My guest in this podcast is John Evoy. John is someone I've connected with at different times in the past due through my work in the community. I’ve always found him to be a deep thinker with a big heart. John lives in County Wexford, Ireland, and works as the General Manager of Grow Remote Ireland. He previously worked with social innovation funding body Rethink Ireland, and before that, he was the founder of the Irish Men’s Sheds movement. In this conversation, we talk about his work as well as his rural upbringing, bereavement, the importance of community, the challenges of addiction, the b ..read more

Áine Tyrell is an Irish singer, songwriter and musician who grew up in counties Galway and Clare. She’s been living in Australia for over a decade now where she has toured extensively and developed a reputation as a fiercely grassroots and independent artist who is a powerhouse live performer and I highly recommend going to see if you get a chance.  Áine’s music connects with so many aspects of our humanity, heartache, loss and suffering, and also resilience, hope, recovery, survival, and overcoming. Aine also courageously shares about her experiences as a single mother, dealing with abus ..read more

Ann Marie Flanagan is a disabled human rights activist from County Clare in the west of Ireland. Growing up in a tight-knit, supportive community, she says attitudes towards her physical impairment were generally inclusive. However, that changed when Ann Marie hit the age of 12 and entered secondary school. She says the environment was hostile and exclusionary.  Despite the challenges, she went on to flourish, completing an IT degree and getting involved in student activism. She has also completed a Master's in partnership studies and public administration and an advanced diploma in human ..read more

John Seed  is 78 year old world renowned Australian environmental educator, author, activist, artist and filmmaker. A recipient of the Autsralian government’s Order of Australia medal, John is the founder and director of the Rainforest Information Centre and since 1979 has been involved in 100s of campaigns and education initiatives that have protecting remaining rainforests and helped humanity rethink our relationship with nature.  John and his family first came to Australia as Jewish refugees who experienced incredible hardship and devastating loss during the Nazi occupation of Hu ..read more

Tim Costello is one of Australia's most well-known and respected community leaders. In recent times he was voted one of Australia’s 100 national living treasures. A recipient of Victorian of the Year and Victoria's Australian of the Year accolades, as well as an Officer of the Order of Australia, he is an influential leader on a range of social issues, including the huge harm caused by the scourge of gambling in Australia. Tim is a previous longtime CEO of World Vision Australia and has helped lead the response to some of the greatest humanitarian disasters of recent times, including the 2004 ..read more

This episode features a conversation with Cork man Don O'Leary. Don is the Director of the Cork Life Centre, which is a voluntary organization established over 20 years ago to offer an alternative learning environment to young people aged 12-18 who have not thrived or coped in a mainstream educational setting.  I have visited the centre as a guest speaker in the past and witnessed first-hand the loving and creative environment in which young people can flourish. The centre has struggled to receive state support and recognition and the first few minutes of the podcast include some updates ..read more

Wallis Bird is one of my favourite artists and perhaps my favourite all-time performer. Originally from Wexford Ireland, Wallis has been based in Berlin Germany for over a decade. She has 7 albums to her name including her latest called Hands, which is in many ways is a celebration of uniqueness and difference. The origin story goes back to when Wallis was 18 months old 5 of her fingers were severed in a lawnmower accident. 4 were sown back on meaning she ended up losing one and from then on was forced to do things differently to many people, including how she learned to play the guitar. And f ..read more

My guest in this episode I Michael Barron. Michael is a well-known Irish human rights activist originally from rural Co Kilkenny where he grew up as a young gay man dancing to Madonna while many of the other boys focused on hurling and sports. He shares some fascinating stories and insights from that time in his life and his coming of age in Dublin and New York. Michael is currently working as the Executive Director of the Rowan Trust, which is an important independent foundation that funds important social movements, campaigns and initiatives. Since the 1990s Michael has worked with communiti ..read more

Declan O’Rourke is one of Ireland’s finest singer-songwriters and musicians and is respected and loved by music lovers around the world. He has received praise from the likes of John Prine, Paul Weller and other luminaries. Declan has created 7 excellent albums, including the latest Arrivals, which I have to say is one of my favourite albums of recent years. A truly stunning piece of art for your ears. Do check that out. Declan is also wise and informed voice when it comes to history and social issues, as evidenced in his 2017 album Chronicles of the Great Irish Famine. Continuing with the the ..read more

Colm O’Gorman is an author, activist, cook, charity founder, and lots more. Colm is one of Ireland’s best known activists. Colm O’Gorman was born in Wexford, Ireland in 1966. He’s from a farming background and spent the first eleven years of his life in the village of Adamstown before moving with his family to Wexford town in 1977. He left Wexford in 1984, living in Dublin for a few years before moving to London in 1986. He has had an impressive list of jobs and careers to date. He previously worked as a waiter, a barman, a charity fundraiser, a hair salon manager, a security guard, a coat che ..read more