Clubhouse Conversations: Recent Episodes
Simon Thornton
Join your host, Simon Thornton, as he sits down with members of Pembroke Wanderers H.C. to discuss their life both on and off the hockey pitch.
Welcome to Clubhouse Conversations Episode 10! This is the second part of the interview with Irish Olympian Alan Sothern and the final instalment in this series. The episode picks up with Alan getting his second chance in the Irish set-up as the Green Machine faced into the next Olympic cycle, determined to qualify and fuelled by the disappointment of missing out on London 2012. He details that four year journey to Rio and what it took to make history by becoming the first Irish team, in any sport, to qualify for an Olympic Games, winning a European bronze medal in the process. Later in the episode Alan speaks candidly about managing his Type 1 Diabetes throughout his career, how it's not all been plain sailing, and the four words, "Of course you can!", which shaped his mindset. Finally, Alan outlines what's next for himself. Although he isn't done on the hockey pitch yet, hoping to return Pembroke to their former glory, he now has his sights set on tackling the world of fashion and settling down with his new wife, new house, and new dog. Thanks to everyone who has tuned in to the series. Thank you to all the guests that took time out to appear and speak so openly about their careers. Stay tuned for future episodes!
Welcome to episode 9 of Clubhouse Conversations. This is part one of a two-part interview with the Irish Hockey and Pembroke Wanderers goal-scoring powerhouse Alan Sothern. Part one of the conversation focuses on Alan's formative years and how he became one of the countries most ruthless finishers in the circle. Alan recounts his experience during the club's dominant period, under the guidance of Craig Fulton, with a star-studded team of players, which led to Irish and European trophies, and multiple appearances at the EHL. He shares how these experiences provided a springboard to playing on the continent in the Hoofdklasse, the pinnacle of domestic hockey leagues, and how it set him up for his future as an Irish athlete. This conversation provides a fascinating window into Alan's relentless passion and hunger to become the best striker he could possibly be and reach the peak of becoming an Olympian.
Stay tuned for part two to hear about Alan's time with Irish hockey, the experience of playing at an Olympics, and how being a diabetic has affected his life as a high performance athlete.
In the clubhouse this week is Paul Harrington. On the pitch Paul is a coach and player with the club, while off the pitch he is a budding singer/songwriter. In this episode Paul delves into his path through the All Star hockey camps, from attending the early iterations of the Pembroke camp, to managing and coordinating the whole thing. He shares how he became obsessed with music, how he honed his skill to provide a creative outlet through his music, and how he came to adopt the stage name, Pluto.
Paul becomes the first musical guest on the podcast, closing out the episode with his new track "Soar", releasing in late 2021.
New episodes released every second Friday, at 12pm!
Follow Paul on Instagram and keep up to date with his latest release information - @paulharrington1
Joining Simon in the clubhouse this week is Emily Catan. Emily joined us from the US a few years ago and currently plays on our Ladies 3's. In this episode, she tells her hockey story, from her parents setting up a hockey club in California to getting a D1 scholarship at UC Berkeley, before joining us here in Pembroke. In light of the rise of Asian hate in the wake of the pandemic, Emily speaks about her own experience with racism, both in the US and here in Ireland, and how we can all do our part to support diversity and inclusiveness in hockey and society.
New episodes released every other Friday at 12pm!
Joining Simon in the clubhouse this week is Sinéad Loughran. Sinéad plays for the 1st team in the club, she is a former Irish International, current Dublin footballer, and if that wasn't enough, she is now a qualified doctor. Sinéad tells us how she managed to balance all those commitments, gives us an insight into her years playing hockey in the US, and the globetrotting story of her first cap for Ireland.
With June being Pride month, Sinéad opens up about her own experiences as a gay woman both on and off the pitch, in Ireland and abroad and offers powerful advice for anyone that may be coming to terms with their own sexuality. Without a doubt she is a role model that anyone could look up to and be inspired by.
We here in Pembroke Wanderers stand with all our members of the LGBTQ+ community. We aim to provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for anyone that wishes to play our sport, regardless of gender, orientation, race, age, or religion.
New episodes released every other Friday at 12pm!
Welcome to Episode 5! On this weeks episode of Clubhouse Conversations, three of the four members of Duck Hook, Scott, Ben, and Nick sit down with host Simon Thornton to discuss the beginnings, the aspirations, the triumphs and the challenges of their new venture. We hear some of the ideas that didn't quite make the cut (fake tan anyone?), the process behind getting their apparel from design to the consumer and as with all our guests, we get an insight into the lads individual journeys through Irish hockey and how they came to play for Pembroke.
Next episode drops at 12pm on Friday, June 25th!
Get your Duck Hook apparel here! - https://www.duckhook.shop
Follow them on Instagram - @duck.hook
Welcome to Clubhouse Conversations episode 4! Joining your host Simon Thornton in the clubhouse is Gillian Pinder. Gill earned 172 caps during her time playing for Ireland and was a part of the World Cup silver medal winning team in London 2018, scoring the winning shootout in the semi-final. Gill provides an insightful look into her journey through international hockey beginning with her early call up to the squad up to how she came to the decision to step away from international hockey in the build up to an Olympics.
Joining Simon in the clubhouse this week is Sami Dowling. Sami has been the mastermind behind the transformation of the strength and conditioning of the performance teams in the club over the last couple of years and has been working with hockey's future stars in Hockey Ireland's JAG teams. During the episode he takes us back through his years working with Leinster Rugby and what it was like to play a role in the development of players who went on to represent both Ireland and the Lions. Sami discusses his work in Dublin GAA as they laid the foundation for their back to back All-Ireland wins, and what the future holds in his new role as Director of Fitness in Fuse Training.
Host Simon Thornton is joined in the clubhouse by Ladies 7XI player Aoife Lane. Aoife paints the picture of how her art went from a hobby to a brand new Covid venture, supplying half the club's members with portraits of beloved pets and spin art masterpieces for their walls. She delves into her role with Rugby Players Ireland, discussing how she prepares athletes for life off the pitch, playing under the scrutiny of social media and how they have dealt with the challenges brought on by the pandemic. New episodes drop every second Friday at 12pm!
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Clubhouse Conversations! I am your host Simon Thornton and joining me in the virtual, covid friendly clubhouse is 1st team keeper Mark Ingram. Mark discusses his path to becoming one of Ireland's top goalkeepers, his experience playing professionally with HC Rotterdam and where he hopes to take Pembroke Wanderers in the future. Along the way Mark provides useful advice and insight into what it takes to be an international goalkeeper, dealing with injuries, and how he balanced study and playing.