The GAA Social

Recorded live from Croke park with Mayo, the All-Ireland champions. There are no words

We didn't know what to expect when Gregory McCartan sat down in front of us. Iconic midfielder for Down, All-star and double All-Ireland winner. It turned into one of our favourite podcasts of the year. Once we felt it was going one way, another right hand turn. Then again, and again. The accent, the brutal honesty, the transfer, not liking Pete McGrath, but later understanding it. Ultra dedication towards winning Sam Maguire, but sitting in the car with a bottle of vodka "60 Halfins between us" Growing up in rural Co Down "Alone but not lonely" helping his younger brother Ronan through cancer, and using that to drive him into the superb footballer he became. His daughter Sorcha is now a double All-Ireland winner with the Cork camogie team and feels right at home at St Finbarr's- the club of the great Jimmy Barry Murphy. “If I had money, I would retire to West Cork” There’s more, like marking Brian McGilligan in the iconic 1994 game against Derry, to living in London and taking Fulham Irish. The Loughinisland killings in 1994 killed six people, on the night Ray Houghtons goal helped Ireland beat Italy at the World cup. Down played an Ulster semi-final the following day “I’ve never been involved in a day like that, anytime in my entire life” Gregory is back in Castlewellan, but Ballymartin will always "raise the hairs in his arms." An absolutely smashing podcast. We LOVE the accent!!!