Domestic abuse can manifest itself in many ways, especially when children get caught in the crossfire. Josh Balfe reflects upon how his childhood experiences have followed him throughout his life, and charts the effects they’ve had on his development, growth and mental health. From anxiety and anger issues, throught to the mental barricades erected in self-defence at a young age - all had to finally be confronted and resolved. This is the story of how the ongoing global pandemic finally help him to remove the last of the bricks that he had been hiding behind.

A School of Media Production for TU Dublin, City Campus

For some people living on a remote Irish island, with only your partner and no hot running water or electricity, for 6 months sounds like a nightmare but this is not the case for over thousands of couples who applied to move to the Great Blasket Island off the coast of Kerry last January. The highly coveted job goes to one lucky couple every year. Their responsibilities include maintaining the cottages available to rent on the island and providing refreshments for the daily visitors to the island. Pressing Pause follows the journey of Lesley Kehoe who was hired as an island caretaker with her partner Gordon Bond in 2019.

Presented and produced by: Katie Hackett. A School of Media production for TU Dublin.

Music Credits:

Sourced on FreeMusicArchive.org:

The Road to Lisdoonvarna & Scollay's by Pinniped is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Britches Full of Stitches. Munster Bank. Bill Sullivan's (The A Polkas) by Sláinte is licensed under a Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

She Moved Through the Fair by Sláinte is licensed under a Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License

Sourced on Artlist.io:

An Chúilfhionn (strings-version) by Patrick Ussher

Scottish Highlands by Ben Winwood

Narcissus by Maya Belsitzman and Matan Ephrat

Báidín Fheilimí by Patrick Ussher

Food is the single great unifier. There is something about food that is powerful; it connects us to our own pasts, memories, and the world around us. In living abroad, food has sculpted Dhai Al Mutairi, and it helped her stay connected to her own culture and family in Saudi Arabia. In this documentary, Dhai talks with Dr. Ashley Rose Young and Dr. Rachel Laudan about the cultural significance of food and other aspects of food, from how food shapes our identity to the link between food and memories.

Music featured:

Kestas - When it all falls

Le Trio Joubran - Robbama

Kevin Macleod - We wish you a Merry Christmas

Sound effects featured:

BBC Rewind Sound effects. From https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search

Path to Positivity brings you the story of one woman's effort to make a difference. Laurena Pepper used her own experiences to create an online community of positivity. She discusses her story and how she ended up becoming a safe space for thousands of followers.

Music: Xylo-Zico - Calm

At eight years of age, young Dublin Boy, Tommy Morgan was committed to Artane boys home for persistent truancy. During his time spent in the reform school, Tommy was subjected to relentless physical abuse at the hands of the Christian brothers. On his release, he mysteriously vanished.

Speaking to Tommy’s nephew, Alan Morgan, he details the tragic events of the youngsters time while incarcerated and his family’s 50 year subsequent quest to locate him. Will their arduous journey have a happy ending? Or has it all been in vain?

This is a TU Dublin, school of media production.

Music featured:

Crime investigation by Jason Donnelly

Last dream by Adrian Berrenguer

La Catedral Prelude Saudade 1 by Michele Nobler

The pro wrestling world is a strange, wonderful yet tough world. Trainee pro wrestler Conn Kelly (Conn Mc Gillion) chronicles his path into the pro wrestling world, along with tag team partner Daragh Lynch. Conn talks candidly about his initial steps into pro wrestling, the balance between wrestling and other aspects of his life, what inspired him to start pursuing his dream and the ambitions he and Daragh have for their future in pro wrestling.

Photo: John Morrisey Photography

Music: Free Music Archive

‘One Person Listening Now’- Doctor Turtle

‘The Circles I Went Round In’- Doctor Turtle

‘Hometown Streetlife’- Lobo Loco

‘Snowfalls’- Lobo Loco

‘El Negro de la Costa’- Niz Dua Ban’D

‘Infinity’- Timecrawler 82

‘Chucky’- Yung Kartz

The separation from the western world had its impact on Lithuanian culture. While western countries are proudly enjoying the liberation from the old world, Lithuania is only starting its journey towards it. This documentary examines the lives of LGBTQ people in Lithuania and their fight for a right to be recognized.

Music used in the programme:

Di Bos- Yubey Shan from freemusicarchive.org

Alex Mason- Demon Story from freemusicarchive.org

Hiraeth- Silver Maple from epidemicsound.com

Lucky Charm- Mimi Olesen from epidemicsound.com

Nadir- Gavin Luke from epidemicsound.com

Partly Cloudy from epidemicsound.com

Fracture- Jakob Ahlbom from epidemicsound.com

Come Spring- Gavin Luke from epidemicsound.com

Crowander - Echo II from freemusicarchive.org

Crayons Part2- Silver Maple from epidemicsound.com

BOCrew- WILD from ccmixter.org

Di Bos- Paghing Utas from freemusicarchive.org

The Next Step is a TUDublin production done by final year journalism student Ciaron Noble. Ciaron lives with Cerebral Palsy. The Next Step is a story told by Ciaron through his own eyes. He talks about what it was like growing up and how he used his passion for sport to keep himself motivated throughout life. it’s a personal story about resilience and perseverance. Everybody has different challenges in life. ‘We all have different strengths and weaknesses. We can all maximise our ability in different ways. During this documentary, both Ciaron’s grandmother and dad were interviewed along with four time Paralympic Champion Michael McKillop.

Music: Free Music Archive: Music Ambience, Crowander Step Up, Shaolin Dub- BumBaClart Dub, Scott Holmes Music-Celebration, Makiah Beats- RiseAbove (Makaih.com)

Kevin Byrne has been fighting poverty with Concern for more than 30 years.

Having joined Concern in 1988 after ten years of being a spray painter, Kevin has gone on to become one of their longest serving members of staff.

As he now sits in his Concern office on Camden Street in Dublins City, Kevin reflects on a lengthy career working overseas helping those most in need– showcasing to Gavin Dalton throughout, just how much the job means to him.

From providing food to refugees in Jordan during the Gulf War in 1990, to setting up the famine response in Somalia when the Civil War was at its most dangerous point in 1992, ‘A Tale To Tell' gives a fascinating insight into some of Kevin’s fondest and most challenging memories and experiences from along the way, in what is an eye-opening life story.

Music Featured: Scott Holmes- Storybook,Scott Holmes- Soft Inspiration,TrackTribe- Peony Morning,Scott Holmes- Never Miss A Moment.

This track was produced for TU Dublin. A School of Media production.

This is Audio Tales from the School of Media, TU Dublin, City Campus featuring the best of the final year audio documentaries from the Film & Broadcasting and Journalism undergraduate programmes. Audio Tales is built on the success of DIT FM and brings you award-winning audio documentaries from our extensive archive stretching back over twenty years. Find out more on Instagram @audiotalesTUDublin and @schoolofmediaTUDublin

Music (Creative Commons 4.0)Comfort Fit03 - Sorry; Keinzweiter -Mircoobee.