Podcasts about Donegal

In this recap episode, Lesley Logan and Brad Crowell dig into their favorite takeaways from the conversation with Tara Connaghan, a traditional Irish fiddle player from Donegal whose award-winning podcast decodes the unspoken rules of Irish music sessions. They unpack why unfamiliar spaces feel so intimidating to newcomers, the etiquette of joining as a beginner, the three kinds of people every new learner needs.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:The importance of supporting local Black-owned businesses.The etiquette of easing into a group as a beginner.Brad's jazz sessions and what his class taught him about listening.Why daily practice outperforms one long session each week.How filling your cup makes everything else feel easier.Episode References/Links:upLift - xxll.co/uwseLevate Live Q&A - lesleylogan.co/elevateOPC Summer Tour (Powered by Balanced Body) - OPC.me/eventsOPC Flashcards - opc.me/flashcardsPilates on Tour - xxll.co/potNevada SPCA - https://nevadaspca.orgBy Black Business Directory - https://www.byblack.usSession Etiquette Website - https://www.sessionetiquette.comSession Etiquette Retreat - sessionetiquette.com/retreatIn Tune with Tradition Podcast - https://beitpod.com/taraconnaghanpodTara Connaghan IG - https://www.instagram.com/tarafiddleTara Connaghan FB - https://www.facebook.com/tara.connaghanTara Connaghan LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/taraconnaghanTara Connaghan YT - https://beitpod.com/arayoutubeSubmit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questions If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! 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DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  When you are a beginner, there is an anxiety about how do I join? What's the etiquette? Do I have enough skills to be here? Am I allowed to sit here? Can I sit there? And she explained that you're scared because you just don't know how to enter the space. And I think it's really important to acknowledge that when we're a beginner at things, we're allowed to have some fear, you know?Lesley Logan 0:15  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 0:58  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap, where my co-host in life, Brad and I are going to dig into the warm convo I have with Tara Connaghan in our last episode. If you haven't yet listened to the interview, you can pause this, go listen to that, and then come back to this. You can listen to this, then go back to that. She has an Irish accent.Brad Crowell 1:12  Yes, she does.Lesley Logan 1:13  So sometimes that's fun to listen to.Brad Crowell 1:15  It sure was. She's also a musician. Love that.Lesley Logan 1:18  Yes, yes. And she has a great podcast as well. It's winning awards, even though it's brand new, because it's so niche. It's a niche in a niche. It's kind of amazing, but we'll get into that in a minute. First, today is August 20, 2026, and it's World Mosquito Day because, you know what? Those little fuckers need their own day. Honestly, because you need to be reminded that they suck. But you need to know how bad it is because it's...Brad Crowell 1:39  Literally.Lesley Logan 1:40  Oh, that's so funny! Pun wasn't intended, but I slayed that. So World Mosquito Day unites global health efforts every August 20th commemorating Sir Ronald Ross's 1897 discovery that mosquitoes transmit malaria. Well, thanks, Sir Ronald Ross. Do you think his parents named him Sir Ronald Ross, or he was Ronald Ross, and then they got the "Sir"?Brad Crowell 2:01  He got the "Sir."Lesley Logan 2:01  Oh, okay.Brad Crowell 2:02  Yeah.Lesley Logan 2:02  Well, this crucial day raises awareness about the ongoing threat of mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue, dengue?Brad Crowell 2:09  DengueLesley Logan 2:09  Dengue, Zika. Brad Crowell 2:11  Yeah, it would be normally known as dengue fever.Lesley Logan 2:13  Yeah, dengue fever, Zika, and yeah. Brad Crowell 2:16  Good luck on that one.Lesley Logan 2:20  Chikungunya. I'm reminding.Brad Crowell 2:25  It could be Chikungunya. Chikungunya.Lesley Logan 2:28  I'm not sure. Yeah. Anyways, well, my speech therapy didn't help me with that one. Discover how you can protect yourself, support research, and contribute to eradication initiatives worldwide. You know what you can do? Keep your fucking still water from being still. You guys, stir your pools. Don't let, you know, I listened to an episode of The Daily years ago when it was good, and it talked about how there are these mosquitoes that can live in a capful, you know those plastic water bottles? That size capful of water in a tire across continents. So on a ship that takes months, and then they can just spread. They don't need a lot of water anymore. So you guys have got to move your water around. Do you remember when we lived in LA and there was a big deal about the virus, and we were like at the airport. Everybody was on guard for puddles and drying things up. It was a weird community. It was before COVID, but LA had a community because people were getting... I don't think it was Zika, but there was a virus being carried by the mosquitoes, and it was a reason why even the airport had to clean up their water. They were giving out fines.Brad Crowell 3:31  I can't remember what it was, because Zika is usually in Asia, but it obviously can spread.Lesley Logan 3:37  So obviously, I talk about standing water around your home, but applying an EPA-registered repellent and raising awareness about mosquito-borne diseases is a great way to support the public health initiatives. Isn't it funny if we just start going around. Everybody today, I want you to go around and go, "It's World Mosquito Day. Do you have any standing water? Do you know how to get rid of mosquitoes?" So Vegas was notoriously known for having no mosquitoes, and now we have lots of mosquitoes. We have a whole mosquito problem, and at UNLV, there's a woman who studies the whole thing. But now we have mosquitoes, and it's really annoying because I thought I only got bit by mosquitoes when I was in Cambodia. Now we get bit all the time.Brad Crowell 4:10  It's not even, I mean, honestly, LA was, I felt like I got more mosquitoes in LA than Cambodia, but it depends on the time of year in Cambodia. I think it depends on the season, of course. But there definitely are mosquitoes there. We had a lot more in Thailand than Cambodia.Lesley Logan 4:26  Thailand killed me. Cambodia, I've learned to figure it out. And when you come to our retreat in Cambodia, we tell you what to do so you don't get bit. All right, you guys, what do we got going on? We're on our way back from the tour, actually. So we're probably either in El Paso or on our way to Tucson right now. We're gonna wrap it up in a few days in Las Vegas. And something you need to know, I'm really, really proud of. I started a teacher-training program for new teachers. So if you heard the rumor, it is true, and it's called upLift, and it will start early next year at a studio, hopefully near you. So, in fact, in the next couple weeks, I'll be taking applications from the people who want to license and teach the program, and then this fall, I'll be training them how to do it. Then I'll be working alongside them to make sure that it is done the way I know it will work and change your life and change the lives of the people that you teach. So you should go to xxll.co/uws if you would like to be a student. This is for first-time teachers or partially trained teachers, or maybe people who want to bridge into classical and they want it to be more of an in-person experience. So xxll.co/uws. And then for those who are already comprehensively trained and you want more of a master's program, you can go watch the recent eLevate Live Q&A call I did at lesleylogan.co/elevate. That's L-E-S-L-E-Ylogan.co/elevate. I did a mini class. I answered a ton of questions. We have a bunch of grads on there. We are filling 2028 as we speak, and only people who graduate eLevate can actually teach upLift. So if you are like, "Oh my God, how do I get my application in?" You won't even find out until you have done eLevate. So there you go. All right, you guys, we got a lot going on. Balanced Body sponsored our tour, so we're so excited because we have to take Contrology equipment everywhere, and we're spending a lot of time with them the rest of this year. I'll tell you more about that in a second. But thank you to Balanced Body for sponsoring our summer tour, and they are also sponsoring our winter tour this year, which we will announce next month. So make sure that you're on our email list so you don't miss out because literally on the summer tour, several cities sold out in one day. Brad Crowell 6:27  In one day. Lesley Logan 6:28  In one day.Brad Crowell 6:29  Yeah. So how do you get on the waitlist? Go to OPC.me/events.Lesley Logan 6:33  There you go. Go do that. Okay. So if you're new here, one of the ways you can actually support us is by being an OPC member. But if that's more of a commitment than you want to make, when you buy our amazing flashcards at opc.me/flashcards, not only do you support us and this podcast, but you're also supporting the Nevada SPCA. Just so you know.Brad Crowell 6:49  Yeah, but I just wanted to say before we move on, becoming a member, you can start with a trial. So it's a 40-day trial for 40 bucks, and you pick the trial based on the equipment you have access to, and then you get to come hang in this awesome community we have. We just revamped our community page, the whole community platform. It's really cool and just awesome people. So not only that, you can do it anywhere you are.Lesley Logan 7:15  Yeah, anywhere you are, at any level, with whatever you got. It's pretty great. It is the workout that works for you. That's what we say. So you guys, we're going to be home for a bit, and then we're going to be in Cambodia. You cannot join us this year in Cambodia, but you can certainly join us next year by getting on our waitlist. We will open up our early-bird special in January. If you hear a dog snoring in the background, her name is Darla. We cannot stop this; it's just going to keep going. But before we head to Cambodia, we're actually driving to Sacramento. I'm teaching, and we'll have a booth at the Sacramento POT. It is the Balanced Body 50th-Year Celebration. The ultimate, the penult, the penultimate, the, what do you call it? I mean, they've been celebrating all year long at all the different POTs.Lesley Logan 7:53  No, but anyways, it's at the headquarter area, and it's gonna be so much fun. And then after that, I'll be at the POT India. So I am at all the 50th anniversary POTS. Basically, I'll be aBrad Crowell 8:03  A 50-year celebration is called a golden jubilee or a golden anniversary.Lesley Logan 8:08  The Jubilee. I don't think they know that. I don't think they do either because they could have done a Jubilee instead of a whatever party. Anyways, here we are. So, if you want information about the Sacramento POT or what I'm doing in Goa, India, which, by the way, it looks stunning. I really will just say yes. I said yes because it's going to be at this stunning resort at the beach in Goa, and there's a bunch of Americans who are also going because they're like, "I wanted to take a workshop from you, and I've always wanted to go to India." And I'm like, "Well, see you there." Me too. So xxll.co/pot will get you information on both Sacramento and Goa. I have no idea how to get you information, but I am going to teach in China this year.Brad Crowell 8:44  Woo!Lesley Logan 8:45  This is a big deal.Brad Crowell 8:46  Yeah, just outside of Shanghai.Lesley Logan 8:47  Yeah, I don't even know how I'm getting there yet at the time of this recording. But we're figuring it out, everyone. Basically, here's what's going on. I am doing a lot of traveling with and without Brad this year because next year I'm not, because next year we're focused only on upLift, eLevate, our tours, and so it's quite an exciting time. I haven't said yes to anything for next year, and we're recording this in the summer, which is kind of insane because usually I'm already booked out, but we're not because we're saying, "Not yet, not yet." Anyways, all right, we got to get into this episode, but before that, Brad, what is the awareness that we're bringing people's attention to today?Brad Crowell 9:25  Yeah. So as you know, we switched to charity of the week instead of questions. So today we are doing something slightly different. We encourage you to seek out local businesses in your community to celebrate National Black Business Month. Yeah. So this month, instead of highlighting just one charity, we're focused on the whole month to go out and support your local Black-owned businesses. Why? Back in 1921 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it was home to one of the wealthiest Black communities in the country, the Greenwood District, known as Black Wall Street. In the span of about 15 years, it had built up hundreds of Black-owned businesses: grocers, theaters, hotels, doctors' offices, over 1000 homes. And then, over a two-day period, white mobs, some of them literally deputized by the city, burned more than 35 city blocks. They burned them to the ground, and as many as 300 people died. Roughly 10,000 were left homeless, and not a single person was ever prosecuted. Yeah, for decades it barely appeared in the history books, and Greenwood residents rebuilt, but the community never got back to where it fully was. Survivors were never compensated. So when we talk about supporting Black-owned businesses today, it's not just a nice idea; it's part of rebuilding something that was deliberately destroyed.Lesley Logan 10:42  It's crazy because I didn't learn about this. I heard about this around 2020.Brad Crowell 10:46  Yeah, I started to hear about this. Actually, there were TV shows that were focused on this in the superhero world, and I started watching it, and I was like, "Whoa, this is crazy! How did I never hear about this?" And then I started to really learn more about it, and it's just tragic. It's just unbelievable. It's unbelievable.Lesley Logan 11:04  Here's the thing: if a hurricane does this, we're in an uproar if the government doesn't go in fast enough and fix things, right? But this was deliberately done. This is not, it's just hate racism. Yeah. And then no one went in and helped any of these people, and so yet again, a group of people were set back even further. So not only did we not do restitution after slavery, when they finally do get ahead, well, let's burn it to the ground and create even more problems. And so it's just really fucking frustrating.Brad Crowell 11:34  There is a, you know, if you're wondering how to go support local Black-owned businesses in your community, there's a great resource that you can use, that is ByBlack.us. It's a national directory built by the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce. It's searchable by location and even has curated city guides. So wherever you're listening from, you can find Black-owned businesses near you. And if you're local to us in Las Vegas, check out the Greater Las Vegas Black Chamber of Commerce at glvbcc.org, and also the Henderson Black Chamber of Commerce or the local directory called Black Biz Connect Las Vegas.Lesley Logan 12:16  Yeah, and that came up just when we were doing this search, so you can also figure that out by putting your city in. It's just a great thing to do if you want to just be... Here's the deal: we vote with our dollars, and so every single day there are things that we have to do for these fucking billionaires because we can't get away from it. But also, you can do this, and you can make small changes. So it's really important. We recently, at the time of recording this, had donated $800 to the Nevada SPCA, right? And I was like, "Oh, I know it's only $800," and they're like, "It's a lot of money. Thank you so much." It's from your flashcards for quarter two. And I said, "Oh, can I find out what does that do?" And they were able to show me what $800 can do, right? It can feed 114 shelter animals for one week. So when you take your dollars and you put them locally into a locally owned business, you are making major impacts. The ripple effects are things you can't even understand or see. And then when you direct that to being a Black-owned business, you are actually helping. It's just something that's really, really amazing because that means family members and friends of that business owner are seeing that they can be successful as an entrepreneur. If you can't see things happen in your life, it's really hard to be it till you see it. So I just think it's important. I thought it was a great way to honor this month. And so just put your city in and put "Black-owned businesses," and you'll get a list, I'm sure.Brad Crowell 13:33  Yeah, awesome. So thanks for supporting your local Black-owned businesses. And if you have any Black-owned businesses, or actually any charities at all, that you suggest that we do some research on and then bring to the pod, text us at 310-905-5534. 310-905-5534. Stick around. We'll be right back. Brad Crowell 13:54  All right. Well, let's talk about Tara Connaghan. Tara is a traditional Irish fiddle player from Donegal with nearly 40 years of experience playing music. I think she said more than 40 years of experience. In fact, I think she said she's been teaching for 40 years.Lesley Logan 14:10  I mean, she doesn't look that old, so I don't think she could be. I don't think she's in her 60s.Brad Crowell 14:14  Regardless, she's very, very clearly an expert. She's the creator and host of the award-winning podcast, In Tune with Tradition: Perspectives on Session Etiquette and Irish Traditional Music. That is a very niche pod.Lesley Logan 14:29  It's a niche in a niche.Brad Crowell 14:30  It breaks down the unspoken cultural rules of Irish music sessions. She also teaches adults and leads private immersion experiences in Ireland for musicians wanting to dive deeper on session culture. Side note: She actually has a tour coming up in September 2026, so next month. So go to sessionetiquette.com/retreat for details. Pretty sure she said it's happening in Ireland. Lesley Logan 14:55  I think so. And also, by the way, if you don't even know what Irish music is and session etiquette, don't be like, "What is this podcast episode about?" I don't know, because actually everything that we discussed about that can be applied to being a beginner at anything. So I really, really like it.Brad Crowell 15:09  Yeah. Yeah. So.Lesley Logan 15:11  Well, I'll just go first. So I think we can all understand. When you're a beginner, there can be a performance anxiety of sorts. You're not sure if you're wanting to be a knitter. Okay, an example: Andrea Maida and her husband and Brad and I went to a knitting store because Andrea Maida, a dear friend of ours, Pilates instructor, is a knitter. So we go to a knitting store, and there's a whole table of all these knitters, and they're just hanging out. And Andrea's like, "We can just go talk to them." And I'm, "I don't... are we allowed to go talk to them?" And then the first thing someone says, "Are you knit worthy?" Remember that? "Are you knit worthy?" And I was, "I don't know." If I was an aspiring knitter, I can tell you right now that I didn't feel welcome. I felt anxiety. But the other people, "Oh, don't let her get to you. You can sit down here." But I didn't know the etiquette of walking into a knit place. And so, when you are a beginner, there is an anxiety about how do I join? What's the etiquette? Do I have enough skills to be here? Am I allowed to sit here? Can I sit there? And she explained that you're scared because you just don't know how to enter the space. And I think it's really important to acknowledge that when we're beginners at things, we're allowed to have some fear, you know. Brad Crowell 16:15  100%. I mean, it's just natural. It's part of it. It's like getting on stage the first time you're on stage. Your throat is parched. You're completely freaking out inside, but it just takes practice. The more you do it, the less you're in that headspace. Yeah. But also, too.Lesley Logan 16:32  You play jazz, right? You play jazz.Brad Crowell 16:35  I played jazz. It's been a long time.Lesley Logan 16:37  But there are sessions. There's times when people get together to just play, and then there are times people can join in, right?Brad Crowell 16:43  Yes. So I'm going to talk a little bit more about that when I share what I really loved about this conversation. But yes, in the jazz world, it's called a jam session, right? And you hear musicians, "Let's get together and jam." I generally hate a jam session when it's not jazz music, honestly. It was interesting to hear her talk about the different levels of learning and the different layers of how people interact in a jam session. Because when I was younger, when I was studying jazz and I was performing, I play the trombone, for all of you who don't know. I started playing in fourth grade, and I went all the way through college studying very intentionally on the trombone. And I was really good at the time, really, really good. I wasn't ever recording on the trombone because what I was really passionate about was playing the bass and singing. So even though I was really good on the trombone, that wasn't really where my heart was at the time. When I was playing it in college, you'd get together with people, and if they were not that good on their instrument or they hadn't had a lot of experience playing with other people in a space where you're listening to other people, then you don't know what to do. And this is a perfect parallel. Have you ever been in a conversation where someone only talks about themselves?Lesley Logan 18:06  Yeah.Brad Crowell 18:06  The whole fucking time.Lesley Logan 18:08  Yeah.Brad Crowell 18:08  And they never ask a reciprocating question.Lesley Logan 18:11  Yeah.Brad Crowell 18:12  It's not a back-and-forth.Lesley Logan 18:13  Yeah.Brad Crowell 18:14  Yeah. Musicians can do that too. They can just take over.Lesley Logan 18:17  Well, and I think to wrap up my point, what I love is just like she says, once you learn the rules and the etiquette, the anxiety can disappear because you know what the rules are. I think a lot of times some of us are afraid to be beginners, and then we don't ever get to figure out what the rules are, so we never feel like we can be a beginner. But if you know what the rules are, then you know where you can play, right? I think, in a non-musical example, I get people who want to be on this podcast all the time. They're like, "We should do a pod swap." They pitch me. I'm okay. I love the balls. I love that confidence. They have 10 episodes. I have 700. I appreciate the invite, but that's not a mutual thing. I'm bringing so much more expertise. They're not going to have the conversation I want to have with 700 episodes with their 10. Or maybe they have a whole other following. They could back that up. Maybe they're up-and-coming. But really, no offense to them, it's not like they are below, but they actually need to go get experience with other people with 10 episodes, coming over here is not really going to be helpful for them because they don't really, you have to have experience to play. Like in Pilates, I absolutely love taking sessions from people who've been teaching for decades, right? But I'm not going to be, "Oh, you want to do a trade, Jay? Sandy, should we trade?" No. Not that I can't teach them something, but really it's not an equal exchange of information.Brad Crowell 19:37  Yeah, I mean, this rolls straight into one of the things I loved about the conversation. She was talking about the etiquette of joining sessions as a newbie or a beginner. She said it's a very gentle process where you're kind of coming into it in a gentle way, and the anxiety of it and the, you have to be self-aware enough to know that you are easing your way in. For me, the easy parallel is growing up in a large family where I had lots of aunts and uncles and thinking about Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner or something where everyone came over and they had the kids' table and they had the adults, right? And the kids' table, their conversation was generally about kid stuff, but I always ended up gravitating toward the adult table. And when I would get there, I had nothing to contribute to the conversation because I was 12, right? What do I know? I don't know anything about anything. But I'm listening to the adults talk about adult things, which I didn't even know what they were talking about. Didn't matter. I didn't have anything to contribute, so I didn't say anything, right? So when I was mentioning earlier, sometimes people can be in conversations where they 100% dominate the conversation, and it's not a conversation; it's one-sided. Alternatively, the other side of that is never contributing to a conversation and not having the confidence to speak up. And a lot of people never get past that, right? Even imagine if I was 12, then 15, then 18, and I'm still sitting at the adult table, but I'm not talking. I'm not participating in the conversation. I'm still taking it all in, but why am I not contributing back, right? So there's these two sides of the fence there. Lesley Logan 21:19  There's two extremes, and there's allowing yourself to be an observer because you're new to that table, and then at some point, you got to shit or get off the pot.Brad Crowell 21:27  Yeah, that's right. At some point, you actually have to participate. Lesley Logan 21:30  And I think where it happens is there has to be someone at that table who also invites you in. Brad Crowell 21:33  Yeah, maybe. Yeah. Lesley Logan 21:34  Remember the knitting table we started with? That woman who was, "Are you knit worthy?" I was, "I don't think so." I don't think I even replied to her. But then there was, "Oh, come sit down! Don't let her scare you!" Right?Brad Crowell 21:45  That's right.Lesley Logan 21:45  There needs to be someone who is aware of all the dynamics, who can be the guide.Brad Crowell 21:51  Yeah.Lesley Logan 21:51  You know, and so then you attach yourself to the guide, and you allow the guide to show you what's going on, what's the appropriate behavior here. We're watching The Pitt again, you guys. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. There's so much nuance to The Pitt. I love it so much. Dynamics, everything, everything. I can apply science of learning to The Pitt. All these different things, right? And that Mel King, bless her soul, her character just speaks in my heart. But she's going to high-five people after they save a guy's life, and no one high-fives her because that's not the etiquette. It's not what you do. It's your first day, babe. You're in their third hour, right? And so she's, "Oh, okay." She sits down. So she's trying to observe what the behavior is and trying to learn how to fit in. And it takes time. You're going to get it wrong. And that's the thing. You are going to fuck up at some point. You are going to think that you're invited in and you're doing the right thing. But actually, they changed the rules last week, and they moved it half an hour. And that doesn't make you a bad person. You just got to have self-awareness, you know, and then also a little gumption.Brad Crowell 22:50  Yeah, and I think, you know, thinking back to etiquette of joining a session as a newbie or beginner, it is valuable to sit at the kids' table when you're a kid so that you can have conversations with your peers, and then you learn something from that so that when you do move to the adults' table, you have some understanding of just how conversation works. So in the same way, with music. Lesley Logan 23:11  I think it's good to outgrow the kids' table because, yes, then you can recognize that you were the guide at the kids' table, and now you're over at the adults' table, so you can spot who the guide is over there. You know, I think it's good to have the experiences.Brad Crowell 23:24  Yeah, and that's definitely how it works with jazz and jamming. It's important to work with people who are, well, I mean, you talked about this specifically with Tara, the people who are where you once were, people who are where you are at now, and the people who are where you want to be, you know, so that you can be a guide, you can have fun with your peers, you can learn from someone who is where you want to be. And so, for example, here in Las Vegas, once a week I go to a local bar. They host a jam night, and it's a jazz jam night, and they encourage people to sit in. Bring your instrument, come play. We'll always welcome you in. You can always play for a tune or whatever. And then generally, what they'll do is they'll let you name the tune so that you have the confidence. "Okay, I know this song."Lesley Logan 24:16  Oh, I love that.Brad Crowell 24:16  You know, and then basically they all know all the songs. These guys are pro musicians. They're absolutely incredibly well-versed, and if they don't know the song, they can figure out the song in the moment. They're amazing, right? And so it's actually really intimidating because, especially if you're a newbie playing with a crew like that, those guys are the pros, right? And so it's great experience, but it's also like you're not really in their circle. You know what I mean?Lesley Logan 24:44  No. I do love how they approach that. I love that because they're actually saying, "Okay, you've been sitting here long enough. We can see that you're jamming with us. You're tipping your head to the beat or your foot to the beat. You can do something. You pick the song." So they're allowing you to have confidence in what you're going to do. And then they get to invite you in, and then after that they never have to again, or you get to keep coming. You broke the seal. It makes me think of David Doss as well. Remember when David Doss played at the Horse Trailer Hideout, and he noticed you were whistling, and then he's like, "Do you know the song?" He invited you in.Brad Crowell 25:14  Yeah.Lesley Logan 25:15  Because you have done karaoke, and you've been in bands, and you've toured as a singer. The stage doesn't scare you, but he does that with people all the time, and often they are not performers. Brad Crowell 25:26  Right. Often they're not. Lesley Logan 25:27  But he is allowing them to pick a song that they can do well. And I think that's just something for those of us, I think we all can take the application of etiquette and things like that to everything. I have people I go to learn from because they challenge me, right? There are people I challenge, and then there are people that I challenge to challenge people below. We all have to be doing that. Otherwise, first of all, the people that I go to, they go to people. Why? Because if they are not learning from other people, they're not going to be a good teacher for me. So I think we can all recognize where we are as the person who is the expert in one room, but maybe we're a beginner in this room. And how can we make sure that we're moving along, but we're also moving other people along? We can't always be the guide. At some point, we have to pass the torch.Brad Crowell 26:11  Yeah, you're right. You're right on the money on that. It is important to set yourself up to be a guide for the next generation coming along. There's one other thing I wanted to mention about the conversation before I moved on, and that is about the skill of listening and responding to others in a musical context, but also in a conversation. For example, I just did it. I acknowledged what you said, and then I changed the topic. Right? When I was in college, I don't even know how I met this professor, but he said, "Hey, I want you to come audition for this class. You can't just join the class; you have to audition for the class." I was, "Okay." So I didn't even know what that meant. He didn't give me anything to prepare. I didn't know what was going on, so I just brought a bunch of music with me that I could play. And he was like, "All right, cool. I want you to play this thing," and I just played it. And he was, "Okay, cool. Now I'm going to play this on my guitar, and I want you to play along with me." And then we did. And then he's like, "I'm going to let you lead, and then I'm going to play along with you." And I was, "Okay." And we did this half-hour audition, right? And afterwards, he asked me a few questions, and he invited me to join this class. And literally this entire class was what he taught was the art of listening, right? And it wasn't what the class was even called. I can't remember what it was called. It was an unbelievable class. And this guy is one of the most astounding musicians I've ever met. He could hear an entire song and then write the song down afterwards in musical notation. He had.Lesley Logan 27:41  That's a crazy memory.Brad Crowell 27:42  It was perfect memory and perfect pitch. He could listen to a song and understand exactly what was happening. He could see it and write it out. Lesley Logan 27:48  What a savant!Brad Crowell 27:49  Yeah, savant, completely. But what he did in that class was so awkward because there was no music. There was no jam. You didn't have a rhythm that you were playing to. He took our class and he said, "All right, today in class we've got a French horn, two guitars, a bass. We got a guy playing the timbale, which is a weird drum that is amazing, and we got a trombone player, and then there's a guitar player. So go." We're, "What do you mean, go?" And he's, "Someone can start playing, and then if you feel inspired by what they're playing, I want you to play off of what they're playing. And then other people are going to jump in, and they're going to play, and then you're going to play, and together it will turn into something." And we were, "What the hell?"Lesley Logan 28:35  Every day for a whole semester?Brad Crowell 28:37  Not every day. It was once or twice a week. I can't remember. But it became one of my favorite classes to go to. And he told us, "You're never allowed to record this class. This class is not about turning this into a song. That's not what this is. What we're doing here is we're listening to each other, and we're responding based on what we're listening to." It was amazing. Unbelievable.Lesley Logan 28:56  That's cool. By the way, based on the science of learning, that's exactly what you're supposed to do. You just throw people in, and then they have to start swimming.Brad Crowell 29:03  Yeah.Lesley Logan 29:04  If you don't, you just start drowning. So somebody feels the pressure enough to go, "Fuck it, okay?" And then other people are like, "Well, I don't want them to be alone," so they jump in. And then what happens is you start taking the knowledge that you have, the skill sets, and you start applying it to your long-term memory. It comes out of short-term memory. It moves into long-term memory because you're forced to hit recall because you're not actually reading any music. When you read music, you can leave that stuff in short-term memory and let it go. It switches to long-term because you're forced to listen and apply something that you've learned that could fit. It's fucking brilliant.Brad Crowell 29:37  Yeah. People have told me over the years, "Brad, when we're in a conversation, I feel like you're really listening to me," and I genuinely attribute that to this class.Lesley Logan 29:46  I would say you definitely do that better than I do on every day.Brad Crowell 29:49  Yeah, because I had to. I learned how to do that in the class, and now it's just part of it, you know. So anyway, just the art of listening and how do you listen and how do you participate in a group like that? How do you encourage and respond? And sometimes you're taking the lead. Sometimes you're not taking the lead.Lesley Logan 30:07  I think this whole thing you can apply to anything you want to do. Brad Crowell 30:10  Yep.Lesley Logan 30:10  Because everything is with people. So anyways, we have to wrap it up. Brad Crowell 30:14  I love it. Sorry, I got really excited about this episode. All right, stick around. We'll be right back. We're going to talk about those Be It Action Items. Brad Crowell 30:21  All right. So finally, let's talk about those Be It Action Items. What bold, executable, intrinsic, or targeted action items can we take away from your conversation with Tara Connaghan? She emphasized that time and consistency are the only true replacements for convenience in the learning process. Okay. Time and consistency are the only true replacements for convenience in the learning process. What does that actually mean? What is she talking about when we say convenience in the learning process?Lesley Logan 30:48  I think you've got to make learning easier. You have to not only do it for some time, but also consistently. So, for example, I'm doing the upLift Beta program right now. There's one person who, at the time of 30 days, has had halfway to 100 hours already, right? So that is time and consistency. They're picking up different things versus some people who only have nine. Now, I'm not saying one's better than the other. Actually, they're observing different things. But if you are only picking up something one hour once a week, you are going to have a harder time as the learning continues because you're having to restart and remember everything once a week versus if you were to even do 15 minutes every single dayBrad Crowell 31:27  Yeah.Lesley Logan 31:27  It might even be the same amount of time from the one time a week to the seven times a week. But because you have the consistency of picking it up, you're actually having more convenience.Brad Crowell 31:36  Yeah. She specifically said you don't build it up in one go; you build it up every single day. And it's more valuable to have 10 to 15 minutes a day than it is to do an hour once a week.Lesley Logan 31:46  It's the same, by the way, guys. This applies to everything. I do not write one newsletter at a time. I write all of them. I do not do one podcast at a time. We do several because the setup, the getting ready, all that stuff. It allows you. It's just better. So just be more consistent. You put it all together. You'll get there.Brad Crowell 32:02  I mean, Pilates and music, it's so much muscle memory, you know. And you can't cram muscle memory. It doesn't work. Motor learning does not work. She was equating it to brushing your teeth. You do it twice a day, forever. You've been doing it forever. So it gets to the point where it's rote. You don't even think about it anymore because you've done it so many times. You know how to do it without actually processing it. You can think about something else while you're doing that. She said, "How do you do this? How do you make sure that you get your 10 to 15 minutes a day in?" She said, "Keep your instrument in easy reach. Make it visible."Lesley Logan 32:36  Yeah, whatever your instrument is.Brad Crowell 32:38  Yeah.Lesley Logan 32:38  I love that.Brad Crowell 32:38  What about you?Lesley Logan 32:39  She said, "Pick the thing that fills your cup and go for it."Brad Crowell 32:42  Yeah, just in life.Lesley Logan 32:43  Yeah, in life, pick the thing that fills your cup and go for it. Do the thing that really gives you so much joy and fills your cup. And I think this is really important. A lot of times, a lot of us are focused on the thing we don't do well, and they're like, "Why can't I get this?" And there are people who can get that for you. I was coaching someone today for Profitable Pilates, and she's not good at tech, but I don't have an online business, right? And so I'm listening to her whole thing she's working on, and she's doing all the right things according to all the right coaches. Then it comes out she needs nine clients, and I was like, "Girl, you don't need to be online for these nine clients for your online business. You could just tell 27 people what you do and then ask them to refer you, and I bet you'll get nine people. At worst, you get three. Yes, those three people refer you three people." But you do not need to pick the thing that you're not good at to make this business work. You need to pick the thing that you're good at and make this business work. So it applies to everything. Pick the thing that fills your cup, and then do that thing because when you fill your cup, everything is easier, including being in rooms that scare you. So yeah, I'm Lesley Logan.Brad Crowell 33:44  And I'm Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 33:45  Thanks so much for being here today. Make sure that you tell Tara what touched you, what made you think of something, what aha moments you had. Send in your wins to the beitpod.com/questions, and we'll see you later. Until next time, Be It Till You See It.Brad Crowell 33:57  Bye for now.Lesley Logan 33:58  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod. Brad Crowell 34:41  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 34:46  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 34:50  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 34:57  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 35:00  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

'Anywhere but Here' is the new novel from Irish author and former journalist Vicki Notaro. The book follows three friends in their 40s who take a trip to Donegal for some much-needed soul searching. In this episode Notaro tells Róisin Ingle how female friendship and the pressure to live the perfect life, served as the inspiration for the book. In this wide-ranging conversation the pair also talk about Notaro's struggles with anxiety and PMDD, as well as the joy of being childfree.But first, Irish Times podcast producer Suzanne Brennan is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week, including last weekend's fatal crash on the M9, the worrying rise in spiking incidents and the final of this year's Rose of Tralee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being a beginner as an adult is its own kind of awkward, and most of us just call it nerves. Irish traditional musician and award-winning podcast host Tara Connaghan says that is not it at all. The real problem is that nobody handed you the rules of the room. She takes Lesley through the four stages of learning, why the frustrating middle is where most people quit, and the rock bottom that gave her clarity. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Why five to ten minutes of practice a day beats one long session.The trouble with joining sessions built for high level musicians.What makes correcting an adult learner harder than correcting a child.Why boundaries make newcomers feel safe and know if they fit.How to pick a group that matches your current skill level.Episode References/Links:Session Etiquette Website – https://www.sessionetiquette.comSession Etiquette Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576848312798In Tune with Tradition Podcast - https://beitpod.com/taraconnaghanpodTara Connaghan Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/tarafiddleTara Connaghan Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/tara.connaghanTara Connaghan LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/taraconnaghanTara Connaghan YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5tQCcQU81_mewa2uMRbq7AEp 153 ft Tanya Dalton - https://beitpod.com/ep153Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert - https://a.co/d/010vNZRZEat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert - https://a.co/d/00rGaxuPSubmit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questions If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Tara Connaghan 0:00  It's too intimate to be putting pressure on it because I did lose it. So I put my hands on my heart because I feel like it's here. The music, when I play it, it's here. I suppose maybe because it is a fiddle as well, or a violin, but it's something so close, and I have lost it. I did lose it for a while, and if I lost it again, I don't know if I could survive that second loss. Lesley Logan 0:22  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast, where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world, and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity, and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guests will bring bold, executable, intrinsic, and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and be it till you see it. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 1:03  Okay, Be It babe. Here's the deal: we have a unique topic on the podcast, but actually, we go extremely applicable to your life, if anything. We're going to talk about learning. We're going to talk about rock bottoms. We're going to talk about etiquette with the types of people that you're wanting to be around, and I think it's just quite fun. Tara's my new Irish friend that I didn't know I needed. Her name's Tara Connaghan, and she actually is an award-winning podcast host, and she teaches people how to play Irish music and also be in Irish sessions and the etiquette for that. And you're, what? But all of it is, I think, really the conversation is so helpful because if you want to be it till you see it, and I want to be in a pickleball league, or I want to be teaching X thing, or I want to learn this new skill, some of the things we have to understand is the process of learning, and then the etiquette of how do we join these groups? What are those things? So it's really quite fun. I can't wait for you to hear her, and then you'll have to check out her award-winning podcast because that's so great. Here is Tara Connaghan. Lesley Logan 1:59  All right, Be It babes. This is going to be fun. This is going to be totally interesting. It's a topic I've definitely never had a guest on before, and that means we get to learn something new, but also learn things that we can use along our way to something unique. So, Tara Connaghan is our guest today. Tara, can you tell everyone who you are and what you rock at? Tara Connaghan 2:18  Hi, Lesley. I am an Irish traditional musician. I love playing Irish music. I love playing music in Irish music sessions, particularly. I'm from the northwest of Ireland, which is Donegal, which is kind of, it's not part of Northern Ireland, but it's more northerly than Northern Ireland. But it's geographically Northern Ireland, but not politically, if that makes sense. So we're in the Republic of Ireland. Very confusing. And I've lived all over Ireland. I've lived around the world a couple of bits, but mostly I'm always kind of living around Ireland. But I'm back in Donegal now for the last maybe 12 years, and I just love sessions. But I teach adults a lot, and they're always worried about joining into sessions because they're maybe newcomers to the sessions. So I always thought it was performance anxiety that was the problem, but actually, what's feeding the performance anxiety is that they don't know the etiquette to joining sessions. And so that was why I decided to start a podcast almost a year ago about etiquette, teaching people the etiquette of joining sessions, and I'm learning so much. Oh my God, it's amazing. Lesley Logan 3:21  Okay, there's so many things I want to talk about because, first of all, what are sessions, and then to know what the etiquette is, but also it just goes into a lot of us do label something performance anxiety or just blanket anxiety when really it's we don't know how to be a beginner, we don't know how to enter something new. We don't know how to... It's hard to join a group because when you're an adult, all the groups are already kind of filled, and you're, I've got to join in on something, and they already know everything, and I don't know, and we don't know how to be beginners. Is that kind of what's happening? Tara Connaghan 3:50  Totally, totally, yeah. Lesley Logan 3:52  Okay, so just so we have the definitions, what are sessions, and what is the etiquette? Tara Connaghan 3:56  A session can be lots of... There's lots of different types of sessions and different functions for sessions, but the main session is that it's a group of musicians who get together to play Irish music. Lesley Logan 4:09  Okay. Tara Connaghan 4:09  That's kind of the simplest term or the simplest way of explaining it. It's people who kind of know what Irish music is, and they want to play it with each other, and they want to kind of share their music together, and it's like a team. It's a team. Lesley Logan 4:22  Okay, like you're making a band, but you're not a band, like a group. Tara Connaghan 4:25  Yes, yeah. But there's no... Usually there's... Well, I say usually. A session is usually something without microphones, although sometimes it has microphones because it's maybe for tourists or maybe it's a noisy pub or something. So usually the ones that are in the corner with no microphones, they're just playing to each other. Lesley Logan 4:44  It's like jazz when they get together and they just play together. Okay, so there can be sessions of any kind, but sessions for this would be the Irish musicians getting together. And then is the etiquette different for the Irish music versus, I guess, any musician, or what does that look like? Tara Connaghan 5:00  I don't think it's particularly different. There may be slight differences. I think maybe one of the things is that you could be playing in a session with some of your heroes. They're quite accessible. Irish traditional musicians almost would be classed as... they're professionals but amateurs. Lesley Logan 5:17  Okay, okay. Tara Connaghan 5:18  Because they're not all making a living from it. Okay, so you could have some of the highest-quality Irish musicians playing in a session. You might have just come across, or maybe you've never heard Irish music before, and you walk in and you could be listening to some of the most amazing musicians. Lesley Logan 5:35  That's so cool. I love this. I love this. So this is... I am grateful for the definitions because you're an expert in this area, but this is the thing for a lot of things, right? You could be in a chess group or a mahjong or pickleball. I'm a Pilates instructor who travels to teach Pilates instructors, and I find that if I want to just be in the group, sometimes the nervousness from the other people who maybe watch my videos or things like that, they get nervous and they have this performance anxiety, and it's like we're just here to kind of hang out. So, I guess if we could take it in a broad sense, how did you get here? Because we don't wake up going, "I'm gonna teach this." You know what I mean? It's not like what you tell someone in kindergarten. "When I grow up, I'm gonna teach Irish music." So, can you go back to your journey? Tara Connaghan 6:23  I mentioned that I teach the adults mostly. I have a fortnightly fiddle class that I do, and I also teach at different summer schools or camps or things that we would teach music at throughout the year. And for the last... I've been playing music for nearly 40 years. Oh my god, I am playing music for 40 years. Oh god, that just dawned on me. Oh my god. Lesley Logan 6:45  That's amazing, though, but it's annoying because, wow, so much clout, and also, oh, I'm older than I thought. Tara Connaghan 6:53  Yes, yeah, yeah. So I've been teaching a long time. I do prefer to teach adults. I just have a natural sort of bond because an adult wants to be there. They're putting all their time and their energy, and they really want to be there. Whereas kids, the parents want them to be there. So I just want to be with people who want to do something, and then I can help them. If they don't want to be there, then I can't help them. So in every workshop, even though it's more about repertoire, when you're in the workshop we're like, we learn this tune and we learn this tune and we learn... So we might learn maybe three tunes a day or maybe one tune, depending on the levels of people. And always within one of those workshops or classes or camps, there will always be questions. Once one person asks, "Do I have enough tunes to start, to play in a session? Or can I sit there? Am I allowed to do this? Am I allowed to do that? Do you have to have this?" There's so many questions, and because there's so many unknowns, and they don't know the answers, they are terrified. And then when you're anxious and terrified, you probably do actions that you wouldn't normally do. Lesley Logan 8:02  You make mistakes because the nerves are taking away the ability to be present. Tara Connaghan 8:08  Yes, yeah, yeah. And then they start... Then things happen, and they're like, "Oh, and such-and-such gave out to me for doing something." And I think we've all been given out to. It's a natural sort of... If we go back to the animal kingdom, there's kind of a natural, "Look, you don't do that. You don't do that. Don't do this," and you're kind of almost like a cat would do to its kitten. Lesley Logan 8:31  Yeah. Tara Connaghan 8:33  It's not that you're trying to say you shouldn't be... There's no kind of "you shouldn't" or whatever. But it's just kind of a, "No, no, no. Wait this," or "Wait for your turn," or "Wait to this." So it's kind of the natural... You're teaching the natural language of your culture, whatever. But that's normally given to children. Lesley Logan 8:51  Right. Tara Connaghan 8:52  It's very hard to give that to an adult who is your peer in terms of age, but not your peer in terms of skill, and that's a really difficult thing to do. So Irish people are very, very bad at giving feedback. They don't want to offend anybody, so we just say nothing, and then things can blister away and fester. Lesley Logan 9:11  I wonder if anyone is good at giving feedback very often because we're not trained at that. You don't go to college and learn, "Okay, in your life, if you have to give feedback to someone, this is the way you give it." That's not anything anyone's trained in. So if your culture is more, "We're just not going to say anything at all," it's just going to fester and blister, and we'll just put you over there in the corner. Other people will just tell you what it is and honestly cramp someone's spirit. You could just step on a flower. So I think we all have to learn how to be better at feedback, but it's different when students are learning because when you're younger, yes, there are still personality types that are putting pressure on themselves to be perfect. No matter your age, there are different levels to learning. Correct? Because whether or not you are learning Irish music or anything, every learning has a level. Tara Connaghan 10:02  I mean, there's the four stages of learning. So there's when you're totally unconsciously aware. You're completely unaware. So when you were maybe two, your mother tied your shoelaces. You didn't tie your shoes. You didn't even know that shoelaces existed. They're just not in your conscious realm at all. And then maybe as you get... maybe four or five, you're like, "Oh, hold on a second. My mother's tying my shoes. I want to try that." You start getting, "I want to try it." Then there's that stage where you're conscious of it, but you realize how bad you are at it. So your competency level is pretty poor. You're incompetent, but you're consciously incompetent, so you know you're shit at it. Lesley Logan 10:45  That's so hard because it's so frustrating. Tara Connaghan 10:48  So frustrating. You're like, "I can't..." Sorry, I don't know if I can curse. Lesley Logan 10:52  You can curse on this show. Totally. Tara Connaghan 10:56  So you're so frustrated, as you say, and so many people give up at that stage because they're like, "I can't do this. No, I'm out." That sounds like me with surfing or certain things. I'm just like, "No, I can't do this. I'm out." Lesley Logan 11:10  I understand that. With ADHD, I can be okay being bad at something, but I have to get good at it quickly. Otherwise, I'm out. My attention span's not there. But it is interesting. We see that in people in all learning things, right? I teach people how to teach Pilates, and you can see even if they're already teaching Pilates, when they discover that there is stuff that they didn't know they didn't know, then there's a frustration that no one told them, "I didn't know this." But you can't be told, no one is expert at everything when they're new. You just start new. Okay, so then we're pissed off, we're frustrated, and if we don't quit, what happens next? Tara Connaghan 11:52  So if we don't quit and we keep going, then we start getting to a place where we're more competent. We've got a bit more competency. There's a big range within that. You're starting to get competent, and then you grow up to being much more competent, and you're consciously aware that you're competent. So it's maybe when you're six or seven and you're still tying the shoelaces. You can tie them, but it takes a bit of... You're still focusing on it. That takes a huge amount of energy, so it's a very exhausting stage where you're focusing on, "I have to tie the shoe. I have to do this loop and that loop." And your fingers are just faltering at it. The same with playing an instrument. You're kind of like, "I have to watch my left finger..." Lesley Logan 12:42  "...this thing, and then breathe, and then this one." You're still talking yourself through it. Yes.  Tara Connaghan 12:46  Or even driving. "I have to put my foot here, and I have to look at the clutch. I have to put on my seatbelt before all of that, and I have to look in the mirror." I have to do this. There's so many things. Your brain is still running through the process of how to do it. Then you get to the last stage, which is you're competent, but you're unconsciously competent. So it's totally, did you remember tying your shoelaces this morning? No. You just did it. It becomes ingrained so that you don't even know that you're doing it anymore, but you can do it. The same with playing the fiddle. I'm thinking of something else because it's unconscious. It's already in the muscle memory of my fingers. It's in the muscle memory of my brain, my elbows, my whole body. My body does it, and then I can focus on, not something else, but something like, the next level, which is, "How do I do it better? How do I do the intricacies?" You're listening and going, "Oh, such-and-such did that. I might do that." You're listening for something else. Lesley Logan 13:54  Yeah, you can take more in. My husband's a musician. That's not me, but I can attribute it to things in my world. I retook a workshop I've taken from this person before, and I thought I was just going to sit there and get reminded of a few quotes I liked from them. Then they said something, and I was like, "What? What is that?" And it was just like, "Oh, I didn't know the thing before that. It wasn't ingrained in me, so I couldn't even pick up on this if I wanted to." It was always there, but I didn't have the capacity to hear it or see it or understand it because I just had to get the muscle memory there so that nuance could even stand out. Tara Connaghan 14:35  And that takes years. We're in such a culture that everything is convenient. It's quick. Everything's fast. But I don't think there's anything that can replace just time of learning and putting the time in. Lesley Logan 14:52  Tara, how do you help people do that, though? Because obviously what you do is so unique. But however you help them, we all have to understand that it does take time, and it's hard for adults because there's so much unconscious competence happening because we're in our life. We can drive home without even realizing it. There's just things that we do. It scares the fuck out of me every time. I'm like, "How did I get here? Whoa." How do you remind adults to be patient to go through the different stages? Tara Connaghan 15:18  It's not easy. None of us like it for anything. I got a sewing machine. I am crap at sewing, because I never did it in school. I did woodwork instead. It just takes it. I just have to remind people it may only be five minutes per day, and then supplement it with a couple of maybe intense weekends or an intense week where you really focus on it, almost like 12-hour days. That really supplements it. But you need the five minutes per day, five to 10 minutes per day. I think, really helps people. Lesley Logan 15:53  Okay, let's dive into that because I think people think, "Oh, I'll just do this on my day off." But if you just do several hours on one day, it's almost... Do you think it's better if they were to do five to 10 minutes per day for six to seven days is better than one day for two hours? Tara Connaghan 16:10  Absolutely, 1,000%. Lesley Logan 16:12  And why? Do we know why? Tara Connaghan 16:15  There are actually studies that show that because you're building up the muscle memory. You don't build it up in one go. You build it up every day. You don't wash your teeth just once a week. Lesley Logan 16:27  Right. Right. Tara Connaghan 16:28  You wash them every day because ifLesley Logan 16:30  You washed your teeth for two hours once a week, it wouldn't even make up for it. Even though it's like three times the amount you should brush your teeth, it doesn't even make the difference. Tara Connaghan 16:38  No, it's not going to make the difference because the plaque is already there. It would be too hard to remove it. That's just what it is. And five to 10 minutes, that's nothing. Lesley Logan 16:47  Right. I think that's the hard part because people go, "That's nothing. So does it even matter?" Tara Connaghan 16:53  Yeah. So, tomorrow... I'm learning the concertina as well. I do play the fiddle. I've played the fiddle for almost 40 years, but I have a concertina, which is this little kind of hexagon-shaped instrument. I normally have it at my desk, but I'm not at my desk. I'm actually in New York. Lesley Logan 17:10  Cool. What's a concertina? I gotta look this up. I need a visual. Lesley Logan 17:14  Concertina. Lesley Logan 17:16  Concertina.  Tara Connaghan 17:17  Yeah, so, hexagon-shaped. Lesley Logan 17:21  This is... Oh, that's cool. For everyone who's not Googling this while they're driving, please don't. First of all, they're not cheap. It's like an accordion, but a hexagon has six or seven sides. Tara Connaghan 17:40  Your fingers are working from both sides. Lesley Logan 17:43  Yes. Tara Connaghan 17:44  Yes. So it's very petite and dainty. It's a real kind of woman's... Lesley Logan 17:50  It's so beautiful. An accordion is not sexy. Nothing's sexy about an accordion. This is quite cute. This looks like the Victorian era. Tara Connaghan 17:56  Yes. It's very ornate, and designs in it. So I'm learning that now. I had it right beside my computer because you're, especially if you're doing something, and then you need kind of like coffee beans to refresh your brain. So I used to have that, and I'd play for five or 10 minutes. I didn't have access to my concertina for about 15 years because I had lent it to somebody else, and they forgot to give it back to me. Eventually I got it back recently, and I started playing for about five minutes whenever I got bored, well, not bored, but my brain is overworked and overwhelmed and I needed to deep-dive into it for five minutes. The first day I was like, "Oh my god, I can't even remember where the notes are." I was like one-finger typing. Lesley Logan 18:45  I understand. Yeah. Tara Connaghan 18:47  Until, after a couple of weeks, he came down to the office and said, "That actually sounded quite good." Lesley Logan 18:55  Because it came back to you because you just had it. I love what you said, that you had it right next to you. For anything we're wanting to do, my listeners know I was studying the tarot, and unfortunately it got away from me because I had the app, which is great because when I was traveling I couldn't have the cards, but I'm a physical kind of person. So when I was at home, having the cards and the book at my desk, while I'm waiting for the Zoom call to start, I could just read a page. Having those little doses of information actually allows you to take it in. Whereas it's a lot, especially when you're in the incompetence, it's a lot in the brain to do it and you don't retain as much. I'm studying the science of learning right now, I'm really interested in this, and there's a whole lot we have to do self-reflection and self-quizzing. That's actually the best when you're learning anything. You're not waiting for the test to come where you cram, or in music, I guess, the concert to come where you perform. You have to kind of test your skills on your own and then learn from what you don't know. Tara Connaghan 0:00  Yeah, and I think for joining a session as well, you have to learn to play with other people, and that can be a big learning curve as well, because it might be that you've just started an instrument, so this is totally new. You've got a new instrument. Oh my god. I'm still trying to figure out where the notes are. I'm still trying to figure all this out. You're still kind of incompetent. And you need to learn also how to play with other people if you want to join a session. Lesley Logan 20:26  Yeah. Tara Connaghan 20:27  I think those kinds of camps are a great place to do that. They can be big sessions, so you can kind of hide behind people for a while until you get a bit more competency in playing with others because it's a really different skill, being able to listen to yourself while listening to others.Lesley Logan 20:45  How do you, how do you get the... Because that's a bit of courage and bravery, to go from playing by yourself in your home to, okay, I'm going to take this. What advice do you have for people who... There's embarrassment, there's nervousness. How do you get over yourself enough to go? Because I'm someone who'd be a fly on the wall until I'm shoved off the cliff. That's kind of me. But how do you get yourself ready?Tara Connaghan 21:06  I think it's a good idea, if you're learning from a class situation where you've got classmates, then maybe your teacher might have a once-a-year or once-a-month or once-a-week session where they encourage you to come, if you want to join a session. It's a very gentle process where you're coming into it in a very gentle way. What I would definitely not recommend you do is go into a session where there are high-level musicians who need something totally different. So if you're a beginner musician, you want to be feeling kind of a belonging. You want to sense this sense of community. A high-level musician who's been playing for 40 years, they already have that. What they want is challenge, and you're not going to challenge them if you're a newcomer. So don't be afraid, or don't be... not afraid, but don't be putting yourself in that position. Don't take it personally, I think is what I'm trying to say.Lesley Logan 22:01  Well, this makes a lot of sense to me because in life, if you have a skill or there's something you're doing, it's really good to have people who are your equals, so your classmates, like you mentioned. And then there's the people who are below you, in a different level. Playing with people below you builds your confidence because, whoa, I'm not like that anymore, right?Tara Connaghan 22:19  Yes.Lesley Logan 22:20  Playing with people who are at the same level as you makes you feel comfortable and, okay, I've got my people. But typically, if you're going to play with people who are above you, you'd be paying to play with them. You're in their workshop or you're in their thing because they need people above them to challenge them and people like them who understand what they need. And if they're going to have people below them, it's because they're teaching them.Tara Connaghan 22:43  Exactly. And I think it's funny that you should pick that up so quickly because that seems to be something that we've... I suppose we're so close to it, you can't see the wood from the trees when you're so in the middle of it. And so it's only recently that I figured, from conversations actually, that's more of a teaching environment when we're in a session with people that are below us. And that's a very different thing. That's quite draining because you're giving a lot of energy, and you're not.Lesley Logan 23:10  Getting yourself filled up. There have to be sessions for the person who's more of the expert to be filled up. I get that totally. I teach a lot of students, and I have no problems doing that. But when I am in the workshop to learn, if people bother me to understand, I'm like, "Oh, I'm not in that brain. I'm here." So I find I'm very particular about the places I go to learn in or be challenged in because I want to stay in that frame. And if you are wanting me to teach you in that space, I'm a little bit... Okay, I've got to get my cup filled.Tara Connaghan 23:45  I suppose I would love to be able to say that certain things in certain situations... I think we are quite welcoming.Lesley Logan 23:54  Yeah, and that's the hard part because I don't want to stamp on anyone's flowers or anyone's willingness to learn. And I also think they don't understand what they don't... You know what I mean? They don't know that they're just asking a question. And you are an expert, and you are someone who usually teaches. But there has to be a space where you can go be yourself and be challenged.Tara Connaghan 24:13  Yeah, yeah. I think so. I have found that some people like to shame skilled musicians for having that, and I'm trying to call that out and go, "No, I'm not happy that that is something that should be definitely there."Lesley Logan 24:26  I think that's interesting, right? What an awareness we can have because it's fine to have the need to have the space to be in your creative space or to not be in teaching mode, to be in play mode or creativity mode. And also, how do we remind people of the rules of the space without hurting their feelings or pissing them off or making them feel like they're stupid? I don't know if you have those in Ireland, but people have these signs in their house, like, "In this house, we believe in science," and things like that. There, we believe in these... When you walk into the space, if these-level musicians are playing, you're free to watch, but please write down all questions and save them for your... You know what I mean? It's okay to be in their presence, of course, and be inspired. But this is when you're allowed to ask the questions. I guess it goes back to the etiquette. It's like having rules for... If you're a house that has no shoes on or shoes off, it's kind of like that.Tara Connaghan 25:25  Yeah. I suppose it's always being one of those environments that is very spontaneous. So I think when you have a spontaneous environment, the thought of rules makes it really kind of...Lesley Logan 25:38  I understand. Yeah. Well, Tanya Dalton, we had her on the show, and she talked about when there are boundaries, everyone can be more creative and have more fun.Tara Connaghan 25:50  Yes.Lesley Logan 25:51  She explained it, and you guys, I'll put the link in the show notes because I actually don't remember which episode number she is. But she said if there's a school playground and there's no fence, and the teachers tell the kids, "Hey, stay close to the school building to play," you're going to have some kids who literally don't leave the wall. They just play next to the wall. You're going to have some kids who play in the middle, and then you're going to have some kids who are going all the way to the edge because they want to see how far they can go. But if you put the fence up and you say you just have to stay in the fence, then all of a sudden everyone can play. So I guess it's interesting because some people don't want to have rules on things to affect the creativity, but they'll have more creativity if they just have some set rules.Tara Connaghan 26:35  Yeah, and I think everybody feels safer as well then if there are some sort of boundaries. Especially newcomers can feel safe because they know, "Right, well, this is maybe not the session for me," or "This one is the session for me."Lesley Logan 26:47  Yeah, because I'm the girl who'd be next to the wall because I don't understand. I don't want to fuck it up, and I don't want to embarrass myself, and I don't want to make someone mad. So I would be the person who doesn't even join any session, even the ones at my level, because I wouldn't... So I think that's where it's important. No matter what the thing is that we're joining or learning, we have to understand the etiquette, but also the people above us have to define that so that we can.Tara Connaghan 27:11  Yeah, yeah, I guess. Lesley Logan 27:12  Or at least the host of the place. Tara Connaghan 27:15  Yeah, yeah, yeah.Lesley Logan 27:17  So Tara, your enthusiasm and joy for what you do is so contagious. I really do love it. How did you get to keep your passion for this? Because I have to imagine that in the 40 years of playing music, Irish music hasn't been famous for all 40 years. How did you keep it going? What did you do? Then you're in this new space where you have this podcast. I guess people listening to this have been doing things for 20 or 30 years, and sometimes they wonder if they should keep doing that. Is it worth doing? How do they know when to stop? What advice do you have for that?Tara Connaghan 27:55  I did have a time in my early 30s, which is almost 20 years ago. god, sorry.Lesley Logan 28:03  It's all right. I just looked at pictures of myself at 25, and I was like, "Whoa, that was a long time ago."Tara Connaghan 28:09  When I arrived in New York a couple of days ago, I had a suitcase, and I was trying to walk up the stairs, carry it up the stairs. And this young fella, I think he was probably about 25 or something, said, "Do you want me to help?" And I was like, "No, no, I've got a friend coming. She's going to help me as well." And he said, "Oh, if this was my mother, I would hope somebody would help me." And I was like, "Oh my god!"Lesley Logan 28:27  He was being so sweet, and also...Tara Connaghan 28:32  The realization. But of course I could be his mother. But I don't even have kids.Lesley Logan 28:36  Tara, I understand. I have friends my age who have kids who are in high school, so I was like, "I could have a high schooler." Tara Connaghan 28:44  Yeah, I could totally have somebody who's gone through college, finished college. Anyway, let's not go there. So in my 30s, I did have a bit of a, wow, I thought I would be somewhere different. I thought things would feel different. There was that kind of realization: Is this it? There was always this kind of, I thought it was going to be different, and I thought it was going to be amazing. I went through maybe not a spiral downwards, but I was just lost for a while. And then, it was kind of a spiral to a couple of things. I had somebody who was really, really close to me pass away, and that person held my future dreams. So that totally took the carpet from underneath me. I was like, "Well, what do I do now?" It was totally the end now. And I think when you get to rock bottom, you go, "What are the things that are actually really important?" That's what I had to do. I just had to go food, water... I mean, we're talking basic. I think I had probably experienced a bit of PTSD at the time, post-traumatic stress disorder, because I couldn't plan ahead. All I could think of was the next hour and what are the basic needs that I need. So food, water, shelter, friendship. And I thought, "You know what? Music is what fills my cup." And so I had to figure out what was the thing that fills my cup? I have loads of interests. What was the one thing that I really wanted? And I think when you get to rock bottom, things become so clear. I'm not advocating for getting to rock bottom, but if you want clarity, you will find it down there.Lesley Logan 30:37  I think years ago I heard someone say you can't take someone's rock bottom away. You can give advice, but also, sometimes we don't learn what we need to until we are there. Some of us just need to clear everything away. I have to say, I am so grateful for the rock bottom I had because it was, "Okay, I've got nothing. So if I'm going to add to this nothing, it better be something I want." I don't want to add. It was the first time I had a clean slate. I don't want to add stuff I don't want. So I agree with you.Tara Connaghan 31:11  Declutter.Lesley Logan 31:12  Yeah.Tara Connaghan 31:13  It really declutters the mind, and it really focuses on just the important things. Music was the thing that, it's almost like the light at the end of the tunnel, but it was just something that I had that was present, that was just filling my cup, as you said. So I kept doing that. Not that I was doing it all the time, but when I needed that sort of, because I went home to my parents' house, and I slept for about six months. I didn't go outside the door. I remember having relations saying, "Oh, you can't do that." And I was like, "Please don't ever tell anybody that they can't take the time that they need to recover because I needed that time." It took a good few years, but I needed the six months of complete and utter sleep. Then it took another couple of years before I was able to get back to being a normal person again. I'd say I'm a huge amount stronger because of it, and just more clear. So.Lesley Logan 32:12  Yeah.Tara Connaghan 32:12  Music is just... yeah. And I think every time I'm in a session, the other thing is if I'm playing for money, it's a job.Lesley Logan 32:20  Yeah.Tara Connaghan 32:22  So I kind of removed that. Even though I still get paid, I removed the, "Oh, this one is a gig." It's, "I'm going to go and I'm going to play music. Fantastic. If somebody gives me money at the end, great." Sometimes I want to make sure that it's good money at the end, but I looked at it differently. It wasn't for the money. It was for the music, and then somebody gives me money as well, and that's great.Lesley Logan 32:46  I appreciate you sharing that journey because I think we all look at other people and go, "Oh my goodness, they must have loved this their whole life," and not realize that there are parts of their lives where they loved it, but they didn't get up for six months. Everyone is on an up-and-down journey that hopefully always ends up, but it's going to have its own nuances. And if we don't take the time we need to find what fills our cup, then I don't know that we get to enjoy it. I feel like life is worth enjoying. Yes, sometimes we get paid for things we love, but also we should do things because we love them.Tara Connaghan 33:26  Yeah, totally. So I think that was how I got out of that sort of, "I'm doing it for the money." I don't know if you've ever read Big Magic.Lesley Logan 33:37  Obsessed. Great book.Tara Connaghan 33:39  Fantastic.Lesley Logan 33:39  I'm not sure I agree with her in the more recent years of life, but I love that book. So, everyone must, required reading. So good. Required reading.Tara Connaghan 33:51  Yeah. It just gives so much freedom to your creativity as well. It's like, "Oh yeah, that's so cool." It's like it's a muse. You're the host of a creative idea, and you entertain it, or eventually it'll just go, "Look, I'm an idea, and I need to be created. So if you're not going to create me, somebody else will have to do it." Such a great idea.Lesley Logan 34:14  You guys, if you're wondering what is she saying, you have to go read the book. It's, ideas want to be born, it's Elizabeth Guilbert, I believe that's her name. She wrote Eat, Pray, Love, and she even shares that she still worked as a professor even after she wrote that book, even after it was a bestseller, even after it became a movie. It was years before she thought, "Okay, I can just be a writer for a living." I think that's a really important lesson for all of us who are doing something we're passionate about because the pressure you put on it changes the joy you get out of it, and also what you create.Tara Connaghan 34:50  Yeah. It's too intimate to be putting pressure on it because I did lose it. So I put my hands on my heart because I feel like it's here. The music, when I play it, it's here. I suppose maybe because it is a fiddle as well, or a violin, but it's here anyway. It's something so close, and I have lost it. I did lose it for a while, and if I lost it again, I don't know if I could survive that second loss.Lesley Logan 35:17  Yeah. Thanks for sharing that. I think that's really important. Tara, you're so fun. We're going to take a brief break and find out where people can find you, follow you, take sessions with you.Tara Connaghan 35:26  Yeah.Lesley Logan 35:28  All right, Tara. Where do you hang out? They can listen to your podcast. Can anyone play Irish music? Tell us everything.Tara Connaghan 35:36  They can listen to it on Spotify, Amazon, Apple, wherever. It's called In Tune with Tradition. There's also the subtitle, Perspectives on Session Etiquette and Irish Traditional Music. There is a website called Session Etiquette. I also have a tour kind of thing coming up, a private session experience in September 2026, at the end of September. We've got a couple of places left on it. It will be in Ireland. Brilliant. I can't wait.Lesley Logan 36:07  I feel like September in Ireland is probably good weather. Tara Connaghan 36:10  Sometimes. Actually, do you know when it's been really good weather? It's April. April for the last three or four years has been really good, really dry, sunny. Then the rest of summer's awful, and around September sometimes it can pick up again.Lesley Logan 36:23  Feels like Vegas weather, but probably different. April is so beautiful here. Don't take me away, but the summer? Get me out.Tara Connaghan 36:32  I'm in New York, and it was really, really hot for the last couple of days. Today is nice. It's just perfect.Lesley Logan 36:38  Yeah. That's an interesting place to be when it's too hot. Okay, we've talked a lot about learning and things like that. You've given us so much already, but what bold, executable, intrinsic, or targeted steps do you have for people to be it till they see it?Tara Connaghan 36:52  I think they should listen to my podcast, number one. The reason I'm in New York is because it's an award-winning podcast. It has just won some awards.Lesley Logan 37:01  Get out. Congratulations. That's amazing!Tara Connaghan 37:06  Yay! So, anyway, but more actionable steps: I think life is short. Just pick the thing that fills your cup and go for it.Lesley Logan 37:15  Yeah.Tara Connaghan 37:16  If that's Irish music, fantastic. If it's not, do the thing that makes you really, really just gives you so much joy and fills your cup because otherwise you'll always be trying to fill your cup with something that can't fill, can't do it.Lesley Logan 37:31  I agree. I think that's so true. Oh my gosh, congratulations on your podcast. That's incredible, you guys. That's not an easy thing to do, especially with a new podcast, so way to go, Tara. I agree. I was just watching a show, and it's clear there are people on the show who don't have anything else. They don't have something that fills their cup. My husband's listening to somebody, and they're... If you don't have something that's a hobby, something that's creative, friends and family, and work that gives you purpose, if you don't have those three things, f you take one of those away, you put too much pressure on the other things, and they're never going to give you the tripod. You're going to fall over. So I feel like that's really important for today. I think we all need that information. Lesley Logan 38:15  You guys, go listen to Tara's award-winning podcast. Go listen to it, and go figure out if it's... If you don't know what's filling your cup, maybe it's time to start trying new things and be consciously incompetent for a little bit. It'll get better. Share this with a friend who needs to hear it. And until next time, Be It Till You See It. Lesley Logan 38:33  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 39:16  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 39:21  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 39:25  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 39:32  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 39:36  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Anyone who drives in the wrong direction on a motorway or road is playing “Russian roulette” with people's lives, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has said.The association's Vice-President, John Joe O'Connell, also said Gardaí need better training to deal with such incidents…Joining Ciara to discuss this is Christy Galligan, former Garda Sergeant and Police Commissioner in Donegal.

Darragh McGee understands sport. As a Donegal man he understands the hold and the importance sport has across this land. So as an academic when he went to investigate the betting industry, he didn't expect to discover all that he learned about its hold on so many individuals and on society.On Free State today. Darragh McGee talks to Joe and Dion about his book Imitation Games - How Gambling Hijacked Sport. He explains why the digital age caught everybody by surprise, but while the betting industry was quick to grasp what it could do, the legislators were asleep at the wheel and then slow to act.He explains what happens to someone who bets and why we are all sitting ducks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tommy Sugrue refereed the 1992 All-Ireland Senior Football Final which Donegal won for the first time. He paid tribute to James McHugh, who played on that Donegal team, who was killed in a car crash in Co Cavan.

The collision involving two cars happened on the N3 at Drummallaght, between Virginia and Cavan, yesterday afternoon. Our Gaelic Games correspondent Marty Morrissey and Chairperson of the Donegal County Board, Mary Coughlan pay tribute.

Donegal Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher and Anthony Molloy, the 92 All Ireland winning Captain.

The death of a motorcyclist in Donegal at the weekend brings the number of motorcyclists killed on the road this year so far to 16. David Martin of the RSA.

 jQuery(document).ready(function(){ cab.clickify(); }); Original Podcast with clickable words https://tinyurl.com/22u5rrxg Contact: irishlingos@gmail.com Six surfers rescued in Donegal. Seisear clárchéaslóirí tugtha slán i nDún na nGall. Rescue services rescued six people who were surfing off the west coast of Donegal yesterday evening. Thug na seirbhísí tarrthála slán seisear a bhí ag clárchéaslóireacht amach ó chósta thiar Dhún na nGall tráthnóna arú inné. The six were windsurfing around Broad Island off the Greenstone when the wind picked up (strengthened). Bhí an seisear ag clárchéaslóireacht thart ar an Oileán Leathan amach ón gCloch Ghlas nuair a neartaigh an ghaoth. They managed to land on the rocks and decided to wait there until it dried up. D'éirigh leo dul i dtír ar na carraigeacha agus shocraigh siad fanacht ansin nó go dtráfadh sé. However, they became cold over time, and called the rescue services in Malin Head at around 2 o'clock yesterday morning. Tháinig fuacht orthu le himeacht ama, áfach, agus chuir siad fios ar na seirbhísí tarrthála i gCionn Mhálanna ag thart ar 2 a chlog ar maidin inné. The Arranmore lifeboat was sent out to sea and it is said that its journey was difficult, with strong winds, heavy rain and the boats breaking in the stern. Cuireadh bád tarrthála Árainn Mhór chun na farraige agus deirtear gurbh achrannach an t-aistear a bhí aici, idir an ghaoth láidir, an bháisteach throm agus na hólaithe a bhí ag briseadh i ndeireadh an bháid. The boat's crew found the six shortly afterwards, with the help of a boat crew from Bunbeg, and brought them to the mainland. Tháinig criú an bháid ar an seisear go gairid ina dhiaidh sin, le cabhair ó chriú báid as an mBun Beag, agus tugadh iad chun na míntíre. The six were medically assessed at a residence in Clough Glas, where they were confirmed to be in good health. Rinneadh measúnú leighis ar an seisear i dteach cónaithe sa Chloch Ghlas, áit ar deimhníodh go raibh siad ina sláinte. RTÉ News and Current Affairs Nuacht agus Cúrsaí Reatha RTÉ

Tool theft continues to be a growing problem across the country, with tradespeople in counties including Limerick, Donegal, Dublin and Kildare among the latest victims.   It's an issue that's also been affecting many workers here in East Clare, where stolen tools can mean lost income, cancelled jobs, and higher insurance costs.   Now, Fine Gael Senator PJ Murphy is calling for tougher penalties, including a mandatory minimum three-year prison sentence for the theft, burglary, robbery or handling of stolen work equipment.   Joining Alan Morrissey to discuss the impact of these crimes and whether new legislation is the answer were Matthew Moroney, Founder of East Clare Community Alerts, and Fine Gael Senator PJ Murphy. Photo (c) A. Hart from Getty Images via Canva

Are borders sites of 'sovereignty' – or is it more relevant to understand them as, inevitably, sites of terrible, seemingly arbitrary violence and harm?From Ceuta to Donegal, we talk about the borders that divide us.Postdoc researcher Niamh Keady-Tabbal of Maynooth University joins The Party Line, hosted by Niamh Ní Bhriain and Harry Browne, with Paulie Doyle of The Ditch.You can also watch here: https://youtube.com/@wereontheditch?si=xFeNbqep9F3SqwXm'TG4: RTÉ is a monopoly and government is breaching EU media freedom law https://www.ontheditch.com/tg4-rte-is-a-monopoly-and-government-is-breaching-eu-media-freedom-law/'Chaos of border crossing gives way to limbo for Moroccans on Ceuta's streets' https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/02/ceuta-border-crossing-spain-moroccoMusic by Fionn DemspeyRecording by Emmet WhiteEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jerry Early, Arranmore RNLI's Lifeboat Operations Manager tells Oliver about the dramatic overnight operation in the early hours of yesterday morning.

This episode was originally published in June 2026.For the six men and one woman trafficked to Donegal by Georgijs Poniza and Armen Pogosyan, life was unimaginably harsh.They worked long, gruelling hours, lived together in dire conditions, rummaging in public bins for food and walking up to 30km to get to work. When they stepped out of line they were subject to abuse including physical violence.In the nearly three years they spent in modern slavery in Ireland, the seven victims, all Latvians, earned about €750,000 but as their bank accounts were controlled, they saw a tiny fraction of that.This month in a first conviction of its kind in the State, Poniza and Pogosyan, who were long-time residents in Ireland, were jailed for a total of 24 years for human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation.So how did the operation work? Why in a small community in Donegal did no one notice anything? And how were the traffickers caught?Chris McNulty, a journalist with Donegal Daily, has been following the case and was in court for the sentencing.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's the first thing on a woman's mind after getting engaged? We take a deep dive into the priorities that apparently come straight after saying “yes”!

How long are you allowed to celebrate an All-Ireland win before everyone else can tell you to move on?

WORT 89.9FM Madison · “You Are Sitting Here With Me” at Arts Lit Lab Noa Rickey(Photo courtesy artlitlab.org) In her book Syllabus, Richland Center, Wisconsin native comic book artist and University of Wisconsin professor Linda Berry asks the question, “What do ideas look like when they’re taking physical shape?” Through August 29th, Madison’s Arts and Literature Laboratory has an exhibit entitled You Are Here Sitting With Me: A Comics Show, featuring works that seek to answer Berry’s provocative question. Textile artist Noa Rickey recently earned a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin School of Design, and is one of the featured artists in the Berry Inspired exhibit. Noah Rickey joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing from Donegal, Ireland. Featured image: “Queerphoria” by Noa Rickey (Photo courtesy Noa Rickey) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post “You Are Sitting Here With Me” at Arts Lit Lab appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Mick looks at a less nostalgic part of the 90s with "Gargoyles" (1995) on the Sega Mega Drive, McCormick gives us a deep dive into cult activities in rural Donegal with "The Secret of St Brides" (1985) for the Commodore 64 and Andy discusses why "Yoshi Touch & Go" (2005) for the Nintendo DS is the perfect game for when you're Yoshi touchin cloth.

We continue a county-by-county journey across Ireland, exploring all 32 counties that make up this remarkable island. Have you been to some of these places and hidden gems?Today, Anna Daly is joined by Travel Content Creator Kevin Penrose to find out what the best things to see and do are in County Derry!

Declan Kilgannon, skipper of Kiwi Girl, discusses his sighting of two black and white orcas, the last remaining members of the critically endangered West Coast Community of Scotland.

RVing in Ireland is different from other places - and getting the basics wrong can turn a dream trip into a stressful one. Jody talks with Sandra Willis, chief explorer at Motorhome Roots Ireland, about what it actually takes to travel Ireland by motorhome or camper van: choosing the right vehicle size, where you're allowed to park overnight, the apps worth downloading, and the one mistake she sees travelers make again and again. Visit the full article with helpful links: https://irelandfamilyvacations.com/motorhome-travel-in-ireland/ireland-travel-tips/ Highlights: - Why bigger isn't always better when it comes to motorhome size in Ireland - The real rules around campsites, aires, and pub car park overnight stays - The apps Sandra actually uses to find places to park - The most common mistake travelers make — and how to avoid it - Sandra's own story, from a canal boat in England to Motorhome Roots Ireland - Three of Sandra's favorite motorhome spots: Enniskillen, Donegal, and Carrick-on-Shannon Ireland Travel Resources: - Car Rental & Driving Guide: https://irelandfamilyvacations.com/drive - DIY Ireland Travel Planner: https://irelandfamilyvacations.com/compass

This week on the Any Given Runday Podcast, we welcome ultra runner and adventure racer, Lonan O' Farrell (@lonanruncoach on Instagram). Whether it's recently coming second in Hellevation BYU, winning the Beara 100 mile in 2025, running 335km km around the Italian Alps, being a two-time UTMB finisher, or running into a Minotaur, we discuss all things ultra running, adventure racing and much more17:00 Introduction to Lonan O'Farrell and his achievements17:25 Lonan's background in football and adventure racing18:19 Transition from team sports to ultra running20:31 First ultra race and learning to dig deep21:25 The team element in adventure racing24:36 Details of the Donegal 24-hour adventure race27:15 The Beast 220km multi-sport race29:59 Navigating and strategy in adventure racing31:48 Dealing with fatigue, hunger, and sleep deprivation34:48 Mountain biking and technical trail skills36:21 Fuel, nutrition, and managing race pace39:03 The mental challenge and hallucinations during ultra races43:35 Training, preparation, and progression to ultra distances49:59 UTMB and the allure of iconic races67:53 Lifestyle, training, and balancing family and sport73:39 Lonan's coaching and social media presence75:16 Closing remarks and future ambitionsYou can follow us on Instagram:@anygivenrundaypodcastALTAR Speed Dust is engineered to keep fuel in your tank so you can go faster, farther and longer than ever before. Use the code AGR15 to get 15% off at checkout (excludes bundles).altarfuel.com The Sports Recovery Kit is everything you need after training, matches, gym sessions and long active days. The full routine, ready to goShop HEREGet the AGR Ultrapure Sprint Bundle HERE If you've never had your VO₂ max or metabolism measured, there's a good chance you're training at the wrong intensity, missing valuable adaptations, or getting your race nutrition wrong.Health Matters replaces guesswork with data. With over 15 years of experience, they're one of Europe's most experienced performance testing providers.Find out more or book your test at myhealthmatters.ie.

Join David Maxwell and Rosie Maye as they dig into the archive and look back at garden visits from past summers on the programme. From long-flowering perennials at Kilcoan Gardens in Islandmagee to producing delicious organic vegetables at Portnoo Market Garden in Donegal and a visit to the immersive Ardán Garden in Howth which has become a highlight of Dublin's coastal landscape. In studio Rosie Maye offers expert advice on keeping roses healthy over the remaining summer months and how to make comfrey feed at home.

Time for Pat's weekly chat with Luke o'neill, professor of biochemistry in the school of biochemistry and immunology at trinity college Dublin and this week, coming to us from the MacGill summer school in Donegal. This week Pat and Luke are talking all about the technology that is restoring abilities in people with paralysis.

The Taoiseach has said that the Government's investigation into Aughinish Alumina has not found definitive proof linking its alumina exports to a weapons manufacturer in Russia.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Professor of Politics at DCU and author of ‘Unfinished Empire: Russian Imperialism in Ukraine and the Near Abroad' who is at the Magill Summer School in Donegal and Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil TD for County Limerick and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

With the cost of crude oil having exceeded $90 a barrel for the first time in almost six weeks, experts are warning that this surge in price will be reflected in pump prices at our forecourts over the next few days…For more on this, Ciara is joined by Muireann Lynch, Energy Economist and Senior Research Officer with ESRI and Pearse Doherty, Sinn Féin TD for Donegal and party Spokesperson on Finance.

Philippa sits down with the brilliant Jo Spain — 13 bestselling thrillers already published, translated into 17 languages, TV writer and producer — to talk about her extraordinary new novel Never to Be Found, which sparked a bidding war from some of the biggest names in television before it was even published.

Another step in the right directionThe decision by Micheál Martin last week to oppose Sinn Féin's “Planning for Constitutional Change Bill 2026” was no real surprise. His opposition to any meaningful planning for Irish Unity has been transparently obvious for many years. Despite Fine Gael spokespersons declaring that Fine Gael would not oppose the Sinn Féin Bill they then chose to support An Taoiseach. No surprise there. Simon Harris is Tánaiste to Micheál Martin's Taoiseach. For Fine Gael to step away from a united government approach would have likely had serious repercussions for the coalition government.I spent the day in Leinster House on the day of the debate and it was clear from my conversations with some Fianna Fail TDs and the Sinn Féin team, who had spent significant time speaking to TDs from other parties and none, that there is a significant number of them deeply unhappy with ‘The Republican Party' turning its face against a common sense Bill that would have advanced the discussion about the future.Irish Republicanism & ‘The Gays' ExhibitionNext Wednesday, 22 July, an important exhibition will open in Áras Uí Chonghaile in Belfast. It examines the relationship between Irish Republicanism and ‘The Gays'. For those of a certain age who remember in particular the hunger strikes of 1980 and 1981, the support of members of the gay community in Ireland in solidarity with the men on the Blanket Protest in the H-Blocks and the women in Armagh Prison, was evident at many of the demonstrations that took place. Their banners were always front and centre and were well received by the crowds in attendance.The exhibition records the fact that it was a gay republican prisoner writing in the H-Blocks in 1991 who pointed out that “gay men and lesbian women have been involved in the struggle for national liberation and independence as long as any other section of our people.” He was right.Moore St. should be bought by the GovernmentLast week it was announced that the London developer Hammerson had sold the Carlton site on O'Connell Street to Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Hammerson is the company that owns part of the 1916 Moore St. Battlefield site and the Carlton site connects it to O'Connell St.Responding to the news James Connolly Heron of the Moore St. Preservation Trust pointed out that under the Hammerson plan the former Carlton site was to be the gateway to a shopping mall extending into Moore Lane and Moore Street. This was to include the demolition of part of the terrace, the last headquarters of the leaders of The 1916 Rising. We were told that this was essential for retail ‘footfall'.James Connolly Heron pointed out that: “The sale of the Carlton site rendersThe Glorious Twelfth. Now that the Twelfth has come and gone it is long past the time for opinion makers within unionism to chart out a course to regulate the building of Twelfth bonfires so that they are safer, legal and community friendly. The Orange Parade in Rossnowlagh in Donegal should be an example to the ‘Loyal‘ Orders of what is possible.  Is anyone out there within the Orange or Unionist leaders up for that challenge?  

Fresh from guiding the Cork minor footballers to All-Ireland success, Keith Ricken sat down with Rachel Sheehan to talk about the comeback in Newbridge last Sunday, his role in MTU as student services officer and learning his trade as a coach from the late Eamon Ryan.

This week on the DL Debate, Brendan Devenney talks All Ireland Championship Football with former Donegal county players, Paul Durcan, Nadine Doherty and Maureen O’Donnell plus Sports Editor of the Irish Sun Jason Byrne. The DL Debate in association with Sara's Kitchen at Sister Sara's Letterkenny: The post The DL Debate 13/07/26 appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.

The Prince of Donegal, Daniel O'Donnell joins Dermot in studio to talk comeback concerts and how to brew the perfect cup of tea. ‘Boil the Kettle' for Relay for Life, Donegal is on Tuesday 28th July from 12pm to 4pm.

Galway's under-20 ladies footballers could make history this Saturday (11th June 2026) when they face Donegal in the first ever All-Ireland Final in this grade. The Tribeswomen won three of their four group games in May, beating Meath, Mayo and Cork.  But a loss to Dublin left them waiting a month before they knew they were qualified to take on the Ulster champions. Leading up to the game, Galway manager Kevin Joyce has been chatting to Galway Bay FM's Darren Kelly. == Throw-in at Kilcoyne Park, Tubbercurry on Saturday is 1pm.

Hunter-gatherers relied on megafauna for their subsistence. Those material conditions no longer exist: most land is under the control of state or private individuals and most of the megafauna are extinct. Rewilding looks to hunter-gatherers as an inspiration for adapting modern subsistence practices as best we can, to be more like that of our evolutionary past. While domestication was a stark turn away from hunting and gathering, pastoralism as an existing subsistence strategy is ripe for potential rewilding of various kinds. There are methods that combine human subsistence with ecological restoration to help increase biodiversity and carbon sequestration. A few of the current terms for this are regenerative agriculture, agro-forestry, and silva-pastoralism, holistic grazing, among others. In this episode I'll be interviewing John and Laura, of Future Oak Farms, who manage multiple sites in Ireland, with multiple strategies.Recording Date: 11/24/25John Duffy was born in London to Irish parents who left Donegal during the wave of emigration in the 1960s. Disillusioned by the destructive logic of his career in oil and gas exploration, he began searching for an alternative path. In 2018, he returned to the family farm in Donegal and set about reimagining its future. Today, John co-runs the Future Oak Farm Project with his partner Laura. Guided by permaculture and regenerative design principles and using the Holistic Management Framework, the farm regenerates local ecosystems while sustaining a resilient, profitable enterprise—powered by a keen herd of Belted Galloways and billions of unseen allies beneath the soil.Laura McGoran is a wellbeing facilitator, regenerative farming educator and co-manager of Future Oak Farm in Donegal. She has a corporate background in international sales and operations in the education sector, and later retrained in yoga, fitness and community health. She has worked closely with vulnerable groups by using movement, nature and practical food growing to support confidence and connection. On the farm she is involved in daily operations, ecology work and the storytelling that brings people into the regenerative journey.NotesFuture Oak Farms InstagramFuture Oak Farm on YouTubeIsland of WoodsThirty Two Words for FieldSupport the show

It's a tale of two islands and two very different political visions this week. With Lesley broadcasting from the quiet, remote shores of Gola Island in Donegal and Fraser pitching up on the Isle of Bute, the pair unpack a massive week of infrastructure breakthroughs, constitutional questions, and sporting heartbreak. From Shetland finally securing a green light for subsea tunnels to Andy Burnham's bold decentralisation agenda shaking up Manchester and Westminster alike, we ask whether Scotland's highly centralised governance is ready to respond to fresh thinking. Plus, we mourn the Tartan Army's World Cup exit, take a look at the state of youth football coaching (not our area).Linkshttps://labourlist.org/2026/06/is-fiscal-devolution-the-missing-piece-of-manchesterism/ ★ Support this podcast ★

For the six men and one woman trafficked to Donegal by Georgijs Poniza and Armen Pogosyan, life was unimaginably harsh.They worked long, gruelling hours, lived together in dire conditions, rummaging in public bins for food and walking up to 30km to get to work. When they stepped out of line they were subject to abuse including physical violence.]In the nearly three years they spent in modern slavery in Ireland, the seven victims, all Latvians, earned about €750,000 but as their bank accounts were controlled, they saw a tiny fraction of that.This month in a first conviction of its kind in the State, Poniza and Pogosyan, who were long-time residents in Ireland, were jailed for a total of 24 years for human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation.So how did the operation work? Why in a small community in Donegal did no one notice anything? And how were the traffickers caught?Chris McNulty, a journalist with Donegal Daily, has been following the case and was in court for the sentencing.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Veronica Guerin remembered, a voyage into the past on a Donegal island, and a tribute to David Hockney, with Brian Farrell, Fiachra Gallagher, John MacKenna, Gail Seekamp, Billy Collins, Mícheál McCann and Moya Cannon

Shane O'Curraighin, our North West Correspondent in Rossknowlagh Co. Donegal and Eavan Murray, Western Correspondent with the Irish Independent in Galway city.

Welcome along to The Football Pod; as we break down a cracking weekend of Gaelic Football, and bring you live reaction to the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final draw. Enjoy.CHAPTERS(00:30) - How Dublin took out drained Donegal. (27:00) - Monaghan down Westmeath.(35:00) - Live reaction to the quarter-final draw: Galway-Dublin, Louth-Monaghan(41:00) - Kerry whip Armagh - Tyrone next.(49:00) - Mayo comeback to beat Meath - defensive questions ahead of Cork.The Football Pod on Off the Ball is brought to you by Movember, Ahead of the Game, already reaching over 16,500 players, parents and coaches across Irish clubs with the tools to look after their mental health. Visit aheadofthegame.movember.com to find out how you can be part of it.Thanks for tuning in, we'll be back with a members pod on Wednesday morning. Chat then.

Damien McCroary, Principal of St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny, pays tribute to Tadhg Callaghan-Carter, the 15-year-old schoolboy who died after being hit by a competitor's car at the Donegal International Rally.

Art McCarrick, Motorsport Ireland Sporting Manager, discusses the death of a teenage spectator during the Donegal International Rally.

First up at 7:35, Ger Gilroy, Enda Coll, Dara Smith-Naughton & Matthew Brennan bring you this week's Performance Rankings.Off The Ball Breakfast with Viagra Connect 50mg film-coated tablets. Contains sildenafil. For adult men with erectile dysfunction. Subject to suitability. Maximum dosage one 50mg tablet per day. Always read the label.Catch The Off The Ball Breakfast show LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am or just search for Off The Ball Breakfast and get the podcast on the Off The Ball app.SUBSCRIBE at OffTheBall.com/joinOff The Ball Breakfast is live weekday mornings from 7:30am across Off The Ball

King of the North, By-Election Blues, and Tartan Army JoyWell, the by-elections were well worth waiting for. In this delayed "wait for it" by-election special, Lesley and Fraser digest a massive week in UK and Scottish politics. Andy Burnham has secured a predictable but comprehensive landslide in Mackerfield, leaving everyone wondering how quickly he might challenge Keir Starmer for the keys to Number 10. Meanwhile, the SNP faces a disappointing loss in Aberdeen South, prompting questions about energy policy, land taxes, and rural trust. Plus, the Tartan Army takes over America with an incredible display of joy and cultural diplomacy.In this episode, we discuss:Burnham's Path to Number 10: Andy Burnham defeated Reform, Restore, and the Tories combined with 55% of the vote in Mackerfield. We look at his victory speech, the rumors of cabinet resignations, and why Keir Starmer is stubbornly hanging on despite plummeting popularity.Aberdeen South & SNP Frustrations: The SNP lost the Aberdeen South by-election to the Conservatives, the first Tory by-election win in Scotland since 1973. We discuss how Stephen Flynn's move to Holyrood triggered the vote and whether he will take a hit for it. We also dive into the Scottish Government's lack of action on community wealth-building opportunities like onshore wind repowering and land taxes.Tartan Army Takeover: From securing Haggis approvals in Massachusetts to twinning with Glasgow, the Scotland fans are outclassing everyone with their energy and charity work. We contrast their joyful behavior in Boston with the rather more hostile chants coming from England fans in Dallas.Highland Clearances on Film: Lesley shares updates from a poignant filming trip to the clearance site at Rosal in Strathnaver. We discuss the rich oral traditions kept alive by the community, the struggle to find authentic black Highland cows, and how crofters actually lived in longhouses the size of modern three-bedroom bungalows.Upcoming Schedule: There will be no podcast next week as Lesley heads off to an island in Donegal with her bike, panniers, and absolutely no Wi-Fi or potable water. LinksHighland Clearances Interview: Watch the interview with Professor James Hunter on the main Lesley Riddoch YouTube channel.https://youtu.be/U5dCbYELJa8Equitable Energy research about communities taking on repowering contracts -   https://ruralsehub.net/onshore-wind-re-powering-report/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Reporter, Barry Gallagher sets the scene in Letterkenny where the Donegal International Rally is getting underway.

How have Donegal got themselves in this mess? Has Jim McGuinness's obsession with Kerry blinded him to the other threats.On Free State today, Joe examines why some counties accumulate All Irelands and others fail, while Dion surprises him with his knowledge of Roscommon's football history.Joe and Dion also look at how the Belfast Riots happened. For months the PSNI were warned that houses were being identified and that people were stockpiling food for fear their homes would be attacked but according to reports nothing was done.‘My daughter was crying, saying she doesn't want to die,' one father said of the terror his family endured during the riots.Why has this happened and what is the hypocrisy at the heart of loyalism that allows this hate to prosper? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to The Football Pod, as we get stuck into an insane weekend of Gaelic Football and react live to a box-office Round 3 draw of the All-Ireland series. Enjoy.CHAPTERS(00.10) - Cork hammer Paddy's predictions and beat Donegal(25:00) - Louth rip up Armagh script, Mayo beaten, Kerry, Mon, Meath win.(30:00) - Live reaction to the Round 3 draw and weekend falloutThe Football Pod on Off the Ball is brought to you by Movember, Ahead of the Game, already reaching over 16,500 players, parents and coaches across Irish clubs with the tools to look after their mental health. Visit aheadofthegame.movember.com to find out how you can be part of it.Thanks for tuning in, we'll be back on Wednesday for our second pod of the week. Chat then.

Mick McCarthy, Arthur O'Dea and Stephen Doyle are here to bring you Monday night's instalment of The Newsround. They will discuss all the biggest sports news stories of the day!Viagra Connect 50mg film-coated tablets. Contains sildenafil. For adult men with erectile dysfunction. Subject to suitability. Maximum dosage one 50mg tablet per day. Always read the label.

John Duggan and Shane Hannon are on hand to bring you all the news on a busy Sunday with loads of sporting action ahead. They talk about last night's World Cup action which saw Brazil and Morocco play out an exciting draw in New Jersey, Scotland pick up an important win, Qatar picking up an injury time equaliser and finally Australia beating Turkey comfortably. They also talk the All-Ireland Football Championship after Cork's shock win over Donegal in Ballybofey as well as all the other action across the country.The Newsround on Off The Ball

Welcome back to The Football Pod with Paddy, James and Tommy - we're building up to a huge weekend of Gaelic Football. There's so much to discuss, and we get stuck into plenty of it.(00.10) - Pod catch-up; New friends, Fitzy on Love Island, Ger Brennan v Burns.(20:00) - Stars struck down by the Cruciate curse; Kinsella and McGinnis ruled out.(25:00) - Derry-Meath breakdown, with so much on the line…(39:00) - Shootout expected in Clones; Monaghan v Roscommon.(45:00) - Kerry and Donegal off Broadway, can Kildare or Cork cause bother?(59:30) - Sunday's Knockout ball; Cavan hope cools, Dublin to bounce back?(01:10:00) - ‘Oil' Clasico, Westmeath giddiness, Calling Mayo-Tyrone The Football Pod on Off the Ball is brought to you by Movember, Ahead of the Game, already reaching over 16,500 players, parents and coaches across Irish clubs with the tools to look after their mental health. Visit aheadofthegame.movember.com to find out how you can be part of it.Thanks for tuning in, we'll be back next week with two shows. Chat then.

Travel to Ireland with Charleen Hurtubise to celebrate her US debut, Saoirse—a moving story of art, memory, and reinvention set on Donegal's wild Atlantic coast. Book Gang welcomes Charleen Hurtubise, novelist and artist, to discuss her sweeping and quietly powerful novel, Saoirse. Charleen draws on her transatlantic life, her creative work as an artist, and her deep ties to Ireland and Michigan to bring this immersive story to life. Set in 1990s Donegal, this immersive novel follows Saoirse Byrne, an artist whose life is transformed when she unexpectedly wins the prestigious Margaret Dowling Art Prize. As fame threatens to uncover long-buried secrets from her Michigan past, Saoirse must navigate a world shaped by Ireland's social and political change, Catholic influence, and her own search for freedom. In this layered and moving conversation, we discuss: