Tom O’Riordan was a footballer from Ardfert who dreamed of playing for Kerry. Inspired by Ronnie Delaney’s gold in 1956 he switched to running and became an Olympian in 1964 in Tokyo while also starting a journalism career that would see him become a revered GAA writer. His son, fellow athlete and sports journalist in the Irish Times, Ian O’Riordan relives his dad’s epic career and also salutes the current great Gaelic games and Olympic link in European champion and camogie all-star Ciara Magean.

Ciara Magean’s camogie career was credited for helping her land the 2024 European gold medal at 1500m. Can she be the latest member of the Gaelic games family to add Olympic medals to her glittering career?

Tom O’Riordan dreamed of being a Kerry footballer and became a US scholarship student and an Irish Olympian in Tokyo 1964. He also started his journalism career while he was competing, often writing reports on races he was in and won before later being a celebrated GAA journalist and athletics correspondent in the Irish Independent.

Lords of the Rings: The GAA’s Olympics Story is a podcast available today from gaa.ie, Spotify and usual platforms, produced by Andrew Foley and GAA Digital Manager Niamh Boyle.

The views, opinions, and historical interpretations presented in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the GAA or any other organisation mentioned.

Cultural historian and author Dr Siobhán Doyle joins the team to talk about the Tailteann Games, the ambition of blue shirt Eoin O’Duffy in trying to land the 1940 Olympics to Dublin, the role of women in Olympic sport and we continue to chart fascinating links between GAA players who became Olympians, celebrating Ireland’s double Olympic champion Dr Pat O’Callaghan.

In the space of an incredible hour in 1932 in LA. Pat O’Callaghan and Bob Tisdall won Olympic gold medals for Ireland. While Pat was courted by Hollywood movie producers after, it would inspire Blue shirt Eoin O’Duffy to try and land the Olympic Games to Dublin in 1940.

A gold medal winning hurdler with little previous experience, a two-time Irish Olympic champion offered leading man roles in Hollywood, a two-time All-Ireland winner and Olympic basketballer and a Munster final hurler who ran an Olympic marathon. It’s all part of the Wonder Years in Lords of the Rings the GAA’s Olympic story.

Lords of the Rings: The GAA’s Olympics Story is a podcast available today from gaa.ie, Spotify and usual platforms, produced by Andrew Foley and GAA Digital Manager Niamh Boyle.

The views, opinions, and historical interpretations presented in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the GAA or any other organisation mentioned.

Episode 3: Commemorating the first ever official Team Ireland at the Olympics 100 years ago and its significant GAA links, most notably in Larry Stanley who won football All-Irelands with Kildare and Dublin and won the High Jump event to mark the official opening of Wembley Stadium. Seán Lavin was a brilliant handballer and footballer from Mayo who in 1923 performed the solo run for the first time ever in a match at Croke Park and was a sprinter in 1924 and 1928. Behind it all was the remarkable JJ Keane from Limerick, a football All-Ireland winner and a remarkable administrator who secured a place for Ireland in the Olympic Games. Historian Tom Hunt joins Mick Foley and Cian Murphy to salute these icons.

Lords of the Rings: The GAA’s Olympics Story is a podcast available today from gaa.ie, Spotify and usual platforms, produced by Andrew Foley and GAA Digital Manager Niamh Boyle.

The views, opinions, and historical interpretations presented in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the GAA or any other organisation mentioned.

Episode 2: In 1904 Tom Kiely travelled to St Louis to compete in those games and in winning the equivalent of the decathlon in one day of competition cemented his status as the world’s greatest athlete. An international superstar, he was courted by British and American authorities to compete under their flag but resisted all calls, insisting he was representing Tipperary and Ireland. A Tipperary footballer, he was also their GAA Central Council delegate. Historian Kevin McCarthy joins Mick Foley and Cian Murphy to celebrate one of Ireland’s greatest ever sportsmen in any era.

Lords of the Rings: The GAA’s Olympics Story is a podcast available today from gaa.ie, Spotify and usual platforms, produced by Andrew Foley and GAA Digital Manager Niamh Boyle.

The views, opinions, and historical interpretations presented in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the GAA or any other organisation mentioned.

Episode 1: Just what is the GAA’s Olympic link? Well, the clue is in the name! The Gaelic Athletic Association organised athletics for much of the country from 1884 until 1922 producing no shortage of world class athletes in this period, and athletes who competed on the Olympic stage under the flag of adopted nations or were classed as British until the Irish Free State. Historian Kevin McCarthy joins Mick Foley and Cian Murphy to recall these forgotten heroes.

Lords of the Rings: The GAA’s Olympics Story is a podcast available today from gaa.ie, Spotify and usual platforms, produced by Andrew Foley and GAA Digital Manager Niamh Boyle.

The views, opinions, and historical interpretations presented in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the GAA or any other organisation mentioned.