Sin Scéal Eile

“Gaelmaxxing” is the title of Síomha’s new show at the Dublin Fringe this year. She was brought up speaking Irish as her first language in Dublin, which is rare enough. Back then, she says, “it wasn’t cool”. Not like it is now. Síomha is a writer, singer, comedian, artist and activist. She puts her money where her mouth is, sometimes saying the things that we all wish we could. Her show will be bi...

I’ll admit that Jade’s story was difficult to hear, simply because I naively thought we were beyond such experiences, especially since the marriage referendum. Her story is about falling in love with your soulmate and then having to change your entire life as you know it.  It’s about introspection, courage, and living your truth. Her coming out journey was not without its trauma, but thankful...

Ever heard of a Poetry Brothel? Rachel (amongst many other things) is the Madame of such a place. She pairs eager art lovers up with poets, tarot readers, and performers for private sessions. It all sounds very salacious and extremely novel.  Rx Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Podd...

We all know dogs are class. But then there's Koda, who alerted his Dad to a medical condition that otherwise would have gone untreated. Now that's a VERY good boy. Barry was once obsessed with training, running, ultra marathoning. He'd run through the parks and woods, not paying much heed to his surroundings. His recent health scare literally forced him to slow down and discover the quiet, sometim...

Paul is loving his laid back but extremely busy life of late. He retired a few years back and now spends his time doing a bit of local tour guiding around Drumcondra, photography and even some radio. He's full of stories about all sorts, including Joyce, Sinead O'Connor, Joni Mitchell and even photographing Biden! Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with s...

Sean has taken a giant leap this week, he’s quit his job selling sheds and moved into the pin world full time.  If you ever felt like you needed a pin to show that you’re witty, cool, and very millennial, then Sean “the king pin” Conroy’s collection is for you. Featuring such gems as Darth Brooks (yes, that’s Darth Vader playing guitar), a St Brigid’s cross pin that doubles as a fidget spinne...

Jamie is as Enniscorthy as they come. He was born and raised here and we had the pleasure of joining him for a pint in his local to find out more about him. He's movie mad, achieving a first in his film degree, but has sidetracked the industry in later life in favour of staying local and being present for his family. Rx Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber,...

Mat is a fixer of all things. If something breaks at home, he’ll try his hand at figuring it out, whether in his tool shed at home, or the workshop he shares with pals. From guitars to cars, computers to cameras. Bonus points if he gets to use his 3D printer on the job! Rx Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produc...

Edel’s soulmate was her Mam. They were closer than anything. That’s why, when her Mam died, so did a part of Edel. It’s a heartbreaking story of grief, one that’s known to so many of us. For Edel, it was her love of music, particularly the band Thin Lizzy, that got her through the rough parts. Rx Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lall...

Pam mentioned in her directions that the path to her home was a little “off the beaten track” and she really wasn’t lying. As we drove our big camper down the little boreen, we came to her perfect wee house. She had a table set within the walled gardens where we chatted in the sunshine. Pam and her husband are living an idyllic life, but it's very different to the one they first set out for themse...

Ken has such an epic career and it’s still on the up. He started out in the music business, touring the world as a backline tech (a life I know a bit about myself). Ken saw an opportunity to change industry which allowed him to spend more time at home with his kids and he snapped it up. He now works in live event broadcasting, helping put  together shows like the special olympics and the cham...

Andrea is an Irish woman who grew up in the States. She always knew she would return here one day, but her cushy, dependable job with the US government meant that she was committed to her career. Andrea worked for 11 years in the refugee affairs division of the Department of Homeland Security.  As the government changed, so did Andrea’s job. Andrea was faced with either reassignment or resign...

Don’t listen to this episode unless you have a kayak on standby and are ready to paddle. Susan’s enthusiasm and passion for paddling is utterly infectious. 10 years ago she made kayaking her life by opening the Go Paddle Kayak Academy, which is really handy because I doubt there’s anything else she’d rather be doing. The river is her happy place. She monitors the rainfall on the mountains to see w...

Alina has faced so much in her life. She grew up in what she describes as “extreme poverty”. She is a member of the Roma community, something she didn’t always celebrate. As she travelled around the world she would often be mistaken for another heritage, “passing” as she calls it. Now she realises that in order for one to celebrate their culture, they need to take ownership of it, change the narra...

Danny is a musician who I met while down at Feile Vegan (a vegan festival in Carlow). He was playing on the Friday night and I cornered him for a chat.  He’s a vegan himself, though I’m not sure if that’s a prerequisite for playing the festival but it’s something he’s genuinely very passionate about and even sings about. It was the 2014 film, Cowspiracy, that got him over to the V side, as it...

Ray is a professional artist. His work can be seen on the streets of Belfast, in galleries, and on t-shirts and hats in his own merch store. He’s a shrewd business person as well as an avid cultural commentator. His work is topical and witty.  He’s been in the game long enough to remember when painting illegally meant your work might be painted over within hours and you also might get arreste...

Shannon is a ceasefire baby. She’s also a young mother who has been loving the craic of the Belfast fleadh, hearing people speaking Irish and playing trad in the streets. Shannon is incredibly proud of her Irish heritage but she is also excited to bring up her son as part of a mixed family, knowing that he’ll learn from both her and her partner’s culture. xT Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story w...

Jonathan is a pal of mine who has one of those jobs that I’ll never really understand, though today I try my hardest. He’s got a PHD, he’s written theorems, and he lectures in Queens University.  I love hearing his perspective on growing up in a Protestant area of Co. Antrim. His ongoing struggles with his national identity, as well as coming into his own identity (and his coming out story)....

Joe is a street artist, teacher, activist and old pal of mine. We sat in his back garden and discussed his phenomenal career as well as the obstructions and frustrations he faces trying to practice his craft. xR Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine...

Azean welcomed us to her gorgeous home. It’s decorated so precisely and so minimalistically, there’s a feeling of space, serenity and peace. This is the space she now calls home, after many years of moving, sometimes couch surfing and sometimes moving when she wasn't really willing to move.  She is originally from Singapore, but speaks with a beautiful Northern Irish lilt. In the last year al...

Blezzing is an extraordinary young woman who has stayed strong and faced down so many challenges in her life. She suffers from chronic illness, and in turn has experienced medical misogyny and racism. Instead of letting them get the better of her, she’s become an intersectional, mental health activist, helping so many others. xR Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth...

Niamh has lived a few lives. From working in tech, to relaunching herself with a masters degree in art in her 30s. She’s now living in Belfast and utterly feels the buzz of the place. Her heart is leading her into a brand new passion, astrology. She tells me about all the different types of astrology practice, it’s ancient roots and how she might go about reading a birth chart. xR Sin Scéal Eile -...

Lucy runs a wonderful business where she helps people and companies live their best lives. There’s absolutely no way I can describe her job and do it justice, but it really is so fascinating. Why do we have to wait for a massive health scare or the like for us to realise that “this is not a rehearsal?” Lucy will help you live the life you want and need. Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was ho...

In the middle of the fleadh we popped over to Emma's lovely house for a cup of tea. She has a dream home, beautiful dog and the kind of job that makes you feel like you're doing something worthwhile. She describes her role as kind of a matchmaker for activists to find good lawyers (I'm definitely paraphrasing here). Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with...

Who knew that just beyond the back of a housing estate in North Belfast there was a tiny oasis. A place where you can go, switch off your phone, be at one with nature and awaken your inner child. This is the space that Maeve has created. Her ceramics workshops allow you to be creative with no pressure to make anything functional. After that, you can then reset yourself in the sauna or hot tub and...