Today's guest was winning writing competitions as a child but went on to study medicine. She worked for many years as a child psychiatrist. Around the age of forty, she did her first writing course after which she was like a lunatic driving home full of ideas and lines for poems. Fast-forwarding to 2021, her debut novel, Words to Shape My Name, has been shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award. It tells the story of the relationship between Lord Edward Fitzgerald and his man...
Aug 19, 2021•1 hr 10 min
This is an exciting episode when I meet Louis Markoya, an artist who spent six years as a protégé of Salvador Dalí. It is dedicated to two very special people – my wonderful friend and fellow author, Zoe Holohan , and the fabulous man, Paul Chimera , who introduced me to today’s guest, Louis Markoya. Louis is continuing the work of Salvador Dalí today after a huge break from art that he took having spent six years as Dalí’s protégé. Louis is exhibiting from 28th August 2021 until 6th February 20...
Aug 06, 2021•1 hr 12 min
I read the third novel written by today’s guest late in 2020 and I couldn’t put it down. Guilty, which is set in County Clare is a riveting page-turner about the dark secret that causes a doctor’s perfect life to unravel. One review by the author Patricia Gibney stated, “A full tapestry of secrets and lies.. a perfect mix for a thrilling read. I loved Guilty.” And so did I. And after reading it, I wasn’t surprised to notice that our guest describes herself as a plotaholic. This amazing author’s ...
Jul 13, 2021•1 hr 22 min
Ryan Dennis explores the dynamics of rural life and those who inhabit it. He is a former Fulbright Scholar in Creative Writing and has taught at several universities. His fiction, personal essays and poetry have appeared in literary journals in Ireland, New Zealand and The United States. He is also a syndicated columnist in various agricultural journals around the world. He recently completed a PhD at the National University of Ireland, Galway. His first novel, The Beasts They Turned Away, was p...
Jul 09, 2021•1 hr 12 min
This guest's latest novel has received rave reviews in lots of top publications worldwide. The New York Times review said, NORA is entirely convincing in her raw sensuality, her stubborn determination, her powerful sense of grievance and her inability to stop loving a deeply erratic, wildly manipulative yet enormously talented man.’ Author, Joseph O'Connor's review describes NORA as, "An exceptional novel by one of the most brilliant contemporary Irish writers..." In my humble opinion, today's g...
Jun 22, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Today's guest is Erin Sarofsky – the award-winning creator of the Sarofsky Corporation in Chicago’s booming West Loop. Sarofsky is a design-driven production company whose artists, directors, producers and storytellers can unlock the magic of your project. They are makers. "Resourceful. Smart. Focused. We get further faster than anyone else. Bringing kinship & excellence to the intersection of art, design, technology & film production." Under Erin’s leadership, Sarofsky is renowned for c...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 33 min
Today's guest is a bit of a Renaissance man whose early working life involved travel writing, focusing on the Deep South and Central America. Since then, he's been involved in music, sports, tech and the environment. Simon Cocking is the editor of Irish Tech News, as well as being a very sought after keynote speaker and ICO advisor. Hailing from London originally, Simon went on summer long house swaps to San Francisco, Minneapolis, San Diego & Mexico. It wasn't long before he had a dream job...
May 25, 2021•1 hr 20 min
Today's guest won a UNESCO medal for a book of poems in 1979 at the tender age of eighteen. She went on to study at Trinity College Dublin and for a significant period of time after leaving, she didn't continue writing. However, when she went back to writing poetry later – in my humble opinion, its eloquence and excellence show that her life experience married with innate talent and love for her lineage and place make it incredibly special. Maureen is a delightful guest who rounds off the first ...
Mar 11, 2021•1 hr 18 min
This episode's guest is poet, Gaynor Kane, who hails from East Belfast. Although Gaynor never imagined herself as a poet, her most recent collection, "Venus in pink marble’ is a "captivating collection full of personal and social history, with authentic snapshots of people and places, skillfully rendered." Gaynor started a degree with the Open University when she turned 40 and by the age of 46, she had completed her degree with a creative writing module. Her journey takes us from East Belfast, t...
Mar 04, 2021•55 min
Today's guest is Byddi Lee - an Armagh based author, who has lived in Canada, South Africa, Paris and California before settling back in her home town of Armagh in Northern Ireland. Her first novel, March to November, was written while in California and helped ease her homesickness. Byddi's Rejuvenation Trilogy has been rated one of the best lockdown reads of the year by the Belfast Telegraph. She has also published flash fiction and short stories and is the co-founder of the spoken word event -...
Feb 26, 2021•1 hr
Today's guest is Byddi Lee - an Armagh based author, who has lived in Canada, South Africa, Paris and California before settling back in her home town of Armagh in Northern Ireland. Her first novel, March to November, was written while in California and helped ease her homesickness. Byddi's Rejuvenation Trilogy has been rated one of the best lockdown reads of the year by the Belfast Telegraph. She has also published flash fiction and short stories and is the co-founder of the spoken word event -...
Feb 19, 2021•45 min
Today's guest is Seán Mackel, who writes fiction and poetry as well as being a visual communicator. He won the Kanturk Flash Fiction Prize in 2019, for his first flash fiction, The Silent Mouth. Seán has been lecturing and working in graphic design for decades in Australia, Germany and Ireland. Podcast website: https://creativeplacesandfaces.com/ Credits: Host: Jackie De Burca Sound engineer: Newton Samadder Music: No.4 Piano Journey by Esther Abrami Voice over: Mike Payne Sponsor Series 1: Prop...
Feb 12, 2021•44 min
Today's guest is Seán Mackel, who writes fiction and poetry as well as being a visual communicator. He won the Kanturk Flash Fiction Prize in 2019, for his first flash fiction, The Silent Mouth. Seán has been lecturing and working in graphic design for decades in Australia, Germany and Ireland. Here is one of many classic quotes from this part of Seán's interview: " So I remember that sort of aspect of Belfast, it’s the intimacy of it, the small houses, the tiny spaces, but it was great craic. I...
Feb 05, 2021•50 min
Today's guest was described as a “force of nature” by the journalist who nominated her to be a guest. This force of nature is the award-winning author and poet from Belfast, Maeve O'Lynn. Amongst her many achievements, Maeve has won the TU Short Story Competition at Red Line Book Festival, Dublin., in 2019. She was also longlisted for the Seamus Heaney Award for New Writing in 2019. Maeve O’Lynn has published short fiction and poetry in Banshee, The Stinging Fly, Fallow Media, The Honest Ulsterm...
Jan 29, 2021•51 min
In this second part of our conversation, Susanne talks about how she first came to Ireland and how the country makes her feel alive. We explore The Troubles through her own thoughtful perspective. Through her life and creativity, we travel to Bath and various places in Northwest Ireland that are so obviously integral to her life. Susanne writes beautifully in English and her insightful mind and creative output are intricately connected to parts of Ireland, especially the Northwest, where she has...
Jan 22, 2021•52 min
Imagine being born and living as a sensitive child in Nuremberg in the 1980s who thoroughly absorbed the second-hand trauma of World War II. Add into the mix the fact that your Father is entirely deaf as a result of an air raid. So you learn to communicate with him by writing notes; a formative experience that Susanne Stich is sure contributed to her becoming a writer in her adult years. Susanne's youth and creativity were deeply affected by her immediate city environment but also by frequent tr...
Jan 15, 2021•50 min
Stained glass artist, Ann Smyth, has been commissioned by a number of establishments including the BBC. Her stunning stained glass works can be seen in various locations in Northern Ireland. Ann also works on smaller pieces that are deeply connected to Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland, where she lives and works. Feathers are a regular motif in her jewellery. Travel virtually with Ann as she spends time in California in a world-renowned stained glass studio, and finds her spectacularly specia...
Dec 25, 2020•47 min
Originally an archaeologist, Emma Thorpe, now makes stunning silver jewellery that is very much inspired by her surroundings of Portstewart and the Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland. Emma's environment has a real sort of sense of wildness about it, but not a terrifying wildness. It’s a wildness that when you come, you just feel free. Emma’s bonds with the land that embraces her link to childhood and her career in archaeology. Her silver jewellery collections are inspired by The Causeway Coast. Po...
Dec 18, 2020•1 hr 20 min
For much of her week. visual artist, Helen Sharkey, lives and works on one of 70 small islands dotted along the coast of stunning Strangford Lough. She is based beside a monastic site called Nendrum, which is 5th century, and about four metres from the water up a slight hill on the hill of Nendrum. When there is a full moon, it creates these amazing, polarised shadows which are one of the many aspects of the environment there that Helen uses in her work. From Thursday to Saturday, Helen is deep ...
Dec 11, 2020•50 min
The third and final part of our interview with Malachi O’Doherty brings us back to Belfast as Malachi becomes well-known and respected for his work. Another fascinating conversation with a man who loves to spin a yarn. We end up discussing destiny, karma & baloney! Along with writing and photography and Malachi’s book, Terry Brankin Has A Gun. This episode is sponsored by Property Insurance Centre. See the transcription with images over at Travel Inspires at Back to Belfast with Malachi O'Do...
Dec 04, 2020•35 min
The second part of the interview with author, journalist and broadcaster, Malachi O'Doherty, takes us from Belfast to India via England, Geneva and a few other places. Follow Malachi's fascinating time in India, discover some of the places that contributed to his development as a writer and see him back to his native city of Belfast . Some of the topics covered include Hinduism vs Catholicism and a pretty deep and philosophical look at relationships. This episode is sponsored by Property Insuran...
Nov 27, 2020•42 min
Author, journalist and broadcaster, Malachi O'Doherty was born in the village of Muff, Co. Donegal in March 1951. Did you know that Malachi is a twin? And it was suspected that he and his brother may not survive. Soon after the family moved to Ballycastle while his father worked hard in a Belfast bar to feed an ever-increasing brood of children. Packed full of interesting childhood anecdotes, this episode touches on Malachi's relationship with his Dad and also discusses the similarities between ...
Nov 20, 2020•36 min
Andrea Spencer is a Glass Artist who makes beautiful works of art from glass. Originally from England, Andrea has been based in a Games of Thrones location in Northern Ireland, Ballintoy, where she both lives and works. She finds much of her inspiration from nature and delights in investigating natural forms that are then transformed into symbolic objects or abstracted to create images. As Andrea considers her environment in Northern Ireland, she says, "It is very inspiring and I've always been ...
Nov 12, 2020•57 min
Jan Carson has made East Belfast her base for a number of years now. Discover how these terraced streets play muse to this award-winning author. Listen to Jan as she describes how this place is bursting with material for her as an author. Learn how being in the middle of this closely-knit community triggers her creativity. Jan also talks about her first serious writer's block and how she managed to resolve it. In fact, she did so in a way that resulted in a book. We also discuss the effects of t...
Nov 06, 2020•43 min
Senior reporter for one of the world's top newspapers, The Guardian , (at the time of recording) and author of ten books, Henry McDonald talks to Jackie De Burca about his formative years in Belfast, the role of both East and West Berlin in his novels and life, plus how Nerja in Spain and Hove in England affect him creatively. Born on 6th July 1965, he grew up in Belfast during The Troubles where he had a few lucky escapes. In Belfast, The interview highlights some fascinating connections betwee...
Oct 30, 2020•1 hr 17 min
Winner of the EU Prize for Literature in 2019 , Ballymena born author, Jan Carson , delves into her own imagination as well as a number of places that have had an important impact on her creativity. Be transported by Jan's gentle voice as she considers the formative effects of her hometown Ballymena, how it contrasted with the Belfast of her university days and learn how she desperately needed to leave an environment that these days she loves. Follow her to Portland, Oregon , where she ended up ...
Sep 23, 2020•47 min
