The World is Storytelling

We're here to start off our exploration of Ballyhoura Country with an amazing guide to the Galtee Mountains, Jimmy Barry.

Jimmy has been exploring, walking and leading on the Galtees for four decades, and he is one of the exceptional local guides whose knowledge of place and the passion for their environment makes wandering about with them truly special.

Each October the Ballyhoura Walking Festival explores walking from every angle and for every ability and is a must for an immersion into all of the trails on offer in this very special part of Irelands Hidden Heartlands. A walk is never just a walk in Ballyhoura, it’s a chance to connect with local people, learn something new, understand the history, the story (there’s always a story!) and appreciate the environment you explore, whilst breathing that fresh crisp air and leaving feeling better than when you arrived.

Enjoy this special exploration of the Galtees as we begin our journey into Ballyhoura Country!

Follow Visit Ballyhoura on Instagram, Facebook and their website to keep up to date on all of their activities.

A special thanks goes to Ballyhoura Development CLG, Ballyhoura Failte and Regen Ballyhoura (Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism Network), as well as Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark staff, networks, friends, walking guides and the local communities. This series was made possible by the Shared Island Civic Society Fund administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Be in touch with Ronni with all your ideas and to find out more about his various projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you to all our supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.

The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Welcome to Season 5 of the podcast and we're off for a deep dive into the local stories of two very special areas. With alternating weekly episodes, first from Ballyhoura Country, and then from the Cuilcagh Geopark it's going to be an amazing amount of fun. Join me and a host of amazing people telling phenomenal stories!

A special thanks goes to Ballyhoura Development CLG, Ballyhoura Failte and Regen Ballyhoura (Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism Network), as well as Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark staff, networks, friends, walking guides and the local communities. This series was made possible by the Shared Island Civic Society Fund administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Be in touch with Ronni with all your ideas and to find out more about his various projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you to all our supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their

fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.

The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

It's a beautiful autumnal morning in County Waterford, and time to climb the Knockmealdown mountains with the wonderful Sally Wilson and the majestic Luna.

Sally is an outdoor enthusiast who is passionate about making nature a space for everyone. She wears many hats as a kayak instructor, walking guide, forest school leader and therapeutic horseriding coach. She also works with Waterford LEADER on the Mountain Access Project (MAP), where her role is to collaborate with landowners in the Comeraghs to improve recreational access while understanding and addressing landowner needs as well as ensuring we're protecting the environment. Life can be a little chaotic, with no two days the same, but that's what she loves about it. Full of variety, adventure and opportunities to work with brilliant people who share her passions.

Read more about Waterford Leaders work here, to volunteer aboard a pirate ship, check out the link here, and to find out more about forest schools look over here.

Be in touch with Ronni with all your ideas and to find out more about his various projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you to all our supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.

The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

It's a beautiful summery day high in the French Alps, so I wandered up the hill to what was advertised as a Magic Carpet. While the carpet was a bit of a disappointment, I was very lucky to meet the fantastic Guibou.

Guibou is a seasonal worker in Morzine, he has weird and wonderful jobs every summer & rents out skis in the winter for almost 10 years now.

For Guibou, the magic happens in between when the resort get empty, he gets to do his things and share his time with the river & forest, fly fishing & picking up mushrooms or sculpting and making knives.

Be in touch with Ronni with all your ideas and to invite him to perform. All that ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you to all our supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.

The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

It's a spectacular day in County Louth and I had the fantastic opportunity to climb Slieve Foye with father & son Glenn and Oisín.

Glenn is an osteoarchaeologist based in Co. Louth. He works throughout the country excavating and analysing historic human skeletal remains. Oisín is a second year secondary school student and when not hiking, he enjoys football, cycling, running and the local fame the 32 Peak Challenge brought him!

Read more about their 32 Peak Challenge adventures here and connect with Glenn on LinkedIn here.

The croissants that Oisín loves are from The Purple Door Cafe, Co. Galway. Find them here.

Be in touch with Ronni with all your ideas and to invite him to perform. All that ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you to all our supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.

The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

To explore the power of storytelling more I made my way down to South London to meet the fascinating Dr Lalith Wijedoru.

Lalith is a social health consultant passionate about the quality and depth of our human connections. He harnesses the power of our true, personal stories to bolster our relationships to ourselves, our work colleagues, and our wider communities. A third culture kid who is a former NHS consultant paediatrician, he set up storytelling consultancy Behind Your Mask in 2021. He is a presenter on BBC Radio 4, humanist celebrant, and regular podcast guest contributor.

Find Lalith via his website, LinkedIn, or on Instagram.

Be in touch with Ronni with all your ideas and to introduce him to your favourite mountain. All that ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you to all our supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.

The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Back in the beautiful Mourne Mountains of County Down, I was lucky enough to hike up Slieve Binnian with the fantastic Lizzy Noone. Or at least I think it was Binnian. With the horizontal rain and mist it was difficult to tell.

Lizzy is a forever curious clumsy flawed left-handed human being who loves art, theatre, music, people and life. She is a long time global citizenship educator (currently working for IDEA), activist and is on a quest to find a fairer political and economic system for all 8.5 billion people in the world. She loves swimming in any outdoor water, hiking and camping (a part time scout leader too). She is one of the founding members of Pleasure Activism Ireland which brings all of these things together!

Be in touch with Ronni with all your ideas and to invite him to perform. All that ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you to all our supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.

The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Up on the relatively mucky Slieve Muck in the beautiful Mourne Mountains of County Down, I bumped into the inspirational Noah and Marcel who were out on a camping trip. We had a lovely spontaneous conversation in the shadow of the Mourne Wall, before they got to their Super Noodle dinner and I carried on my evening wander.

Noah is a boat builder, helping to create innovative electric foiling boats for the future, and Marcel is a Architecture Student, Judoka and hiking enthusiast.

Be in touch with Ronni with all your ideas and to invite him to perform. All that ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you to all our supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.

The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

In a different bog in County Westmeath, I'm on a garden bench with the wonderful Shivaun O'Casey for a chat about memory, nostalgia, storytelling, and book launches.

Shivaun is the author of the book 'Next Year Will Be A Good One' - Life with Sean O'Casey, my family and theatre. Hers is a story of love and loss amidst the extraordinarity of a life dedicated to theatre.

Buy Shivaun's book at any bookshop or here.

Be in touch with Ronni with all your ideas and to invite him to perform. All that ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you to all our supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.

The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Back in County Westmeath, we are sat in an abandoned locomotive for a chat with the fantastic Kerstin Bergentz.

Kerstin is an engineer-turned-geographer-turned-oceanographer who was made in Sweden but feels at home in the ocean. She is currently pursuing a PhD in sunny California, which involves spending time aboard research ships around the world and studying the physics of various ocean phenomena such as eddies and waves.

Learn more about Kerstin and her work here, and here.

Be in touch with Ronni with all your ideas and to invite him to perform. All that ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thank you to all our supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.

The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!