In this episode, Emma Jacobs chats about her journey from South Africa to Ireland and how she pivoted from corporate life to full-time artistic endeavours,  her strategies for balancing creativity with business acumen and her passion for fostering community through her volunteer work and mentorship.

In this video episode of the Cork Creative Podcast, host Patrick interviews Michelle O’Mahony, a history consultant based in West Cork, about her extensive work in historical research, heritage event management, and consulting. 

Michelle delves into her expertise on the Irish famine, particularly the Earl Grey scheme that sent Irish orphans to Australia. She discusses the importance of making history engaging, her varied career that includes facilitating historical research for individuals and professionals, and organising events that highlight local history and heritage tourism. Michelle also shares insights on the challenges of historical research, the need for an international museum in West Cork, and how her diverse educational background has shaped her career.

Geraldine interviews Haley Milthorpe about her journey founding the Cultured Food Company, which specialises in fermented foods. Haley discusses the health benefits of fermented foods, the challenges of running a food business, and her company's sustainability practices.

In this episode, we chat with Sarah, Mark, Donal, and James from the Clonakilty Arts Centre as they share their personal journeys, roles, and the importance of the arts centre in fostering creativity and community in West Cork. Discover the unique challenges and rewards of running an art centre, the importance of arts in regional areas, and their shared vision for a dynamic and inclusive creative hub. This episode delves into everything from the therapeutic benefits of art to the intricacies of planning annual exhibitions and fostering local talent.

From beards to business, in this episode of Cork Creative, we sit down with Colin Murphy, the founder of West Cork Beard Company. 

Colin shares the journey of how he transitioned from an English teacher in Spain to a successful entrepreneur in Ireland. He talks about his initial struggles with business operations, the inspirations drawn from the West Cork landscape, and his passion for creating high-quality beard products. Colin also discusses product development, sustainability efforts, the role of social media in his marketing strategy, and his future vision for the company.

In the final podcast episode of 2024, Leika Hartjes, the Wandering Goldsmith, shares her journey into jewellery-making and the evolution of her unique style. Leika discusses her creative process, from finding inspiration in nature and personal stories to choosing materials and balancing traditional techniques with modern trends. She also opens up about the challenges of running a creative business, the importance of following your joy, and how social media has impacted her connection with her audience.

Angela Newman, artistic director and cast member of the theatre group Hysterical Histories, explains how their immersive dinner theatre approach was inspired, the group's creative process and making history stick by pairing poignant moments with clever comedy.

In this episode of the Cork Creative Podcast, host Geraldine Hennessy interviews Orla Kelly, founder of Orla Kelly Publishing. Orla shares her journey from self-publishing her son’s story to establishing a thriving business that helps others bring their books to life. She explains the benefits of self-publishing, her unique approach to supporting authors, and insights into the publishing process. Orla also discusses industry trends, common challenges, and how her personalised approach makes Orla Kelly Publishing a standout in the self-publishing world.

In this episode, we talk with the talented duo behind Mummyhead Studios, Justin Walter and Kristie Davison. They share their unique creative journeys, how the Smashing Pumpkins played a key role in bringing them together and how Mummyhead Studios came to be . We explore their diverse and captivating work, collaborations with industry masters, and insights into the evolving landscape of the film industry.

In this episode, chocolatier Niamh O’Reilly discusses her path into working with chocolate and opening up her own chocolate business, Hungry Crow. She discusses the challenges of the business world and rising raw material prices, taking an ethical approach, listening to her customers, recreating the classics with her unique twist, her hopes for the chocolate industry and just doing it.