Irish Baseball Podcast

Eamon Fitzgerald of the New York GAA | Episode 86

In this episode, Rick Becker talks with Eamon Fitzgerald. Eamon is the Head of Games for New York GAA.

The Pogues and Shane MacGowan | Episode 85

Rick talks with Steven Jenkins of the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, OK, about the The Pogues and Shane MacGowan.  MacGowan is the subject of the exhibition, "They Gave the Walls A Talking."

MLB Network's Brian Kenny with Shaun Clancy | Episode 84

MLB Network's Brian Kenny talks with Shaun Clancy about baseball, Ireland, and growing up Irish.

Ailísh Conneely (Part 2) | Episode 83

Ailísh Conneely joins Rick to discuss her work at the Aisling Irish Community Center and the importance of passing on the Irish language.

Author and College Baseball Coach Dirk Baker| Episode 82

Dirk Baker joins us to discuss his research on Kid Gleason. Gleason spent a number of seasons in the major leagues, primarily as a pitcher, before becoming a coach and manager. He is best known for being the manager of the 1919 Chicago White Sox.

Ailísh Conneely of the Aisling Irish Community Center | Episode 81

Ailísh Conneely is the Cultural Development Officer at the Aisling Irish Community Center in Yonkers, NY. Ailísh has been teaching the Irish language to members of the Irish American Baseball Society in our virtual Irish language classes.

Ailísh was born in New York and grew up in Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny. She is a musician and multi-instrumentalist, specialising mostly in piano accordion, piano, flute and tin whistle. She is also a fluent Irish speaker. When she was growing up, she competed in the Fleadh Cheoil at provincial and All-Ireland level, winning the Leinster Fleadh U18 and O18 Piano Accordion and receiving 2nd place in Leinster U18 Tin Whistle. She also has a Diploma from the London College of Music (Dip LCM) in traditional flute performance and a Grade 6 in classical piano with the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM). She studied Music and Irish in University College Cork (UCC) until 2018, and completed a Professional Masters in Education (PME) with Hibernia College Dublin in 2020, qualifying as a secondary school teacher. She then taught Irish in a school in Waterford for 2 years, while also being involved with two local Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann branches (CCÉ).

Author Rus Bradburd | Episode 80

Rus Bradburd, author of the book “Patty on the Hardwood,” joins host Rick Becker to discuss his writing career. 

Author Zak Ford | Episode 79

Zak Ford, author of, “Called Up: Ballplayers Remember Becoming Major Leaguers,” joins host Rick Becker.

Steve Lyons (Part 2) | Episode 78

Former major leaguer Steve Lyons joins host Rick Becker.

Jamie Murphy of the Michael Collins House Museum in Clonakilty, County Cork | Episode 77

Host Rick Becker is joined by Jamie Murphy of the Michael Collins House Museum in Clonakilty, County Cork, and the Michael Collins House Podcast.