Hurling

Billy Walsh featured on Electric Ireland 'GAA Minor Moments' podcast

21 May 2024 - 10:46AM

Season Three, Episode Four of the ‘GAA Minor Moments’ podcast, features former Wexford Minor Captain, Olympian and current Head Coach of Team USA boxing, Billy Walsh.

Electric Ireland, proud sponsor of the Electric Ireland Camogie Minor Championships and the Electric Ireland GAA Minor Championships, has today released Season Three, Episode Four of the ‘GAA Minor Moments’ podcast, featuring former Wexford Minor Captain, Olympian and current Head Coach of Team USA boxing, Billy Walsh.

Speaking from a training camp in Colorado Springs, Billy spoke candidly about his love for the GAA and how Gaelic Games laid the foundation on his journey to the Olympics - as well as the importance of encouraging kids to play as many sports as possible growing up in order to gain the widest skillset possible. In Billy’s own words, “in Ireland, our best athletes go through our national sports – Gaelic Games, Football and Hurling.”

Despite Billy’s name being synonymous with boxing, he grew up in a strong Wexford GAA family, with his aunt winning two All-Ireland titles with the Wexford camogie team. He speaks fondly about his younger years captaining the Wexford minor footballers and breaking “two to three hurleys a week” for the Wexford minor hurlers. Such was the comradery built in these teams, Billy says all his best friends today came from the Wexford minor teams.

Billy emphasised the importance of a strong mentality which can be built in the boxing gym or on the GAA pitch, as something that can be transferred into all aspects of your life. “Losing is part of winning,” which is something Billy learned from his minor days losing a Leinster minor hurling final in Croke Park. Losing in Gaelic Games helped him to bounce back from the disappointment of not being selected for the 1984 Olympics, to go on to captain the Irish Boxing Team at the ’88 games, as he said himself – “four years is a hell of an amount of time when you’re 20.”

After retiring from boxing, Billy went on to play both club football and hurling until he was 40. Even in his eighth year as head coach of Team USA Boxing, Billy is still a true Gael at heart - he proudly remembers being in Colorado last year for the US GAA Championships and seeing 1,600 people playing hurling and camogie.

Electric Ireland’s ‘GAA Minor Moments’ Podcast will air on Tuesdays throughout the Electric Ireland Camogie & GAA Minor Championships as well-known Irish stars share memories from their early sporting careers, reflecting on the defining moments from playing Minor and how it shaped them, both on and off the pitch.

Season Three Episode One featured Kilkenny camogie legend, Ann Downey, with Episode Two featuring former Tipperary player and author Eimear Ryan, and Episode Three featuring former Antrim Camogie captain Jane Adams. This season, Fergal will be joined by a host of excellent guests including Alan Brogan, Richie Hogan and many more as they reflect on their time spent playing Minor and shed light on some great personal stories.

For more information on the Electric Ireland Camogie Minor Championships go to https://www.electricireland.ie/camogie-minor-championships.

For more information on the Electric Ireland GAA Minor Championships go to  https://www.electricireland.ie/gaa-minor-championships.

You can also follow the campaign on social media @ElectricIreland and via the hashtag #ThisIsMajor.