Best Of Belfast: Northern Ireland's #1 Interview Podcast

Sheridan Tongue is a BAFTA-nominated composer from Belfast known his global, award-winning work on drama series and documentaries alike.

From scoring the mind of Stephen Hawkings, soundtracking 12 seasons of Silent Witness, to releasing music under the pseudonym IN-IS; Sheridan's creative work has taken him all over the world and back home again — most recently with BBC NI's series Spotlight On The Troubles: A Secret History.

(Not bad for a guy who started busking with his saxophone outside BHS in Belfast as a teenager!)

In today's episode we chat about:

• How his early-experiences in NI shapes his work
• The role experimentation plays in composing music
• How he balances the commercial with the creative
• And the greatest challenges/successes he's experienced along the way

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To see a 'treasure trove' of all things related to Lyn (including a photo) please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/sheridan-tongue-composer

Best Of Belfast is Northern Ireland's #1 Interview Podcast. We've shared 100+ hour-long conversations with incredible people from Northern Ireland.

To find out more, or join 'The Producers Club' please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/

Cheers!

— Matt 

Incredibly excited to announce a new mini-series we're launching in collaboration with Northern Irish Connections where we’ll be sharing the story of six extraordinary people from NI doing exceptional things overseas.

In this quick intro episode, we caught up with Invest NI's Anne Beggs to chat about:

• How many Northern Irish people are living outside of NI?

• Why it's so important to connect them?

• What we can learn from them?

• And some of the amazing things these people have been able to achieve.

Northern Irish Connections is Invest NI's Diaspora Outreach Program.

Find out information about moving back home, and discover amazing diaspora stories by signing up to their free monthly newsletter at https://www.niconnections.com/

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Webpage for this episode: https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/anne-beggs-ni-connections

Best Of Belfast is Northern Ireland's #1 Interview Podcast. We've shared 100+ hour-long conversations with incredible people from Northern Ireland.

To find out more, or join 'The Producers Club' please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/

Cheers!

— Matt 

Brian John Spencer is an artist from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

After going down the grammar-school track of studying law, Brian decided to take the leap in a brand new direction at 25-years-old to pursue his dream of becoming an artist.

A dream that already is paying off.

From sketching thousands of caricatures, painting landscapes to designing wine labels for Michael Deane, Brian's work has been displayed and paid-for in Brooklyn, Belfast and beyond.

In this very special episode we took the microphones to "Picasso's studio" in Ross's Auctions in the city centre to catch up with him and his 7-year-old son Henry (the youngest guest we've ever had on the show) to chat about:

• How Brian "all of a sudden transformed into an artist"
• His mentors, inspirations and artistic north stars
• The balance between creativity and commerce
• What Henry has learned hanging around his dad
• And the greatest challenges/successes they've experienced along the way

Awesome chat with two hard-working guys that bring "the work-ethic of a builder" to the creative process.

Check it out.

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To see a 'treasure trove' of all things related to Brian (including a photo) please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/brian-john-spencer-artist

Best Of Belfast is Northern Ireland's #1 Interview Podcast. We've shared 100+ hour-long conversations with incredible people from Northern Ireland.

To find out more, or join 'The Producers Club' please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/

Cheers!

— Matt 

Joan Henderson is an Educational Mentor focusing on helping schools across Ireland tap into the developmental power of outdoor play in young children.

Being a former early-year teacher and school-inspector herself, Joan has spent a lifetime observing the impact being outside has on children — and the problems that can arise when they don't get out enough.

In this fascinating, exclusive episode we talk to Joan about:

• What her work across 500+ schools can teach us about ourselves
• How we as adults can benefit from being outside more
• The impact screens are having on younger generations
• And the success/challenges she's experienced along the way

This very special, far-reaching conversation was appropriately recorded in my back garden — complete with birdsong and all!

I was absolutely riveted by everything Joan had to say and think it's more relevant than ever as we are entering into a post-lockdown world.

Can't wait for you to listen to find out why.

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To see a 'treasure trove' of all things related to Joan (including a photo) please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/joan-henderson-outdoor-play

Best Of Belfast is Northern Ireland's #1 Interview Podcast. We've shared 100+ hour-long conversations with incredible people from Northern Ireland.

To find out more, or join 'The Producers Club' please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/

Cheers!

— Matt 

BONUS EPISODE.

I was interviewed recently for another podcast and ended up talking about Northern Ireland the whole time.

Thought there was some interesting bits in here about WHY we do the podcast and how loving where you live really has the potential to change the way we live our lives.

Enjoy!

Red Bay Boats is a family business in Cushendall that has built over 1000 boats and 'shipped' to 30+ different countries around the world.

After reading a book on boat building Tom McLaughlin dropped out of school to restore an old rotten rowboat.

Since then, Red Bay have made boats used by the royal family, anti-pirate authorities, ferries, tour-guides and fishermen.

His son Conor — now a master-boat builder himself — works full-time in the family business and is responsible for building and delivering their bespoke vessels as far as Svalbard; an island 500 miles north of Norway.

In today's episode we caught up with Tom and Conor on their boat for this Father's day special to talk about:

• The fascinating link between the North Coast and Scotland (which is closer to Cushendall than Ballymena)
  
  
• What it's like to work so closely with family
  
  
• How they "make memories" for their customers
  
  
• The camaraderie of the local sailing community
  
  
• And the challenges/successes they've experienced along the way.

This fascinating episode — set to the soundtrack of the North Coast waves — shares the story on an incredible family carrying on Northern Ireland's shipbuilding legacy and having a lot of fun along the way.

You'd be daft to miss it!

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Link to webpage for this episode: https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/red-bay-boats

Best Of Belfast is Northern Ireland's #1 Interview Podcast. We've shared 100+ hour-long conversations with incredible people from Northern Ireland.

To find out more, or join 'The Producers Club' please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/

Cheers!

— Matt 

Daniel Crawford is the Founder & Chief Strategy Officer of Axial3D; a 3D printing company that creates medical models of a patient's organs, bones and other anatomical structures based on their 2D scan results.

The reason why this is is such a gamechanger (asides from being unbelievably cool) is because it gives clinicians — like surgeons — the chance to analyse, strategise and develop a precise gameplan:

Before cutting a patient open.

The Northern Irish start-up (which was created while Daniel was still at university) has gone on to raise over $5 million dollars, create 20+ jobs and most importantly, save lives.

In today's episode, we caught up with Daniel to talk about:

• How his university experience helped him start the company
• The opportunities COVID-19 have opened up for them
• Why you shouldn't try to "boil the ocean"
• And the challenges/successes he's experienced along the way

Really enjoyed this awesome chat with one of our nation's rising stars and the opportunity to learn from what is set to be one of the most successful NI start-ups in the last decade. 

Enjoy!

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To see a 'treasure trove' of all things related to Daniel (including a photo) please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/daniel-crawford-axial3d

Best Of Belfast is Northern Ireland's #1 Interview Podcast. We've shared 100+ hour-long conversations with incredible people from Northern Ireland.

To find out more, or join 'The Producers Club' please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/

Cheers!

— Matt 

Claire McLaughlin is a 28-year-old junior doctor from Bushmills and a professional rugby player.

After admittedly not being any good at sports as a girl (except the monkey crawl), Claire went on to excel both academically and athletically in her teens.

This ultimately led her both playing for Ireland in the Rugby World Cup AND going through medical school.

In today's episode we chat about:

• The role disciple has played in Claire's life
• Techniques she uses to balance her multiple passions
• How to avoid burnout and deal with disappointment
• And the greatest challenges/successes she's faced along the way 

(Including being a doctor during a global pandemic).

Enjoy!

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To see a 'treasure trove' of all things related to Claire (including a photo) please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/claire-mclaughlin-doctor-rugby

Best Of Belfast is Northern Ireland's #1 Interview Podcast. We've shared 100+ hour-long conversations with incredible people from Northern Ireland.

To find out more, or join 'The Producers Club' please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/

Cheers!

— Matt 

Jon Bradford is “doer of many things (badly)” — at least that’s what he sent through when we asked him for a short bio.

However, a quick Google search will tell you that Jon is a highly experienced early-stage investor, MD of Techstars London, co-founder of Ormeau Baths, Ignite, FS6, tech.eu and has been described as “the godfather of European accelerators.”

When I asked a few people close to Jon to describe him they said things like:

• "He is one of the smartest investors I know and has learned the art of asking the hard questions."

• "Jon is like a sneaky ninja working behind the scenes to make magic happen."

• And that "he’s a man of few words - who likes brevity and getting to the point."

So with that said, let’s get straight to the point.

Delighted to have Jon here in the studio with us, and am looking forward to finding out more including things like but not necessarily, Jon’s origin story, lessons he’s learned along the way, why he likes to run naked and his favourite quote from Yoda.

Enjoy!

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To see a 'treasure trove' of all things related to Jon (including a photo) please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/jon-bradford-investor

Best Of Belfast is Northern Ireland's #1 Interview Podcast. We've shared 100+ hour-long conversations with incredible people from Northern Ireland.

To find out more, or join 'The Producers Club' please visit https://bestofbelfast.org/

Cheers!

— Matt 

Hugh McGauran is a stroke-surviving, set-dancing, wheatgrass and ionized water salesman from Northern Ireland.

He claims that homegrown wheatgrass and ionized water has allowed him to feel the healthiest he's been in over 20 years.

(Which is impressive, considering at the time of recording he's 75!)

In today's episode we talk about:

• What is was like growing up in Fermanagh in the '40s
• His early entrepreneurial endeavours
• How he and his wife got into set-dancing later in life
• Why having a stroke changed his life
• And the successes/failures he's experienced along the way

Check it out!

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You can contact Hugh via [email protected] 

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Website page for this episode https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/hugh-mcgauran-wheatgrass-salesman