In this episode of The Effortless Attraction Podcast, I’m joined by the remarkable James Finnegan , a husband, father, grandfather, storyteller, performer, speaker and man who has lived a truly extraordinary life.

James grew up in London above the pub his Irish parents owned, describing it as his “university of life”. Eventually, love brought him back to Ireland, where he has spent years giving his time and energy to charities, including DEBRA Ireland and Tralee Irish Soup Kitchen. His journey has also taken him into the worlds of UEFA and FIFA, Toastmasters — where he is currently Uk and Ireland (District 71 ) Toastmaster of the Year. He is also the Co-Curator of TEDxTralee.

But James’s greatest story is perhaps the one he is living right now.

After years of physical challenges, including a ruptured Achilles tendon, multiple operations and embolisms affecting his heart and lungs, James began experiencing multiple mini-strokes in 2024. In 2025, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Yet his response is powerful:

“I have Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s doesn’t have me.”

James refuses to allow a diagnosis to define who he is or what he can still achieve. After his diagnosis, he completed an abseil from Croke Park and has walked for 1,000 days to raise money for charity from January 2021 to 2023.

This is a conversation about resilience, courage, purpose, giving back and choosing how we respond when life changes in ways we never expected.

James will also be speaking at TEDxBangor in County Down this year.

Connect with James:Facebook: James FinneganInstagram: James Finnegan Tralee

TEDxBangor tickets:www.tedxbangor.com

And from me, Evelyn, a heartfelt thank you to every single person who listens, shares and supports The Effortless Attraction Podcast. At the release of this episode, we have just celebrated three years of the podcast, and I am incredibly grateful to all of my paid subscribers whose support helps this channel continue.

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To find out more about me, my speaking events, retreats and mentoring, visit:www.evelynmcaleer.com