Hibernian Radio Sept. 26, 2026

This week on Hibernian Radio Mike and Paddy Houlihan welcome entrepreneur Darren Gibney to discuss his journey from Warren Point, County Down, to the Chicago area and his work building Shift (https://shift.irish/), a social platform for connecting the global Irish community. Gibney shares how an early interest in technology grew from finding ways to streamline his uncle’s construction business, and describes his career in Washington, D.C., where he met longtime business partner Paul Murphy. He discusses the challenge of a fragmented Irish diaspora spread across social media groups, organizations, and local networks and Shift’s goal of making that community easier to discover and connect. The chat covers Shift’s directory of Irish pubs, festivals, musicians, podcasts, and organizations; its emphasis on in-person connections; and its dating feature, which aims to bring people together through shared Irish identity and social experiences rather than just swiping. Gibney also discusses the app’s beta-stage growth, festival outreach, and hopes for its future. The episode also features Hibernian Radio news, community announcements, and a visit to Houli Town.