Hello and welcome to Ireland Creates and this week we are celebrating. I’m delighted to say we have reached 1,000 listens and I’d like to thank each and every one of you for tuning in each week.

While the majority of you are listening from Ireland it’s been great to see just how international our audience has become. According to the analytics behind the podcast, a significant number of you are from North America, while some of you are in New Zealand, Lithuania, as far away as Japan, Mexico and Brazil and even Thailand.

One of the things I love about creating this podcast is the community that’s building up around it, from those of you who message me to say you listen each week to the fabulous guests I get to speak with for each episode. I thoroughly enjoy hearing from you so please do feel free to message me through my website or on instagram.

In podcasting terms reaching 1,000 listens is a great milestone to reach, and so I would like to encourage you to become a patron of Ireland Creates by backing the podcast on Patreon.com/irelandcreates. I want to keep the podcast as accessible to all so I will keep publishing on your favourite platform however making the podcast comes with costs and so that’s why I’ve joined Patreon and will be adding some exclusive content there over the coming weeks and months. You can back the podcast for as much as you would like each month - for as little as a price of coffee or more it’s up to you, but I hope you will help the podcast grow so that we can continue to spread the word about Ireland’s amazing storytellers across all artforms.

And now onto today’s guest - A man who has become known for painting in public whether it’s rooftops, city streets or even botanical gardens Gerard Byrne likes to bring his paint brush and easel and paint on location. After starting off his career as a tradesman a near death experience sparked his decision to become an artist full time. It was fantastic to catch up with Gerard and I hope you enjoy his story.

You can check out Gerard's work on https://gerardbyrneartist.com/

Our theme tune is by www.CreateSchool.ie

Hello and welcome to Ireland Creates the podcast about Ireland’s amazing storytellers.

I’m your host Aisling O’ Rourke and if you are new here I started this podcast in the middle of last year after turning the idea over and over in my head. I wanted to create a podcast that could showcase the wealth of talent within current storytelling here in Ireland and storytellers with a connection to Ireland.

We are known as the Island of saints and scholars and we sell ourselves to tourists on the basis of the great works that have been made here over the years, from William Butler Yeats to Seamus Heaney so I wanted to focus on the work that is being made here today and shine a light on the sheer volume of talent we have on this small island.

In this week’s episode, I speak with one of my favourite Photographers Mandy O’Neill. I should say I recorded this chat with Mandy quite some time ago now, and since we spoke Mandy’s portrait celebrating Edna O’Brien’s 90th birthday has gone on display in the National Gallery on Dublin’s Merrion square. I had the pleasure of viewing the work in a practically empty gallery space one evening just before Christmas and I have to admit I was blown away by the sensitivity in the two images.

Here in Ireland, we’re in full lockdown for the time being, but when the Gallery does reopen I hope you will pop in and have a look.

As always I would like to encourage you to support the podcast. I’ve decided to join Patreon, the platform that allows creators to begin to earn a living from their practice. So for the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help Ireland Creates continue and I hope flourish and in time if I reach my goals hire a producer to help put the podcast on an even better footing. You can support Ireland Creates by going to Patreon.com/IrelandCreates and get early access to the podcast and some lovely treats along the way.

You can get in contact with me directly on aislingorourke.com Thanks for listening I’ll be back with another episode next week. And in the meantime remember to share your story.

Our theme tune is by CreateSchool.ie

You can follow Mandy O’Neill’s work on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/photomando7/

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode of Ireland Creates.

If you are new here Ireland Creates is a podcast first launched in 2021 dedicated to Ireland’s storytellers across all platforms whether that be music, the visual arts, writing the list goes on.

Each week I bring you a chat with one of our many talented guests and this week is no exception.

But before we move into today’s episode I wanted to let you know that you can now support Ireland Creates on Patreon.

Patreon.com is the platform that helps creatives right around the world make their practice more viable. You can subscribe to Ireland Creates for as little as the price of a cup of coffee a month and in turn, help me spread the word about our amazing storytellers. I mean I drink enough coffee to fuel a spaceship and if you’re interested mine’s an Americano.

To be honest I feel more than slightly odd asking you to support the podcast in this way but the truth of the matter is that I spend a considerable amount of time putting the show together and the resources I use also need to be paid for. So if you would like to help make this podcast a success please sign up at Patreon.com/irelandcreates.

And now onto today’s guest a musician an educator, an entrepreneur, a creative in all sense of the word.

Thanks again to Peter Baxter and his colleagues in CreateSchool.ie for our theme tune and to Peter for taking time out to have a chat with me.

You can check out Peter's music on www.peterbaxter.ie or on Instagram.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s episode number 11 in our podcast venture and I hope you will consider signing up to back Ireland Creates on Patreon.com/irelandcreates so that I can keep this show on the virtual road.

Have a good week, stay safe, and I’ll be back next week with another fabulous guest.

Aisling

Hello and welcome to the first episode of Ireland Creates for 2021 and the first time on Patreon. As a patron, you are getting early access to the podcast and I want to thank you for your support.

Ireland Creates is a podcast about Ireland's storytellers, each week I feature a creative to talk about their practice and what storytelling means to them. This week Linda Byrne, an illustrator, talks about her unique work and how an early interest in animation got her started.

Hello and welcome to Ireland Creates the podcast about Ireland’s storytellers featuring creatives from all walks of life.

Thank you for listening,  our audience is growing with every episode and I now have listeners from all over the globe including Mexico, Argentina, Thailand and of course here at home in Ireland. I would love to hear from you so please do get in touch, and remember I know many of you return each week and listen but please do hit that subscribe button it really does count.

On today’s show I speak with Photographer David Monahan a Dublin native whose gained global recognition for his work photographing emigrants following the crash of the Celtic tiger. 

Our theme tune is by Createschool.ie and the artwork is by ClaireCreative.com. I hope you enjoy the show please subscribe and share the podcast with your nearest and dearest. If you would like to work with me please get in touch on www.aislingorourke.com

Welcome back to Ireland Creates. 

On this week's episode, Aisling speaks with Muriel Bolger. Muriel is a Travel Journalist, a novelist and watercolourist. 

Ireland Creates is a podcast about storytelling. If you would like to feature in the show please contact Aisling through her website AislingORourke.com. 

Our graphics are by ClaireCreative.com and our theme music is by CreateSchool.ie. 

On this week's episode, I'm joined by visual artist Aideen Barry to talk about her life and work and her love of storytelling. 

Originally from the rebel county of Cork Aideen is now based in Tipperary however, her work has brought her around the globe. Aideen was elected to Aosdána and in 2020 she was elected to the Royal Hibernian Academy as an ARHA member.

Ireland Creates is a podcast about Ireland's storytellers both those from Ireland and those with a connection to Ireland. If you would like to feature in the show please contact Aisling through her website www.aislingorourke.com 

Hello and welcome back to Ireland Creates. 

After an initial pilot of Ireland Creates and a fantastic response from listeners all around the world Ireland Creates is back and here to stay. 

I would also like to announce the launch of my new website wwww.aislingorourke.com please head over a check it out and perhaps sign up to hear first when a new episode of the podcast drops. 

Today's guest is the Photojournalist John Kelly most well known for his work with the  Clare Champion. 

Put on your headphones sit back with a cuppa and enjoy! 

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode of Ireland Creates a podcast about Ireland’s vibrant culture of storytelling.

I’m your host Aisling O’ Rourke. I'm a Journalist Photographer and I teach people how to share their story.

As always, please give the podcast a few stars and even write a review in Apple Podcasts. It all helps to get the word out there about this passion project.

And now onto today’s guest and today we’re talking with a fellow Offaly native about his love of Storytelling. Paddy Slattery’s life changed utterly at the age of 17 following a major car crash, not one to let that stop him, instead it helped him find a new life path in the world of film.

I should say that we do discuss some mental health issues in this episode, not in great detail, but I thought it would only be fair to let you know in advance.

And as with all my guests on this podcast due to the current pandemic, we recorded this remotely and I particularly enjoyed the birdsong in the background. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did making it.

I really admire the energy Paddy brings to all his projects and I’m looking forward to checking out broken law when it launches.

If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode please reach out to the Samaritans on their freephone number 116 123

Thanks to you for listening and remember I would very much appreciate it if you could subscribe to this podcast on your chosen platform please do rate it and write a review, it really does count and helps to spread the word about Ireland Creates.

The podcast artwork is by Claire Creative Dot Com and the theme music is by Createschool dot ie

In 2020 trust is the new currency but in order for people to trust you, they need to know who you are so that is why I love helping people share their story.

If you would like to work with me or suggest a guest for the podcast please get in touch with me on Instagram at Aisling makes stories Thanks again for listening I look forward to speaking with you again next week.

On this week's episode of Ireland Creates Aisling speaks with County Clare based Painter Kaye Maahs. Originally from Kerry Kaye is now based in the Burren and has developed a thriving practice as a painter in her adopted home. 

Ireland Creates is a podcast about Ireland's storytellers both those from Ireland and those with a connection to Ireland, if you would like to feature in the show please get in touch with Aisling through her Instagram page @aislingmakesstories or you can leave a message on Anchor below.