Erin's Isle Podcast

Meet the coooper master for Jameson Whiskey and hear how he views his all-important job, how important the casks are to Jameson and how he drinks his whiskey...on Erin's Isle.

The bodies of men who lived in the Iron Age have been pulled from the bogs in Ireland and are on display at the National Museum in Ireland. Hear the stories of how they came to be there, what happened to them and what we can all learn from such old bodies in this edition of Erin's Isle.

     Connemara is known for it's rustic landscapes.  So you may not realize it is also home to a few refined businesses. Like a chocolate factory and a perfumery.     Hear all about both businesses and the adventure getting there in Episode #304 of Erin's Isle.

Sean Smyth is one of about a dozen Irish harpmakers and his instruments are in demand. He makes each one to order from his workshop in the back of HollyTree Cottage not far from the Village of Naul. Hear what he puts into his harps and what harpis Fiona Gryson gets out of them, on Erin's Isle.

How did 100 women from all walks of life become a community voice in Drogheda? They got together to sing and found friendship, escapism, friendship and harmony with life.  Hear how a passtime the all love became the basis for a community service group, as they raise money for charities with their concerts.

Gaeltachts are Irish communities where Irish is designated as the primary language. Anyone can drop in, and, yest they will explain things in English if you can't understand them. But it's a way of encouraging the native language and keeping it alive. Donegal is a great Gaeltacht. Not only do you hear Irish all around you, you can see the Irish in action and you can see the pink skies of Donegal long into the night. 

Just because you aren't in Ireland doesn't mean you can't celebrate with traditional music.    Chances are there's a session in your own town. You just have to look for it.  This is one I found in Reno, Nevada

How the Galway Cathedral shows the resilience of the Irish Spirit.

Ballyfin is a luxury country house in County Laios, not far from Dublin, Ireland. It is was build in the 1800's and has been a popular getaway for the rich and famous from around the world.  In 2018 they held a special dinner and invited Chef Patrick O'Connell from Little Washington Virginia to help. It was  grand dinner indeed.  Tour the home and the gardens and hear the chefs talk about locally sourcing food in Ireland and in Virginia for the best they can offer.  All that plus A Broad Abroad in Episode #7 of Erin's Isle.

Tour the Dunbrody Famine Ship and hear the stories of those who sailed her. And hear the history of the Hole in the Wall Bar in Kilkenny. All that plus A Broad Abroad in Episode 40 of Erin's Isle.

Hear all about Kilkenny Castle, the Medieval Mile and Kytler's Inn, also known as a Witches' Kitchen. History that shaped the town and that will make you want to visit. All that plus A Broad Abroad in Episode 39 of Erin's Isle. 

A working windmill and a competition for roses. You can find them both within miles of each other in the west of Ireland. Tralee is where women from around the world compete for the title of the Rose of Tralee every August. Hear where they come from and just how the competition began so many years ago.  And Blennerville, between Tralee and the Dingle Peninsula is where you'll find Ireland's only working windmill. It works to this day, but not more to bring in tourists than to turn out tons of flour. Hear all about the area in Episode 38 of Erin's Isle.

From cemeteries and funerals to wakes and monuments, the Irish know how to celebrate a life well-lived. Hear all about about, including the role grave robbers played and how the newly dead are honored daily.  All that plus A Broad Abroad in Episode 37 of Erin's Isle.

From preserving Irish ancestry to musicians creating and sharing Celtic music, Episode 36 of Erin's Isle explores them all. In particular there is a focus on the connections from Ireland and Scotland all the way to the high desert of Nevada, and all across the United States.

Finding your way around Ireland can be tricky. The good thing is that everyone you see will help you. Hear the kind of directions you will get, and learn all about the Cliffs of Moher and what to listen for along with the seabirds and the never-ending wind.  ASll that plus A Broad broad in Episode #35 of Erin's Isle. 

Dingle Gin has just won awards for both its whiskey and its gin. Hear all about how they go about their distilling and why they serve you whisky before the tour even begins. And Sean and Kieran Murphy have found sweet, sweet success using the dairy products of Ireland. They moved to Ireland 20 years ago and have built an empire around ice cream. Murphy's Ice Cream celebrates the flavors of Ireland from Irish Brown Bread to Sea Salt, to Dingle Gin. All that plus A Broad Abroad in Episode 34 of Erin's Isle.

Hear all about Ann O'Maille and her House of Original Style in Galway. She's a knitter, a teacher and a businesswoman extraordinaire. And find out how a love of nature and a love of art resulted in the silver shamrocks that Maura Dickerson sells at the Galway Market in Galway. All that plus A Broad Abroad, in this episode of Erin's Isle.

Riding along the beaches of Ireland free as the wind atop a Connemara Pony is something you see in the movies. And it feels like you're in a movie when you do it, too. Hear what it's like, feel the thrill of the adventure and find some tips on planning your own adventure in Episode 32 of Erin's Isle. And if watching the talents of the sheepdogs that the Irish sheep farmers rely on is more your speed we've got that too. Demonstrations are put on for tourists to see what goes on behind the scenes bringing sheep in from across the land.  It's all in Episode 32 of Erin's Isle.    

Michael Browne calls his oysters The Galway Breakfast. "They clean the palette and give you a boost for the day," he says. Hear about how he harvests them and how he gets people to try them. And Seaweed may just be the new Kale. The Connemara Seaweed Company is growing in leaps and bounds. Find out how they harvest that, what goes into processing it and how to use it. All that plus A Broad Abroad in Episode 31 of Erin's Isle.

Viking reenactments have become quite a popular thing all across Europe and in Northern Ireland they celebrate the Viking heritage in Portadown, not far from Belfast. The annual Viking Festival there includes longboats, a Viking village, crafters, concerts and Vikings of every age.  They cook, camp, craft, and battle all through the weekend. And the television series Vikings put on by The History Channel has helped fuel the Viking Festivals as a circuit. Hear the battles, the music and the people, in Episode 30 of Erin's Isle.