Stateside look at Billy Walsh and Kevin Doyle

'EMIGRATION NATION' is a six part series on UTV Ireland that celebrates generations of Irish exiles; from recent economic emigrants to Irish American descendants seeking a connection with their never seen homeland; from those wanting to simply see other places to artists and sports stars whose careers demanded a move beyond the Emerald Isle.

Each episode, features two different stories on the one continent. First up on Thursday, North America, where two Wexford men have ended up in the beautiful Rocky Mountain state of Colorado. Boxing coach Billy Walsh controversially left Ireland and the Irish boxing team to take up a position with the USA boxing team. Billy talks candidly about how negotiations with the IABA broke down and how he couldn’t pass up the opportunity that America presented. In Emigration Nation we meet some of Billy’s new boxers, including the double Olympic gold winning Claressa Shields, and hear how things didn’t necessarily start easy. Despite enjoying his new job, Billy’s heart will always be in Wexford.

Fellow countyman Kevin Doyle is living a few miles north in Denver city, playing soccer for the Colorado Rapids. After making the move from the UK, Kevin settled in with his wife and two young children. Kevin takes us on a tour of the stadium where everything is bigger than in European football – except the fanbase. Relaxing with his family he tells us why he won’t play football until he’s forty and why he intends to settle in Ireland when it comes time to hang up his boots.

EMIGRATION NATION (new series)
Thursday 15th September 2016
UTV Ireland
7.30pm