Creative Places & Faces

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 manservant, Tony Small. 

British author, Hilary Mantel describes it as “An ambitious and vital novel with an epic sweep: a complex, timely story about liberty, equality, identity. This book is an act of salvage.”

It was longlisted for the 2019 Bath Novel Award and was a winner at the 2020 Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair.

Laura McKenna's debut novel has left me with a deep admiration for her writing and her ability to express so wonderfully details of someone's life that was so vastly different from her own.

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 2022.

Louis Markoya is a surrealist painter inspired by fractals and mathematics. As a former protégé of artist Salvador Dalí, Markoya’s interest in lenticular prints developed while assisting Dalí on 3D projects that included holograms. LRMA is pleased to host an exhibition of Markoya’s work this fall, which will include a retrospective of work since Dalí to present, including a series of paintings inspired by the pandemic and 3D holographic lenticulars.

This interview with Louis explores his journey into art which was inspired predominantly by Salvador Dalí and nature. We explore the places that have affected this creativity, his work with Dalí, and how he took a prolonged break from art only to return and carry on aspects of the Great Master’s work. We also talk about the brain and art. Below you can read about Louis to get a fuller flavour of this episode.

By Louis Markoya:
During my childhood I had very little exposure to art and did not develop any real interest in it. I honestly did not even really know what art encompassed. My only childhood memories of going to art museums for class trips involved the Egyptian sections of the Metropolitan in NY.

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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 interview will take you to County Clare, where she lives. Siobhán MacDonald loves the diverse scenery from the wildness of Loop Head to the moonscape of the Burren, to the rolling hills and lakes of East Clare. This is the setting for two of Siobhán’s books Guilty and The Blue Pool

Siobhán’s childhood holidays were spent in West Cork, which she fondly remembers for the colour therapy it affords.

You will also travel virtually to Upper West Side New York, Crete, Ile – de-Ré Glencoe, Glen Etive on the west coast of Scotland.

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 published by Époque Press in March 2021, and follows an ageing farmer facing adversity as he tries to hold onto both his farm and the young boy he takes care of.

Eoghan Smith, in his review for Books Ireland Magazine, said, “The Beasts They Turned Away, Ryan Dennis’s hypnotic, unsettling debut, is a peculiar story set in an inward-looking farming community in the west of Ireland”

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 guest is one of the 21st century's best writers not only in Ireland but in the world.

The Dublin Book Festival has included Nuala's debut novel, YOU, published back in 2010, in their new series Departures: 10 Amazing Irish Novels of Landscape, Space & Place.  This is no surprise as you will realise when you hear the wonderful Nuala O'Connor in this interview.

"The opening sentence of Mayo Oh Mayo one of the short stories in Joyride to Jupiter came to you when driving back from your friend in Birr, Co. Offaly, to your home in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. Also, you started writing the title story of the same book when on a long bus trip in Croatia in 2013 and its name was inspired by an eyeshadow you had just bought, called Joyride to Jupiter. It seems that place and movement help with your inspiration. Is this something that you feel has been the case for most of your life?"

The answer to this question is one of the many insights into Nuala, the person, and Nuala, the writer.

"Although Ireland is central to you both as a writer and as a person, your research into places and people is incessantly inspirational, it seems. In a superb interview with the Editor of The Lonely Crowd, John Lavin, you said, "I went to Brazil for an Irish studies conference in 2012 and all the time I was thinking about Elizabeth Bishop and what it must have been like for her to live there." Does this happen in most places you visit or just some, talk to us about this, please, Nuala."

These are just a small sample of what I ask Nuala O'Connor. Nuala's answers will really help you understand this top 21st Century Author!

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 creating gorgeous, innovative main title sequences for blockbuster movies and television series, including “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Ant-Man,” “Doctor Strange,” “Animal Kingdom,” “Shameless” “Community,” and many others.

Recognised internationally for brilliant design-driven production that is limited only by the imagination, Erin and her company have forged longstanding relationships with proven leaders of the advertising and entertainment industries. 

Erin revisits the place of her childhood holidays, the Poconos, which clearly had an important effect on her vivid imagination and superbly honed creativity. We travel virtually to Rochester, Long Island and Chicago.

Listen to understand more about Erin's influences and inspirations. Discover how much she loves natural real textures., and how she blends reality and fantasy in what she calls Magic Realism.

I could write a whole lot more but then that might give away the plot and the sub-plot!! But let me say that after talking to Erin, I very much look forward to seeing her in Chicago when it is safe to do so!

Podcast website:
https://creativeplacesandfaces.com/

Credits:
Host: Jackie De Burca
Sound engineer: Steve Randall

Sponsor Series 2:
Property Insurance Centre

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 for many people - writing for the Let's Go Travel guide books. He covered Deep South, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and so on.

In 1992 he spent a year in Central America visiting all the countries.  In this interview, Simon said of Central America, "I think time in Central America is really good to help us to contextualise things that are playing out. And I think we only become richer for doing that."

Simon's colourful life has included summers busking and fire juggling in Spain, playing with Samba bands in Dublin and at festivals all over Ireland. In Madrid, he taught English as a foreign language.

This is only a taster of what Simon talks about in this interview. He wonderfully connects the influences of the many places that have played special roles in his life. He also joins the dots between the many activities he has been involved with.

Listen in to discover many more places and experiences.   As Simon says about special time spent in Honduras: “Every time you work with others the final outcome is the result of a coalition of inputs, energies, and ideas on the way things should be done. The mosaics were a great way to make an exchange, a link between my sponsoring organisation, City Artsquad, who kindly allowed me the time to go to Honduras, the local community groups who now have their first-ever mosaics on Utila, and me, the artist who learnt and saw so many things from the local people – including that my name in Utilan meant, yes man, no problem, chill out.”

Podcast website:
https://creativeplacesandfaces.com/

Credits:
Host: Jackie De Burca
Sound engineer: Steve Randall

Sponsor Series 2:
Property Insurance Centre

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 season perfectly. We talk about a range of fascinating topics including the role of water as a creative force, the influence of place in her poetry, the deep connection with ancestral lineage and so much more.

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, to Dublin where she spent the night in a Garda Station, and to Galway and the Ards Peninsula.

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:
Property Insurance Centre

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 - Flash Fiction Armagh.

Byddi has co-written the play IMPACT - Armagh’s Train Disaster - with Malachi Kelly and Tim Hanna. Plus she teamed up again with Tim and Malachi to write and stage on Zoom – Zoomeo & Juliet – and – Social Bubble, Toil & Trouble.

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:
Property Insurance Centre