Every March, St Patrick’s Day transforms Dublin — but few people know the man helping to turn a single parade into one of Ireland’s biggest cultural and economic events.
Richard Tierney is the CEO of St Patrick’s Festival, the organisation behind Ireland’s national celebration. In thispodcast with Ian Kehoe, Tierney explains how the festival has evolved into a multi-day, citywide programme — with free daytime events, night-time culture and thousands of participants — while still carrying the weight of national identity at home and abroad.
Coming from a background in live entertainment and major commercial deals, Tierney was brought in with a clear brief: make the festival financially sustainable without losing its cultural soul.
From the Yorkshire Cricket Club racism scandal to safeguarding reforms in British Gymnastics, employment lawyer Sam Murray Hinde has been at the forefront of some of the most significant legal challenges in British sport. In this interview with Ian Kehoe, the Howard Kennedy partner shares insights on governance, crisis management, and the evolving legal landscape shaping the future of sports organisations. Sports Matters is sponsored by the law firm Whitney Moore.
One the day of the pope’s funeral, Fr Ricardo Da Silva, host of the Preach podcast talks to Dion Fanning about the legacy of the pope and why ambiguity was a deliberate course of action.
When Muhammad Ali visited Dublin to fight Al Blue Lewis he famously asked where do all the black people hang out? He was told there weren’t any. Dave Hannigan has written a marvelous book about that week in Ireland. He talks to Dion Fanning about Ali’s time in Dublin and the people who made it happen.
All organisations are experimenting with GenAI - or at least they should be. But already the conversation is starting to move on to Agentic AI. But what is it? How can you implement it? And what will it do to your bottom line?
In this episode of The Tech Agenda, David Lee, the Chief Technology Officer with PwC Ireland, talks to Ian Kehoe about the opportunities and pitfalls of Agentic AI. In a wide-ranging interview, he outlines how Agentic AI could transform workflows—but only for those willing to rethink governance, upskilling, and risk.
Lee argues that the most powerful applications of AI go beyond efficiency, toward revenue growth and innovation. From improving radiology outcomes to predicting customer complaints before they arise, Lee explains how the real value lies in redesigning processes, not just digitising them. For organisations to succeed, Lee says, hands-on experience is essential. His message is clear: start small, build understanding, and think ambitiously.
The Tech Agenda podcast series is sponsored by PwC Ireland.
For professional athletes, retirement doesn’t come in the form of a gradual career peak—it arrives suddenly, often through injury or physical decline. Unlike those in other careers who can steadily build toward financial security, many athletes find themselves facing uncertainty in their early 30s. In this episode of Sports Matters, former rugby players Niall Woods and Marty Moore discuss the challenges of transitioning out of the game, from financial instability to the loss of identity and structure. Speaking to Ian Kehoe, they explore the psychological and practical difficulties of life after professional sport and the importance of preparation for the next chapter. Sports Matters is sponsored by Whitney Moore.
In 2001, Peter McKenna was on the corporate fast track at Smurfit in the publishing business. But a conversation with mentor Paddy Wright planted the seed for a dramatic career pivot as stadium director of Croke Park. When he took over, the stadium was under construction and loss-making. Last year, it had annual revenues of €132 million and paid a €16 million dividend to the GAA.
McKenna still serves as stadium director but he is also in charge of the GAA’s commercial arrangements and corporate partnerships.
In this episode of Sports Matters, he talks about making the stadium as a financial contributor to the GAA, the decision to take control of the association’s streaming service, and the lessons from his career.
Sports Matters is sponsored by the law firm Whitney Moore.
AI and data are transforming the customer experience at an unprecedented pace, forcing businesses to rethink how they engage with customers. But how can companies harness these technologies effectively? In this podcast, produced in association with EY Ireland, we explore the strategies, challenges, and opportunities of customer transformation. Three EY partners share their insights with Ian Kehoe on the role of AI, data, and technology in driving competitive advantage — and what businesses must do to stay ahead.
This podcast has been produced in assocition with EY.
Sarah Keane has spent more than two decades at the forefront of Irish sport, driving governance reforms and rebuilding trust in organisations facing crisis. As CEO of Swim Ireland and former president of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, she has championed accountability, gender balance, and cultural change. Yet, while progress has been made, Keane warns that too many reforms risk becoming box-ticking exercises rather than meaningful improvements. From the evolving nature of volunteerism to the challenges of properly funding sport, she argues that deeper structural change is needed to ensure a sustainable future for Irish sport. In this episode of Sports Matters, she talks about governance, accountability and volunteerism with Ian Kehoe. Sports Matters is sponsored by the law firm Whitney Moore.
Ciaran Medlar’s day job is as a partner with BDO, an accountancy firm that, through Medlar’s Sports Advisory Unit, is a major player in sport in Ireland. However, his influence extends far beyond financial spreadsheets. Whether guiding elite athletes through career transitions, negotiating high-stakes sponsorship deals, or helping steer Shamrock Rovers through a golden era, Medlar is one of the most influential figures in Irish sport. Despite the high-profile nature of his work, Medlar has remained extremely low profile. Instead, he prefers to operate away from the headlines, letting his clients attract attention. Indeed, he is currently transitioning his own career to take on a larger management role with the golfer Rory McIlroy. In this episode of Sports Matters, he talks about his journey, the development of the business of sport in Ireland, and the highlights from his career. Sports Matters is sponsored by Whitney Moore.
French economist Gabriel Zucman has led the charge against tax avoidance by multinationals and, more recently, billionaires. On a visit to Dublin, he sits down with Thomas Hubert to discuss Trump's challenge to an economic development model based on attracting taxable profits from other jurisdictions, how to catch tax exiles, and the fine line between academic research and politics.
