Philip Howard: Hello and welcome to the third episode of Lake Ralitrama. I'm joined as usual by Gary Reynolds. Gary is a very happy man this weekend. This is obviously a very sweet weekend for anyone from Carry Gallen who produced a remarkable comeback to overcome Drunk Hearn in the relegation. intermediate final there at the weekend, which obviously sent Drumcairn back to the junior ranks. Gary, what's your reaction when you saw the result in that game or when you were following following the match as it was going along? Gary Reynolds: Yeah, d delight it's silly. clear to kinda know and anyone that's played in Park Shawn knows that there's always a a big breeze. Even even in in in the height of summer there can always be a a big breeze down into the scoreboard end. But clear to see in the first half that from hearing had big breeze with them. but to go ten mil down, I think there's twenty minutes on the clock when when when Carrigana went ten mil down and you're feeling the worst, of course you are, because you know It's it's it's a long way back even if you've got the breeze at your back and drum kearn, in fairness to them with Macaulay and a and Gallagher and David there, like there's an ability to kick two pointers and no disrespect to our lads, but we hadn't been kicking a a cohort of two pointers all two pointers all year. So that was the concern for me as I was tuned in and I was watching on on the T V. But we got we give we picked up one or two or three before half time and then I knew we'd a real chance in the second half. So absolutely delighted. Delive it now because you've been there, Philly, I've been there a few times as well, and it's not a nice place to be. But when you win those games and you come out the other side them, especially having been ten mil down, it's a it's a massive, massive boost for the whole village and it completely changes the complexion going into the winter now because you know, you're looking at a really competitive junior championship. Whereas when we would have went down four or five years ago we were probably bankers to come back up. That's not the case anymore since the restructure of the championship. So a massive result and you know it's fair play for the boys as a lot of people won't know, you know, that y you talk about me maybe finishing up, but we've lost probably seven or eight or nine lads who would be either starting or coming off the bench in the last only in the last twelve rating months. and all of those guys were experienced playing senior football a very long time. So it's not just the me or the or the Derek Rides that were going, there was loads of other experience gone. So delighted for that group of players because That gives great confidence. But now, you know, they'll have to back it up over the winter now and get in the gym and and and it's a new era for Carry Gallen, hopefully. So the lighter's over the moon now. And our under seventeens actually, we'll give them a shout out as well. St. Joseph's will imagine they would have last day. They beat Mohill on Saturday morning in Carry Gallen as well in the in the semi final. So we'd we'd a great day on Saturday in Carry Gallen. So I'd say the the pints were tasted sweet on on Saturday night and have an S you on on both teams. So there you go. Happy days. Philip Howard: Double success. Gary Reynolds: Total success. Philip Howard: And like it's actually, you know, for my we Bornacula played in a lot of relegation finals over the years, especially in our in our latter years. We were successful for a while, reasonably successful I suppose, getting to the latter stage of the senior championship. And then after that there was a few barren years, we were kind of holding on. And it's always the team who, you know, doesn't get too low going into a relegation final. You keep the lads at at a good level and you just play the match on its merits and it's it's you know, there's a great relief, there's a great feeling getting over the line in a relegation final. You can you can kinda hold your head high high up going into the pub then for the winter then there's lads not looking around the corner saying, look at that useless, useless who were there to go relegate. You can kind of s you know, you can feel strong and and and look, I I'm not suggesting getting to a relegation final there's nothing to be bragging about. But if you can if you can stay in in in in that ranks You know, it gives lads confidence for the following year and you just can you can build on it and hopefully it Gary Reynolds: It it's a totally, totally different different thing and and it's you know, it's obviously a biased view here, Philly. I you there's some clean people tuning in here be saying Jesus, you know. But like I genuinely believe from Clear and it's no disrespect to my own club, I from Clearing are better set up to go back down to junior and could probably bounce back quicker. There's some really, really good footballers there. we probably had lost so much in the last twelve, eighteen months that it would have been nearly a whole rebuilding job to start again and I just thought we would have maybe struggled with that because really young team now and I think that will that would be the crown of them now if they can go away and have a good winter. So you know, drunk you even look at it there, I in the in the first half, then he kicked four or five two pointers. And we don't k I don't think we kicked any in the whole game. But it's funny, talking to Derek Riley, I didn't know a good mate of my own before and and we were in the WhatsApp group and he was saying like any team now he thinks with the new rules who wants to be winning winning games, you really need to be if you're not picking two pointers, you need to be scored three goals in a game. And I look at the results of the beginning, Van Lamore scored three goals, Harry Gallen scored three goals and Vina scored three goals today. so he he he was buying on the money this again and that was by the evening before any of this kicked off. So yeah, it's it's it's one of those teams where I think Trinkiern are probably better set up. And I do want to hear that at this point, but our lads now have a chance 'cause it's a barrel winter as you'd say. And and now all of a sudden you're going, the block the the blocks are in place there now. We've got Owen Ward, Aaron, Aaron Skelly and a couple of other lads who've been driving it on their own and sold them for a good while. So I'm delighted for them and it gives them more kudos now to to to get the roller behind the wheel again for next year. So no, it's a massive it makes a such a difference to you because you're rock bottom when it is that game. Whereas now you've got something to build on for the winter and as you said, you can enjoy your points and not be looking into the ground for the rest of the Philip Howard: That's it. That's it. Well well that's it that Gary Reynolds: the the rest of the dark evening. So no, we're delighted and and the miners winning as well. Just gives in other boots on the other side of things, you know. Philip Howard: That's enough now about Carrie Gallen. Fair play to them anyway. We'll move Gary Reynolds: No, yeah. Philip Howard: on to the other the other matches at the weekend. Before we move off Carry Gallen, actually Gary Reynolds: We can do a full pod on it if you want. We we'll go live. We'll go live to to Cadens or Nges or Mitchell's and see see how it has getting on. Philip Howard: See, see, there's probably there's probably a day or two going on there. while we're on Carrie Gallen actually, before we move off it, our sponsor is from Carrie Gallen, if you want to give him a shout out. Gary Reynolds: Drainage surveys as well. So fair play to Kieran and he's another man in good humour this weekend. So we'll take it when we get it. We've had enough enough barren weekends as you said and and barren years. It's it's a nice one. So yeah, Philip Howard: So Gary Reynolds: but look. No good unless we build on it as well. So we'll b let them enjoy these few weeks but then we'll be getting stuck into it again. Philip Howard: Right, okay. The main action, I suppose, over the weekend was in the senior championship. we had our preview episode last weekend or last week during the week we had Evan Sweeney on. and it's fair to say that Evan and Gary, who was backing them up with a few predictions, got it on the money. So Evan, I think, could be getting a shout from the Sunday game on on the back of that. but there were two interesting matches. I think we knew there were going to be close encounters, and I think you know Both fixtures were always going to go to the wire. and they could have gone either way, I think, at the end. Ball Lamore obviously will start on that game. So Bal Namore obviously got over the line. they probably had the strength and depth. We'd we'd kind of covered the fact that maybe they might have lads to come off the bench and make an impact. I think the big players that we thought might actually be factors in terms of score and didn't actually play. you know, were kind of blotted out and that was very good defensive play on both halves. But, you know, you mentioned Gary about the def the impact off the bench and I think that was clear that Michael McKearn and Wayne McEwan, those lads came on and had a big impact. Gary Reynolds: Big big impact, yeah. And like you look at both games, you look you look at the three games at at senior level over the weekend, the the intermediate relegation final, the last fifteen minutes filly were when the teams who were eventually won kicked on. It was as if, you know, it wasn't I don't think anybody purposely holds back, but it's nearly as if they were waiting for the last fifteen minutes to kick on. And that seemed to be the case in all three games because there wasn't a kick of a ball in that either. and then you look at the final score. And there's six in the in the Ballonball over game, but middle through that second half, Ballamore before Sugar, then the use of the impact of the bench and similar to to FINA today, FINA didn't really take over into the last fifteen minutes. So huge, huge last quarters from all the winners of all three of those games, which tells its own story, even around the whole new rules and how that's working as well. and the wind in Parchon you're never beaten. 'Cause that win down as a scoreboard always gives you a chance in the second half. And we've seen that with a couple of leeching games this year actually earlier in the National League. So no benches made the difference. I and Evan, in fairness to we called it on the money. even the forwards we nailed on Fenous side and the forwards on the Balmo side. And and we know there's very good players on all four teams. That's what we would the point we were making prior to this was usually there's a surprise in the semifinals and there wasn't all four of those teams were probably the four you would have picked the start of the year, you know. Philip Howard: Yeah, yeah. No, and in fairness, like the Fina game even today, I you know, I I was looking at the watch match and I I thought Fina were dead and buried. I was thinking, you know, they didn't look like I think Leitram Gales were playing it really well. They they had control around the middle. they'd got their scores in the first half, like David Bruin was playing unbelievable, he was kicking two pointers, Stephen Goldrick was kicking Gary Reynolds: Machine, yeah. Philip Howard: two pointers for fun. They just looked like they had control and it really looked like you know, something magic needed to happen. And we I think Martin McGowan suggested on the on the commentary that they needed some magic from somewhere. And suddenly Donald Ryn got the ball and buried a ball into the full forward line and Reardon got in behind the defence and that was it. The goal they needed and suddenly it was game on and they came to life. They started winning ball around the middle. Gary Reynolds: Tails or not then. Philip Howard: Ocean kicked a brilliant goal. It was like, you know, the Ushin's goal was a dream goal. Like if you know if that's a that's the sort of goal that you dream about. You know, it's and it's a typical ushing goal. It's just he just picked it up, sprinted forward and buried it into the corner. Like that's the sort of one now Gary Reynolds: Rifle, yeah. Philip Howard: you're it was just a beauty of of a goal. and then kicked another two pointer as well after that. But like it was just, you know, Fina kinda that's what they needed. They needed the spark. They needed to kick on, get get the life of the game going. Because it was they were just being strangled. Leitum Gales were strangling them to death and they needed a spark. Suddenly the spark came. And they got over the line and they were fully fully deserved victors in the end. So I I think it it it tees it up nicely for two weeks time. both teams will be going in with big expectations, and you know it'll be it's it's a really good final in prospect. And I think we want to mention Brian Leyden as for Ball Lamore kick two too. you know, you know, I think we had we had anticipated other forwards on the Ball Lamore team were going to be the main men, and suddenly I'll add probably an unheralded player. You know. So Gary Reynolds: He's the difference maker. He's the match winner there, Philly, because we men we mentioned Tony Moon and Pryor and it's easy to mention those two because they're a game match winners as well. He was in Canada up until a few years ago. And like that's the thing with Bal Namore, you know, they've been very strong over the last six, seven, eight years. But Feely comes back and Leyden comes back at the same time. They're to probably start in most club teams in the county. And they're straight in there and then the McGovern so all of a sudden you have an influx of players that are all of a high level and you know you could argue with the Ballamorlets and they would argue that themselves, that they probably feel like they should have a few more kind of D medies in the back pocket. So I those boys coming back has given them real relief. and and and Brian, yes, we got two two poacher goals yesterday. Philip Howard: Yeah, and that you can see the value of of you know that long ball into the f into the forward line quick. You know, both teams seem to Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Philip Howard: seem to make hay when it happened, obviously at the right time. And it, you know, you need someone in there that can that can do the damage. But look, that's a game we'll look forward to in two weeks' time. and actually I think it's important that we give an acknowledgement maybe to the just the quality of the championships overall. you know, we've we've had a good senior championship, a good intermediate championship. and even the junior championship is is is looking very competitive as well. Gary, any s fixtures or results there from the weekend over the junior championship? Gary Reynolds: Yeah, so the junior quarterfinals were on today, the junior eight. We'll not go through the whole lot 'cause there's a a list of stuff here. But yeah, I know there was a couple of quarter final results here today. You had Clun and Kiltobert, which was actually played in Carri Gallon. Kiltobard ran out winners two twenty one to five points. and you probably would have expected that. I K Kiltober got caught by St Mary's last weekend. probably would have expected to win that. The two teams you would have been nailing on at the start of that were probably Kiltubird and Official and it's looking, you know, likely that they could meet in a final. So Kiltubird beat Clun and then Balnamore, Shauna Hespins and Saint Mary's Kiltoh played in the other one which is Noah Willen and that finished Mary's two twelve, Balnamore eleven points. So again Mary's a pretty strong we know at that level and they beat Kiltubird last again in the last round Robin. but look I'd say now with semi finals in that now. I don't know, I think the semi finals are next again for this right away or maybe their two weeks' time. Philip Howard: No is okay. Gary Reynolds: But we'll do the fixtures in that again, we will cover it in the next couple of weeks. And yeah, so it's it's looking they did no they done the draw Philip Howard: Well they did the draw for that after the match. So yeah. Gary Reynolds: and I s I seen I think they're separated. So I think it's it's the it's the Netti's and and St Mary's and it's it's it's ki Kirkobert and Germany in the other side of the time and so Philip Howard: Yeah. Killtoppers and Tromile. They'll be turned strips out of each other and those that's Gary Reynolds: They will and the weather comes into play, you know. Lads are playing fleet thrown football during the during the summer for the it's something as then you have to prepare for a whole different war of attrition come come to winter. And that's what I find difficult when we were in junior, you you could be flying in the league and then everybody's at a at a a level playing field come because you don't know about wind, you don't know about rain, who climatizes better than that and it's a dog fight and and that's what it is and it's a dog fight at all grades now. But the quality is there and and you know, you see that in our in the you know The ability to kick ball in but also scores is evident today in the Fiend Leech and Gales game and was also evident in the game yesterday, the quality is there. So yeah, no, it's a good spectacle and you know, credit to you know, shout out to to to Leech and Gales and Mohawk. two excellent, well set up, well drilled teams. and I know Malgu keeped out with Leech and Gales for a very long time now, different stages and he's done a brilliant job with them. So They'll be licking their wounds today, but no doubt they'll be back again. So no, it's a great finding it's a novel finding and one to to very much look forward to for everybody back, you know. Philip Howard: Absolutely. Okay, before we get on to our episode today, we want to give a shout out just to Ana Glancy from Glenfarn. So Ana has transferred over to Venlo in the the Dutch second division. and he scored an absolute deadly goal there and Gary Reynolds: Peach, peach. Philip Howard: in the last the last few days. so I I I wouldn't say that, you know, there's too many soccer players have emerged from the ranks of the Glenfarn Academy and that's no disrespect to Glenfarn. You could mention any parish in in Leitram. you'd be talking the same same crack. But an unknown fact there is actually I was informed this of this today by Adrian O'Flynn from Anna Hamilton that Ian A Glancy was actually the captain of the UCD soccer team, League of Ireland soccer team last year. and at the same time as Barry McNulty was actually the captain of the UCD Gaelic football team and Would you believe the two of them are in the same class in national school and then Farn National School? So that's an remarkable achievement for the two boys to come out Gary Reynolds: I did. Philip Howard: of that, reach that level in their respective sports. and now obviously Ain has gone on to do to play play a role and hopefully I'm sure they're on the cusp, but they're actually in the fourth in the the Dutch Sex second division at the moment, so they're pushing on and you never know next year they might be in in the top league mixing it with the the best teams in in the Dutch league, so Gary Reynolds: big guys, yeah, and that and that's it. He's obviously taken the pack of wealth there as well, Philly, so kudos to him, but the goal was brilliant. And you'd know I seen pictures of him as well when we were chatting about him. He's he's he's definitely a clancy from Ganfire and he's I think he you were saying he's a rough call in the Fergus. you know you've known them and that Fargas seriously talented as well on both feet and and a brilliant footballer as we know as well. So it's obviously in the in the water down there but The percentage chance of that happening for the two of them to to come out of the same national school is is crazy, but spread differently up there, which is great. Philip Howard: no. See they're handy they must have been I can imagine no, they were probably in the in the small rural national school division, they were probably probably a decent pair of them. They'd want to f have a few more lads with them. Sure sure they did. Gary Reynolds: So the the the lunchtime kickabouts were were interesting there. Philip Howard: Right, Any of you going that side, Barry over there now, don't the rest of you go on either Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Philip Howard: side wherever you want. okay, so look, we've enough enough talked for one evening. we're gonna get on to our episode tonight. We have Charlene Tyrrell with us on Lake Relichum as our third episode. Charlene is obviously a fantastic Gaelic footballer. She has been an amazing advocate of mental health. and she's just got a really good story. So we're really looking forward to talk talking to Charlene. this episode was actually we recorded this episode in early August. So any of the stuff that has kind of happened in the meantime, we won't get into any of her club action. there's been off field stuff with the GPA and the LGFA, so we didn't get a chance to talk to Charlene about any of that stuff. So look, we had a really fantastic chat with Charlene and we hope you enjoy it. Gary Reynolds: just wanna it's it's excellent Philly. Do you wanna thank Justin and thank everyone for the support so far and a few bits there. So the reaction Philip Howard: Absolutely, yeah. Yeah, hundred percent. Gary Reynolds: this week has been very good, but more than a lot more than we expected. So it's it's yeah. Philip Howard: Yeah, so look, we were really delighted with the with the amount of people who have shared, who have liked, who've listened, who have put the the podcast into WhatsApp groups. it's been it's been incredible really. Like we were kind of blown away by the the amount of support. And we just knew, I suppose, when we were chatting about this, we knew that there was a there was a market for Leitram Sport and we're obviously delighted to be able to fulfill you know, some portion of that demand with us yet. Yapping away about about bits and pieces. So we hope No Gary Reynolds: And no format or no no training done either. So this is all straight off the bat. And the other thing we're forgetting, there's so much that we're forgetting Philly is that the the intermediate semi final is actually on next weekend as well, which we which we never Philip Howard: Yeah. Gary Reynolds: mentioned. So I know the landed off for playing Melvin Gales, and that's on Saturday. I'm looking here Saturday, the third of October, just before we do jump on to Charlene, and then Sunday, the fourth of October, Avas are playing Drummer here other seven finals. So they're huge games. for for for all four teams. but yeah, so so that and that and again it's a really good championship. I think you were leading with the fact that each tier of each championship now is is really competitive and kudos to the County Board for that as well. So yeah. Philip Howard: It's s seriously, yeah. And look, maybe I suppose we obviously threw in the old semifinal preview last last week. we'll we'll do a bit of a debrief of the intermediate results next weekend and see how those go. So look, we'll crack on with it Gary Reynolds: Yeah. But yeah. Philip Howard: with our chat with Charlene Terrell. Hello and welcome here to Lake Charlene: Thank you. Philip Howard: Orleitrama. We have Charlene Tyrrell on the call here today. Charlene, how are you? Hope you're keeping well. Charlene: Thank you. Philip Howard: So we're very proud to have Charlene on talking to us in this episode here today. So for anyone who doesn't know, Charlene is a two time All Ireland winner with Leitram in 2007 and 2024. There's not too many people in Leitrim but one All Ireland, never mind two. she also won an All Star in 2024 for her excellent for your excellent play as a full back. Charlene is a mental health advocate for the GPA and she's doing workshops throughout the country for different teams. She's a proud Mohol Mohol lady and she's a mother to Noah. Charlene: Thank Philip Howard: So hopefully, Charlene, that gives a little bit of background on your sporting career and general general life. That's Charlene: You did well, I don't have anything to say. Philip Howard: good. That's a good start. Your physio, your physio Gary Reynolds: could be here all night lit name in the mouth, Charlene. Philip Howard: work. We might get into that a little bit on that as well. So Charlene, obviously at the moment you are intercount season has finished up for you. and is do you enjoy the bit of downtime or is it actually busier in other aspects of your life? Charlene: I must say when the county season ended quite abruptly, really, it's still really, really sore subject, I got straight back into club and we had a league game then the weekend after we lost out to Roscommon in the quarterfinal. And then I took a little bit of a break because it was more just the mental load was nearly too much for me. So I did take a couple of weeks break, but I do like to... to keep at the football and keep at something. I entered the Lancet Marathon there as well for my sins, but I'm not sure if that clashes with football. So I do actually like to be continuously on the go, yeah. And then sometimes you wonder when you do take a little break from football, how you manage to fit it all in, but sure, it just becomes part of the day-to-day life. Philip Howard: Well, that's a that's a that's a fin that's a fair undertaking taking on a marathon as well after you're you've you've finished up your club season. it's it was I suppose you you obviously mentioned the fact that you w you lost out in the championship this year. It was a bit of a roller coaster year for the Leitrim ladies this year with many highs and lows. and I know you obviously got promoted, which was a fantastic achievement. You won the comic championship as well against Roscommon, and obviously then, as you mentioned, you lost out then in in the quarter final. What's your overwhelming feeling of the year, you know, in general? I know you said it y down at the end, but when you look back, can you give us a sense of how you feel at the end of the year? Charlene: The big one for us at the beginning of the year was to get promoted out of Division 4 and that was wonderful. But for me, it's like the I suppose the word to some of the years disappointment really because, you know, we did get promoted, but then we lost out in the National League finals, Carlo, an extra time by a point. And then on a personal level, then I got sin-bent in extra time. So I missed half of half of Philip Howard: Nice. Charlene: extra time, really. So that was a real hard one for me to overcome. But, know, when you get to a final, you want to be winning it. And we fell short to Carlo by a point. And then we played the chronic championship against the Scum and then we had a phenomenal performance, blew them out of the water. I don't think we've beat the Scum and team by that much ever. And went on to play a couple of great games after that from Anne and Wicklow. And then at the quarter final, we just completely underperformed on the day. And our championship ended, sadly, quite abruptly for us. didn't. That wasn't the goal for the year. The goal was to get back to Coal Park and win another All Ireland. So for me, disappointment. So that's what's keeping me staying on for next season is to do right all the wrongs, I suppose, from this year and then supposed to be able to give Division 3 a good goal as well. Philip Howard: I suppose as well when you look at at Rascommon winning the all Ireland final and and f you know, Charlene: Okay. Philip Howard: and you guys obviously had a beaten from Anna in your your group stages of the you know, i i I suppose it does say to yourself, look, we we're we're obviously good enough to to have got further, but look, we all know ourselves the results don't always go the way you hope on the day. yourself Charlene: Thank Philip Howard: and Gary have been the on on the other end of lots of disappointing results over the years, but Fair play to you for deciding to give it a rattle next year again. Charlene: Yeah, well, our management team is staying on, so we've got a little bit of consistency as well. that would be another factor in why I'd stay on as well. I don't know if a new management team are coming in, would I actually be willing to go back to sort of prove yourself all over again to a new management? So to have that consistency there with the management, I think they've been into their fourth season with us now. Like, I don't think I've played under a manager in Leitrim for that length of time in one go. So I think that's going to be something that's going to be important next year as well when it comes to comes to I suppose playing division three and then trying to win the intermediate again is that consistency there. Gary Reynolds: You mentioned Charlene as well on that because it's interesting you're you're absolutely spot on and even across the men's teams I don't think there's been a consistent electron manager for longer than maybe. I think Andy might have done three, maybe Terry Island done three, but other than that, I think I played for twelve, thirteen seasons and I had a ma the max out of manager was two years and then you're starting all over again on a whole new group of players. So the importance of that and I suppose you mentioned the difficulty around this year and suppose the problem is you were on such a crest of a wave after last year. and then you're coming in probably as hot favourites 'cause I know the last bizarrely the last couple of years you have struggled to get promoted. And then you go and win the All Ireland last year and beat a lot of those teams you couldn't get by. And then you get promoted this year and all of a sudden everything's on an upper trajectory and you're thinking it's just a matter of keeping the keeping the thing going. And I know there's a lot of young players blooded this year as well. So all of a sudden there's a massive momentum. You win the kind of final, you know, you obviously you're very unlucky in the in the in the league final. But your promotion and you've got the kind of final and then how does that like the easy thing that we've thrown at you and it's been thrown at us over the years when when you know you play a team for the second time, or maybe, you know, were we a bit complacent? I mean, you've been around such a long time now. Did you identify Anton in the build up? Did Anton change? Or was it just genuinely a matter that things just didn't go on the day for you or or was common came with a game plan? Is is right an easy way to quantify it or what do you think yourself, Slack? Charlene: I'd be a big reflector on games and Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Charlene: I always have been. And when I reflect back to the couple of weeks build up, know, training was going well, everyone was in great form and the warm up went well that day and everyone arrived in great spirits. So I couldn't pinpoint anything there, but, Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Charlene: you know, on doing a bit of feedback with the manager. I think we had forgotten that we didn't really have that many girls starting that played in 2024. know, if you look at the defence there, for an example, myself and Sarah Reynolds were the only two out of the Leitrim defence who won in 2024 and you have a lot of young players there. Lauren Devaney had sent her half back, Rachel McIntyre, like they're only at the beginning of their careers. And I know them girls, they've seen your club football, but for some girls that was... the biggest game of their career so far. And I think we really overlooked that and maybe the I suppose the pressure they put on themselves to perform. And I don't think it came externally because like Johnny has just such a lovely way around him with everybody, unless it came internally from the girls. when we then reflected a few of us together, think panic set in. where we had Michelle Gokin in goals this year, whereas in 2024 she was centre, she was the heart of the forward line. So even having the experience there of someone to be like, right, let's calm things down, we're kicking Daft ball away, we're trying to go for goals when the points are Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: on and we had loads of time left. So it's just little things like that. And then nothing went our way at all. But I won't take any credit away from Raskamon as well. They came with a serious intensity and they came with a a real desire to, I think they didn't expect the beating they got in the Conic final. And I think it was probably the best thing that ever happened them, to be honest with you, like they came back a different team and they deserve to win on the day. So I won't take that away from them, to really underperform like the way we did, I think it's the hardest part for me. Yeah. So there's, think a few little things that say me as one of the most senior players, I probably maybe missed an opportunity with some of the young ones to have a little word before the match or yeah, so I'd be a big reflector in that sense. But Sherlock, I think once you're able to learn from where you went wrong and take some, you know, not everything can be, it's okay, we go again, that's sport. You have to Gary Reynolds: Yeah, yeah. Charlene: take where you went wrong and try and build on it for next season as well. And that experience too will stand to the girls next year Gary Reynolds: Hundred percent. Charlene: when it comes to Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: to play in division three teams and then when it comes to playing intermediate championship next year. I think we do work better Philip Howard: Press up. Charlene: though when we're the underdogs. We do. Gary Reynolds: Correct, yeah, it's an awkward position sometimes Philip Howard: Sorry. Gary Reynolds: when we're when we're favoured when we get favorite tags. And I skipped a year there as well, which you've rightly pointed out, Charlene, so apologies for my perspective. Philip Howard: Matt's wasn't great there, Gary, but anyway, we'll give you let you it's only the start of this podcast series, so we'll not go too hard on it. I suppose, Charlene, can you take us back to when you were obviously getting into GA as a young girl? Was it ten year old Charlene Tyrrell was she was she married to football or was she kind of coerced into going up to training or wha what sort of sports did you play when you were very young? Charlene: I think when we were younger, sport was the only thing really to do. So I played football, basketball and athletics. I loved running. I still love running. So mad into the sport. Yeah, but it was mostly football that took over for me. It was sort of like... When you're an awkward teenager and don't really fit in anywhere and you're good at sport and you go to football and the boys want you to play on the boys' team, it became my little happy place playing football. We actually played with the boys up until under 16, myself and Talita Quinn, she loved me bringing that up. I think that's why I have the ability Philip Howard: Mm. Charlene: now to run through walls to get a football is because we played with the boys. Gary Reynolds: I remember you're running through a few of us as well back in the day, Charlie. Now you can come up against you a few times yourself Charlene: Yeah, it's that! Gary Reynolds: and Deirdre McDermott was there as well, a few years younger, but like my god, like honestly, we Charlene: Yeah. Gary Reynolds: and we had Sharon Kerrigan, which was our secret weapon, so we were delighted with that. Charlene: my god, I'm not sorry. Gary Reynolds: Yeah, but we honestly we usedn't I we weren't able to handle you guys who were you were totally all Charlene: Hahaha! Gary Reynolds: over it. You'd such a good team, like w Mobile had such good other age teams, I'll never forget you and and like as Philly said, like is that you know, does that form part of where your ability, like playing at that level with the boys as well, would obviously bring you on as well and and and develop them as a as a young girl too. So Charlene: Yeah, I definitely think it did. But like, it's funny, I'd never put myself down as one of the best footballers to ever come out of a lead round, but no one will work harder than me and no one will tell me I'm not able to do something. So that came from playing with the boys as well. You come up against boys and you know they're taking it handy on you. And then you're like, I'm going to show you now in a second. Gary Reynolds: Ha. Philip Howard: Absolutely. Well it's like I think it's it's it's like, you know, when you're the youngest in the family and you're playing out in the back garden with bigger and stronger people. And I'm not saying you I'm not suggesting you're not bigger and stronger than some of the boys. You probably were, you were probably faster than them as well. But when you're playing with you know, I suppose as a girl playing against boys, you get used to getting wax and you get used to kind of being knocked over and you have to kind of, Charlene: Thank you. Philip Howard: you know, not be afraid of the rough and tumble. That when so when you go and play in the girls, it's kind of like I'm well able for anything that that comes against me. You know, so I suppose that that obviously was a great benefit to you playing then further on. what then what stage then did you get called in for your first encounter then with intercounty football and what stage did you get what age were you when you got called into the senior team actually? Charlene: I can't remember what age groups I played with Leitrim underage. I know I played under 16, definitely a minor, but I can't remember if I played under 14. But 2003, I made my debut onto the senior panel, so I 16. And it's funny, I was just thinking of a moment there when you said playing with the boys makes you tougher when you get hits. I remember playing a challenge game up in Donegal and Maeve Quinn was playing and I had to get carried off with a dead leg from her head. And I never forget it, her head, me and her went for the same ball and her head got me in the quad and my leg was completely dead, imagine from her head. And she got up and played on and there wasn't a bother on her. So like when you're playing with people like that and you see how they take bangs and knocks, like I don't think you could ever knock that woman down like on the football field. So when you're looking up to people like that, when you're 16, 17 years of age, you nearly, you do what they do, not what they tell you to do. So they Philip Howard: Mm. Charlene: were great role models in that sense. Philip Howard: I I think when you look at that team, th th the two thousand and seven team that you were involved in there, as you mentioned, there was probably there was probably a couple of role models that probably stand out. and and you could only I suppose when you went into the dressing room initially, you know, you were seeing these people and you were seeing the standards they held themselves to and obviously then to win the All Ireland in two thousand and seven was a fantastic achievement. But what was it like kinda going into to to play with those those those people at that time? Charlene: Yeah, well, there's definitely loads of role models that I played when they're like the few that jumps to my mind. There is obviously Maeve, Anne Marie Cox, Sinead Brennan, Eileen Dunne, who like they were phenomenal women on and off the field. And I remember like always knowing Anne Marie was what was she 16 when she won her first junior All Ireland Philip Howard: Mm-hmm. Charlene: medal with Leitrim and Maeve had won one and Deirdre Quinn like so to know you're playing with girls who who've been there and done what you want to do it. it made you want to be in the room and play football and always Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: listen to their stories and believe that we could always get back to Croke Park one day and then yeah, it happened in 2007. And it's funny because I was never making my starting position on the team, you know, even in 2007 that year. I think it was the quarter final and I can't remember who we were playing where I got the opportunity to start and then made sure I kept my position then. So I was lucky enough to start in 2007. It was a really, really hard team to break into in 07, like really hard. And I think that's where I have my ability to just work as hard as anyone on the field because you have girls like that that you're competing against to start. Philip Howard: It's it's a it's a good it's a if you could pick a trait of a of a player, like especially, you know, you said you weren't on the team to start off. But I suppose for any young players listening here, it's it's just that ability to kind of stick at it and to keep going Charlene: Mm-hmm. Philip Howard: and to kind of, you know, hang in there when maybe you're not getting your start, I think is is a fairly strong trait to kind of have of any player. So, you know, it's nice it's nice to mention that. can you tell me one You if y if you're feeling obviously obviously winning the all our in two thousand and seven is a r is is an incredible achievement. What's your sense of the day? What wha is there any memory that really stands out from you on on that particular day? Charlene: It's funny, I have a shocking memory. Like that's why in 2004 when it happened again, I was like, I'm going to make sure I take everything in this moment. Because I remember we stayed up in Dublin. can't remember the name of the hotel, but I was thinking about this this morning. We actually had mass the night before the All Ireland. Like we had a priest come in to say mass. And I had forgotten about this until Sarah McLaughlin. had sent me the night before the 2024 final, she sent me the mass leaflet from 07. And I was like, my gosh, I remember, like what a moment. But driving into Croke Park that day, it's just an unbelievable feeling and doing the parade, you know, as a player behind the band, like it's just incredible. And I think because of the females I had around me, I never let it bother me or affect me. I think that's also when you're so young, like I was 20 when I played in that All-Ireland, you just play with such freedom, like you don't really take it as seriously, say as the older players would, because Philip Howard: Mm. Charlene: when I think of Maeve Quinn, she would have been, 39, like playing that All-Ireland. So it's mad, isn't it? But yeah, I don't really have a great memory of the day, but I have the likes of Sarah McLachlan there with all the memories. Yeah. Gary Reynolds: when you're when you're Philip Howard: It's a Gary Reynolds: that young as well, I think Charlene, like you know, you think back to your career, a lot of the time you're just taking day by day, going at it as you see it, taking each game. And then the older you get, I would have found and I'm sure Philly did as well. Like that's when as you said before the call or when we were chatting about this year with the ladies, like your reflection points, looking back on you know, back then you didn't look back on anything. You just went out of you played you played what was in front of you. And and there's a beautiful Charlene: No, Yeah. Gary Reynolds: thing about that because then you come full circle to twenty twenty four. And it's a totally different probably approach and a totally different experience because Charlene: Thank Gary Reynolds: back in in two thousand you were that young, just go at it, whatever happens, happens, and now you're so focused on getting over the line in in twenty four. It's it's a great kind of full circle three sixty moment like. Charlene: Yeah. But you know, it's funny when in 2024 final, I probably was playing with the same freedom I was in my 20s, but that was because of the management team that we had and Gary Reynolds: Okay. Charlene: still have. They just gave us this freedom to play. know, I was put into full back and I can't remember was it when Johnny and them came in, maybe in 2021 or 22. And I remember Michelle Gukin going, what are you putting her in full back for? Like, she won't stay there and I love to run. You know, it's never been a position Gary Reynolds: Yeah, yeah. Philip Howard: Ha ha ha Charlene: that I've ever been put in. But it's like he knew that was like this spot for me because there's not very many full forwards who follow me when I go on a run off the field. You know, and so it was nearly like. Gary Reynolds: And you go on lots of them as well, as we seem as we seen from twenty you're up and down. Yeah, unbelievable. Charlene: Yeah, yeah, and he let us play with Philip Howard: So the athletics came in handy. Charlene: that freedom. He used to say, just go, just go. Why stop? Like if you end up at the, you know, the other goals now, they'd always make sure I'd never have the ball in my hand in front of the other goals, that I give it off to someone who's able to Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Runners. Charlene: score. But he let us play with just such a freedom. And I think in 2024, I was playing similar into my 20s. I was just like, I might never get back here again, especially when you're like, what, 38? So I was like, fuck it, just go for it. Yeah, but that was the sense of belief that they instilled in me when I came back playing football because when I came back playing, I would never have ever imagined, you know, I'd be back playing inter-county football, never mind winning my second on Ireland. Philip Howard: Yeah. Well it it's it's tr you know, it's a remarkable thing really for someone to to win in On Ireland when you're twenty and then to obviously take a break from football for for ten years and come Charlene: or Philip Howard: back and and and I think I mentioned I I I heard you speaking before saying you were gonna come back and play a bit of mothers and others, you know, you know. Charlene: Another is another is, yeah. Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Philip Howard: which and I was thinking to myself, God almighty, can imagine an old lassie here that's just out for now kick around and an an ex all Ireland champion is strolling up to here and right, I'm marking you. Lovely. You know, she got some land, let's say, at that stage. but thankfully for Charlene: Yeah. Philip Howard: for the Leitram and the Leitrim people that you decided to get back and get get stuck in. I'm just gonna take you back actually to that ten year period that you you you obviously stepped away from football. you you obviously had your son Noah, you moved to the UK And I think you you've been open about maybe the challenges that you faced at during that period in your life. In as much as you feel comfortable, if you wouldn't mind explaining to us just, you know, a little bit about that time and and how life changed for you. Charlene: Yeah, it was actually 2010 and it's so funny, we won the National League that year. That was the last time Lietriem won the National League and I got offered a job in Portugal for the summer in 2010. So I played the league and off I went to Portugal thinking I was gone for the summer and then little did I know I'd be gone from home for for 10 years. So I did two summers there, met Noah's dad in Portugal and we moved to the UK. So I would have felt pregnant with Noah very early on in our relationship. so I think it was June 2011, Noah was born. So it was, I suppose I was 25, I think, when Noah was born, 26. So when I reflect back now, like I was still only, you know, growing up myself. sadly, when Noah was three then, our relationship broke down, his dad and I and I was suffering at the time with postnatal depression and it's mad like when I talk about this to young people or the parents and coaches in the workshop. But I didn't know what was happening to me because I had no awareness of what depression was or anxiety was or anything to do with mental health or mental fitness. So sadly my depression went on for many, many years. And I stayed in England. Just so Noah could be close to his father, but I didn't have any sort of, I didn't have a support network around me. You I wasn't, I wasn't playing sport over there. Things that made me, me at the time, I didn't see it. At the time when I was really struggling, I wasn't running, you know, or going to the gym. And I remember Noah's grandmother coming to me, I think when Noah was about two or maybe just before our relationship broke down. She said, Shailene, I think you need to go to the doctors. I think you need some help. So I went to the doctors and they me antidepressants and I sort of, I never believed the tablets were helping me or making me better. So I was like, what can I do to help myself? So I started doing a little bit of running again. I remember entering the shoes behalf marathon and started going to the gym. And then I decided I'd, you know, study to become a gym instructor all the while raising no on my own with no family or friends of my own over there. But I suppose I had a great ability at the time of pretending everything was OK and convincing myself I was better when all the while when you internalize everything, it eventually comes out, doesn't it? it was summer of 2019. I had put off moving home for a long time because I was a single mother. I didn't have much going for me really. And all my friends at home were either getting married or... had Philip Howard: Mm. Charlene: families or were moving abroad and I just felt like an absolute failure. So this is what put me off moving home. But everything sort of came to a head in 2019 and I ended up in hospital. had a suicide attempt myself that summer. And after that had happened, I decided then it was time to move home. So I moved home in August, I think it was 2019 and started playing football then with Moha Ladies. So Well, like I was saying, when I moved home, I was only going to play football because the just to get out and about because I found when I lived in England, like it's so different to live in Ireland. We are Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: so blessed with the community we have. And especially if you're involved in GAA, like it's like an extended family. And I didn't realize until I moved home that I lacked that when I lived in England. You know, over there, I didn't know my next door neighbors. You know, you pass people on the street and you Philip Howard: Mm. Charlene: say hello, but you know, I was just the crazy Irish woman, you know, like when you when you drop the kids to school here and you could be standing at the gate for an hour after you drop the kids Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: off talking to people, they just be like, this one coming, you know, on our little electric scooter, dropping off. So I didn't sort of have that sense of community over there. Gary Reynolds: No connection there. Yeah. Charlene: Yeah, no connection at all. I was completely disconnected and, you know, was in denial thinking that this was a healthy environment for for me, I suppose, to try and and get get better as such. And to raise Noah, you know, so it was a hard decision to move home, but I suppose I had to, anyone who knows me and anyone who's listened to this will be like, I don't do things the easy way, you know, I have to come to all these conclusions myself. thankfully I ended up making the right decision then and moving home, yeah. Philip Howard: Were the signs, you know, when you were talking to people at home or you were communicating about how you were getting on, like ten years is is an incredibly long time to be over in England. And you were obviously at this time, you know, battling away yourself with a lot of your own demons. You were you were trying to convince yourself nearly that everything was okay. Charlene: Mm. Philip Howard: were people concerned at home, or as you said yourself, you had to come to that conclusion yourself. Was people at home aware of the extent of I suppose the the your own mental health challenges at that time? Charlene: No, I don't think there were because I was, like I said, very, good at hiding things. And, you know, I did have some friends and family who said to me, you know, please move home, we'll help you. You you can start, you know, fresh over here. But no, I don't think people were aware of how much I struggled. And I remember when I did an article for the Irish Independent there, I just started talking about my struggles. Friends of mine had said we didn't realize things were as bad as they were. So it's, you know, I I wish I knew now that had I just spoke to one person, you know, and had a conversation Philip Howard: Mm. Charlene: and said I was struggling, things wouldn't have got as bad as they did. But I know that now. And for years, I had so much shame about admitting I was struggling because I thought, God, they're going to think I'm a bad mother or, you know, I'm a terrible person because I'm not able to cope. I suppose like I had really unhealthy ways for a few years of dealing with it. I worked full time as well. When I actually say all these things out loud, I don't know how I managed to do it. I worked full time in a family-run restaurant over there and Noah's dad, you know, had his own struggles himself, so I didn't really get much support from him. So I'd get up, bring Noah to school, go to work, you know, I'd fully function throughout the day, put Noah to bed at night and he'd been alone with my own thoughts. I'd sit there and drink a bottle of wine, you know, to put you to sleep before you go Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: to bed. You know, and you could be doing that three, four evenings a week. And for me, I thought that was a normal way of coping. But when I reflect now, like it wasn't, it was making me worse, you know, because you know yourself after a few drinks the next day, you'd have the, you know, you'd be in an awful way like your mind after drinking. So I just was in a cycle and I didn't know how to get out of it. Gary Reynolds: It sounds like Charlene, you thought that was the only way you could function and you could get through because ten years, as Philly says, is a long time and you had some dark days Charlene: Hmm Gary Reynolds: and you know when you're having you know, we all have those struggles sometimes, not as not as to the magnitude you had them sometimes, but you're kinda looking for a chink of hope or a chink of light to get you through to the next day or the next week Charlene: Yeah. Gary Reynolds: or the next month and for you to say like Had you like what did you have that chink of hope or chink of like? No obviously was probably a massive chink of light to keep you going and to keep you getting up and working every day. And then as you said, to solve your problems at night and get you to sleep with that bottle of wine. So how did you keep going? I mean, the massive resilience to keep going. And as you said, it obviously came to a head when you decided maybe yourself that there was only one way out of this and thankfully, you know, you you seen the light eventually, but incredibly tough years on you, I'd imagine. Charlene: It was Noah because, you know, like I said, his father had his own struggles and I knew like I had to be get better for Noah, you know, and I had to keep going for him, you know, and when I when I think back now, you know, thank God for him and even, you know, conversations that, you know, people close to me, they're like, God, he saved your life. You he really did save my life because if he didn't have Noah, you know, God knows what would have ended up happening. But Yeah, and it's funny you say that now when I reflect back, I'm able to say, you know, I'm so proud of myself for having the strength to keep going because sometimes Gary Reynolds: One hundred percent, yeah. Charlene: when you think, you know, you're having Philip Howard: Yeah, absolutely. Charlene: bad days now, like we all do, you know, no one ever goes through life where they don't have bad periods throughout their whole life. And I think, God, I've got to works before I can get you into. And, you know, I think we completely underestimate Philip Howard: Absolutely, yeah. Charlene: how strong we are as people. Yeah, so. Gary Reynolds: Yeah, incredible resilience. Philip Howard: It's it's it's a Yeah. It's it's amazing though, and I suppose when you get back to Ireland then, like y you know, to uproot yourself, you've been in a place for a long time, you kinda think, right, I'm I I've been living in this place, am I gonna live here? And then you eventually move back to Ireland. How long did it take for you when you're back in Ireland Charlene: Okay. Philip Howard: to actually go, Jeez, this is great. I I actually feel this is going to work Charlene: up Philip Howard: out, I feel a lot better about things. How long did that actually take? Charlene: Noah started school in the primary school in Mohol here that September and Philip Howard: Right. Charlene: he fitted in really well, loved it here, you because, know, you know everyone in Mohol and my cousin's daughter was in the same class and thankfully he still has the same group of friends he has from primary school now and secondary school. So I knew very early on it was the right decision for Noah, but it took me a very, very long time to settle in because I hadn't Philip Howard: Right. Charlene: lived at home for years. Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: like a very long time. But what what kept me going on my decision was that Noah had settled in so well and he was struggling at school over in England and we couldn't really get to the bottom of it. And remember the school principal at the time. I think it's when you're a single parent as well. And I was young. They were like this idiot. They used to always say to me, you know, what sort of life has Noah got at home that he's not doing well Philip Howard: Right, okay. Charlene: at school? And very early on in school here, he was he was assessed by a psychologist and he was diagnosed with autism and dyslexia and like the school in Moghul were phenomenal in noticing that in Noah and Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: referring him on to a psychologist or advising me to and the psychologist just couldn't understand that the school had just let Noah sort of slip under the radar for them Philip Howard: Right, okay. Charlene: few years he was there. But since he came back home and he's got the help and support in school that he didn't have over there. He's just come out of himself low. So it was the best decision. It just took me longer to come around. Philip Howard: yeah, but I suppose once you get back into, you know, and you get back into football, as you mentioned there, the community spirit around around your local Charlene: Yeah. Philip Howard: place. Like it's it's a you know, it's it's an amazing thing for you to back integrate yourself back into, getting used to playing with the girls again. Obviously there's probably loads of girls you don't even know because they're all, you know, Charlene: You Philip Howard: ten years has passed and there's you know a big difference in in the the players that you're playing with now. So I suppose that was a big obviously help. then suddenly you're back in the frame there playing a bit of football. Charlene: Yeah, because when I come back, the only person left on the sort of Moho Ladies team from the original Moho Ladies was Deirdre Ward. And I don't know if you know her. When I had mentioned Gary Reynolds: No danger, yeah. Charlene: Mothers and Others, she was like, not in a million years, Charlie, Philip Howard: Ha ha. Charlene: are you playing Mothers and Others? And she didn't say it as polite as that. Gary Reynolds: Yeah, yeah. Charlene: So I went back and she used to be so funny. She'd be like, what the hell is wrong with you? She'd be like, you put your head into black and ball years ago. So it took me a long time to sort of... Philip Howard: Ha ha ha ha ha. Charlene: Get back to myself, but when you people like her around you, didn't take that long. But Philip Howard: Yeah, well Charlene: we actually won the club championship then in 2020, Intermediate, and we haven't won it in about, I say, 10 or 12 years. So that was lovely to come back in and have that success early on with Philip Howard: Yeah, that's great. Charlene: girls who I wouldn't have played with. know, some of the young girls didn't even know who I was coming home. It's mad. Philip Howard: I know, but sure it's it's it's obviously look, anytime you know, winning something like that bonds like bonds people in a in in a you know, obviously you're bonding throughout the year, but when you win something and you have a an emotional connection with people, it's a remarkable thing, you know. Charlene: Yeah. Yeah. Philip Howard: Tell us a little bit then. So suddenly then you're back in, you're playing with Mohul, you win the championship. Do you get the call then from the county manager the following year to say, Here, come back in here now, there's unf we want to get you back in. Charlene: Yeah, did. He rang me and I was like laughing at him. was like, are you actually joking me, you lunatic? And he said to me, it's just to have you there. He got Sarah McLachlan back in that year as well because she was on the team in 07. And he's like, Philip Howard: Right. Charlene: it's just to have you there because you know what it takes to win a Not Ireland. And I thought and I'm an all or nothing person. I think he knew if he got me to one training session, that'd be it. I'd be in like, Philip Howard: You're sold. Gary Reynolds: Your hope. Charlene: yeah. So it was funny going to that training session, you're walking into the restroom and I knew no one, like it was, I don't even think anyone's from Mobile played that year. And that was it, went to that one training session and I'm still there. Still there, yeah. Philip Howard: You're still there, they're trying to kick you out the door now. Gary Reynolds: Unbelievable. Philip Howard: so look, we're gonna we're gonna fast forward then obviously to twenty twenty four. So you're you're obviously playing with Leechrum a couple of years here, you're you're fighting the good fight, and you manage to have, you know, I suppose a fairy tale year nearly where you where you obviously win the All Ireland, and it was just a whirlwind of a year, you you get to Cope Park, it's it's a it's a it's a a remarkable thing, I think, for you to be to be an All Ireland champion again. after been away for so long. what is your sense of that year? I know you mentioned that it was you really wanted to sort of embrace it, embrace the whole day, the whole achievement, just really enjoy it for what it is. just give us a sense of, you know, your your experience of that and and even walking up the Hoganstan steps to pick up your second All Ireland trophy. Charlene: It's funny because the build up, the two week build up to the final, there was so much calmness. The management had a great way of just keeping us grounded and there was never too much fuss. I remember we had a media night one night, but he was like, that's it. That's the only thing that's going on. They're not going to be distracted. The whole thing was just lovely. stayed overnight because I remember Michelle Gucking was bridesmaid at a wedding the day before her best friend's wedding. So we stayed in Mullingar and she came up to meet us that night. just the sense of wow, I can't believe I get to do this again because my memories of 07 were so blurry. Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: There was no one as relaxed as me on the day, like it was madness. I was waiting for the moment of, because I don't know if you were ever the same and you were still playing, I'd get so nervous and would be standing for the national anthem and be like, why am I doing this to myself? You know, because Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Charlene: I was like getting so Philip Howard: Hmm. Charlene: nervous. But I just couldn't wait to play on Croke Park, Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: because that's a really, really special group of girls that's there in the minute, like really special. know, Maren Devaney, Leah Fox. Gucks if we can keep her for this year. In particular the people we played with in 2024, Claire Owens. Laura O'Dowd, like them girls have been playing the whole time when I was away. Like I seem Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: to have been getting all this credit, Charlene is one of our second all Ireland, 17 years later. But them girls kept it all going when Leitrim wasn't a nice place, you know, a nice team to be a part of because they just didn't, they had years where they were nearly begging girls to come out to keep them, you know, from getting relegated. So for that as well, it was really special to be on the field with them girls. But yeah, it was just an incredible day. I remember People always say to me, last, I don't know if were in Crow Park, but they had a shot for a point, Tyrone, Philip Howard: Hm. Yeah. Charlene: and had they got the point, they would have drawn it. And everyone was like, you got lucky, she kicked it wide. I was like, do you think I was gonna let her kick that ball if I knew it was going over the bar? I was Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Philip Howard: Ha ha ha Charlene: like, no way was that going over the bar. I was even telling her that as she was kicking it. So we knew, well, you can see this Philip Howard: Giving a bit of mouth. Charlene: today, that you can see the clock counting down in Crow Park. was an absolutely incredible feeling to. to know we'd had it, but it was more because that whole year we were completely written off. Like I remember going to the Lawn to the Championship in Coal Park after we'd lost the Division 4 semi-final again. We got beat by, I got beat by an extra time, Limerick I think. They got a goal in the last minute of the game, not even a minute, 10 seconds. And I remember doing an interview with someone and we were playing Tyrone in the first group game and they had said to me, so how do think you'll get on against And in my mind, I was thinking, God, we'd probably get beat, but I'm going to say, I think we could beat them. So once I said the words out loud, he was really taken back by me. He was like, so you mean to think, yeah. He was like, you mean Gary Reynolds: Tasks. Yeah. Charlene: to think the division four team can beat a division one team? And when he said that to me, I was like, I absolutely think we can. And Gary Reynolds: Yeah, yeah. Charlene: Cro-Pak that day, he actually came up to me and he apologized to me. Gary Reynolds: Well Philip Howard: Nice. Charlene: Yeah. Yeah, so was in that moment I was like, I'm sick of people writing us off. Like even when Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Philip Howard: Jesus. Charlene: we beat Tyrone and Bale de Mour, was all, Leitrim got lucky, you know, and then I Gary Reynolds: Yeah, yeah. Charlene: can't remember who we went on to play. And then we played Roscommon in the quarterfinal, beat them, and then we played Wicklow or Wexford. And the whole way through it, was Leitrim got lucky, Leitrim win by a point. We never got credit for the success we had in 2024. But I think the performance for me was the big thing that we went out and played the type of football we did that day. People still say to me that's the best game of ladies football we've ever watched. All Ireland final that day. Gary Reynolds: Yeah, yeah, the ball moves so fast. Yeah. Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: Yeah. And that's brings me Philip Howard: Some fantastic scores. Charlene: so much joy is that we were able to go out and show people, yeah, we might have left it very late. like we were up, think by one point, by eight points to let them come back into it was, you know, not good for everyone's hearts. But yeah, it was an it was an incredible moment I have to say. And just because Noah was there with me as well. And so because of his like his autism, he doesn't like crowds and loud noises. So he was in Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: Kowloon Park that day with his headphones on and he was at my auntie and uncle. And I don't know if you know Mickey Quinn, he's football mad like and Noah was saying to Mickey every now and again, well, is Mammy winning, Noah? And you can imagine Mickey when the game was so close. Yeah. Gary Reynolds: Yeah, few choice words from Mickey as well, I'd say, during the game. So Charlene: But that morning he was on the phone to me, we were on the bus into Crowe Park and he said, if you win, Mammy, I'm not going up to lift the trophy with you. And I was like, that's fine, Noah, you don't have to. so when we won, Noah came down and got over the railing along with every other child and lit them. I was like, these are all my children. Gary Reynolds: Ha ha Philip Howard: Ha ha ha. Charlene: next thing I know, were going up the steps of the hog and standing, Noah was behind me. I said nothing. I just left him and he came up and lifted the cup with me. And the photograph Philip Howard: Class. Charlene: is here. on the mantelpiece and every time he looks at it he always says to me, yeah Philip Howard: Come on, short us. you can can you bring it down and short us? Charlene: I will, says to me, Mummy I'm so proud of myself for doing this. So it's a real special moment. No mention of me! Gary Reynolds: no mention of you. No mention you, Charlene. No. Philip Howard: unreal. Yeah. Charlene: Yeah, I got it nice and big so he could see it. it's that one. Yeah. Yeah. Gary Reynolds: Brilliant. yeah, I've seen that before, all right, Charlene. That's a brilliant one, yeah. Philip Howard: Savage. class and even like I can see, you know, I suppose it's it's it's pouring out yet your you know, the sense of how proud you are of of how Noah is and you you know you've obviously brought him to some of the ceremonies after that you know and it's it's evident just that he's such a big part of your success that you can actually but obviously being a sung single mother as well is is is it's it's challenges but it has its rewards then obviously when you see this, you know, the fact that he's doing so well and he's able to celebrate these events with you. Charlene: I know he's so cute as well. And it's funny you say about he come to the events and stuff. His surname is cider. So he doesn't actually have my surname. So people at school didn't know who he was for ages. There were some kids who didn't know that I was his mother. And yeah, yeah. And Gary Reynolds: seen the pictures together probably after the weeks after the game. Charlene: then like he wouldn't play football. He's not into sports and. Gary Reynolds: Yeah, yeah. Charlene: There's always like, the cool boys and all the cool boys are the boys who play football. And Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Charlene: after we won the All-Ireland, because Noah came up to lift the cup at me, they'd like, hi Noah, and cheering him on, and hi Charlene. And he'd be like, my God, I'm going to tell everyone you're my mammy now. Gary Reynolds: Celebrity. Philip Howard: Yeah. Gary Reynolds: Yeah, brilliant. Philip Howard: Yeah, that's cool. one thing I actually want to mention is as well, you're I I suppose I I anyone who follows Charlene: Yes. Philip Howard: you on Instagram, you like your style, you like your clothes, Charlene: Yeah. Philip Howard: you've obviously got a few tattoos as well. is that something that you have you've always had a kind of a a sort of a natural gravitation towards kind of, you know, cool style. I'm I I I don't even know what to say here, but is that something you've d you you're you're Charlene: haha Philip Howard: obviously interested in your your side and your your clothes and things like that? Charlene: Yeah, I always have loved fashion and I actually studied fashion management for a couple of years in Belfast but never finished it because I literally came and went like the wind when I was younger. I ended up getting offered that job in Portugal for the summer and little did I know I'd never move home again. But yeah, always been into the clothes and it's funny you say that Noah does say to me, you're not going to dress like that, Mamma Mia, yeah. Gary Reynolds: Brilliant. Charlene: You should hear some of the conversations when he sees my outfits Philip Howard: Rice. Charlene: he does be like, my god Did you get dressed in the dark again? I mean like it's it's terrible, but it's funny the amount of Philip Howard: Fair play. Yeah, I think sorry, go on. Gary Reynolds: The tattoos as well, Charlene, I was reading in that article you were mentioning in India, I think it's in the Inp Independent or the Times Annual mentioned that Charlene: Yeah. Gary Reynolds: your tattoos all mean something to you. There's always a reason for them. So have you got any did you get any after the twenty four All Ireland win or were there any related to that or any plans for any? 'Cause you see all these lads after Charlene: Thanks. Gary Reynolds: the World Cup now, you know, getting the the World Cup tattoos. So I was wondering did you get any related to it? Charlene: Yeah, so Michelle Manon who was in Golds that year used to duel. Gary Reynolds: Deeper, yeah. Charlene: the beginning of the year, she used to be like, when we win the All Ireland, Charlie, I'm going to pick your next tattoo. And I was like, absolutely no bother not thinking it would ever come true because we just lost Philip Howard: Right. Gary Reynolds: Yeah, yeah, it wouldn't. Charlene: another division four semifinal. So she picked one and then so that means nothing. Only Manza liked to always do this and photographs. that's thing. Thankfully, I didn't let her pick the location of that one, though. I got that where no one could see it. Gary Reynolds: Brilliant. That's Yeah. Yeah. Charlene: Johnny's word for us that year was just believe, know, believe in ourselves. I just got that tattooed on the top of my arm. Gary Reynolds: Excellent, excellent. Philip Howard: Deadly, Gary Reynolds: Long day. Philip Howard: deadly. That's pretty cool. okay, so look, we're gonna move on to just a little bit about your GPA work at the moment. So obviously look, you have a really kind of you know, all the stuff that you're bringing to this in terms of you're the healthy club officer with Mohul. Are you still doing that at the moment? Charlene: Yeah, because no one else would take it over. Philip Howard: Yeah, so so you're just you're Gary Reynolds: Mm-hmm. Philip Howard: the one with the most experience, so you're doing it. and and you've obviously have, you know, well documented kind of, you know, experience in in different parts of your life. You've been playing football for many years. So you've got involved in the the GPA. can you tell a little bit about what you're doing and how you support clubs and young players with I suppose their own mental health struggles and how you can actually provide assistance to that. Charlene: And so I am going into my third year involved in the program now and how I came across it was it was in phase one. It was in year one and the program was getting rolled out and I applied for it for, I think it was the under 16 boys to have it in the club and Niamh Hannafy and Mickey Quinn were the facilitators that evening. So I sat in on the workshop because I was the health clubs officer and I was just completely blown away by the workshop. And I think it's so relatable because it's delivered by past or present Inter-Country players. So, you know, we're just like, we're players just like the young people. But that was why I ended up wanting to get involved because I seen it in action and I was really touched by it. Like it's such a simple message, but it's the way it's delivered. So then I got involved then, I think, for the beginning of phase two. So last year and... It's incredible now, I have to say we only work between September and June. We finished up this year. We take a break for the busy seasons. So we kick off again in September. So how it works is like I was saying, it's past and present Inter County players. I think there's 32 facilitators now around the whole country. When they started, there was only 23. So the demand for the program is growing. And we've reached 17,500 people that went through the program so far. and it's only grown and grown with the publicity we've been doing. So basically what it is, is it's an hour workshop for the young people and it's really interactive. You know, we play games with them. It's a nice environment. You know, we're sitting down across from them. It's not sort of like a classroom environment. You're having the crack with them as well. So then when it does come to touch on, you know, the hard subject of depression, anxiety and suicide that... Because if you have them relaxed, I suppose your teachers, you know what young people are like, it's hard to get them to open up. But we make the environment such a way that they actually feel comfortable enough to open up to us. And I think that's the most powerful thing about it for me is and sometimes like I would never share too much of my own struggles with the young people. But if it depends on the room and it depends how much they're engaged in and then the age group, because the age group is from. under so 13 year olds up to 18 year olds. So it depends on the age of the group as well that I'm with. But if you're showing a little bit of vulnerability yourself and you're talking about your own struggles, they realize you see the penny drop. They realize, she's talking about hard times she's had. you know, they usually we have co-facilitated. There's two of us at the time. And I usually do them with Finian Quali from Sligo. And, you know, particularly in the boys workshops, when they hear Finian talking about his own struggles, You know, it's literally like magic in the room. So Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: we do that for the hour with the young people. And you'd be really surprised at the knowledge they have around mental health and depression, anxiety and suicide. And I suppose it's probably things that they learn in school as well now. It's usually the parents workshops I find sometimes. I wouldn't even say the word challenging, but they end up nearly being just open discussions with the parents. You know, we deliver a 45 minute workshop. which touches on the same stuff we talk about with the young people, but there's a few differences in there. I suppose about how much we'd open up about ourselves, but it always turns into a conversation. you really find that, because I suppose like when I was younger, you'd never talk about mental health or suicide, you know, or depression, or I didn't even have a clue what it was. Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: And we do find in a lot of clubs with the parents, that's probably the first time they've ever spoke openly. Sometimes people would talk about their own struggles, And sometimes parents will be just completely shocked with what young people have to deal with nowadays. Like we do the kids workshop first so that we can feed back maybe some of the answers that the kids have given so that the parents, you know, maybe understand a bit better what the young people have to deal with. Because sometimes as parents, I think we're so busy living life and, you know, race and true life that you forget to sit down and take in the small details, you know, about what's common Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: teenage behavior and what's you know, what's a little bit of, you know, you need to be concerned about. So that's the big one. Yeah, yeah. Gary Reynolds: Red flags, even red flags, Charlene, as you say. Something you can identify because if you're not taking time to listen to what they're actually saying, 'cause you're scrambling to get to the next day or get their uniforms or get everything else. A hundred percent. Yeah, yeah. Brilliant. Philip Howard: But I suppose it's it's Charlene: Would you say it's... Philip Howard: such a it's it's such a you know, as you said mentioned before, even your you know, kids nowadays are so busy with so many things. A lot of the boys is Charlene: Mm-hmm. Philip Howard: a lot of bravado about maybe being a teenager and not showing vulnerability and not being able to say, geez, I'm I'm I'm not feeling well at the moment. I you know, those Charlene: Thank Philip Howard: things bothering me. And sometimes, you know, you put up a lot of people put up walls and they're they think that's the normal thing to do. You know, and having maybe ex county players coming in and saying, Look, it's okay to chat to your mates, ask them how they are. you know, so I suppose having that forum is an important thing that if you can start that conversation, those lads are more likely to maybe say stuff out to each other then. Charlene: Yeah, and it's like I was saying earlier, we actually are such a powerful community, the GAA world. And like I do always say to young people, because it's clubs we work with, we've just started delivering to inter-county teams as well as development squads. But like it's saying to them, you're going to play football together for 10, 15, 20, 30 years. You you're not going to just go through the highs and lows of winning on the field together. You're going to go through the highs and lows of life. And it's getting that point across to them that, you know, Life is hard for everyone. know, it's helping them build that little bit of resilience as well and knowing the difference between, you know, when life is hard and you just, you know, you can get through it. Our life is hard and you need to ask for some help or you need to talk to someone or you need to reach out or for them it's the name of the workshop is help out with or the program for the kids is help out with teammates. It's for them to understand that they're going to spend so much time together. throughout life and it's to be able to notice the signs and symptoms in each other and look out for each other off the field. And suppose normalizing the conversations around having a bad day, you because I always say to the young people, God, I could have one of the worst days of my life and I could go to football training and just been in the dressing room with the girls, you know, and saying, God, I've had a really shit day. You know, I'm so happy to be here. And that can open conversations to Jesus, I've had an awful day as well. You know, it's normalizing that chatter in the dressing room. because there's a lovely slide where we talk about mental fitness and physical fitness. And it's something I would never thought about until we started delivering the workshops, is like the importance of your mental fitness and been mentally fit as well as physically fit. And every Philip Howard: Yeah, absolutely. Charlene: time we say to the young people, tell me what it feels like to be physically fit at the top of your game, a lot of their first answers is confidence, is happy. You know, it's answers that would be in the mental fitness side of things. Philip Howard: Yeah. Charlene: And then they begin to realize, Jesus, the two of them do go hand in hand. Yeah. Philip Howard: Two them are linked up, yeah. It's amazing it's amazing though. Look, before we're gonna wrap up soon, just if someone if someone or an individual or a club was hoping to get this program, maybe that that you've tweaked a few things in their head, where how do they get involved or how would they kind of get get initiated with this program? Charlene: And we're linking with your health clubs officer at the clubs information just be sent out via the clubs for and movember.ie online. There's expression of interest forums that you Philip Howard: Okay, great. Charlene: can fill out as a club and I could give you the link to attach to it either. Yeah. Philip Howard: Yeah. As they say in these things, we will put it on the show notes. I don't know if now you have show notes, but we can we can Charlene: Yeah, yeah. Gary Reynolds: Have we got show notes? Philip Howard: I don't know, we'll see. We'll see what we can do. I'll get on to my my PA and see what she can she can rustle up. Gary Reynolds: Yeah, yeah. So important to know Philly, just on the point Charlene makes as well is like you know, even I was thinking about what what class Charlie and one of one of the key points for me was like I I I finished kind of playing intercounts at thirty two, thirty three. Charlene, you came back, I think you're saying at thirty two, thirty three. And my biggest question for you Charlene: Yeah! Gary Reynolds: was like, How does your body react to that? And I I'll not keep you long 'cause I know f Philly's gonna wrap up, but like and and you've just raised a valid point throughout this thing. it's funny that when you got back into it and you got back into the to the physical fitness end of things, it's like the mental stuff followed, if that makes sense. So Charlene: Yes. Gary Reynolds: by getting into the back into training, you weren't worried about your body or your breaking down or your hamstrings, it was actually that your mind started to clear like when you were in the UK and you went back running. So it's funny you you're actually after addressing that point in in giving an example from the workshop. So it all feeds into each other and I think that's a great, Charlene: Yeah. Gary Reynolds: great lesson for for anyone, you know. Philip Howard: Yeah, absolutely. Charlene: Yeah, because my mental health was at its lowest when I moved home Gary Reynolds: Yeah. Charlene: and had it not been for football, it probably would have taken me a lot longer to, I suppose, you wouldn't even say the word recover, but everyone has mental health. It's just either if it's ill health or good health, you know, but yeah, get on the road in the right direction, suppose. Gary Reynolds: percent. Philip Howard: Great. Well look Charlene, we won't keep you much longer. I'm going to ask you a couple of rapid fire questions here just to finish up. yeah, Charlene: Yeah. Anything could come out my mouth. Philip Howard: so look, we'll we'll rattle through a few of these. can you tell us one coach that stands out from your younger years that kind of had a big impact on you? Charlene: Tom Reynolds. Philip Howard: Tom Reynolds. Why did Tom Reynolds have a big impact on you? Charlene: They used to call him Smythie in the club. He was our first small ladies coach and he was just a legend, just a gentleman. He was actually our neighbour as well and his wife Rose, she used to wash the jerseys and make the sandwiches. She'd feed us like Philip Howard: Did everything. Charlene: they were football parents. Philip Howard: Okay, if you played another sport, apart from GA, what sport would you be involved in? Running. That'd be what what Charlene: Runnin'. Yeah, love runnin'. Philip Howard: was your actually what would distance would you be a sprinter or would you be a long distance? Charlene: Long distance, I love the 50k. I've done a 50k race actually. Yeah, and played a county match the next day. We played Wexford in a group game. But the match was a dead rubber match. Yeah, was a dead rubber match. But when I retire Philip Howard: She's right. That's tough. Quick. Gary Reynolds: Right, right, Charlene. Jeez it's putting us to shame here. Philip Howard: Carta on maisi. Charlene: from football, I do want to get into like ultra-myrthin running. Philip Howard: be doing you'll be doing ultras. Okay, very good. Who's your toughest opponent for Club or County? Charlene: Someone within Lietem. Philip Howard: I i either are. Either R doesn't matter. Gary Reynolds: Either or. You could do do both. You could do you could do leacher and you could do countryide. Charlene: I have to say, I have to say Meryn Devaney, haunts me in my sleep after my career training all the time, yeah. Gary Reynolds: Great bar for the for the reins. Philip Howard: Okay, we got Myrn, fair play. Charlene: Yeah. Philip Howard: who is the who's the the the tough the hardest trainer on the counter team? Now you you could probably say yourself, but just for the sake of this you can mention someone else. Charlene: I definitely say me. Philip Howard: trains the heart. Gary Reynolds: Ha Charlene: God, think I would have to say Jasmine May or Chloe Dolan. Philip Howard: Okay, very good. and then the last one then, who's your biggest inspiration? So who kind of was the person that, you know, gets you either from your youth Charlene: Thank you. Philip Howard: or for now who gets you kind of, you know, right, I'm gonna do this now. Charlene: Can I say Noah? Philip Howard: Absolutely, hundred percent. Yeah, a hundred percent. Great. Charlene: Noah's my answer. Philip Howard: Okay. Well look Charlene, we've taken enough of your time here today. Charlene: That's the rice. Philip Howard: I'd really like to thank you for coming on for the chat. I really enjoyed it. It was r really interesting to kind of get your insight into into a variety of different topics. Gary, what about you? Gary Reynolds: Excellent. Yeah, excellent, Charlene. I mean the whole story. I was talking about a redemption arc from the O seven All Ireland to twenty twenty four. But I mean there's a whole redemption arc in between that in that period of time you're talking about. So but the the key thing for me was the driver for all of that was the football as well and and the running. So I think it's a it's a brilliant story and hence why you've you've been out and about talking about it in fair play to you and absolute credit and we're we're delighted to have you in in in Leachroom, that's for sure. Philip Howard: Yeah. Yeah. No problem. Charlene: Thanks. Philip Howard: Well look, we wish you the best of luck for next year. we'll be keeping an eyes on on your progress throughout the year and hopefully if you're going back for another blast at it that you know you'll get you'll get the success you deserve. I know the team you've obviously have a great bond in the team at the moment and we wish you all the all the best for next year. Charlene: Thank you. And then I will win next year and then I'll retire. Go on a high. Gary Reynolds: Yes, yes, happy. Philip Howard: And you'll go over on an ultramarathon. So we'll get you back on then in a few years when you're talking about your ultra ultramarathon career. Charlene: Deal. Philip Howard: Right, great stuff. Okay. All the best, Charlene. Thanks, thanks a million. Charlene: Thank you.