Irish Sports Revival in Savannah: Rugby, Hurling, and Cultural Camaraderie

Discover the Savannah Scottish Games: A Celtic Celebration in Georgia

Season three of the Savannah Irish Podcast [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/podcast-1], brought to you by The Savannah Irish Festival [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/], continues with a bonus episode previewing the Savannah Scottish Games, set for Saturday, May 2, 2026 at Bethesda Academy [https://www.savannahscottishgames.com/].   Host Tara Reese welcomes planning committee members Stuart Marshall (title sponsor Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty) and Chuck Bohannon (piping and drumming organizer) to discuss the Games’ 48th celebration, its history from the St. Andrew’s Society of Savannah (founded 1737), and the expanded Moon River site restoration after Hurricane Matthew.   They highlight year-round planning by 35 volunteers, entertainment (Seven Nations, Swamp Tooth, Colin Grant Adams, Lachlan), pipe band competitions (68 registrants), Highland dancing, heavy athletics, clans, sheep herding, hurling matches, genealogy and history tents, vendors, food, and whiskey tastings, plus online ticketing and wristbands for alcohol.   What is the Savannah Irish Festival? [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/] The Savannah Irish Festival isn’t just an event—it’s the heartbeat of Green Season, a vibrant, educational, and family-friendly celebration that honors Irish culture while uniting the community. It lights the path leading to Savannah’s iconic St. Patrick’s Day parade—a beloved tradition that transforms the city into a sea of green and welcomes thousands upon thousands each year. This unique blend of history, culture, and communal joy is what keeps Savannah’s Irish spirit thriving. [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/]   The Savannah Irish Podcast is proudly supported by The Irish Pub Company - the ‘Official Partner of the Guinness Irish Pub Concept’ which means that they are rated as the best in the world at creating the most profitable and authentic Irish Hospitality Concepts. They design, manufacture and fit out your venue from start to finish. [https://irishpubcompany.com/]   Learn all about the Savannah Irish Festival [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/general-7] MEET our SHOW SPONSOR - The Irish Pub Company [https://irishpubcompany.com/] MEET our PRODUCTION CREW: Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Season Three Kickoff 01:03 Bonus Episode Setup 01:32 Games Atmosphere Preview 02:43 Meet Stuart Marshall 03:22 Music Lineup Highlights 05:59 Meet Chuck Bohannon 07:06 Origins of the Games 09:45 Bethesda Site Revival 12:58 Year Round Planning 15:01 Sponsor Irish Pub Company 16:40 Biggest Logistics Challenges 20:02 Dreaming of a Tattoo 24:14 Scotland Ties to Savannah 30:10 Food Drink and Favorites 31:38 Hurling and Field Upgrades 34:03 Family Roots and Heritage 35:51 Scottish Music to Bluegrass 37:54 Piping Styles Explained 38:46 Tradition Meets Modern 40:39 Women in Piping 42:18 Bagpipes at Home 43:37 Stewart Music Journey 45:24 Games Schedule Tickets 48:32 Vendors Dancers History 53:31 Whiskey Tasting Details 58:03 Clans Genealogy Military 01:00:47 Rapid Fire Favorites 01:05:41 Final Invites Thanks

From Ireland to Savannah: A Sit-Down with Culture, Communications, and Sport Minister Patrick O'Donovan

The Savannah Irish Podcast [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/podcast-1], brought to you by The Savannah Irish Festival, [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/]host Tara Reese welcomes Ireland’s Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan [https://patrickodonovan.ie/], to discuss Ireland’s national cultural strategy and how culture, arts, media, heritage, sport, and diaspora engagement strengthen Ireland’s international presence.   Speaking from Savannah during the city’s extended “green season,” O’Donovan highlights the deep Irish roots in Georgia, the global St. Patrick’s Week outreach by Irish ministers, and the role of the GAA worldwide. He shares his background from County Limerick, work in industry, teaching, and long public service, and outlines responsibilities spanning tech and broadband, online child safety, and Ireland’s upcoming EU Council presidency in telecom.   The conversation covers famine-driven emigration, modern two-way migration, tourism, trade links, the 1926 census release, USA 250 commemorations and stamps, sports diplomacy, misinformation and civic youth engagement, and future collaboration between Ireland and Savannah.   What is the Savannah Irish Festival? [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/] The Savannah Irish Festival isn’t just an event—it’s the heartbeat of Green Season, a vibrant, educational, and family-friendly celebration that honors Irish culture while uniting the community. It lights the path leading to Savannah’s iconic St. Patrick’s Day parade—a beloved tradition that transforms the city into a sea of green and welcomes thousands upon thousands each year. This unique blend of history, culture, and communal joy is what keeps Savannah’s Irish spirit thriving. [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/]   The Savannah Irish Podcast is proudly supported by The Irish Pub Company - the ‘Official Partner of the Guinness Irish Pub Concept’ which means that they are rated as the best in the world at creating the most profitable and authentic Irish Hospitality Concepts. They design, manufacture and fit out your venue from start to finish. [https://irishpubcompany.com/]   Learn all about the Savannah Irish Festival [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/general-7] MEET our SHOW SPONSOR - The Irish Pub Company [https://irishpubcompany.com/] MEET our PRODUCTION CREW: Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Season Three Welcome 01:23 Savannah Diaspora Spotlight 02:52 Green Season In Savannah 03:48 Minister Background And Portfolio 07:41 GAA Worldwide And Hurling 11:01 Casual Banter And Setting 12:52 Diaspora History And Famine Roots 18:42 Visitors Trade And 1926 Census 22:43 USA 250 Plans And Irish Links 27:24 Sport Diplomacy And Soft Power 28:39 Ireland and Peace 30:45 Pope and Identity 31:24 Youth and Democracy 34:53 Misinformation and AI 37:06 Racism and Intolerance 42:13 Savannah First Impressions 43:10 St Patricks Day Diplomacy 44:33 Diaspora and Sacrifice 46:38 Future Collaboration 48:42 Closing Invite to Ireland

Inside the Hibernian Society of Savannah: 200+ Years of Irish History and Tradition

In this episode of the Savannah Irish Podcast [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/podcast-1], brought to you by The Savannah Irish Festival, [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/]host Tara Reese sits down with members of the historic Hibernian Society of Savannah [http://thehiberniansociety.com/] to explore the organization’s deep Irish roots and its lasting impact on Savannah’s cultural heritage.   For more than two centuries, the Hibernian Society of Savannah has been at the heart of Irish life in the city. Founded in 1812 by 44 Irish immigrants, the society was created to assist Irish newcomers in need and help them build new lives in Savannah.   The organization would go on to play a major role in shaping the city’s Irish identity, including organizing the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in Savannah in 1824—a tradition that has grown into one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the United States.   Recorded on Saturday, March 8, just one day before the annual Celtic Cross Ceremony, this discussion also touches on the deeper traditions behind Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day observances and why the ceremony is considered by many to be the true beginning of the city’s Irish celebrations.   FEATURED GUESTS: John (Jack) E. Jaugstetter, PhD – Honorary Member and Past President John W. Jurgensen – Chairman, Historical Committee; Archivist Charles Harvey Ferrelle III – Current President of the Hibernian Society; Chairman, Communications Committee; Newsletter Editor; Member, Historical Committee   The Savannah Irish Podcast is proudly supported by The Irish Pub Company - the ‘Official Partner of the Guinness Irish Pub Concept’ which means that they are rated as the best in the world at creating the most profitable and authentic Irish Hospitality Concepts. They design, manufacture and fit out your venue from start to finish. [https://irishpubcompany.com/]   Learn all about the Savannah Irish Festival [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/general-7] MEET our SHOW SPONSOR - The Irish Pub Company [https://irishpubcompany.com/] MEET our PRODUCTION CREW: Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]

Trans-Atlantic Voices of Freedom: Black Abolitionists in Wexford & Savannah’s Historic Ms. St. Patrick’s Day 2026

Welcome to the Savannah Irish Podcast brought to you by The Savannah Irish Festival. [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/] Host Tara Reese is unlocking a POWER-PACKED episode with TWO AMAZING segments.   Segment One: Tara is interviewing Georgia Southern’s Dr. Meaghan Dwyer-Ryan [https://scholars.georgiasouthern.edu/en/persons/meaghan-dwyer-ryan/] and undergraduate researcher Tiffany Le about “Trans-Atlantic Voices of Freedom,” a public history project on overlooked 19th-century Black American abolitionists who lectured and performed in County Wexford, Ireland.   Using newspapers and archives, Le traces figures including Moses Roper, Charles Lennox Redmond, Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, Benjamin Benson, William G. Allen, and Frederick Douglass, highlighting shifting Irish public reception shaped by sectarian tensions, Daniel O’Connell’s activism, and the Famine era. The project aims to create a digital heritage trail with QR markers and classroom curricula.   Segment Two: The episode then shifts to an interview with Latrell Reed, crowned the first African American Ms. St. Patrick’s Day 2026 in Savannah [https://www.wsav.com/community/savannahs-new-ms-st-patricks-day-makes-history/] after competing twice; she describes shock and pride as she won in a venue her grandmother and great-grandmother could not visit because of segregation, and shares her mother’s emotional reaction. Reed addresses racist online backlash, explains how pageantry builds sisterhood and confidence, recounts starting pageants at age six and walking New York Fashion Week, and says her goal is to use the title to educate on St. Patrick’s history and the diversity of Irish identity while encouraging others to participate.   The Savannah Irish Podcast is proudly supported by The Irish Pub Company - the ‘Official Partner of the Guinness Irish Pub Concept’ which means that they are rated as the best in the world at creating the most profitable and authentic Irish Hospitality Concepts. They design, manufacture and fit out your venue from start to finish. [https://irishpubcompany.com/]   Learn all about the Savannah Irish Festival [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/general-7] MEET our SHOW SPONSOR - The Irish Pub Company [https://irishpubcompany.com/] MEET our PRODUCTION CREW: Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:  00:00 Season Three Welcome 01:07 Episode Topic Overview 02:13 Meet The Guests 03:07 Why Wexford Matters 05:20 Digging The Archives 07:32 Sponsor Irish Pub Company 09:17 Abolitionists In Ireland 10:58 Moses Roper In Wexford 13:35 Greenfield Benson Allen 17:40 Networks And Reception 25:08 Why This History Matters 29:12 Favorite Finds And Crowds 34:00 Project Goals Digital Trail 34:39 Curriculum and PhD Plans 35:43 African American Irish Roots 37:07 Students Abroad and Irish America 250 39:53 Next Research Focus Women 41:22 Project Strands and Wrap Up 42:51 Parade Notes and Thanks 43:46 Meet Ms St Patrick's Day 2026 46:22 Winning the Crown 50:57 Family Legacy and Kids 51:41 Pageantry Purpose and Racism 01:01:19 Learning St Patrick History 01:05:38 Legacy Message and Sign Off

Irish Sports Revival in Savannah: Rugby, Hurling, and Cultural Camaraderie

In this episode of the Savannah Irish Podcast brought to you by The Savannah Irish Festival [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/], host Tara Reese welcomes guests Don Paul (manager/chair, Pooler GAA), Will Garnett (president, Savannah Shamrocks Rugby Club), and Jared Papper (Savannah GAA) discussing how Irish identity in Savannah is thriving through sport. They explain the basics of rugby, hurling, and Gaelic football, share how their clubs formed (Shamrocks in 1978; Savannah GAA in February 2020), and emphasize welcoming, community-building, and social traditions.   The Savannah Irish Podcast is proudly supported by The Irish Pub Company - the ‘Official Partner of the Guinness Irish Pub Concept’ which means that they are rated as the best in the world at creating the most profitable and authentic Irish Hospitality Concepts. They design, manufacture and fit out your venue from start to finish. [https://irishpubcompany.com/]   Pooler GAA [https://www.facebook.com/people/Pooler-GAA/100078704988803/] Savannah GAA [https://www.facebook.com/SavannahGAA/] Savannah Shamrocks Rugby Club [https://rugbysavannah.com/] Learn all about the Savannah Irish Festival [https://www.savannahirishfest.com/general-7] MEET our SHOW SPONSOR - The Irish Pub Company [https://irishpubcompany.com/] MEET our PRODUCTION CREW: Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Welcome to Irish Sports in Savannah 01:25 Meet the Guests 02:45 How the Clubs Began 07:01 Rugby Basics Explained 08:08 Hurling and Gaelic Football 101 12:51 How to Join and Practice Times 17:10 Community and Charity Off the Field 22:38 Savannah St Patrick's Rugby Tournament 27:06 Free Entry Logistics 27:16 Tournament Size Reputation 29:13 Host City Cup Details 29:58 Registration Flex Teams 31:14 Game Day Schedule Setup 32:38 After Party Plans 33:37 Savannah vs Pooler Rivalry 38:08 Growing Youth Programs 43:39 Favorite Match Memories 49:28 Quickfire Pints Rivals 51:42 Final Dates Callout