Ar imeall na cearnóige

Today,  I'll be chatting with Bronwyn Brennan. Bronwyn is a twenty-four-year-old writer based in Toronto. ‘The Boy From Dublin' is her debut novel, inspired by her grandfather's life and stories. She currently runs a small hockey school based in the city and works extensively with the girls division, concentrating her efforts on growing women's hockey and guiding young athletes toward the collegiate level and beyond.In this episode, we discuss Bronwyn's Irish roots, her passion for storytelling and her journey playing and coaching hockey. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.How to buy 'The Boy From Dublin': https://www.bronwynbrennan.ca/https://rebooks.ca/shop/p/the-boy-from-dublinhttps://www.amazon.ca/Boy-Dublin-Bronwyn-Brennan-ebook/dp/B0DZ748RYM

Today,  I'll be chatting with Jack Fogarty. I came to know Jack when he began hurling with my club here in Toronto, Na Piarsaigh. Jack is a laid back character who has become a feature of the Irish community here in Toronto. Jack regularly performs in Irish bars around the city. For St. Patrick's Day in 2025, Jack managed to organise his band, The Fogues, who are still based in Ireland, to come to Toronto where they played a few gigs to huge success. Jack's relaxed outlook on life is one I hope to take with me going forward. I really hope you enjoy this chat with Cork native, Jack Fogarty. 

Dave is founder and CFO of HAB Strategy as well as Irish Chartered Accountant Chapter Head here in the city of Toronto. Originally from the sunny south east, Dave & his wife Mags moved here in early 2018 in pursuit of adventure. Having also travelled to South America, India, South East Asia and Eastern Africa, moving to Toronto actually marked their very first time in North America! Getting initially settled in and particularly through the challenging time of the pandemic with the arrival of their first child, Dave discusses the importance of the GAA community and the support network it has provided away from home. Not that he wasn't already busy enough, Dave established his business in 2022 working with tech startups and agencies to strategically unlock profit potential with additional financial insights and benchmarking and proactively manage cashflow and financing along the way.Thanks very much to Ernesto and Keshia from Garcia Creative for making all this happen. 

Today,  I'll be chatting with Gearóid Ó Treasaigh. Gearóid is the Irish Language Instructor at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He is in the middle of his second year of his ICUF scholarship. ICUF, being the Ireland Canada University Foundation. In this episode, Gearóid speaks about the ICUF scholarship program which brought him to Fredericton. You will hear about how he settled in one of Canada's smaller cities and how being Irish shaped his experience. Gearóid and myself had never spoken in English before this conversation but I felt it necessary for the majority of the listenership of this podcast. We did record a supplementary conversation in Irish which was released at the same time as this episode so you should find it in your feed. 

Today,  I'll be chatting with Gearóid Ó Treasaigh. Gearóid is the Irish Language Instructor at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He is in the middle of his second year of his ICUF scholarship. ICUF, being the Ireland Canada University Foundation. This is the Irish language portion of our episode. You will find the English language episode on the same feed as it was released at the same time. Tá súil agam go mbainfidh sibh sult as an gcomhrá a bhí agam le Gearóid. Is sár-duine é agus táim chomh buíoch gur labhair sé liom ar an bpodchraoladh inniu. Cloisfidh sibh faoin bpróiséas ICUF agus conas atá ag éirí le Gearóid in Fredericton le dhá bhliain anuas

Today,  I'll be chatting with Shane O'Neill. I came to know Shane last year when I finally answered one of his many phone calls and he told me that I would be raising the Irish flag at Toronto City Hall on St. Patrick's Day. Shane is the Chairperson of the Irish Person of the Year Committee and has done tremendous work for the Irish community over the years. Coming to Toronto in 1998 after having spent ten years in London Shane's relationship with Ireland has evolved throughout the years and he regales us of this during our chat. His passion for Ireland, family and of course, rugby, is undeniable. I really hope you enjoy this chat with Borrisoleigh native, Shane O'Neill. 

Today,  I'll be chatting with Conor Mangan. Conor is a current professional American Football player based out of Toronto, as well as an accomplished Real Estate Agent.  A proud Cork man, he moved to Canada in 2013, playing professional rugby before transitioning to football. Conor earned several Special Teams and point scoring records in the last two years in the Indoor Football League (IFL), and has multiple president club awards for real estate in Ontario.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Cathal O'Neill. Cathal is the Irish Language Instructor at Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland. He is in the middle of his second stint as the ICUF scholar in St. John's. ICUF, being the Ireland Canada University Foundation. This is the Irish language portion of our episode. You will find the English language episode on the same feed as it was released at the same time. Tá súil agam go mbainfidh sibh sult as an gcomhrá a bhí agam le Cathal. Is sár-fhear é agus táim chomh buíoch gur labhair sé liom ar an bpodchraoladh inniu. Cloisfidh sibh cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an Ghaeilge i saol Chathail agus tá sár-jab déanta aige ó tháinig sé go Ceanada agus go Talamh an Éisc, ach go háirithe. 

Today,  I'll be chatting with Cathal O'Neill. Cathal is the Irish Language Instructor at Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland. He is in the middle of his second stint as the ICUF scholar in St. John's. ICUF, being the Ireland Canada University Foundation. This is the English-language portion of our episode. The Irish-language version is located on the same feed. In this episode, Cathal speaks about what it was like to move to Newfoundland last year and how he has settled in. He speaks about his Irish classes, the social life in St. John's and the traveling opportunities presented during a year with ICUF. At the end of our chat, Cathal provides some tips on how best to approach the application for ICUF, for anyone thinking of teaching Irish in Canada for a year or two.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Gemma Ní Luain. Gemma is the Irish Language Instructor at Concordia University in Montréal, Québec. She is in the middle of her second stint as the ICUF scholar in Montréal. ICUF, being the Ireland Canada University Foundation. This is the Irish language portion of our episode. You will find the English language episode on the same feed as it was released at the same time. Tá súil agam go mbainfidh sibh sult as an gcomhrá a bhí agam le Gemma. Is sár-bhean í agus táim chomh buíoch gur labhair sí liom ar an bpodchraoladh inniu. Cloisfidh sibh cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an Ghaeilge i saol Gemma agus tá sár-jab déanta aici ó tháinig sí go Ceanada. 

Today,  I'll be chatting with Gemma Ní Luain. Gemma is the Irish Language Instructor at the Concordia University in Montréal, Québec. She is in the middle of her second stint as the ICUF scholar in Montréal. ICUF, being the Ireland Canada University Foundation. - what it was like to move to Montréal in 2019-extreme weather Montréal receives - issue of language with French being the official language in Québec-staying in Canada as a permanent resident I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Katie Kirkpatrick. Katie is from Saskatchewan but began taking beginner's Irish with me two years ago here at the University of St. Michael's College. Since then, she has gone on to win an ICUF Canadian Irish Language Award which enabled her to complete a four-week immersion course in Conamara in the summer of 2023. In this episode, Katie speaks about her motivation for learning Irish. Her course of study at the University of Toronto requires her to be able to sing in four different languages and she chose Irish as one of those. In this chat, Katie speaks about her experiences learning Irish in Toronto and in Conamara, how singing in Irish has enhanced her studies and of her love for the art of sean-nós singing. In the final few minutes, Katie flips the script and asks me questions about my experiences teaching Irish and Gaelic games here in Toronto. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Clíodhna Ní Chorráin. Clíodhna is the Irish Language Instructor at the University of Ottawa. She is in the middle of her second year of her ICUF scholarship. ICUF, being the Ireland Canada University Foundation. This is the Irish language portion of our episode. You will find the English language episode on the same feed as it was released at the same time. Tá súil agam go mbainfidh sibh sult as an gcomhrá a bhí agam le Clíodhna. Is sár-bhean í agus táim chomh buíoch gur labhair sí liom ar an bpodchraoladh inniu. Cloisfidh sibh cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an Ghaeilge i saol Chlíodhna agus tá sár-jab déanta aici ó tháinig sí go Ceanada. 

Today,  I'll be chatting with Clíodhna Ní Chorráin. Clíodhna is the Irish Language Instructor at the University of Ottawa. She is in the middle of her second year of her ICUF scholarship. ICUF, being the Ireland Canada University Foundation. In this episode, Clíodhna talks about her experiences teaching Irish abroad, both in the US and in Canada. She is very honest when she speaks about initially wanting to go to Toronto but making it work in Ottawa and ultimately having a fantastic experience in the nation's capital city. We discuss Clíodhna's ambitions for the future which may involve settling in Ireland but not before a stop somewhere else along the way. Clíodhna and myself had never spoken in English before this conversation but I felt it necessary for the majority of the listenership of this podcast. We did record a supplementary conversation in Irish which was released at the same time as this episode so you should find it in your feed. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Vanita Jassal and Kevin McAnena. This was the first ever live episode of Irish in Toronto and I would like to thank Daniel Patton for making it happen. Daniel is the Development and Engagement Manager for North America for Queen's University Belfast. This event was about allowing members of the Queen's alumni to share their stories of what brought them to Toronto. In this episode, you will hear from Dr. Vanita Jassal who has been in Toronto for around thirty years. She shares her story of growing up as a visible minority in Belfast during the Troubles. Her success in Toronto has been remarkable and she shares how this was achieved, as well as the more honest negative experiences she has had. Kevin McAnena, from Co. Tyrone, has been living in Toronto for close to a decade now. He shares the curiosity that led him here and how he has managed to maintain strong links with Ireland. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Com de Fréine. I know Colm through our love of the Irish language. He is a member of the committee of the branch of Conradh na Gaeilge which we established here in Toronto. Such is our love of the language that this chat will be in Irish. If you are inexperienced with listening to Irish, I would still encourage you to keep listening. Colm and I had a great chat about his coming to Toronto in 1985, leaving behind a Dublin where there wasn't much work to go around. He speaks about the opportunities he has received here in Canada. We talk about travel, family, reading, having two citizenships and our love of Irish. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Ciara Ní Lúing. Ciara left her beautiful hometown of Dingle, Co. Kerry for the big city of Toronto eight years ago. I got to know Ciara through our work with Conradh na Gaeilge here in Toronto where we organise events for Irish speakers to meet up and use the language. This has been an invaluable experience for me in Toronto and I am grateful to Ciara for the effort she has made with the group. In this chat, we discuss Ciara's experiences living in Japan and New Zealand before moving to Toronto. We discuss her reasons for leaving Corca Dhuibhne and how she settled on Toronto. Ciara speaks about her life here in Canada, including her core group of friends, her love of concerts and basketball and her journey learning Spanish over the past few years. Ciara also speaks candidly about her desire to not have children in the future and I really appreciate her honesty here. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Ken Tracey. Ken arrived in Toronto in 1989 on the first ever direct flight from Shannon. I got to know Ken through his work presenting ‘Ceol agus Craic', a Saturday morning Irish radio show here in Canada, which he presents with his good friend, Mark O'Brien. ‘Ceol agus Craic' is a great vehicle for the Irish to have their voice heard and spread the word on particular events that are happening in the community.  It airs every Saturday morning from 10AM – 12.30PM on www.mixlr.com/ceolaguscraic. All the shows are made available on the website and they have some great playlists on Spotify. This is a great chat with Ken who opens up about why he came to Canada, when he realised he would stay here long term and how he got so busy in Toronto that he even forgot his own birthday.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Sharon Nolan. Sharon left Ireland 18 years ago and has been in Toronto for the past 12 years. Originally a PE teacher, she is now studying to be a psychotherapist. We discuss topics such as distractions, dissociating and being comfortable in one's own company. I feel this conversation will help a lot of people and hopefully encourage them to take advantage of any opportunities they have to see a psychotherapist. We of course also discuss the typical contention of most Irish expats living abroad; whether to settle or to move back home. Sharon has some interesting insights into this issue which I am sure will help a lot of people. I want to thank her for taking the time to sit down with me and to chat about her life in such an honest and authentic manner. She certainly helped me navigate some of the issues which are going on in my life. 

Today,  I'll be chatting with Shane Firus and Carolane Soucisse. Shane and Carolane, hailing from British Columbia and Québec respectively, have represented Canada in ice dance. However, due to Shane's Irish roots, the pair now ice dance for Ireland. In this episode, they talk their trials and tribulations as ice dancers, the decision to ultimately represent Ireland instead of Canada and what the future holds for them, the possibility of representing Ireland at the Winter Olympics. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Shaun Ruddy, one of the greatest characters in the Irish community in Toronto. Shaun's father emigrated from Donegal to Canada and Shaun was very aware of his Irish routes from a young age. Among many things, Shaun is well known as the Chair of the St. Patrick's Parade Society, where he organises the most diverse St. Patrick's Day Parade in the world, right here in Toronto. Shaun's history with the parade dates back much earlier than when he started chairing the organization behind it. He marched in the city's first St. Patrick's Day parade in 1988, after it stopped being held due to violence in 1878 between Protestants and Catholics. He has organised the parade for the last eight years and it now has up to 5,000 participants, an illustration of the tremendous work Shaun has done.I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Alan McConnell. Born in Larne, County Antrim, Alan moved to Vancouver as a young boy in 1973, admittedly with little interest in Irish affairs at the time. Following his teenage years in British Columbia and his studies in both Québec and Ontario, Alan became more politically aware which led him to where he is today, a lawyer in Toronto and the President of the Friends of Sinn Féin (Canada). I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today,  I'll be chatting with Michael Barton who is a Regional Director at Invest Northern Ireland where he promotes Northern Ireland Trade and Investment opportunities here in Canada. Born in Antrim but reared in Greystones, County Wicklow, Michael and his then partner-now wife moved to Toronto in 2012 and haven't looked back since. Michael speaks about their willingness to seek adventure in Canada as well as the difficulties getting settled in. They are raising their three year old son, Hudson, in the city and Michael speaks very honestly and positively about raising a child in such an urban environment, a typical issue for many an Irish emigrant in Toronto. This is a conversation typical of this podcast, loaded with very real, practical elements about what it means to be an Irish expat in Toronto, from finding work to changing careers to raising a family to maintaining strong bonds with home. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

We have a more unusual episode for you today. I'll be chatting with Poppy Keogh from Wicklow who has been living in Canada for the past five years, spending her first two years in St. John's, Newfoundland and the past three years in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Poppy and myself arrived in St. John's in the same month, August 2019. However she remained a fictional character to me. Our mutual friend, Axelle, from France, did her best to introduce us but it was not to be as Poppy had other ideas about hanging out with Irish people. Through another mutual friend, Alex Dawe, from St. John's, we were finally able to meet each other last summer on a camping trip in Cape Breton where I made Poppy promise she would do the podcast as her penance for ignoring me in Newfoundland all those years ago. Poppy is obviously not living in Toronto but this conversation is flush with references to being Irish in a different part of the world and Poppy has some unique insights into what it means to be Irish on the east coast of Canada. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today, I'll be chatting with William Jenkins, Associate Professor in the Department of History at York University here in Toronto. I got to know William through his immense work with the Canadian Association of Irish Studies who have enabled me to present my own research at previous conferences and will do so again this June in Galway. In this chat, we discuss how William came from Clondalkin to Toronto, touring North America to scope out the most suitable PhD in 1995, ending up at the University of Toronto before moving to Vancouver and the University of British Columbia for his post doc before returning to Toronto and York University where he now, through his own pertinacity, teaches a course in Modern Irish History. Towards the end of our conversation, William discusses the typical emigrant's challenge of living in two places at once. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Emer Maguire. Emer is my colleague here in the Celtic Studies Program at the University of St. Michael's College, having received an award from the Ireland Canada University Foundation to teach Irish in Toronto. Emer has been here since September 2023 and will be going back to Ireland before the beginning of the summer.  I wanted to get Emer on the podcast to chat as in contrast to most of my other guests so far, she has a definite end date on her time here in Toronto and may provide a different perspective. In this chat, we discuss Emer's journey from Louth to Toronto, including a year as Fulbright Scholar at Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts. We discuss the importance of new experiences at a young age, the benefits and disadvantages of living in a city as large as Toronto and the challenges which every emigrant faces such as being far away from a loved one who may be unwell. Emer was extremely candid during our chat and I appreciate her for that. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it. 

Today, I'll be speaking with Bill Jermyn. Bill came to Toronto forty years ago having grown up in West Cork and studying at Trinity College Dublin. We speak about a number of topics in our chat including the decision to move him and his family to Toronto, being a Protestant in the Republic of Ireland and the Wider Horizon programme with which Bill worked over the years, helping disadvantaged youths from the Falls Road, Shankill and Tallaght to settle in Canada. To hear more about Bill's pursuits, I would recommend buying his wonderful memoir: Only Dead Fish Swim with the Current; https://www.amazon.ca/Only-Dead-Fish-Swim-Current/dp/1738961907I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Clár i nGaeilge ina labhraím leis na teagascóirí ICUF (Ireland Canada University Foundation) don bhliain 2023/24: Clíodhna Ní Chorráin - University of Ottawa Gearóid Ó Treasaigh - St. Thomas' University, Fredericton, New Brunswick Helena Ní Rocháin - University of Alberta Cathal Ó Néill - Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Emer Maguire - University of St. Michael's College, Toronto, Ontario

Today, I'll be speaking with Tracey Lyng, Secretary of Toronto GAA. It is not only the GAA with which Tracey volunteers, she also sits on the board of ICAN, the Irish Canadian Immigration Center as well as volunteering for a committee which helps resettle refugees here in Toronto. Tracey immigrated to Toronto thirteen years ago and has had many various roles within the Irish community in the city. Tracey speaks about her life in Cavan and how she feels about potentially moving back to Ireland someday, but not right now. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

Today, I'll be speaking with Eddie Moley, Chairperson of Toronto GAA. Being two big GAA men, you would assume we would talk about nothing but hurling and football. This conversation goes a lot deeper than that, however. Eddie speaks candidly about why he came to Toronto in 2012, leaving behind a cycle of addiction to alcohol and drugs only for that cycle to follow him to this side of the Atlantic as well. I am extremely grateful to Eddie for his honesty in this conversation. It is something that people are unfortunately not too keen on speaking about and I hope that Eddie's sincerity can help at least one person. We do get around to talking about the role of the GAA here in Toronto and what Eddie envisions for the future. Be sure to stick around for the end of the conversation when Eddie speaks honestly once again on the topic of surrogacy and how living in Canada has really helped him and his wife, Gráinne. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it.

In this episode, Lauren tells us about how she first began coming to Canada as a child in the summertime to visit family who had moved here before permanently relocating here after finishing her university degree. Unlike many previous guests on this podcast, Lauren emigrated to Canada with her parents and her sister, as well as her then boyfriend, now husband, Brian. I had the privilege of attending the wedding of Lauren and Brian in August of last year and although it took place in a barn in rural Ontario, I felt like I was in the heart of West Belfast. As you will hear during the episode, Lauren and Brian's dog, Millie, becomes the star of the show. Upset at not receiving the attention she deserves, she rightfully plants herself in the middle of myself and Lauren, demanding that we instantly stop ignoring her and play a game of tug. Brian is forced to remove her, not once but twice from the room. I was going to remove all of this but I think that would be unfair to Millie, she is the center of attention in the Curran household. Lauren is a Registered Psychotherapist here in Canada and we speak a lot about the different approaches to mental health in Ireland and in Canada. I am sure this particular part of the conversation will be of great help to a lot of people.  I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it. 

How I came across Elizabeth is a little bit more unusual than most of the guests on this podcast. I run most mornings and I like to run on the Lakeshore here in Toronto. Elizabeth works as a crossing guard some mornings on Bathurst and Queen's Quay. I got stuck waiting on a red light there a few times and began chatting with Elizabeth, she recognised my Irish accent and we immediately hit it off. This began to happen a bit more regularly and as I got to know her better, I knew she would be a great guest to share her story of being Irish in Toronto. I want to thank Elizabeth for being so honest. Her story is a unique one filled with happiness and of course, moments of sadness. As you heard in the introduction, coming to Toronto provided Elizabeth with a sense of freedom that was taken from her in Ireland and in England. I think you will really enjoy the conversation. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Jack Armstrong. Jack has an interesting relationship with Ireland. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, both of his parents were immigrants from the west of Ireland. Jack speaks about how this shaped his identity growing up in New York. He also speaks of his Irish identity in Toronto. Jack is currently an NBA analyst for TSN and the on-air in-game broadcaster for the Toronto Raptors and has been since 1998. Consequently, Jack was afforded the opportunity to be honoured as the Grand Marshal of the Toronto St. Patrick's Day Parade in 2023. It was in Quinn's Pub on Richmond St. after the parade where I met Jack. He is a genuinely sound person and I am delighted he agreed to take time out of his schedule during the season to have this chat with me. I hope you enjoy it. I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it. 

I would still encourage people to download the episodes and to share them with friends and family. Downloads are the easiest indicator for me to gauge how many people I am reaching with these conversations so I would really appreciate it. Robert arrived in Toronto in 1979 not knowing how life would pan out for him. With a degree in Archaeology and Greek and Roman Civilization from UCD, he could scarcely have imagined that he would find and become President of his own insurance firm; Kearns Insurance Corporation. What drew me to Robert was his incessant work with the Irish community in Toronto, especially the Ireland Fund of Canada from 1980-2004, serving as its Chair from 1989-1992. Along with being a Director of the America Ireland Fund, he is also a Founding Director of the Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce and remains a member to this day. In terms of my own work at the University of St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto, Robert  served as Chairman of the Campaign for Celtic Studies and is an Honorary Fellow of the university. At the moment, Robert is the Chair and founder of the  Canada Ireland Foundation, which created Ireland Park and Grasett Park in Toronto, and is now in the midst of developing The Corleck, a new arts, culture and heritage venue set to open soon on Toronto's waterfront. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Danielle Olivierre and Casey Egan, better known as Girlies in the 6ix. Two best friends from Dublin with two very different stories. Brought together as teenagers thanks to their shared love of Canadian Justin Bieber, it is only fitting that their stories have led them to Toronto where they have established Girlies in the 6ix, a community for ladies in Toronto to make friends, meet up and connect. The link for the Instagram page of Girlies in the 6ix is in the description of this episode. Danielle and Casey are doing a fantastic job of making it easier for women in Toronto to make friends, something that isn't always as easy after moving to a big city. They are full of energy and barely let me get a word in during our chat! I'm sure you will enjoy how enthusiastic they are about their friendship for each other and about their roles in helping women make friends in Toronto.  Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/girliesinthe6ix/ 

Today, I'll be chatting with Gemma Healy-Murphy. Born and raised in Tralee, County Kerry, Gemma came to Toronto in 2011 with her then boyfriend, now husband, Barry. Gemma is a litigator at McMillan LLP. She sits on the board of I/CAN, the Irish Canadian Immigration Centre and she is a founder of the Canada Ireland Bar Association. Herself and Barry are also raising two young children here in Toronto. Clearly, she is a busy woman and someone I found very difficult to track down but was delighted that we finally did get to sit down and have a chat. She even brought a few Irish treats for us to enjoy and I thank her for that.

Today, I'll be chatting with Erin and Paul Loughnane. They are both driving forces of the St. Mike's club here in the city, playing a massive role in playing and coaching over the past 20 to 30 years. Erin and Paul were both born in Canada but have become immersed in the GAA scene here in Toronto. In this chat, we talk about their different relationships with Ireland, their journeys to becoming prominent football and camogie players in Toronto and the importance of developing home grown talent in Toronto. Stay listening till the end of the conversation where Paul tells us where he got the nickname ‘Horse' and he discusses his time playing football in Cork where he played wing back on a Castlehaven team which won the Cork Senior Football Championship in 2003. Not many Canadians can say that! 

Today, I'll be chatting with Hugo Straney. Hugo is the voice of the Irish community here in Canada and has been since he began hosting his own show on CHIN Radio back in 1988.I would say that Hugo is the most ubiquitous Irish person in Toronto. He shows up everywhere, from commentating on the St. Patrick's Day Parade and the GAA finals to hosting the Toronto Rose of Tralee and his own radio show every Sunday morning at 10am, he has done it all. An energetic and engaging person, Hugo has been providing a link to home for the many of the Irish community here in Canada for over thirty years. On a personal level, the fascinating conversations he has on his radio show inspired me to initially put together this podcast so I would like to thank him for that. His journey from Belfast to Toronto as a teenager in the 1970s is a fascinating one and I know you'll enjoy it.

Today, I'll be chatting with Cathy Murphy. Cathy is the Executive Director at I/CAN, the Irish Canadian Immigration Centre. Cathy is one of the most prominent and visible people in the Irish community here in Toronto. In this chat, we discuss her role as the inaugural Executive Director of I/CAN and how she has helped thousands of Irish emigrants each year since the establishment of the Immigration Centre in 2011. What she does for the Irish in Canada is invaluable. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Michael Barry. Born and raised in North Belfast, Michael has been in Toronto for over three decades. Michael is the co-founder of the Toronto Irish Film Festival, an event which takes place at the beginning of March each year and has become consolidated in the film festival calendar in a city which is famous for its film festivals. He now manages the successful website, irishfilmtv.com which is an unbelievable resource for Irish film and tv news. Michael discusses these endeavors in our chat and he also explains why he left Belfast for Toronto and how being Irish has shaped his life here in Canada.There are a number of acronyms we use throughout our chat and I'll share them with you now in case you are not familiar with them. TIFF stands for Toronto International Film Festival, the world-famous festival which takes place in Toronto in September each year. TIRFF stands for Toronto Irish Film Festival which was co-founded by our guest today, Michael Barry. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Gréagóir Ó Dáire. Born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario with Irish and Scottish ancestry, Greg enrolled in the Celtic Studies Programme at the University of St. Michael's College in 2009 and this has had a profound impact on his life. Following a PhD at Harvard, Greg now works as a Senior Lecturer in Irish Studies at Uppsala University in Sweden. I was lucky to catch Greg on one of his trips home last summer and he was willing to come to my office where we chatted about his journey with the Irish language and how his Irish identity has shaped his life. Greg and I have only ever communicated in Irish and consequently this episode will be in Irish. Greg is a wonderful example of how intrinsic motivation can contribute to anyone learning a language to a massively high level of proficiency regardless of geographical isolation Bainigí taitneamh as an gcomhrá. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Paul Farrelly. Born and raised in Meath, Paul has been in Toronto since 1972. Paul is a frequent visitor to my office at the University of St. Michael's College and we were having so many great chats about his life here in Toronto that it only made sense to record at least one of our conversations. Paul talks about how the Irish arts scene in Toronto made it feel easy for him to settle in Canada. In particular, he has worked with the Irish Arts Council and the Toronto Irish Players. For almost ten years, Paul served as the Executive Director for the Ireland Fund of Canada and he provides an interesting insight into his work here as well.

Today, I'll be chatting with Caroline Schweppe. Born and raised in Dublin, Caroline came to Toronto in 1989 and hasn't looked back since. I met Caroline at a civic reception on St. Patrick's Day this year and knew instantly that I had to get her on the podcast as she has a remarkable story to tell. She's a unique person within the Irish community here in Toronto and I think you will all enjoy this conversation. Caroline speaks openly about the freedom she associates with her life here in Canada and about how to navigate one's life as an emigrant during different points of transition. Caroline arrived at my office door a half an hour early for our chat, while I was in the middle of eating my lunch no less. Usually, I don't like to be interrupted when I'm eating but a conversation with Caroline is always well worth it. We spoke for an hour and a half before I pressed ‘record' so we sometimes refer back to parts of our off-air chat but I'm sure you'll be able to follow. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Steo Murphy. Born and raised in Ennis in Co. Clare, Steo moved to Toronto in 2017 and now works in the city as a barber. We actually recorded this chat from his apartment five minutes after he had given me a chop. In this chat, we talk about why Steo came to Toronto, why he stayed, and the struggles he had with securing permanent residency which included being stuck in Canada unable to travel for three years. We also discuss some of the elements of Toronto which Steo loves; playing soccer, professional wrestling, festivals, raves, an eccentric sense of fashion and tattoos.

Today, I'll be chatting with Greg Quinn, the Acting British Consul General Calgary and former British Consul General Toronto. Born and raised in Portadown in County Armagh during the Troubles, Greg has a unique story to tell. I met Greg at the Toronto Irish Film Festival following a screening of the wonderful documentary, Young Plato. We got chatting and I told him that at the University of St. Michael's College, we were putting together a panel to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. I asked Greg if he would like to be on the panel and to my eternal gratitude, he agreed and provided some fantastic insights on the night. This chat is a bit more personal and I hope you enjoy it. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Ian Kinsella. Born and raised in Dublin, Ian spent some time in Australia before making the big decision to move to Toronto. Myself and Ian are good friends so there's no structure to the conversation, we just chat freely. We chat about his role in setting up a Canadian branch of the Irish recruiting firm Morgan McKinley, his struggles as a child in school in Rathgar, how sacred mornings are to Ian, how running acts as a therapy for him as well as Ian's relationship with alcohol. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Mary McAuliffe. Mary is an avid listener of the podcast during her commutes on the TTC. Born and raised in Cork, she spent twenty years in Dublin before making the big decision to move to Toronto. Mary's emigrant story is not the typical one. Herself and her husband had two children aged eleven and nine, a mortgage and seemingly the rest of their lives ahead of them in Ireland but in their mid forties, they decided to switch it up and come to Toronto. This is a fascinating conversation. Mary is a lovely person and we have become good friends in recent months. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Richard Harte. Richard is an actor here in Toronto. Born in Dublin, he and his mother emigrated to Canada when he was six years old, eventually settling in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Amongst many things, we discuss Richard's identity as an Irish-Canadian and how that has contributed to his acting career, especially playing Irish characters. Adam Seelig, the Artistic Director of One Little Goat Theatre Company, put me in contact with Richard. Last week at the 2023 Toronto Irish Film Festival, Adam and Richard's creation, Finnegan's Wake Chapter 1 was screened. “Finnegans Wake Chapter 1″ captures the dynamic and comedic cadences of James Joyce's final novel as read by Richard Harte. Shot with a live audience in Toronto, this marks both the first ‘audio-video book' of this extraordinary novel and the first movie in One Little Goat's plan to film all 17 chapters of Finnegans Wake.

Today, I'll be chatting with Dianne MacDonald. Dianne was born in St. Catharines to an Irish mother from Cavan. Despite growing up in southern Ontario and having never spent a considerable amount of time in Ireland, Dianne is comfortably fluent in Irish. In fact, this conversation was the first time we had ever chatted in English. She is an inspiration to anyone looking to learn the language. As she told me herself, ‘tá Gaeilge i mo chroí'. Irish is in my heart. 

Today, I'll be chatting with Antóin Ó Trinliúin. Antóin is my colleague here in the Celtic Studies Program at the University of St. Michael's College having received an award from the Ireland Canada University Foundation to teach Irish in Toronto. Antóin has been here since September 2022 and will be going back to Ireland before the beginning of the summer.  I wanted to get Antóin on the podcast to chat as in contrast to most of my other guests so far, he has a definite end date on his time here in Toronto and may provide a different perspective. In this chat, we discuss Antóin's life through the Irish language before he moved to Toronto and how it has changed since moving here. We look at how he is in the midst of establishing a branch of Conradh na Gaeilge or The Gaelic League in Toronto. We also chat about his expectations of Toronto and what he misses about home. Normally, Antóin and myself only communicate in Irish so it was a bit unusual to speak to him in English. In relation to the Pop-Up Gaeltacht which was mentioned, it will be taking place on Thursday, March 9th in Saulter Street Brewery which is just east of Queen and Broadview. Everyone and anyone is welcome, regardless of your level of Irish, it should be good craic and thanks to Eoin Mac Gearailt for making it possible, another Irish speaker who will be on this podcast in the future. 

Ahmed is doing his undergrad here at the University of Toronto. I came across him back in October when we were out playing hurling on campus and he came over to tell me how amazed he was to see GAA at the University of Toronto. In this action-packed chat, we discuss what it was like to grow up in Dublin with Sudanese origins, what it's like being an Irish person in Toronto, specifically a black Irish person in Toronto, the role Arabic plays in the life of Ahmed and the comparisons and contrasts between being Muslim in Ireland and in Toronto. Ahmed is not shy about sharing his opinions about Ireland and Toronto, both positive and negative and at the end of our chat, he discusses the social scene for a student in Toronto compared to Ireland, particularly the role of drugs in student life.