Latest news with #ThomasNiblock
Wales Online
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC Sport presenter bravely opens up on miscarriage heartbreak
BBC Sport presenter bravely opens up on miscarriage heartbreak The GAA Social Podcast with Oisin McConville and Thomas Niblock spoke to former Galway All-Ireland-winning hurler Johnny Glynn about his and his wife Serena's fertility issues Thomas Niblock opened up about the miscarriages his wife Kirstie has had to go through (Image: thomasniblock/Twitter ) BBC Sport presenter Thomas Niblock has opened up about the personal anguish of miscarriage and fertility complications following his revelation that his wife Kirstie tragically lost three pregnancies. In an emotive segment on the GAA Social Podcast, Niblock and fellow host Oisin McConville invited ex-Galway hurling champion Johnny Glynn to share his harrowing experiences. Living in New York with his wife Serena, Glynn faced similar sorrows in his journey to parenthood. Only recently, after steering New York to victory in the Lory Meagher Cup at Croke Park, Glynn learnt that their latest IVF attempt had failed. During the podcast, McConville described it as a "privilege" to hear such candid and heartfelt discussions about the struggles of fertility, pregnancy loss, and ectopic ruptures, reports Belfast Live. Niblock laid bare the trials he and his wife Kirstie have endured. "It is not an exaggeration in any way - my family and friends would know this - we were very close to losing Kirstie," he disclosed. "So that shapes you. You go from your fertility after that and I am thinking, it would be amazing and I'd love to have kids, like most people would. "Not all - but certainly most. But at the same time when you nearly lose your wife that's the game changer for me and that's the priority. That shapes you as well. Article continues below Johnny Glynn joined Oisin McConville and Thomas Niblock on the BBC's GAA Social podcast "Then time passes by and you definitely do want kids. So that's where we're at, at the minute. We haven't tried IVF. That may be coming down the pathway. My wife is very lucky. She has a great set of friends - been really supportive towards her. She's a very strong person. "She doesn't take things too seriously whereas everybody I would find would be quite different in this scenario. She has a good head on her shoulders. But it still is heavy stuff. I just feel it would be hypocritical if I didn't put myself out there, even though it's a bit weird to be talking about it." Glynn's experience echoed similar sentiments, as he disclosed: "Unfortunately we've had a few miscarriages. We've had an ectopic pregnancy. We've done a few rounds of IVF. "We are after finishing our fifth round of IVF transfers and they've all been unsuccessful so far. To be honest with you, where we are at I don't know exactly. I don't know how we are going to get there yet but we are going to get there. Thomas Niblock opened up about the fertility issues he and his wife Kirstie have endured (Image: thomasniblock/Twitter ) "When we do have kids and if they grow up to be healthy and fine, do you know what I'll take these two years. I'll take this tough time because it's only going to be for a little bit of time. We are going to get over it. We are going to be fine. "Not to sound soft or anything, but as long as myself and Serena have each other, we'll be okay. What upsets me is seeing her so upset. I firmly believe, I will be ok, if she is ok. It's not being able to fix this for her, it's the one thing that is out of my control, that I can't do for my wife. It's a f*****g killer." The pair opened up about their fertility journey, including sperm testing and confronting the discomfort caused by questions about starting a family. Niblock shared an anecdote of common enquiries he faces: 'No kids yet Tommy?' before adding: "I would have known, even not going through our experience, if someone is married a year or two and they are in their 30s and there's no kids, there might be a wee issue there. Don't maybe say something to them. "So I push back and say: 'To be honest, we've had three miscarriages' and the face just drops. But I feel that's important to say that. It's not me being guarded. It's just maybe more: 'you should have a wee think about that.' I am grand with it and it doesn't bother me, but I definitely know of other people it does. The BBC presenter revealed his wife had gone through three miscarriages (Image: thomasniblock/Twitter ) "I am always amazed by the response of so many people. Once you tell people you've had a miscarriage, they'll say: 'Tommy, know all about it, one or two myself.' "Now their stage is different. This is what I think, my whole thing is if you have two or three kids and you have two or three miscarriages before, I'd be 100 percent with that. "It's not mitigation against what happened in the past but your journey is a past tense one. But I think if you are in the midst of it and you don't have any kids and your story to tell is - in my case three miscarriages - you are in a very different place. Article continues below "Not in a mean way but because so many people have no history of talking about it. It is bit weird for me even talking about this. In my life I'd say this is the most I've ever put myself out there so I am at fault as much as anybody else, because it's not talked about. It's not normalised and people don't really know what way to deal about it. "We're still clinging on to hope and hope is a very powerful thing. If hope was gone, then you're realigning yourself - adoptions, fostering, no kids whatsoever. Me and Kirstie will have a brilliant life, no matter what way that goes, as long as she's there." The full podcast is available on BBC Sounds here.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Pele, Derry and sheep farming - Mickey Niblock joins the GAA Social
On this week's GAA Social, the duo are joined by Mickey you can probably guess, Mickey is related to podcast host Thomas but this chat is more than a family reunion as the trio get stuck into Mickey's career on both sides of the former Derry player won an Ulster title for the Oak Leafers in 1970 before a stint playing football in the USA for the famous New York Cosmos in North American Soccer League where he was replaced by none other than footballing royalty Pele!You can listen to the GAA Social right now on BBC Sounds.
Irish Times
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Scenes in Clones and Croke Park show provincial titles are still worth their weight in gold
Casinos and chicken ranches were filling the Clones air on Saturday evening while an emotional Michael Murphy hugged his Da like he'd never won silverware before. 'This is a man who has captained his county to an All-Ireland,' Joanne Cantwell reminded us, Murphy's reaction to Donegal's triumph somewhat countering the notion that winning provincial titles means nothing any more. Mind you, if Armagh do what they did last year – fail to get their hands on the Anglo Celt Cup, having to settle for the Sam Maguire instead – they probably won't fret too much about their 2025 championship season, but they looked sufficiently gutted come full-time to suggest they were, indeed, rather eager to win this Ulster final. Nobody, though, loves an Ulster final more than BBC Northern Ireland commentator Thomas Niblock. 'Is there a greater day in the calendar than this,' he wondered as the teams took to the field, dismissing anything that might ever happen on any other of the 364 days. And as the second half got under way: 'Is there anywhere you would rather be right now than in Clones?' Some might well have replied, 'eh, the Maldives maybe?', but Thomas would have had none of it. Besides, the Monaghan weather was Maldives-esque, those in the crowd without sunscreen turning the colour of Armagh's shirts as the game progressed. READ MORE Armagh's Jarly Óg Burns competes in the air with Donegal's Jason McGee in front of a packed St Tiernach's Park in Clones. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho A damn mighty game it was too, a marginally bonkers thriller at times, every time it appeared to be settled it sprang in to life again. 'My God almighty,' Thomas hollered when Donegal gave up possession at the death in normal time, Armagh going up the field to equalise and send the game in to extra-time. 'Players are collapsing left, right and centre, supporters are collapsing in the stand, the game is going down to the chokey neck of championship seconds,' said Thomas, who sounded like a man who was about to collapse himself. Extra-time, then. 'I think there might be another wee gear in Donegal,' Conor McManus told Sarah Mulkerrins when she asked for his forecast, and so it proved. A very wee gear, mind, only a point in it in the end. And just to round off the occasion, there was a shemozzle. Hats off to the Tír Chonaill supporter who tried to break it up with his green flare, like he was armed with tear gas. Back on RTÉ, Donegal's Ciarán Moore joined the panel, pointing out that he was 10 when Murphy raised the Sam Maguire. 'We all grew up watching him,' he said, like Murphy wasn't feeling elderly statesman-ish enough. Liam Jackson and Conor Branigan lead the celebrations with the Delaney Cup after Louth's win over Meath. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho While Donegal had to wait a whole 12 months to get their hands on the Anglo Celt Cup again, just the 68 years went by since Louth last laid their paws on the Delaney Cup. And oh my, what an occasion in Croke Park. Divil a sign of blue, the Dubs left watching on telly for the first time since Brian Boru was in short trousers. The game? Another uppy-downy inny-outy contest, to use the technical terms about these things, Louth coming out on top by two points come the final hooter. They'll be dancing in the streets, from Termonfeckin to Tullyallen, for another 68 years. 'On days like this, you're just appreciative of what football can bring to counties,' said Seán Kavanagh on RTÉ as Sam Mulroy thrust the trophy in the direction of the heavens, the red-clad half of Hill 16, most of whom looked around 12, bouncing on the concrete beneath their feet like it was a trampoline. Glorious. The Croke Park neighbouring residents will hope it's another 68 years before they're back, their celebrations breaking the Richter scale. 'Fifty-eight years is a long bloody time not to win silverware,' said Louth manager Ger Brennan, to Damien O'Meara. Famine over. Louth? Not so wee any more. The one disappointment about the weekend's football was that the lads didn't wear skorts in solidarity with their camogie sisters. 'The controversy over the wearing of skorts by camogie players has deepened,' the RTÉ Nine O'Clock newsreader announced gravely, in or around reports on Ukraine and India/Pakistan. If the Camogie Association isn't careful, they'll have Donald Trump intervening soon. Although he might find them somewhat more recalcitrant than the players in those other conflicts. There's no end to this mortification.
BBC News
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Listen to Down legend Ross Carr on the GAA Social
Listen to the GAA Social as Down legend Ross Carr sits down with Thomas Niblock and Oisin McConville to discus the Mourne County, asking if he was good enough and the fragility of life. You can listen to the GAA Social here.
