Braytalkingheads

Episode 25 Sea Swimmers, Spine-Chilling Sounds and Tango in Bray!

What’s the craic with Bray’s sea swimmers? What’s the story behind Paddy and Willie’s kiosk? And can you identify a spine-chilling sound from Bray’s past?

In this episode, we head down to the beach to catch up with Bray’s early-morning sea swimmers and discover what keeps them plunging into the cold Irish Sea - and the benefits they believe it brings.

We check back in with Brian Holland about the much-loved Paddy and Willie’s kiosk, delve into a mystery sound from Bray’s past, and discover the world of tango dancing right here in our seaside town.

We also revisit a clip featuring Kathleen Kinsella, Leah’s mother and a founder member of Bray Tidy Towns, and hear about other unsung local heroes who follow in that community spirit today - the people who quietly head out with their litter pickers to help keep Bray looking its best.

From icy dips to dancing feet, spine-chilling sounds to everyday acts of community pride, it’s another lively mix of stories, characters and conversations from the town we call home.

Bray Talking Heads - Stories from a Seaside Town. Bray’s stories, on the podcast for Bray.

Bray Talking Heads is hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella and Pat Hannon. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite, or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world.

Bray Talking Heads continues the spirit of local storytelling, following in the footsteps of BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting), the beloved community radio station. If you enjoy the podcast, please tell a friend! Don’t forget to press that ‘subscribe’ button and you’ll never miss an episode.

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design jodyhogg.com Voiceover idents: Carla Quinlan. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or get in touch with us by email at [email protected]. The copyright in this podcast series is owned by Pat Hannon and Mark Quinn and all rights are hereby reserved.

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A statue for Katie? A plan for the Main Street, and how does local democracy work?

How should Katie be commemorated in her home town? Is Bray’s Main Street living up to what we want from the heart of our town? Plus, does local democracy actually work for the people who live here?

For Episode 24, we take the Bray Talking Heads microphone onto Main Street to hear directly from the people of Bray - what they love, what they think needs to change, and how our town measures up against other towns in Ireland.

We also sit down with local councillor Joe Behan to explore how local democracy really works - and sometimes doesn’t - when decisions are being made about the place we call home.

Bray Talking Heads is hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella and Pat Hannon. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite, or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world.

Bray Talking Heads continues the spirit of local storytelling, following in the footsteps of BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting), the beloved community radio station. If you enjoy the podcast, please tell a friend! Don’t forget to press that ‘subscribe’ button and you’ll never miss an episode.

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design jodyhogg.com Voiceover idents: Carla Quinlan. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or get in touch with us by email at [email protected]. The copyright in this podcast series is owned by Pat Hannon and Mark Quinn and all rights are hereby reserved.

We find out all about the once magnificent International Hotel, Bray and hear two cherished voices from our archive of the past - Colbert Martin on the International and Joe Loughman on Little Bray and on being a founder member of Bray Wheelers; we check the summer vibes on the prom and get an update from Ivanna, who fled Ukraine due to the Russian invasion.

Joe Loughman full interview with Mark Quinn. July 1987.

https://soundcloud.com/braytalkingheads/04_joe-loughman_master?si=e83a9c70fb2848d08acd43816165fc1d&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Extra content on our Soundcloud platform:

https://on.soundcloud.com/0SthK0rEa3DO7TRSRS

Bray Talking Heads is hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella and Pat Hannon. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite, or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world.

Bray Talking Heads continues the spirit of local storytelling, following in the footsteps of BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting), the beloved community radio station. If you enjoy the podcast, please tell a friend! Don’t forget to press that ‘subscribe’ button and you’ll never miss an episode.

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design jodyhogg.com Voiceover idents: Carla Quinlan. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or get in touch with us by email at [email protected]. The copyright in this podcast series is owned by Pat Hannon and Mark Quinn and all rights are hereby reserved.

What do we choose to remember? As another piece of Bray's past disappears with the demolition of the old Presentation School and Hall, we reflect on the memories that shape our town. A twenty-something from Kilmacanogue recalls her teenage adventures in Bray, we take a fascinating look back at life through the 1926 Census, soak up more summer moments on the Prom, and 80-year-old Jimmy Byrne shares a moving childhood memory that has stayed with him for seven decades.

Extra content on our Soundcloud platform:

https://on.soundcloud.com/0SthK0rEa3DO7TRSRS

Bray Talking Heads is hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella and Pat Hannon. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite, or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world.

Bray Talking Heads continues the spirit of local storytelling, following in the footsteps of BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting), the beloved community radio station. If you enjoy the podcast, please tell a friend! Don’t forget to press that ‘subscribe’ button and you’ll never miss an episode.

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design jodyhogg.com Voiceover idents: Carla Quinlan. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or get in touch with us by email at [email protected]. The copyright in this podcast series is owned by Pat Hannon and Mark Quinn and all rights are hereby reserved.

We remember Bray's vanished local shops and hear about a new pop-up shop seeking your opinions and ideas about what you'd like for the town. Locals and visitors share their plans for the summer season. We discuss the fires on Bray Head, and we bid farewell to a beloved Bray Golf Club barman as he calls last orders.

Extra content on our Soundcloud platform:

https://on.soundcloud.com/0SthK0rEa3DO7TRSRS

Bray Talking Heads is hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella and Pat Hannon. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite, or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world.

Bray Talking Heads continues the spirit of local storytelling, following in the footsteps of BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting), the beloved community radio station. If you enjoy the podcast, please tell a friend! Don’t forget to press that ‘subscribe’ button and you’ll never miss an episode.

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design jodyhogg.com Voiceover idents: Carla Quinlan. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or get in touch with us by email at [email protected]. The copyright in this podcast series is owned by Pat Hannon and Mark Quinn and all rights are hereby reserved.

Voices of Bray: Locals speak out as the Victorian seafront shelters fall into disrepair and hear about their origin, and what’s to become of them. We lift the mood with the soaring sounds of the Aurora Choir, and shine a light on the inspiring Women’s Sheds movement in Bray.

Extra content on our Soundcloud platform: https://soundcloud.com/you/sets

Aurora Choir extended interview content and vocal performances: https://on.soundcloud.com/xbvtvGgFqWfaD39SL0

Bray Talking Heads is hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella and Pat Hannon. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite, or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world.

Bray Talking Heads continues the spirit of local storytelling, following in the footsteps of BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting), the beloved community radio station. If you enjoy the podcast, please tell a friend! Don’t forget to press that ‘subscribe’ button and you’ll never miss an episode.

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design jodyhogg.com Voiceover idents: Carla Quinlan. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or get in touch with us by email at [email protected]. The copyright in this podcast series is owned by Pat Hannon and Mark Quinn and all rights are hereby reserved.

ACTION! In this cinema special, we look back at the golden age of film-going in Bray -remembering the plush Royal Cinema, which once seated 1,200 film-goers.

Today, we ask: can cinema survive in Bray? Will the town ever see the return of a dedicated big screen - the promised Stella-style cinema experience? And did you know about the Monday night movie screenings at the Mermaid? We take to the streets to hear what makes a night at the cinema so special, and meet a local film fan keeping the spirit alive with a WhatsApp group dedicated to Bray’s Monday night screening. We also delve into the archives to hear from the late Micheal Collins the passionate owner of the Royal Cinema on the Quinsborough Road. From nostalgia to new possibilities, it’s a love letter to the magic of cinema in our seaside town.

Bray Talking Heads is hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella and Pat Hannon. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite, or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world.

Bray Talking Heads continues the spirit of local storytelling, following in the footsteps of BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting), the beloved community radio station. If you enjoy the podcast, please tell a friend!

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design jodyhogg.com Voiceover idents: Carla Quinlan. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or get in touch with us by email at [email protected]. The copyright in this podcast series is owned by Pat Hannon and Mark Quinn and all rights are hereby reserved.

We uncover the rich history of Bray’s Town Hall and remember one of the town’s brightest stars - Gladys Sheehan, who appeared in more than 100 films.

We head backstage with Square One Theatre Group as they mark an incredible 50 years of local drama, capturing the excitement of rehearsals and the spirit of performance.

Brian Holland goes from pub life to running a coffee kiosk. And, we revisit a haunting chapter from 1946, when a plane carrying 25 French Girl Guides and five crew crashed on Djouce Mountain - a story that still echoes through the Wicklow hills.

Links to extra content featured from the Square One Theatre Group on the show:

Square One: Behind the scenes at rehearsals for Juno and the Paycock

https://on.soundcloud.com/K5clYyIm18bFE66ZPl

Square One: Extended interview with Maeve Miller and Maura Connolly

https://on.soundcloud.com/OQYXZgUkq5QA0XvogT

Bray Talking Heads is hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella and Pat Hannon. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite, or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world.

Bray Talking Heads continues the spirit of local storytelling, following in the footsteps of BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting), the beloved community radio station. If you enjoy the podcast, please tell a friend!

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design jodyhogg.com Voiceover idents: Carla Quinlan. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or get in touch with us by email at [email protected]. The copyright in this podcast series is owned by Pat Hannon and Mark Quinn and all rights are hereby reserved.

In this episode of Bray Talking Heads – Stories from a Seaside Town, we meet the hardworking volunteers of Bray Tidy Towns and hear how their hands-on cleaning and care help keep the town looking its very best. Recent storms left tonnes of sand in the harbour, and when the council brought in a digger to clear it, Bray’s resident swans had to find a new perch leading to concern (from Brayites) and confusion (from the swans)! We also step back in time to remember a Bray shop that delivered bread by horse and cart - twice a day.

From community spirit to harbour happenings and treasured memories, it’s another colourful slice of life by the sea.

Link to extra content featured from the Bray Tidy Towns clean-up featured on the show

https://on.soundcloud.com/79IUcHsf1mf1HHylfK

Bray Talking Heads is hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella and Pat Hannon. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite, or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world.

Bray Talking Heads continues the spirit of local storytelling, following in the footsteps of BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting), the beloved community radio station. If you enjoy the podcast, please tell a friend!

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design jodyhogg.com Voiceover idents: Carla Quinlan. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or get in touch with us by email at [email protected]. The copyright in this podcast series is owned by Pat Hannon and Mark Quinn and all rights are hereby reserved.

In this episode, Bray parents share why they’re deeply concerned about teenagers and mobile phones. We also revisit classic Bray nicknames and remember Jim Brophy - 'the man on the corner' - who wrote a love poem to Bray.

Link to voxpops featured on the show including some extended bonus versions on.soundcloud.com/RMdzYRGnH058sRQWEb

Bray Talking Heads is hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella and Pat Hannon. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world.

Bray Talking Heads continues the spirit of local storytelling, following in the footsteps of BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting), the beloved community radio station. If you enjoy the podcast, please tell a friend!

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design jodyhogg.com

Podcast idents VO: Carla Quinlan

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or get in touch with us at [email protected]. The copyright in this podcast series is owned by Pat Hannon and Mark Quinn and all rights are hereby reserved.