Documentary on One Podcast

Ronan Kelly travels to the first World Bodhrán Championships in Milltown, Co. Kerry - meeting some very interesting characters along the way, some of whom have travelled a very long way to be there. (First Broadcast in 2006) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Irish comedian Maeve Higgins looks for people who write to Saint Valentine in Whitefriar Church Dublin. She meets people who are looking for love, asking for help, telling him their most intimate hopes and fears - all written into a public book on display See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marianne Argue has an unglamourous job in the frontline of the health service crisis: she's a bed manager in Wexford General Hospital. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2006 Westmeath taxi driver Ray O'Hara found himself with a VIP in the back of his cab, and a fare that would last 6 months with the King of Pop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Barry is from Portlaoise; he's spent his working life in technology and now he's set up a company with his children to produce products for bedroom DJs and musicians. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A sonic portrait of Skellig Michael in the company of world-renowned sound recordist, Chris Watson. Chris captures the gurgling of Storm Petrels and the raucous music of Manx Shearwaters as they swarm around Christ’s Saddle in the dark. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two different tales of Irish people who share an enthusiasm for retro Americana. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every county in Ireland, except one, has at least one winner of the Victoria Cross. This radio documentary delves into this little known aspect of Irish history to find out who these men were and how they won the most prized award for gallantry. (2010) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

District Nurse, Margaret Roche, recalls working as a rural midwife in Co. Wexford from the 1950s to the 1970s. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A shocking incident in a quiet Canadian town, as told by the neighbours who unwittingly found themselves caught in the middle of a domestic abuse incident. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2004, Wexford Co. Council built new public housing in the villages of Campile and Fethard-on-Sea and to mark this project the Council also commissioned a suite of music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An incredible story. 80yr old Donegal man Peter Daly was a member of the notoriously corrupt NYPD Special Investigations Unit during the 1970s. Peter received a 10yr jail term for his involvement in a 100kg drug seizure and befriended the mafia in prison See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why people are breaking up pianos, what the keening means at a funeral in South Africa and the boxing barber/hair-cutting boxer - extracts from three stories courtesy of The Dark group in London. You can listen to the full stories at inthedarkradio.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20 years ago the Documentary Unit put a microphone on a small boy starting national school in Dublin. Now, 20 years later, where is everyone? Especially the hysterical child who tried to escape the classroom when his mother left. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The biggest known oil reserve in the world. A tiny community of aboriginal Canadians. And a Limerick GP. How an Irish doctor came face to face with the biggest industrial project on the planet and found himself at the centre of a nationwide controversy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TOG is a hackerspace group. Every other Tuesday they meet to pick locks. They have a table full of padlocks that range from simple 3-pin ones to more challenging 5-pin locks. They all seek that "moment of joy" that comes with success. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's 1913 and when a Longford woman's engagement to a rich Glasnevin resident is derailed, where does she turn for comfort - the Dublin Courts. Miss Emily Sheeran took Mr Patrick Duignan to court for Breach of Promise to Marry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Drifting' is the 'art' of driving a car sideways. Mike Fitz says he can park better with a handbrake than conventional manoeuvering. It sounds scary and looks chaotic but Mike explains that drifting racing cars is carefully controlled. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In August 2001, three Irish men who were travelling on fake passports were arrested in Bogota Airport, Colombia. The men became known as the 'Columbia Three'. One of the men, Jim Monaghan, tells his story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The car boot sale in the grounds of Tallaght stadium every Saturday morning has people queueing from 3a.m. Salum is there for books, Calthe is looking for runners and Joe, John and Jeremy are trying to offload unwanted stuff. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wild Boar became extinct in Ireland during Celtic times, hunted into legend by our ancestors, but could it be making a comeback? Shane Dunphy seeks out the true story behind this enigmatic animal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PJ Heraty is a sculptor. One day, over 30 years ago, he was called to an interview with 14 other artists to a Dublin pub. This led to a career working up close with Irish celebrities as part of his job with the Wax Museum. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A look into the secret life of Richard Pockrich's Glass Harp, celebrating its music and exploring the strange career of its wild and wacky inventor and examining the myths surrounding its effect on listeners and performers alike. A look into the secret life of Richard Pockrich's Glass Harp, celebrating its music and exploring the strange career of its wild and wacky inventor and examining the myth...

A coach among coaches - Gus O'Loughlin of The Burren tug-of-war team. He has sworn he'll bring a team from The Burren to an All-Ireland final and he's on his way. But Gus has his own to story to tell too, of hard work and wild times. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicknamed the ‘Emerald Isle of the Caribbean’, for centuries the island of Montserrat has had connections with Ireland. However, lurking in it's history are stories of fierce Irish slave owners. The story behind Ireland’s unofficial colony. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.