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The Irish Snug Podcast

The Irish Snug Podcast

By: Tim Grant
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Pull up a stool and settle in. The Irish Snug Podcast is your dedicated corner for the stories, history, and characters that make Irish pub culture legendary. From the storied wood of Manhattan’s iconic bars to the hidden gems of the Irish countryside, we sit down with the people who keep the tradition alive. Whether it’s a deep dive into family legacies or a chat with a local regular, we’re capturing the spirit of Ireland, one pint and one story at a time. (Formerly the Pubs & Pints Podcast).


Rooted in the Irish tradition of

great storytelling, each episode invites listeners to pull

up a stool and enjoy tales that range from laugh-out-

loud funny to deeply moving.

© 2026 The Irish Snug Podcast World
Episodes
  • A Legendary Son of the New York Irish Diaspora | Robert John Burke

    A Legendary Son of the New York Irish Diaspora | Robert John Burke
    Jul 2 2026
    In this episode, we sit down with native New Yorker, seasoned Hollywood actor, and dedicated volunteer firefighter Robert John Burke. As a proud first-generation son of County Galway immigrants, Robert beautifully bridges the grit of New York City with deep Irish ancestral roots.Pull up a stool as we dive into his upbringing in Washington Heights, the rhythms of the Irish-American diaspora, and unforgettable behind-the-scenes stories from film sets like Copland and working alongside Tom Cruise and Sylvester Stallone. We also discuss his deep bond with legendary FDNY figures like Father Mychal Judge and Captain Patrick Brown, and his ongoing work to support the firefighting community.📌 Episode Breakdown & Timestamps0:00:07 – Welcome to the Snug: Introduction to Robert John Burke. 0:01:27 – Growing up in Washington Heights and moving to East Northport, Long Island. 0:03:38 – The immigrant experience: Balancing a love for Ireland with making a go in America. 0:04:58 – Robert’s first trip back to Ireland in 1979 and discovering author Niall Williams. 0:06:22 – Traditional Irish music, tin whistles, and the global appeal of Irish Trad. 0:11:47 – Family farms in County Galway, traveling to Lacray, and winter turf fires. 0:16:43 – Family legacy: Growing up with a twin brother and three remarkable nurse sisters. 0:18:47 – The calling to serve: Firefighters, police officers, and Irish-American civil service. 0:21:12 – The volatile history of Irish assimilation in New York City. 0:26:22 – Crucial life lessons: Why we learn more from losing than winning. 0:29:14 – How Irish sensibilities, rhythms, and the oral tradition shape an actor’s approach to a scene. 0:33:55 – Working with Tom Cruise on a massive upcoming film and the post-9/11 detox initiative. 0:36:52 – Upcoming projects (Digger, Subversion, and returning to HBO's The Last of Us). 0:37:42 – Behind-the-scenes of Copland: Stallone, De Niro, Ray Liotta, and a carnival hammer challenge. 0:43:01 – The true art of a pub "session": Conversation, balance, and storytelling. 0:47:32 – Breaking down the stereotypes surrounding Irish culture. 0:50:27 – Taking a DNA ancestry test and tracking Norman roots. 0:52:57 – Meeting Captain Patrick "Patty" Brown and moving to Ocean Beach. 0:55:17 – Honoring FDNY heroes: The Drennan family and the iconic legacy of Father Mychal Judge. 1:02:26 – An Irish engagement at the Cliffs of Moher and the history of "Honeymoon" Mead. 1:04:36 – Committing to 24 years of fire service in honor of Captain Patrick Brown. 1:06:24 – The incredible impact of the Leary Firefighters Foundation and the Joey DiBernardo Foundation. 1:11:18 – The ultimate Irish Snug question: Imagining the perfect pub gathering with old country memories. 🔗 Support the Foundations Mentioned in This EpisodeRobert talks extensively about the critical need for material equipment and advanced training for firefighters. Please consider visiting and donating to these incredible causes:The Leary Firefighters Foundation: http://learyfirefighters.orgThe Lieutenant Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation: http://joeydfoundation.orgFollow The Irish Snug Podcast:Website: https://www.theirishsnugpodcast.com/YouTube: / @irishsnug Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1V1xWuV...Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...Instagram: / irish_snug Send us Fan MailSupport the show
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Highland Games, Irish Wrestling & Celtic Pride: The No Fame Games | Josh Mackintosh

    Highland Games, Irish Wrestling & Celtic Pride: The No Fame Games | Josh Mackintosh
    Jun 1 2026
    What happens when you mix traditional Scottish heavy events, ancient Irish wrestling styles, stone lifting, a traveling Irish pub, and a deep respect for the elders who kept Celtic traditions alive? You get the No Fame Games.In this episode of The Irish Snug Podcast, Tim sits down with Josh MacKintosh, founder of the No Fame Games, to talk about the upcoming Celtic Strength World Championships, the revival of ancient strength traditions, and the deeper meaning behind Celtic culture, heritage, camaraderie, and community.Josh shares how the No Fame Games began in a Massachusetts backyard during the pandemic and grew into an international Celtic strength event featuring athletes from around the world. The conversation covers Highland Games heavy events, stone lifting, Irish collar-and-elbow wrestling, Scottish backhold wrestling, shillelagh traditions, Irish martial arts, the role of Guinness and The Black Harp traveling Irish pub, and the importance of preserving cultural traditions in an authentic way.⏱️ CHAPTERS0:00:02 Welcome to The Irish Snug Podcast0:01:26 Josh’s family background, Scottish ancestry, and New England roots0:04:02 How the pandemic led to the first No Fame Games0:05:22 From a backyard gathering to 140 athletes and a world championship0:06:48 David Conn, backyard stone lifting, and the revival of Irish lifting stones0:08:47 Breaking down the events: Four championships across Irish and Scottish traditions0:09:04 Scottish Highland Games (stone put, Braemar stone, weights for distance)0:14:19 Caber toss and the famous “telephone pole” event0:20:50 Celtic wrestling and the historic return of Scottish backhold0:22:20 Irish collar-and-elbow wrestling and its forgotten history in America0:24:36 Stone lifting and team-based strength events (truck pull, deadlift, stone over bar)0:30:06 Stone lifting stations and working with Martin Jancsics and David Conn0:31:02 Bringing David Conn’s Copper Coast lifting stone to Boston0:35:48 How Josh’s Ireland trip deepened the mission of seeking authenticity0:36:43 Cultural panel discussion: What is Celtic strength?0:39:55 Shillelaghs and the ancient Irish art of stick fighting0:44:36 Stone of the Fianna, Martin Jancsics, and Rogue’s Stoneland documentary0:45:14 Dúchas archives and the rediscovery of Irish lifting stones0:47:22 Guinness sponsorship, B.T.’s Smokehouse, and The Black Harp traveling Irish pub0:50:07 Jerry Divine’s poem “Mac Tíre” and the emotional impact on Josh1:00:33 Boston Scally caps and hands-on strength education1:05:08 Final question: Which historical Celtic figure would Josh share a pint with?🔗 LINKS & WEBSITES MENTIONEDNo Fame Games: https://www.nofamegames.com/The Black Harp Traveling Irish Pub: https://theblackharp.com/B.T.’s Smokehouse: https://www.btsmokehouse.com/Boston Scally: https://www.bostonscally.com/Irish Collar & Elbow Wrestling Federation: https://www.collarandelbow.ie/Rogue Fitness — Stoneland documentary: https://www.roguefitness.com/theindex...Dúchas — National Folklore Collection: https://www.duchas.ie/Guinness: https://www.guinness.com/Follow The Irish Snug Podcast:Website: https://www.theirishsnugpodcast.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@irishsnugSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1V1xWuVTsJ13NpbcRIQrHWApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-irish-snug-podcast/id1842749209Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irish_snug#NoFameGames #CelticStrength #IrishCulture #HighlandGames #TheBlackHarpSend us Fan MailSupport the show
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • The Shillelagh: Reviving Ireland’s Indigenous Martial Arts | Nathan Featherstone

    The Shillelagh: Reviving Ireland’s Indigenous Martial Arts | Nathan Featherstone
    May 23 2026
    In today’s episode, Nathan Featherstone joins us from Dublin - an elite martial artist, historian, and leader of the global renaissance of the indigenous Irish art of stick fighting.Many of us grew up with a shillelagh in our homes, viewing it simply as a traditional walking stick or an Irish souvenir. But as Nathan explains, its history is far deeper, more complicated, and entirely fascinating. Driven underground by the 17th-century Penal Laws—which effectively outlawed "being Irish" and banned the ownership of conventional weapons—the shillelagh became a vital tool for self-defense, recreation, and massive "faction fights" at local cattle markets.Nathan breaks down the physics of the weapon, the two surviving traditional styles (Doyle and Antrim), the role women played in these historical brawls, and how he is working to keep these martial arts alive today through sparring and international workshops. We also discuss his work revitalizing traditional Irish Collar and Elbow wrestling and what to expect at the upcoming Neo-Trad Games near Boston!⏱️ Episode Timestamps[00:00:02] - Welcome to The Irish Snug & Guest Introduction [00:01:01] - Host Tim shares his personal family shillelagh story [00:02:19] - The Penal Laws: How the shillelagh became Ireland's hidden weapon [00:03:51] - Stick fighting as recreation and letting off steam [00:05:06] - Fair days and faction fights: 5,000-person brawls [00:06:00] - Land clearances, city guilds (Butchers vs. Weavers), and sectarian feuds [00:07:36] - Peak popularity and how the Great Famine nearly drove the art extinct [00:08:00] - The social pushback: The GAA and the "saints and scholars" image [00:09:22] - Tracking folklore through the Dúchas archive [00:10:46] - Wood types: From outlawed Irish oak to traditional blackthorn [00:11:21] - The history of "souvenir" shillelaghs and 1960s American tourism [00:13:35] - The 7 specific types of Irish sticks [00:14:32] - Preserving traditional Irish Collar and Elbow wrestling [00:15:33] - The loss of young Irish men across generations of global wars [00:16:39] - Thanking the Irish diaspora for keeping traditions alive [00:17:18] - Nathan's martial arts background: MMA, Judo, and starting Ireland's first Sumo school [00:19:50] - The Rambling Kern: Deconstructing post-colonial stereotypes of Irish history [00:23:09] - Doyle vs. Antrim: Understanding the two surviving styles of Irish stick fighting [00:24:39] - The unique mechanics of the shillelagh grip and the "flick" action [00:25:56] - The historical rules: Women with rock-filled aprons and ground-fighting bans [00:26:55] - Evaluating historical artwork vs. modern living lineages [00:31:06] - The rhythm and combat acoustics of stick combinations [00:33:18] - How to train safely: Padded sticks, fencing masks, and tire drills [00:35:29] - Self-defense practicality vs. the dangers of turning it into a sport [00:37:59] - Nathan's global training tours and his goals for students in Ireland [00:40:31] - Embracing a modern Irish identity free from historical shackles [00:41:25] - Dismantling anti-Irish drinking stereotypes [00:43:42] - Thoughts on bringing Irish stick fighting to the Joe Rogan Experience [00:44:33] - The New England Celtic Games & the upcoming Northeastern Wrestling Championship 🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeNathan’s Platform: Check out historical videos and martial arts demonstrations on Nathan's page, The Rambling Kern. YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ramblingkern Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theramblingkern/Folklore Archive: Explore the Irish history and folklore archive mentioned by Nathan at http://Dúchas.ie. Upcoming Events: Get tickets and information for the No Fame Games (expanding from the Highland Games) in Milford, Massachusetts, taking place this June 13th. http://nofamegames.comIf you enjoyed this episode, please hit the SUBSCRIBE button and the bell icon so you never miss a story from the Snug. Sláinte!Follow The Irish Snug Podcast:Website: https://www.theirishsnugpodcast.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@irishsnugSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1V1xWuVTsJ13NpbcRIQrHWApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-irish-snug-podcast/id1842749209Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irish_snug#IrishStickFighting #Shillelagh #IrishCulture #MartialArts #TheRamblingKernSend us Fan MailSupport the show
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    48 mins
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