Martin Hayes is a renowned Irish fiddler from Feakle who is known for his distinctive and soulful style that blends traditional Irish music with innovative interpretations. An iconic figure in Irish music, Hayes has won multiple All-Ireland Fiddle Championships and is celebrated for his contributions to the genre through his work with the acclaimed group The Gloaming among his many other projects and creations. He has also collaborated with a wide array of musicians across genres, not least the late Dennis Cahill, and he has earned a reputation for his expressive playing and deep connection to the Clare music tradition.

This podcast is also available to watch as a video on YouTube and on Facebook. Also, check out the archives for more great conversations, and Ruairí's other podcast, the Love and Courage podcast.

With thanks to Creative Ireland Clare and Clare County Council for funding and support.

Ruairí McKiernan
www.ruairimckiernan.com

Jessie Lendennie is a legendary figure in the world of poetry and publishing. Originally from Arkansas in the US now living near the Cliffs of Moher, she moved to Ireland in 1981 and co-founded Salmon Poetry, which has published over 700 volumes of poetry, well as a select list of literary criticism, drama, fiction, memoir and essays. Jessie has played a pivotal role in Irish poetry for over 40 years. As well as being a champion for female and emerging voices, she is also an accomplished poet and her own publications include a book-length prose poem Daughter (1988), reprinted as Daughter and Other Poems in 2001 and a collection of poetry, Walking Here (2011). Her poetry has also been anthologised in numerous publications. In 2012 she opened The Salmon Bookshop Literary Centre in Ennistymon, Co. Clare a vibrant hub for literary events, for writers, readers, students & academics, and the base from which Salmon Poetry runs its publishing operation.

This podcast is also available to watch as a video on YouTube and on Facebook. Also, check out the archives for more great conversations, and Ruairí's other podcast, the Love and Courage podcast.

With thanks to Creative Ireland Clare and Clare County Council for funding and support.

Ruairí McKiernan
www.ruairimckiernan.com

Steo Wall is a well-known songwriter and musician who lives near Miltown Malbay. Steo has released two critically acclaimed albums, performed on the RTE Tommy Tiernan show, the Late Late show and Ireland’s Favourite Folk song. He has also been shortlisted for a RTÉ Radio1 Folk Award and performed at major festivals around the country. Steo’s music is deeply influenced by his difficult early years in Dublin, his Traveller heritage, and his new life in Clare. You’ll hear in this episode us having a laugh at one point as fireworks graphics appeared on the screen out of the blue. We later learned this was due to Zoom rolling out a new AI feature and it appeared to be misfiring and we simply had no idea what was going on, but we got a good laugh out of it.

This podcast is also available to watch as a video on YouTube and on Facebook. Also, check out the archives for more great conversations, and Ruairí's other podcast, the Love and Courage podcast.

With thanks to Creative Ireland Clare and Clare County Council for funding and support.

Ruairí McKiernan
www.ruairimckiernan.com

Áine Tyrrell is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist musician who grew up in Ballyvaughan and in Galway. She’s been living in Australia for over a decade now where she has toured extensively, worked closely with Indigenous artists, and developed a reputation as a fiercely grassroots and independent artist who is a powerhouse live performer.

This podcast is also available to watch as a video on YouTube and on Facebook. Also, check out the archives for more great conversations, and Ruairí's other podcast, the Love and Courage podcast.

With thanks to Creative Ireland Clare and Clare County Council for funding and support.

Ruairí McKiernan
www.ruairimckiernan.com

Kieron Concannon is an Ogonolloe-based multi-instrumentalist, musician, martial artist, ethnomusicologist, sound healer, writer, composer and producer. Kieron grew up in Irish family in the English midlands. He worked in his father’s construction business before branching off to become a teacher. He later became more immersed in the world of music, including soul and Irish traditional music, and later co-founded FDM Records, an independent record label which played a key role in the band Nizlopi and its UK no.1 hit the JCB song. Kieron holds a Masters in Ethnomusicology and is an active member of the international Art of Hosting community and is also a Flow Game host and facilitator.

This podcast is also available to watch as a video on YouTube and on Facebook. Also, check out the archives for more great conversations, and Ruairí's other podcast, the Love and Courage podcast.

With thanks to Creative Ireland Clare and Clare County Council for funding and support.

Ruairí McKiernan
www.ruairimckiernan.com

Olga Profutkina is a visual artist living in Shannon and working with storytelling ideas through different materials and techniques including such rare art form as doll-making. Olga is originally from Russia and has a degree in Fashion Design from Limerick School of Art and Design and also has an MA in Fine Art. For many years Olga has been involved in costume making for film and theatre, working in such productions as Nightflyers for Netflix, Foundation for Apple TV and a multiple award-winning film Banshees of Inisherin.

This podcast is also available to watch as a video on YouTube and on Facebook. Also, check out the archives for more great conversations, and Ruairí's other podcast, the Love and Courage podcast.

With thanks to Creative Ireland Clare and Clare County Council for funding and support.

Ruairí McKiernan
www.ruairimckiernan.com

Daithí Ó Drónaí is an acclaimed Ballyvaughan producer, composer and festival curator who first became well known for producing electronic music inspired by Irish culture under the artist name 'Daithí'. Alongside Paul Noonan from Bellx1, Daith is one-half of the Houseplants band and curator of the Common Threads music and art festival. Daithi is also increasingly working on scores for film, and he helps run the Beekeepers, which offers accommodation in a studio environment for artists to hide out and work on their projects.

This podcast is also available to watch as a video on YouTube and on Facebook. Also, check out the archives for more great conversations, and Ruairí's other podcast, the Love and Courage podcast.

With thanks to Creative Ireland Clare and Clare County Council for funding and support.

Ruairí McKiernan
www.ruairimckiernan.com

Áine O'Brien is a conceptual artist, actress, curator, singer, songwriter, musician, and performer based in Kilfenora. Her childhood was steeped in the tradition of storytelling, and she continues this art through her many different creative mediums. Aine is presently collaborating with a troupe of Irish musicians, dancers, singers, and actors to explore the Clare archive of collected songs, breathing new life into them as part of an interactive performance called the Kilfenora Roadshow.

This podcast is also available to watch as a video on YouTube and on Facebook. Also, check out the archives for more great conversations, and Ruairí's other podcast, the Love and Courage podcast.

With thanks to Creative Ireland Clare and Clare County Council for funding and support.

Ruairí McKiernan
www.ruairimckiernan.com