The Hut Near The Bog

Join us for the beautiful sounds that surround the hut on a crisp May morning. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

James Hennan is a Local Historian and OPW Tour Guide at Portunma Castle in county Galway. In this episode, myself and James sit down to discuss the importance of local history. James also tells us about the history of his locality, Lorrha, a once major monastic site dating as far back as the 6th century. In the final part, James shares the wisdom he has gained in the pursuit of understanding the local history of his area. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Aidan Harte is the man behind the now famous or perhaps notorious Púca of Ennistymon. In this episode, we sit down to discuss the furore around the Púca. Before that, however, we hear about his work as a sculptor, and his fascination with Irish folklore. To support the erection of the Púca in Ennistymon please send an email to Clare County Council at customerservices@clarecoco.iePlease consider supporting us by either donating or purchasing some products from our store. Donate: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/donateStore: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/store See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The topic of mental health has long been a taboo a subject in Irish society, particularly, in rural communities. Yet, in recent years attitudes have begun to change and this has sparked an acceptance and willingness to talk about mental health issues. In this episode, I sit down with Integrative and Holistic Counsellor; and Director of The Dancing Soul, Olivia Feehan, to understand how these changes have come about and what more we can do to change attitudes toward mental health. Donate: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/donate Store: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/storeOlivia Feehan: https://oliviafeehancounselling.ie/The Dancing Soul: https://www.thedancingsoul.ie/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In part two, Tina tells us about her reluctant return to Ireland from the wildernesses of Botswana only to find another wilderness on her own doorstep, namely the boglands of Ireland . Donate: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/donateStore: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/storeTina Claffey Website: https://www.tinaclaffey.com/ Portal – an exhibition by Tina Claffey: https://www.riverbank.ie/event/visual-art-portal-an-exhibition-by-tina-claffey/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tina Claffey is the preeminent photographer of the Irish boglands. In this first part of two interviews, she tells us how she ended up working as a nature photographer in the pristine wilderness of the African nation of Botswana and how this prepared her for her later work photographing the Irish Boglands. Donate: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/donateStore: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/storeTina Claffey Website: https://www.tinaclaffey.com/ Portal – an exhibition by Tina Claffey: https://www.riverbank.ie/event/visual-art-portal-an-exhibition-by-tina-claffey/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Since ancient times many in Ireland believe that the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world becomes thinnest at certain times of year or when in the presence of certain places or people. This was most certainly the case when myself and Sheila sat down with spiritual medium, Joy Connolly, to hear her story and wisdom she offers. Donate: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/donateStore: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/storeJoy Connolly: https://www.facebook.com/Heavenly-Whispers-231328954086296 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Reconnect with nature or take some time for reflection and meditation with this Dawn Chorus episode. Recorded at The Hut Near The Bog on International Dawn Chorus Day (02 May 2021). See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The end of April/Start of May marks the ancient Celtic festival of Bealtaine. In this episode Sheila speaks with Celtic Priest – Dara Molloy – to discuss the origins of Bealtaine and its spiritual significance. Dara also tells us how we can celebrate this ancient festival in contemporary life.Check out Dara's books at www.aislingpublications.com. Or perhaps consider becoming a patron, and receive personal services from Dara, at www.patreon.com/daramolloyaranSee more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this Christmas special episode Sheila and James are joined by 7 guests – the first born in 1936 and the last born 2015 - to discuss their Christmas memories and what makes Christmas special in Ireland. See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Craig Jordan-Baker is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at The University of Brighton. He has published fiction in New Writing, Text, Firefly Magazine, Potluck and in the époque press é-zine.In this, our final episode of season one, Sheila sits down with Craig to discuss his recently published book – The Nacullians. Sheila and Craig explore several key themes related to the book, including, the literacy of landscape; the book's representation of grief and adversity; and how it is a dog can be more discerning than its owners. In the final part, Craig shares the family wisdom we can learn from reading The Nacullians. See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/Check out www.epoquepress.com/titles-the-nacullians where you can purchase The Nacullians. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dara Molloy is a truly fascinating individual. Along with the likes of John O'Donohue and John Philip Newell, Molloy is considered to be among one of the few experts on the subject of Celtic Spirituality. In this episode James sits down with Dara to discuss his spiritual journey from Roman Catholic priest in Dublin to Celtic priest, monk and druid on Inis Mor (the largest of the Aran Islands). They also discuss a number of topics explored in Dara's upcoming book titled ‘Holy God – Journey from Belief in God to a Spirituality.' These include, what Celtic spirituality is and how it differs from organised religion; how the dominant religions have misunderstood the notion of faith; and why monotheism and its globalisation is a root cause of the loss of both cultural diversity and biodiversity on the planet.In the final part, Dara shares his personal wisdom and recommends that we explore the vast resources that can be found in the Celtic spiritual tradition. Check out www.aislingpublications.com where you can pre-order Dara's latest book ‘Holy God – Journey from Belief in God to a Spirituality' and purchase his and Tess Harper's other publications. Music credit: Amhrán Mhuínse / The Song of Muínis – LíadanSee more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Owen Colgan is the Irish cult comedy hero, best known for his role as Buzz McDonnell in Hardy Bucks. In this episode I sit down with Owen to get to know the man behind the comedy. Owen starts off by telling us how growing up in the West of Ireland shaped his comedy. We then explore the differences between the rural and urban senses of humour; and the role comedy plays in helping us to understand the absurdity of life. We also discuss why being humble is so important for having a healthy and balanced outlook and the uncertainty that comes with the life of being a creative. In the final part, Owen shares his wisdom and recommends that we try to get out into nature as much as possible. See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

J.J. Houghs Singing Pub in Banagher, Co. Offaly is a legend among Irish pubs. Indeed, it has long held this status due to the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of its owners - the Hough family. From artists to actors to musicians and lecturers the Houghs are truly a talented bunch. This is no less true of the second eldest and current proprietor of the pub - Ger Hough. Through his creative exploits Ger has produced various short films which have gone viral on social media and regularly feature on national media in Ireland and abroad. In this episode Sheila sits down with Ger to discuss a range of topics including the history of the pub, his use of social media to create an online mythology; the difference between Irish publicans today and of yesteryear and the challenges he faces in the Covid era. In the final part, Ger shares his wisdom and recites one of his well-known monologues titled ‘The Fear'. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this edited interview Johnny Ziomek tells us how he ended up discovering Gaelic football in South Korea and about the setting up of the Houston Gaels. He also tells how a twist of faith related to one of the most tragic events in modern history, namely—9/11—brought him to play Gaelic football. In the final part, Johnny shares the wisdom we can take from his remarkable story.See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this full (unedited) interview Johnny Ziomek discusses his background as a child actor, photographer, and globe trotter. We hear about his Irish roots and his founding of the Houston Gaels. He also tells us of his experience of 9/11 and the profound implications this had for his life. In the final part, Johnny shares the wisdom we can take from his remarkable story. See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is an excerpt from our upcoming episode 'How the man who photographed 9/11 fell in love with Gaelic football'. Here our guest Johnny (Ziomek) tells us how he ended being present at and documenting 9/11. See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Troubles or the 30-year political and sectarian conflict that took place in Northern Ireland was perhaps one of the darkest and bloodiest chapters in Irish history. And yet, there is much we can learn from it, not least about the nature of forgiveness.In this episode we explore forgiveness. Sheila and James begin by outlining their views on forgiveness. They then explore the varying views on forgiveness that have come to the fore in Northern Ireland following The Good Friday Agreement. From this we see that forgiveness is an overwhelmingly good thing, which can have many positive effects for individuals and societies. However, it is not always the only or most appropriate way for one to overcome resentment. In the final part, Sheila draws on the wisdom of John Greenleaf Whittier to recite a poem about forgiveness. See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Troubles was perhaps one of the darkest and bloodiest chapters in Irish history. There is much we can learn from it, not least, about the nature of forgiveness. Here we share an excerpt from our upcoming episode dropping this Saturday.See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In Ireland we call our mothers “mammy” or “mam”. The bond with our mammy is unbreakable. Indeed, it is one of the most amazing gifts of life. In this episode we explore this bond through the lens of emigration and adoption in 19th and 20th century Ireland.Sheila begins by telling us about her own experience of motherhood and about the bond she formed with her six children. We then look at the philosophical literature and see that this powerful bond is formed in gestation when both mother and baby are most exposed to the core of one another's subjectivity. From the accounts of adoption and emigration we see how traumatic an experience the separation of mother and child was, and yet, we also see the power and joy of this bond in cases where both parties were reunited. In the final part, we draw on the words of the Irish philosopher & poet—John O'Donohue—to impart some wisdom and a blessing for mothers. Music credits: Sláinte by Sláinte is licensed under a Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.With thanks to the John O'Donohue Literary Estate for the use of the blessing titled 'For a Mother-To-Be'See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Martin O'Meara was an Irish man, an adopted Australian and hero of the First World War. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross Medal, the highest honour awarded for gallantry in the face of an enemy that a British & Commonwealth soldier can receive.In this episode Sheila speaks to two of Martin's closest living relatives, Bill O'Hara, and Noreen O'Meara. We learn about Martin and the circumstances which led to him receiving the Victoria Cross Medal. Noreen and Bill tell Sheila about Martins' visits to Ireland in both 1916 & 1917 and the frosty reception that he received during the latter visit. Our guests then discuss Martin's breakdown in 1918 which resulted in him being committed to an Australian mental hospital, a situation which only exacerbated his condition. In the final part, Noreen and Bill talk about the efforts which have led to Martin being finally recognised in Ireland for the hero he was, and about the wisdom that we can take from his incredible story.See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we explore encouragement. Sheila begins by telling us what encouragement is, and why it is so important. We then look at what one might consider to be the basis for encouraging others, namely, respect. Comparing the philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and Immanuel Kant we see that respecting others is not only a good thing to do—it is also our duty—and thus we learn that to encourage is to respect one another as equals. Sheila then tells us about some Gaelic expressions of encouragement and her earliest experiences of encouragement while growing up in rural Ireland. We also learn about the difference between praise and encouragement and why the latter is a much more powerful force for positive change. In the final part, Sheila outlines how she uses encouragement to prepare her clients for interviews in her role as a life & business coach. Music credits: Sláinte by Sláinte is licensed under a Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.See more at: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this bonus episode James speaks to the guest editor of the Irish Philosophical Society Journal and Carlow College lecturer Dr Noel Kavanagh. Noel tells us how a packet of peanuts led to his decision to quit his job as a truck driver and instead pursue a career in academia. His grandmother who was a nanny to the stars and his grandfather on his father's side who was a subsistence farmer from rural Tipperary. James and Noel explore what it means to be Irish and how this has changed over the last number of decades. Noel also tells us about his interest in the philosophy of love and explains why there is a therapy in learning about philosophy. In the final part, he outlines how the Covid-19 pandemic has proved to be a true test to a notion central to Western Liberal democracies, namely—the social contract.Donate: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/donateStore: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/store Music credits: Sláinte by Sláinte is licensed under a Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we discuss how we can better deal with uncertainty. Sheila begins by telling us about her own personal experiences of uncertainty and how she draws on these to inform her work as a life & business coach. We then explore how the people of old Ireland dealt with uncertainty and discover that our ancestors were far more practical in how they approached the insecurities of life. We contend that the decline of this practical wisdom in contemporary society can be linked to the exponential rise of consumerism in the latter part of the 20th century. We then discuss the recommendations that both Stoic and Existential philosophers give in relation to dealing with uncertainty. We conclude, that drawing on this advice and developing the practical mindset of our forebears can help us to overcome our own uncertainties. Donate: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/donateStore: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/storeMusic credits: Sláinte by Sláinte is licensed under a Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we explore grief through the philosophy of Stoicism. We see that the Stoics particularly the thinking of Seneca can be considered a bit insensitive when it comes to the topic of grief. We then look at the waking tradition of old Ireland and specifically the practise of keening - a highly articulated custom of women's oral poetry used to lament the deceased. Drawing on the philosophy of Joel Krueger we see that keening “scaffolded” the emotional consciousness of the community and thus brought all participants through the grieving process. Finally, Sheila shares her own experience of grief and claims that now more than ever we need to find innovative ways of facilitating the grieving process. Donate: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/donateStore: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/storeMusic credits: Sláinte by Sláinte is licensed under a Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we explore gratitude through the competing philosophies of Adam Smith & Immanuel Kant. We then look at the Gaelic practice of the Meitheal or the cooperative labour system in old Ireland where neighbours helped each other in turn with farming tasks like making the hay and trashing the corn. From this, we see that gratitude was central to the success of the Meitheal and thus the social cohesion of old Ireland. In addition, our exploration of the Meitheal demonstrates that both Smith & Kant fail to fully comprehend gratitude as they tend to overlook its pragmatic nature. In the final part, Sheila tells us how she draws on gratitude to assist her clients in her role as a life and business coach.Donate: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/donateStore: https://www.thehutnearthebog.com/storeMusic credits: Sláinte by Sláinte is licensed under a Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.