What is Second Captains?
Second Captains is an independent Dublin podcast company founded by Eoin McDevitt, Ken Early, Ciarán Murphy, Mark Horgan and Simon Hick, who resigned together from Newstalk’s Off The Ball on 4 March 2013 and launched the podcast that month, later published in partnership with The Irish Times. Since 13 February 2017 it has been funded by members of its World Service.[1] [3] [4]
What does it cover?
Irish and international sport — Gaelic games, soccer, rugby and whatever else the week brings — in a daily show (six or more episodes a week), plus Second Captains Football, a politics podcast, Richie Sadlier’s The Player’s Chair, Second Captains Saturday on RTÉ Radio 1 since 2015, and documentary series for BBC Sounds including Where Is George Gibney? and Stakeknife.[1] [2]
What is its reach and standing?
12,766 paying members by June 2020, at €5 a month plus VAT; the current figure is not published. Awards it lists: iTunes Podcast of the Year 2014, and Banff, Prix Europa, New York Festivals, ARIA, Webby and British Podcast Award honours for its documentaries; Stakeknife alone has passed two million listens.[1] [2] [5]
Since when?
March 2013 (the site’s own date); paid membership since 13 February 2017, when the Irish Times partnership ended.[1] [4]
Why does it matter in sport?
Because it is ad-free, member-funded, and made by the presenters who defined Irish sports radio before it — which is why its documentaries carry the awards they do. A Second Captains interview is the Irish equivalent of a national broadcaster’s, without the broadcaster.[1] [3]
References
- Second Captains — About. Accessed September 2026.
- Second Captains — Join. Accessed September 2026.
- The Irish Times — “Off The Ball team leave Newstalk”, 4 Mar 2013. Accessed September 2026.
- Sport for Business — Second Captains leaving Irish Times, Feb 2017. Accessed September 2026.
- Irish Examiner — Second Captains subscribers, Jun 2020. Accessed September 2026.