My guests in this episode are Senator Lynne Ruane and Joe Caslin, recorded at the Body&Soul music and arts festival in front of a live audience.

Senator Lynn Ruane

From Tallaght in Dublin, Lynn is a senator and campaigner for drug reform and other social justice issues, as well as being a powerful voice for many of those unrepresented in our political system. An early school leaver and single mother of two, she got away from a life of drugs and went on to set up addiction programmes before becoming a mature student, a student union leader, and more recently, entering the world of politics as an independent senator. Now in her early 30s Lynne is a passionate force for change.

Joe Caslin

Also in his early 30s, Roscommon born Joe Caslin is a street artist and school teacher who lives in Tullamore. He made international news with the Claddagh Embrace, a giant street art work featuring two men embracing, which he launched during Ireland’s 2015 marriage equality referendum. Joe is a tireless educator who goes above and beyond for his students. The loss of several of his students to suicide motivated him to create works for a project he called Our Nations Sons. His latest project, The Volunteers, uses large scale provocative street art to draw attention to drug addiction, mental health and the issues affecting Asylum Seekers in the Direct Provision system.

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About the podcast

The Love and Courage podcast features interviews with inspirational people who are making a real difference in the world today. Guests are typically people passionate about social justice, and who have demonstrated courage and conviction in their lives.

Host Ruairí McKiernan is leading Irish social innovator, campaigner, writer and public speaker. He is the founder of the pioneering SpunOut.ie youth organization, and helped set-up the Uplift and the A Lust For Life non-profits. In 2012 the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins appointed Ruairí to the Council of State, a national constitutional advisory body whose members include all current and former leaders of the country. Ruairí is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Fulbright fellowship, and he contributes regularly to the media on youth, health, community and social justice issues.

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Subscribe, share, rate, review and donate to support this podcast. Thanks to patrons who chip in at www.loveandcourage.org Host Ruairí McKiernan is a well-known social innovator, charity founder, campaigner, counsellor, consultant, and author. Find out more via:  Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn and check out his book Hitching for Hope. He also has another podcast called Creative Souls of Clare.