Patsy McGonagle: Episode 26

The Breifne Earley Show

This week Breifne is joined by former Irish Athletics manager, a veteran of 5 Olympic cycles, Patsy McGonagle fresh from the launch of his new book. The Donegal man shares his experience of growing up in Ballybofey with a strict pharmacist mother and an army officer father. Like most Irish families his Mother ruled the roost and he shares tales of his school days in Donegal and Derry where he discovered his love for Athletics, which would become his life long passion. Becoming a father and marrying his sweetheart Rosaleen while studying physical education teaching in St. Mary's, Twickenham proved challenging for the young couple but it would help form the resilience and determination that would see him lead the Irish athletics delegation to 4 Olympic Games (Sydney, Beijing, London and Rio), 6 World Championships and a total of over 68 international meetings. A record for any manager in Irish Athletics. The medals earned on his watch also make impressive reading with no less than 49 medals secured by Irish athletes in that time with Sonia O'Sullivan and Rob Heffernan's Olympic medals top of the pile. He shares his experience of the Irish sporting boardroom and how politics can affect the world of elite sport both positively and negatively and outlines his thoughts on where resources should be directed to ensure future successes in the sport. He also outlines the changing face of his own life having, like most fathers, missed out on stages of his own kid's lives he's now making up for lost time as a devoted retired grandfather. Patsy discusses the various athletes he worked with over the years and how prioritising developing good working relationships allowed Irish athletes to achieve a higher standard within their own disciplines. Through the entire conversation Finn Valley AC was never too far from his thoughts and the fantastic facility in Ballybofey is a testament to his never say die attitude and his ability to bring an entire community along with his dreams. "Relentless: A Race Through Time", Patsy's book, with Chris McNulty (Hero Books, €20) is now available on Amazon and Kindle.