we wanna know - what is the state of play in Irish Rugby?  Here in the Front Row to help us tackle that question and give us some insights into the upcoming campaign are two TITANS of the sport; Fiona Coghlan and Ailis Mardon-Egan.

The girls in green will line out in Donnybrook stadium, Friday 1st Feb - for the opening game of Irish Rugby Women’s 2019 6 Nations Campaign. It’s been a busy two years for the women of Irish Rugby since they hosted the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017. They've been busy with the introduction of some seriously talented new players and a fresh faced new captain to invigorate the squad. At the same time, some huge figures in the world of Irish Rugby retired after the World Cup and questions arouse about the priorities of the governing body. So as the 2019 Women’s 6 Nations series kicks off, we wanna know - what is the state of play in Irish Rugby?  Here in the Front Row to help us tackle that question and give us some insights into the upcoming campaign are two TITANS of the sport; Fiona Coghlan and Ailis Mardon-Egan.

In this episode of Fair Game, we tackle Endurance Sport. You know the feeling of doing something for the first time - you signed up for a daunting 10k or half marathon and trained for something you thought was beyond your limits. And then when you achieve that goal, your limits move further and further away. Well, our two guests today are here to talk about endurance for a journey that is without limits - always further, always longer, on foot and in water, we’re talking about ultra-marathons and that fabled distance, Iron Man. In the first Fair Game hot seat we’re joined by an Olympian, who competed in the 2012 London Marathon. She is a regular top finisher in marathons including the 2017 Dublin SSE Airtricity Marathon, when she was second Irish woman over the line with a time of 2:36. Catriona Jennings is the current Irish record holder in the 50k ultra-marathon distance – winning the Donadea ultra-marathon with a time of 3:24 and has represented her country in endurance sport with the Irish Ultra Marathon team (GOALZ). Caitriona, you’re very welcome to Fair Game. Also joining us is a woman for whom mastery in one sport is simply not enough – oh no, excelling in her craft she has excelled in swimming the 2.4mile distance, the 112 mile cycle and THEN running a full marathon distance – Aileen Flynn is an IRON MAN. A two time Iron Man World Championship Finisher which take place every year on the Hawaiian Island of Kona – she was the only woman flying the flag for Ireland 2017. Aileen, welcome to Fair Game

In this episode of Fair Game, we tackle Endurance Sport. You know the feeling of doing something for the first time - you signed up for a daunting 10k or half marathon and trained for something you thought was beyond your limits. And then when you achieve that goal, your limits move further and further away. Well, our two guests today are here to talk about endurance for a journey that is without limits - always further, always longer, on foot and in water, we’re talking about ultra-marathons and that fabled distance, Iron Man. In the first Fair Game hot seat we’re joined by an Olympian, who competed in the 2012 London Marathon. She is a regular top finisher in marathons including the 2017 Dublin SSE Airtricity Marathon, when she was second Irish woman over the line with a time of 2:36. Catriona Jennings is the current Irish record holder in the 50k ultra-marathon distance – winning the Donadea ultra-marathon with a time of 3:24 and has represented her country in endurance sport with the Irish Ultra Marathon team (GOALZ). Caitriona, you’re very welcome to Fair Game. Also joining us is a woman for whom mastery in one sport is simply not enough – oh no, excelling in her craft she has excelled in swimming the 2.4mile distance, the 112 mile cycle and THEN running a full marathon distance – Aileen Flynn is an IRON MAN. A two time Iron Man World Championship Finisher which take place every year on the Hawaiian Island of Kona – she was the only woman flying the flag for Ireland 2017. Aileen, welcome to Fair Game

It’s PRIDE. Cities across the world are draping themselves in the rainbow flag and LGBT+ communities are taking to the streets in celebration and protest, in acts of affirmation and demonstrations of the communities visibility. We’re joined by two sporting powerhouses to talk about PRIDE in SPORT… Firstly, the stick wielding wonder-woman, Captain of the Pink Ladies, Dublin’s answer to Beth Porter; Rachel Barry. And in the other FAIRGAME hotseat is a woman whom we could introduce as a vital member of the Dublin Ladies Football panel who won an All Ireland in 2010 and scored two goals in the 2014 Final, the ex-captain of the Irish Women’s Basketball Team, who first donned the green jersey as a nipper when she played for the U-18’s Irish Women’s Football team. HOWEVER, she made the switch to the oval ball at the ripe old age of 35 when she joined the Irish Rugby XV’s squad as a FIERCE member of the front row, playing in two Six Nations campaigns and making her mark in the 2017 Women’s World Cup and winning 2017 Women’s Player of the Year; the one'n'only Lindsay Peat.

It’s PRIDE. Cities across the world are draping themselves in the rainbow flag and LGBT+ communities are taking to the streets in celebration and protest, in acts of affirmation and demonstrations of the communities visibility. We’re joined by two sporting powerhouses to talk about PRIDE in SPORT… Firstly, the stick wielding wonder-woman, Captain of the Pink Ladies, Dublin’s answer to Beth Porter; Rachel Barry. And in the other FAIRGAME hotseat is a woman whom we could introduce as a vital member of the Dublin Ladies Football panel who won an All Ireland in 2010 and scored two goals in the 2014 Final, the ex-captain of the Irish Women’s Basketball Team, who first donned the green jersey as a nipper when she played for the U-18’s Irish Women’s Football team. HOWEVER, she made the switch to the oval ball at the ripe old age of 35 when she joined the Irish Rugby XV’s squad as a FIERCE member of the front row, playing in two Six Nations campaigns and making her mark in the 2017 Women’s World Cup and winning 2017 Women’s Player of the Year; the one'n'only Lindsay Peat.

On this episode, we’re bringing you something brand new... FAIR GAME RECOMMENDS is a round-up of our top picks from all the #WomenInSport content, TV programmes, podcasts, initiatives & events that we've been reading, watching, listening to, following & attending. There's something for everyone... This episode features the London Marathon; Lidl LGFA NFL action; Barkley superwomen; AFLW's mighty roar; cheerleading; sexism in sports media; super summer camps for girls; Lindsey Vonn's sister; LGBT sports clubs and the opportunity to run with a certain Sonia... like we said - something for EVERYONE!