The Rooted Soul Podcast

In this special episode of The Rooted Soul Podcast, Alan McDonald take listeners inside the cave for an exclusive preview of his forthcoming poetry collection, The Rooted Soul: Acceptance of Joy, due for release next month.

Together they explore self-reflection, community, false saviours, friendship, late-night conversations, enduring love, and the culture and characters that have shaped his writing.

Alan talks Autumn and seasonal poems.

Alan McDonald on why its important to listen more than speak and slow down.

Alan McDonald tackles labels and toxicity in modern culture.

With some nice poems in between...

This episode presents a curated 10-poem sequence from a gothic-horror collection, tracing a slow descent into obsession inside a standalone riverside house. Listen for motifs of a missing beat on a grandfather clock, an uninvited stranger, a grave beneath a willow, and the uncertain border between haunting and madness.

Host Alan McDonald also mentions TheRootedSoulBooks.com, shares purchase and contact details, and invites listener feedback as he previews more work to come.

Alan reflects on writing poetry and crafting a live show, exploring how dialogue, intelligence, and personal experience shape meaning. He discusses surrounding himself with smarter people, reading between the lines, and balancing personal truth with accessible storytelling.

The episode touches on influences from Aaron Sorkin to Shelby Foote, plans for an upcoming live performance, and the role of conversation in refining ideas and creative work.

Alan MacDonald reflects on the small rituals and places that bring calm — the Angelus bell, empty churches and cathedrals, a quiet café, cherished music, and weekly gatherings — and reads a few poems about these "sacred pauses."

He explores how brief moments of reflection, music, family and friends help him detach from busy thoughts and find contentment in ordinary life.

In this episode of the Rooted Soul podcast Brian Clarke interviews Alan McDonald, who takes the mic to share his life story — from a carefree childhood and a high-pressure banking career to chronic insomnia, buried childhood trauma, and a personal collapse that forced change.

Alan describes his struggle with sleeplessness, isolation, therapy, medication, and the people who carried him through the darkest times. He explains how writing poetry became a way to process grief and reclaim a sense of self, leading to his first collection and plans for more work and live shows.

The conversation closes on recovery, self-forgiveness, and hope: Alan is now steadier, creatively driven, and focused on passing on the support he received while pursuing new projects and a more grounded life.

Between yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Irish music and literature and storytelling