The recent successes of Irish athletes in the European championships have nicely teed up the forthcoming Olympics for most sports fans.
Rashida Adeleke and Ciara Mageean among others have done the country proud.
But is the success that they and others are enjoying a result of a the kind of well funded, structured system that exists in comparable countries, or is it in spite of the approach of the government that these athletes are showing their world class ability.
Former athlete and sports journalist Cathal Dennehy has assembled strong evidence that it is the latter. He is this week’s guest on the podcast.