The Ireland Podcast

Episode 154: Sonya Lennon began her career in fashion as a stylist, then broadcaster, and designer. Now, as a passionate equality advocate, she has turned her sights on designing better workplaces and a better society. Fender Jackson chats with Sonya in her Dublin home on 1 April 2025. Conversation includes: introductions; occupations; permission; childhood in Malahide; family background; being dr...

Episode 153 Music Global Producer, Tour Manager (and other roles) Aoife Ahern chats with Fender Jackson on the phone from Cork on Saturday 29th March 2025. Aoife has worked with the likes of One Direction, Chris Brown, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Sting, Madonna, Michelle Obama, Mumford & Sons, Blackpink, BTS, Phil Collins, Fleetwood Mac and Billy Joel. Conversation includes: introductions; LinkedIn; Aoife...

Episode 152 features The 4 Of Us brothers Brendan and Declan Murphy with Fender Jackson in Galway on Saturday 29 March 2025. Conversation includes: introductions; their ‘Please Do Something’ podcast; early life; Elvis as David; the story and structure behind their hit ‘Mary’; the reason why there’s such a big gap between releasing records; a performance of ‘Mary’; Mary’s longevity; ‘Luka’ by Suzan...

Episode 151 is the second half of the chat with the inspirational Singer Songwriter Eddie Winston and Fender Jackson in Galway on Tuesday 25 March 2025. This episode deals with alcoholism and drug dependency. Conversation includes: a performance of ‘Butterfly’ with overdubbed double bass from Fender; the background of ‘Butterfly’; seeking help with addiction; John Devlin; singing lessons; advice t...

We are proud mark the significant milestone of the 150th Episode with the inspirational Singer Songwriter Eddie Winston as he chats with Fender Jackson in Galway on Tuesday 25 March 2025. This episode deals with alcoholism and drug dependency. Conversation includes: a performance of ‘In Between’ with overdubs from Fender; introductions; inspiration for the song; artist John O’Donnell; Dublin Simon...

Episode 149 Songwriter and Performer Peter Wilson a.k.a. Duke Special chats with Fender Jackson in Peter's house in Belfast on Thursday 20th March 2025. Conversation includes: a performance of ‘Nursery Magic’; introductions; early life; the origins of Duke Special; The Empire Music Hall in Belfast; the Great Soprendo; The Velveteen Rabbit; Jan Carson; Lyric Theatre & Replay Theatre; Robert Wil...

Episode 148 Comedian, actor and writer John Colleary from Sligo chats with Fender Jackson in Galway. Warning: this episode contains music. Conversation includes: introductions; the Colleary name; Sligo; the family; myna bird; David McSavage; Paul Chowdhry; The Life and Death of Peter Sellers; winging it; Andy Warhol; the teacher impersonation; the west of Ireland; not taking credit; south Dublin;...

Episode 147 concludes the conversation between Artist Gerard Byrne and Fender Jackson. Conversation includes: moving from to Berlin via Dublin; George Gallery; financial snakes and ladders; being visited by his grandmother in a dream; exhibiting and running The Harrison Gallery; Gorry Gallery; becoming homeless; destiny; humanity; John Stafford; rags to riches; Dalkey; Finnegan’s; moving to London...

Episode 146 continues with Artist Gerard Byrne’s chat with Fender Jackson. More great paranormal stories in this episode! Conversation includes: travelling to Berlin via Australia; life in East Berlin; destiny; 99 Bar; the birth of the artist; creating a gallery in East Berlin; antiestablishmentarianism; art as freedom; the opening of the exhibition; East Berlin finance books; getting t(h)in/slimm...

Episode 145 Artist Gerard Byrne chats with Fender Jackson. Some great ghost stories in this episode! Conversation includes: introductions; early life; education; becoming an electrician; being part of a ghost story off the coast of Kerry during a storm; life after death and spirits; being part of a ghost story on Rathlin Island; being part of a James Bond story in Burma in the 1980’s; Argo film; l...

Episode144. Singer, songwriter and musician Shobsy chats with Fender Jackson. Conversation includes: introductions; mononyms; influences; Riverdance; U2 and The Edge; State Lights; Bono; the three voices (falsetto, middle and speaking voices); studying songwriting in BIMM; Alan Cullivan; learning classical guitar; piano; songwriting tips; ‘Entertainment’; Andy Warhol; Paul Muldoon, the troubadour...

Episode 143 features singer and philanthropist Daniel O'Donnell in conversation with Fender Jackson. Conversation includes: introductions; early years; Margo; the big break; Mick Clerkin and Ritz Records; Sean Reilly; Pirate Radio; advice to other singers; having your heart in what you do; Big Tom; Philomena Begley; Larry Cunningham; Brian Coll; Gene Stuart; Susan McCann; Michael English; Jimmy Bu...

Episode 143. Photographer Peter Rowen sits with Fender Jackson. (Peter also happens to be the boy model from the U2 artwork). Conversation includes: introductions; getting into photographer; Peter’s brother Johnny Rowen; nephew Moses Rowen (Ep. 132/133); Eugene Langan and Arnold Bell; setting up own his own in 1995; Kevin Kelly; Irish Times; moving into wedding photography; the honour of...

Ep. 141 Fender Jackson continues to find out the craic from the artist John O'Donnell. Conversation includes: being seen as an extravagance in South Africa; creating one’s own reality; establishing price points; establishing himself as an artist; Chris de Burgh and Iggy Pop; relocating back to Ireland; qualifying for a pension in Ireland; emigrating to Ireland; Instagram; John’s style of work; bei...

Episode 140 brings Fender Jackson face to face with former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Bertie was one of the key people who helped bring about the Good Friday Agreement and therefore ending the 30 year conflict known as The Troubles. Bertie gives his overview of his involvement as well as his assessment of where things are at currently in the North and beyond. Conversation includes: introductions...

Ep. 139 Fender Jackson finds out the craic from the artist John O'Donnell. Conversation includes: introductions; education including Visual Communications; opening his first gallery in the Swan Centre in Rathmines; opening a second one in Ranelagh; John’s brother; moving to S.Africa in the late 1980s; selling art at the beginning; opening a gallery in S.Africa; reflecting the Rainbow Nation in his...

Ep. 138 has Fender walking Gerry McAvoy track by track through 'Calling Card', the sixth studio album and eighth album overall by Irish singer and guitarist Rory Gallagher. Conversation includes: (re)introductions; Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival; one of Fender’s favourite musical experiences of 2024 - and that includes seeing The World of Hans Zimmer; D minor being the saddest...

Ep. 137 is the second half of Fender Jackson chatting with author of Lights, Mirrors, Action, Dr. Kenneth Monaghan who is the director of the ‘Neuroplasticity Research Group’ in Atlantic Technological University. A stroke rehabilitation expert, he has worked at every level of healthcare as an academic, researcher, chartered physiotherapist, and innovator. Conversation includes: advice to peop...

Ep. 136 has Fender Jackson chatting with author of Lights, Mirrors, Action, Dr. Kenneth Monaghan who is the director of the ‘Neuroplasticity Research Group’ in Atlantic Technological University. A stroke rehabilitation expert, he has worked at every level of healthcare as an academic, researcher, chartered physiotherapist, and innovator. Conversation includes: introductions; Dr. Kenneth’s bac...

Ep. 135 has Fender in conversations with The Pogues' Accordionist James Fearnley from England living in Los Angeles on the day before the 2025 LA Fire started. They go through 'Red Roses For Me' and James’ book ‘Here Comes Everybody: The Story Of The Pogues’. Conversation includes: introductions; The Low & Sweet Orchestra; Cranky George; The Walker Roaders; infomercials; ‘Here Comes Everybody:...

Ep. 134 has Fender Jackson chatting with Rónán Ó Snodaigh on New Year’s Eve 2024 before his performance with Kíla in Monroe’s, Galway. Conversation includes: introductions; early years; Slógadh; Coláiste Eoin (established 1969); Liam Ó Maonlaí (Hothouse Flowers); mycelium; the lack of English in Rónán’s childhood; wanting to be a poet and a musician from leaving school; Rónán’s father Pádraig Ó Sn...

Ep 133 is the second half of Fender's chat with inventor Moses Rowen. Inventor Moses Rowen picks up the timeline of his career talking about a low cost steriliser for medical equipment; his amount of inventions; patents, royalties and intellectual properties; the triangle of creative and design, the engineering and science, the human factors; the psychology around medical devices; science vs. art...

2025 kicks off with Fender Jackson interviewing Moses Rowen, inventor. Part one charts his schooling, early career and an overview of a piece of kit he designed for NASA! Conversation includes: introductions; Guggi; being an inventor; schooling vs. autodidacticism; doing a Mechanical Engineering degree in DIT (Technological University Dublin); luck; Kev; ‘No Country For Old Men’; ‘Cool Hand Luke’;...

Ep. 131 has Fender Jackson catching punters' reactions, thoughts and favourite songs from The Pogues' 40th anniversary gig of Red Roses For Me which took place in 3 Arena, Dublin on Tuesday, 17th December 2024. We are publishing this on Christmas Day 2024 - what would have been Shane MacGowan's 67th birthday. Happy birthday Shane. Hope you are swimming in streams of whiskey. John Naughton, Shrewsb...

Ep. 129 brings singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Seán Lyons from County Clare to Fender’s studio in Galway. Seán demonstrates his exceptional musicianship, performing live and engaging in an insightful chat about his creative process, inspirations, and journey in music. Seán’s day job; Clare FM; reading the deat(h)s; John Lyons, Seán’s musical family consisting of John (late father), Ann...