Erin's Isle podcast

Ireland is known for its dairy products, but Johnn Lynch in Macroom, west of Cork City, is putting dairy in the spotlight himself with water buffalo. That's right, he has established a substantial water buffalo industry. And his Water Buffalo Mozerella and other products are becomeing a national hit. 

Newgrange is a passage tomb located in Ireland's Ancient East. It is one of many monuments there. But what was it actually used for?  Anthony Murphy has studied and written extensively about Ireland's Ancient East. From the henges to the tombs and from the dolmens to the standing stones, he has written 7 books about them. Hear his views in this episode of Erin's Isle. 

Ireland is a land of wool. And in this episode of Erin's Isle, visit O'Maille's on High Street in Galway to see the variety of stitches, patterns, and wools the Irish are known for. Anne O'Maille has been knitting for 7 decades and is always happy share secrets with her customers.  

UCD's Scholars Choir has been an award-winning internet-famous, crowd-pleasing act for years. It began 23 years ago with  Artistic Director Desmond Earley and continues with him in charge. But even with a guest director the group is unbelievable. These singers are mostly scholars in other disciplines across the UCD campus. Only a handful are music majors. But their sound is intoxicating whether th...

UCD's Scholars Choir has been an award-winning internet-famous, crowd-pleasing act for years. It began 23 years ago with  Artistic Director Desmond Earley and continues with him in charge. But even with a guest director the group is unbelievable. These singers are mostly scholars in other disciplines across the UCD campus. Only a handful are music majors. But their sound is intoxicating whether th...

UCD's Scholars Choir has been an award-winning internet-famous, crowd-pleasing act for years. It began 23 years ago with  Artistic Director Desmond Earley and continues with him in charge. But even with a guest director the group is unbelievable. These singers are mostly scholars in other disciplines across the UCD campus. Only a handful are music majors. But their sound is intoxicating whether th...

UCD's Scholars Choir has been an award-winning internet-famous, crowd-pleasing act for years. It began 23 years ago with  Artistic Director Desmond Earley and continues with him in charge. But even with a guest director the group is unbelievable. These singers are mostly scholars in other disciplines across the UCD campus. Only a handful are music majors. But their sound is intoxicating whether th...

UCD's Scholars Choir has been an award-winning internet-famous, crowd-pleasing act for years. It began 23 years ago with  Artistic Director Desmond Earley and continues with him in charge. But even with a guest director the group is unbelievable. These singers are mostly scholars in other disciplines across the UCD campus. Only a handful are music majors. But their sound is intoxicating whether th...

While Ireland brings visions of whiskey and Guinness to mind, Listoke, north of Dublin has opened Ireland's first all gin distillery and giin school. You can learn all about the business and all about distilling your own, in a 3 hour session at the school. They provide the botanicals and the stills, the rules and the recipes. You go home with an education and a bottle of gin distilled to your own...

Michael Kelly is a fiddler who can play anything from rock and roll to bluegrass to jazz. But these days he focuses in on the musice that is in his heart; Irish Music. And while in Reno recently he enchanted the crowd with drinking songs, ballads and instrumental that make you dream of the Emerald Isle.  Hear his story and his music on this episode of Erin's Isle.  

When you visit the city of Cork, don't miss the hidden gems: the butter, the bells and burros.  That's right there is a museum there dedicted to butter, you can ring the Shandon bells if you are willing to climb the tower, and not far from Cork the Donkey Sanctuary houses and cares for hundreds of donkeys turned out on their own when agriculture in Ireland was motorized with tractors. Hear all abo...

Meet the coooper master for Jameson Whiskey and hear how he views his all-important job, how important the casks are to Jameson and how he drinks his whiskey...on Erin's Isle.

The bodies of men who lived in the Iron Age have been pulled from the bogs in Ireland and are on display at the National Museum in Ireland. Hear the stories of how they came to be there, what happened to them and what we can all learn from such old bodies in this edition of Erin's Isle.

Sean Smyth is one of about a dozen Irish harpmakers and his instruments are in demand. He makes each one to order from his workshop in the back of HollyTree Cottage not far from the Village of Naul. Hear what he puts into his harps and what harpis Fiona Gryson gets out of them, on Erin's Isle.

How did 100 women from all walks of life become a community voice in Drogheda? They got together to sing and found friendship, escapism, friendship and harmony with life.  Hear how a passtime the all love became the basis for a community service group, as they raise money for charities with their concerts.

Gaeltachts are Irish communities where Irish is designated as the primary language. Anyone can drop in, and, yest they will explain things in English if you can't understand them. But it's a way of encouraging the native language and keeping it alive. Donegal is a great Gaeltacht. Not only do you hear Irish all around you, you can see the Irish in action and you can see the pink skies of Donegal l...

Just because you aren't in Ireland doesn't mean you can't celebrate with traditional music.    Chances are there's a session in your own town. You just have to look for it.  This is one I found in Reno, Nevada

How the Galway Cathedral shows the resilience of the Irish Spirit.

Ballyfin is a luxury country house in County Laios, not far from Dublin, Ireland. It is was build in the 1800's and has been a popular getaway for the rich and famous from around the world.  In 2018 they held a special dinner and invited Chef Patrick O'Connell from Little Washington Virginia to help. It was  grand dinner indeed.  Tour the home and the gardens and hear the chefs talk about locally...

Tour the Dunbrody Famine Ship and hear the stories of those who sailed her. And hear the history of the Hole in the Wall Bar in Kilkenny. All that plus A Broad Abroad in Episode 40 of Erin's Isle.

Hear all about Kilkenny Castle, the Medieval Mile and Kytler's Inn, also known as a Witches' Kitchen. History that shaped the town and that will make you want to visit. All that plus A Broad Abroad in Episode 39 of Erin's Isle. 

A working windmill and a competition for roses. You can find them both within miles of each other in the west of Ireland. Tralee is where women from around the world compete for the title of the Rose of Tralee every August. Hear where they come from and just how the competition began so many years ago.  And Blennerville, between Tralee and the Dingle Peninsula is where you'll find Ireland's only w...

From cemeteries and funerals to wakes and monuments, the Irish know how to celebrate a life well-lived. Hear all about about, including the role grave robbers played and how the newly dead are honored daily.  All that plus A Broad Abroad in Episode 37 of Erin's Isle.

From preserving Irish ancestry to musicians creating and sharing Celtic music, Episode 36 of Erin's Isle explores them all. In particular there is a focus on the connections from Ireland and Scotland all the way to the high desert of Nevada, and all across the United States.