Humans of Gaelic

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
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📍 Website: ⁠humansofgaelic.com⁠
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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

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.
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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)
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➕ 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

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-time
What world class coaches like Carlo Ancelotti and Felipe Contepomi have in common
Why emotional regulation is the coach’s first job
How Real Madrid and the All-Blacks structure their team-talks
What 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.
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𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝
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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

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