Podcasts about Doolin

What board games have we been playing? Kyle, Kenny, Max, & Doolin get together to discuss theboard games we've been playing lately! Nemesis: Retaliation, Forestry, Honors End, Terrorscape Season 2, and Inferno! What worked, what didn't, and more importantly, who killed Kenny? —————

How well do we know ourselves? Kenny pits Kyle, Doolin, and Max against each other in a trivia battle of our favorite things! What's on the line? A new movie pick for spooky month. Can Kyle finally get a win?—————

It's Day 3 of IAAPA Expo Europe, and this episode of Skip the Queue brings you insights from industry leaders. Hear from Andreas Andersen (Liseberg), Peter van der Schans (IAAPA EMEA), Laura Read (Marwell Zoo), Aaron Wilson (ProSlide), and Robbi Jones (Katapult) on resilience, creativity, and the future of attractions.Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden, with co host Andy Povey and roving reporter Claire Furnival.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Show references:  https://www.liseberg.se/en/https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-veilstrup-andersen/Andreas Veilstrup Andersen is the CEO and President of the Liseberg Group, Sweden – operating one of Scandinavia's most visited amusement parks. Andreas has a legal and financial background and has been working in the amusement park industry since 2000.  First in several capacities at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark, later as Vice President of European operations at IAAPA EMEA in Brussels, Belgium. Andreas was the 2018 Chairman of IAAPA. He currently holds board positions at Farup Sommerland and Alsik Hotel in Denmark, as well as Momentum Leisure and Leo's Lekland, Europe's largest chain of FEC's. Andreas is heading up IAAPA's sustainability initiatives, and occasionally blogs on https://reflections.liseberg.se/.Plus, live from the Day 3 of the IAAPA Expo Europe show floor, we catch up with:Aaron Wilson - Vice President, Business Development Europe & Latin America, Proslide Technologyhttps://www.proslide.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronlouiswilson/Robbie Jones - Insights Director, Katapaulthttps://www.katapult.co.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrrobbiejones/Peter van der Schans - Executive Director & Vice President, IAAPA EMEAhttps://iaapa.org/expos-and-events/expo-europehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-van-der-schans-87715717/Laura Read - Chief Executive, Marwell Zoohttps://www.marwell.org.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-read-she-her-98110726/ Transcriptions:  Paul Marden: Welcome to Skip the Queue, the podcast about the world's best attractions and the amazing people that work in them. I'm your host, Paul Marden, and together with my co-host, Andy Povey, and roving reporter Claire Furnival, we're here at day 3 of IAAPA Expo Europe. On today's show, Andy talks to Andreas Andersen, CEO and President of iseberg Group, about resilience. I meet Peter van der Schans from IAAPA EMEA, and we catch up with Laura Read from Marwell Zoo. First, let's go over to Andy.Andy Povey: So I'm joined now by Andreas Andersen, who's the chief exec of Liseberg, Scandinavia's most visited amusement park. Andreas, welcome to Barcelona. It's very good to see you here. Can you tell the listeners at home a little bit about Liseberg and what you do there?Andreas Andersen:  Sure. So I'm heading up one of the classic regional city-based parks in Northern Europe. So you have Liseberg, you have Tivoli in Copenhagen, you have Kornalund in Stockholm, and Linnanmaki in Helsinki. And we're part of this tradition of parks that have a very strong community base and a long history. Liseberg is 102 years old and three years old. And also parks that represent cultural heritage as well as reflect the cities we're located in. Lovely, lovely regional park in downtown Gothenburg. And if you haven't been, you should come visit.Andy Povey: Absolutely. I must admit, I haven't made it there myself yet. It's on the bucket list. So our theme for today's recording is about recovery and resilience. And recently, in your blog address, you wrote that you feel like for the past four years, you've been in constant crisis mode. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?Andreas Andersen: Well, I think a lot of executives or just people working in this industry can recognise that the last four or five years have been very turbulent, very, very, very volatile.Andreas Andersen: It all started with the pandemic in March 2020, we were at Lisa closed down for 17 months, so we didn't have any any business at all for for 17 months. Then we reopened in the middle of '21, very very hard— you know, with a lot of restrictions and an organisation that had not been you know operating anything for a long time and we also had to let go a lot of people. Then in '22, I think everybody experienced this giant rush, you know, that everybody wanted to get back into the park. So we couldn't really keep up with demand. And that was stressful in a different way. In '23, the market in the Nordics really suffered for some reason. It was a wit, summer and inflation, and interest rates.Andreas Andersen: And everything that went with, you could say, sort of the beginning of an economic downturn. And then, in 2024, our biggest investment, our biggest project expansion in the last 100 years, a large new indoor water park burned down. So it feels like these four or five years has really been this chain of crisis that we've had to get over and manage, basically.Andy Povey: Yeah, I mean, what we're hearing from people on the show floor is that the economic and political unrest that we have all over the Western world is creating some turbulence in the market. So talk to us a little bit more about the fire at Oceania. What happened?Andreas Andersen: We had been building the water park for almost three years, and we were six, seven weeks away from handover. It was some of the last works on the right installation that went wrong. It was a plastic welding that overheated, and these things happen, as you know.Andreas Andersen: Unfortunately, we lost a colleague in the fire and that was basically, you could say, that overshadowed, I would say, everything, especially in the first weeks. Andreas Andersen: That was devastating to all of us and obviously, especially his family. But soon after, we also had to make some decisions. You know, did we want to rebuild? How did we want to rebuild? At what pace? How would we finance? etc. etc. So you also very quickly move into the next phase of a crisis management and that is recovery. And we've been in that phase ever since. Andy Povey: Interesting. It's a devastating situation. I mean, your concern obviously has to be for the team and the people involved— not just those affected directly, but everybody on the floor who feels an emotional impact from this situation. So what tips would you give, as a leader, going through a situation like that, to anyone else listening who may be facing their own challenges?Andreas Andersen:  Well, I think I learned a lot during those weeks and months. And I think I learned that in a crisis, especially of this magnitude, everything becomes very naked. Everything becomes very raw. And you cannot really play a role as a leader. You have to be yourself. You have to be authentic. And it's okay to also show emotions and be caught up in this process of figuring out what to do with the project and the team and yourself when you meet challenges of this severity. Andreas Andersen:  So I would say be yourself, but also recognise that I always say that leadership in a crisis is a little bit like your biggest asset is the confidence that people have in you. And that confidence is something you build up over years. It's a little bit like a bank account that you can then draw on when the crisis hits. But you really have to make sure that you have something on that bank account. You can't borrow confidence. It's not up for loan. So you really, you know, crisis management, from a leadership perspective, actually starts a lot earlier than the crisis. It's about, you know, building a team that works well together, that trusts you and has confidence in you. And then, when the crisis hits, you know, you can draw on that trust, draw on that confidence. So I think that's two of the learnings that I had during this process.Andy Povey: I love the idea of the bank that you can draw on. We're making deposits in our bank every day, not just as a commercial leadership level, but a personal level as well. You need to have that resilience built in yourself. A lovely analogy. And I really love the idea of authenticity. So, if we move on now to talking a little bit more about what we do in an attraction, I think authenticity plays a really big part in that. So, how important is it for you to keep innovating at Liseberg?Andreas Andersen: It's super important because we are in a regional market. I mean, if you look at how our guests are composed, you know, we have 90% Swedish people and then 10%, maybe 12% in a good year from other, especially Nordic countries. But the majority are Swedish and about 60% of our total volume is actually from the local market. And if you want to attract the local market and you want to drive revisitation, Gothenburg is a large city, but it's not a huge city. You have to keep the product fresh. You have to reinvest, reinvent, and constantly adapt. And I think that's actually... part of the, you could say, the formula for these Nordic city-based parks that we've actually had to all reinvent, you know, throughout our history. I mean, Tivoli, that was founded in 1843, it was built by this crazy entrepreneur called Geo Carstensen.Andreas Andersen: And when Tivoli opened on the 15th of August, it was late, it was over budget, and it was not quite finished. And he got a question from a journalist, you know, asking him, you know, when will Tivoli be finished? And his response was, 'Never.' Tivoli will never be finished. And I think, you know, it's almost 200 years ago that he said this, but I think it encompasses sort of the real DNA of our industry that we have to constantly evolve with our guests and reinvent ourselves. And I think, again, that the city, the Nordic city-based parks have really been quite good at that.Andy Povey: Obviously, I mean, Liseberg with 100 years, Tivoli with almost 200 years. There's something good there. You're doing something right. So more recently, you've taken a position with, I'm going to pronounce this awfully, Leo's Lekland. Compare and contrast Liseberg to Europe's largest chain of family entertainment centres?Andreas Andersen:  I mean, there are a lot of similarities and also a lot of differences. I think what is interesting for me, you know, working with Leos is that it's, in many ways, the model is the same. I mean, you pay an entrance fee, you spend a few hours with your family, you may eat a lunch or buy an ice cream or a plush animal. So in many ways, it's the same. But I think, when we're talking about these attractions that are really designed for shorter visits, there is a convenience perspective to them that it's slightly different than, you know, visiting an amusement park or a theme park for a full day. I remember once I had a conversation with one of our competitors in this market, not FECs as such, but, you know, these shorter visits, you know, two, three-hour visit attractions, very often midway attractionsAndreas Andersen: And he said, 'What we sell is actually not.' necessarily an experience, it is two hours spent and I think that's a little bit of a different perspective on an attraction that you actually also go to, Leo's Lekland, to have your kids, you know, be really really tired when they get home, you know, in today's world, where everything is a lot of a lot of stuff is digital and and the kids sit there with their with the tablets and their phones and or their game consoles or they're online with their friends. I think play has a huge and important role to play in the development of motoric and social skills for kids. I think physical play will be something we're going to discuss a lot in the decades to come, because I think we lost a couple of generations the last 20 years. And I think that's a super dangerous thing. So getting back to your question, a lot of similarities, but there are also some differences and I've learned a lot by working with them.Andy Povey: Fantastic. The talk about play really resonates. We lost a year, maybe 18 months through COVID. I have 11-year-old twin girls. I love the idea that me taking them to our local FEC on a Saturday morning so I could recover from a hangover while they went and played was a really positive, good parent thing to do. So thank you for that. We're at the show. What are you looking forward to seeing when you get out on the show floor, when we eventually let you go out on the show floor?Andreas Andersen:  Oh! I very rarely have a plan. I like to just stroll around. Actually, I see it a little bit like visiting an amusement park. You shop for experiences and you see what happens. I think one of the great things about these expos is the fact that, and that's probably what I look most forward to, is that you meet your industry colleagues.Andreas Andersen:  A company like ours, Liseberg, we do not exist; we do not operate within a chain structure. We do not have a corporate mother that knows a lot about what we do. We do not have other parks that we can benchmark with. So these shows is also a little bit a way for us to get out of the bubble and meet other people that work with the same thing as we do. So it's actually not as much the expo floor or the events or the educational program as it is meeting the people. I enjoy.Andy Povey: Andreas, it's been great talking to you. Thank you very much for your time and have a fantastic show.Andreas Andersen:  And I wish you the very same. Thank you.Paul Marden: Now let's head over to the show floor. So we are here on the ProSlide stand, and I'm here with Aaron. Aaron, introduce yourself. Tell us a little bit about ProSlide.Aaron  Wilson: Hi, nice to meet you. Thanks for coming in. I'm Aaron Wilson, Senior Vice President, Business Development, EMEA, with ProSlide. I've been with ProSlide for nine years. We're focused really on the design and innovation of rides. That's where we really form the nucleus of who ProSlide is.Paul Marden: Okay, so what are you launching here at this year's IAAPA?Aaron  Wilson:  Yeah, so let's walk over here to our model table. Where we have a large model of our newest feature, which is the Hive. We actually opened up two rides this year, one at Chimelong in China, the most attended water park in the world. Paul Marden: Wow. Aaron  Wilson:  And that's with a five-person family raft, everyone seated facing each other.Paul Marden: That's amazing. So you're going through this on a five-person ring kind of thing?Aaron  Wilson:  Exactly, a five-person tube. So it's a tight radius helix curve. So as you enter, you're entering into a completely open, basically cathedral space. But as you're dropping and turning very quickly, you're staying really stuck along the outside of the wall, feeling those centrifugal forces. And you have a 360-degree global view. So you're able to look forward, backwards, upwards, down. See everywhere where you came from and where you're headed.Paul Marden: It's amazing, isn't it? Because you've got transparent sides on it. So you can see outside as well.Aaron  Wilson:  Absolutely. And there's a ton of theming potential here. In the middle is a support structure. And so we're working on theming there in the middle, if we can. Special effects around the outside. In this case, it's transparent. Exactly.Paul Marden: You've got some amazing models on the table here. This is one of those rides that you can't really bring to IAAPA and experience in real life because we'd all have to be in our swimmers.Aaron  Wilson:  Unfortunately, yes.Paul Marden: But some amazing, amazing models. What's innovative about this? What's this bringing to the market, which is unusual?Aaron  Wilson:  So you have that 360-degree helix turn. We've completely opened it up. So normally in a turn, you can only see a few meters in front of you. In this case, it's a feature that's completely open as you're making that turn. And so you can see everywhere, right? Up and down, forwards, backwards. And that's really part of the differentiation. But obviously the biggest sensation is actually that experience you feel as you have those centrifugal forces around the outside. With a five-person boat, you're looking at about 800 pounds, and you're whipping around the outside, gaining tons of speed throughout. So it's really exciting. The additional interesting thing about this element is we're also doing a two-person tube and a small compact footprint.Aaron  Wilson:  So it's very adaptable for indoor parks or even outdoor parks that don't have a ton of space. That compact footprint gives a lot of flexibility in the design.Paul Marden: So you've got this in China at the moment, you say?Aaron  Wilson:  Yep, and one in the US. And there are a lot more to come in the next one to two years already programmed and open. So we're really excited about this for the water parks.Paul Marden: That's amazing. So we've been asking everybody to get their crystal ball out and tell us trends for 2026. Where do you think the market is going? What do you think that we can expect to see this time next year at IAAPA? Aaron  Wilson:  Water coasters. Water coasters are the big thing. Paul Marden: What on earth is a water coaster? Aaron  Wilson:  Yeah, well, let's head over here to another model table. We have a couple of examples here. So I would say, like in the last couple of years, specifically speaking about Europe, we've seen an amazing response to our water coaster technology using water propulsion. We call it the rocket blast.Paul Marden: Right.Aaron  Wilson:  And so what you have is a series of injectors placed along the uphill sections that actually push the boat uphill. That's amazing. And so with that technology, we're able to do a number of things. And this actually, this ride opened about a year and a half ago at Land of Legends in Turkey. This is, you know, one of the biggest things that will stand out to you here is, as you're looking around all the models, what's very common with a water park is you have—gravity-fed rides, meaning you climb a tower and use gravity to go down. Paul Marden:  This is very flat and long. Aaron  Wilson:  Exactly. This is built essentially on grade. There's no tower here. So, I mean, the first thing is accessibility. So now, as you know, there's no steps. You know, water parks are historically very difficult to meet accessibility. Paul Marden: Yeah. Do you know, I've never thought of that before. But of course, you need to climb the stairs to be able to get to the top of the tower.Aaron  Wilson:  So this case, this is called Turtle Coaster. And this is at Land of Legends. Our guests can walk or, you know, walk or wheel.Paul Marden: Yep.Aaron  Wilson:  As they want up this ramp. This is about four meters off grade. We have a little bit of a drop here. So this is a closed-circuit coaster, right? Meaning the guests are finishing and ending in the same location. Also something different from a water ride. Normally you're going up a tower and finishing in a pool. Here you're finishing and starting at the same location, much like a mechanical dry-growing coaster.Paul Marden: And this, just for listeners' benefit, this has got eight or nine turns in there. It's really, you know. It's going to be a normal coaster-type ride, isn't it?Aaron  Wilson:  This is a 420-meter-long coaster. You're looking at about a minute-and-a-half water ride, which is crazy. Most water rides are about 30 seconds, you know? So it's a really long experience. You have eight uphill last sections, along with what else is unique with our technology is we're able to incorporate these flat last sections. So much like a mechanical coaster has that launch element to it. We're able to do that with water propulsion. So right off the stop, you have this completely flat launch blast. Up, you're getting the elevation. You go around for 420 meters, a series of flying saucer features, uphill sections. Coming back into a water channel.Aaron  Wilson:  And landing in the landing pool, it picks you up on a moving station conveyor. So this conveyor is actually moving at a very slow pace. Guests are cutting off and getting back on.Paul Marden: This is not a lazy river, is it? That you're just sat around for a little while. This is going to hair around.Aaron  Wilson:  Absolutely not. And then here at Siam Park is another coaster here. We opened up in '23. Doolin. So you had two lanes.Paul Marden: Oh, wow.Aaron  Wilson:  And you're racing side by side throughout the experience.Paul Marden: That is amazing. Well, Aaron, look— it's been wonderful to meet you. Find out more about what you're doing here. Looks super, super exciting. I want to get my swimmers on and go and try some, but maybe not whilst we're here in Barcelona, but maybe one time soon.Andy Povey: So we're on the show floor again and I'm with Robbie Jones from Katapult. Robbie, please tell the listeners at home a little bit about Katapult, what you do with them.Robbie  Jones: So we design themed attractions, experiences and destinations. So that can be anything from theme parks all the way through to museums. And our— I guess our core competency is design stage, so pre-concept designs. We get involved quite a lot in theme parks that are very early stages. And my role in that is quite unique within the team of creatives and designers, in that I look towards the insights. So sometimes I work with feasibility partners to kind of pull together the economic requirements for a theme park or an attraction to exist. But more often than not, it's about the guest journey, the guest behaviour, how can we make the guest experience as best as possible by understanding information research that we might have already but also doing some primary research as well to make sure we're creating like that amazing moment for every person that walks through the door.Andy Povey: Fantastic. That sounds really, really impressive. Looking back over 2025, what are your key takeaways from this year so far?Robbie  Jones: Goodness, me. I think I'll speak with a lot of what the industry would say, which is it's been a little bit sticky in places in 2025. There's certainly been more maybes than yeses or nos in terms of projects. But I think we're starting to see things beginning to move. Someone's put some oil in the engine somewhere, which is great. And there's some really exciting projects coming up. Obviously, as a UK-based company, seeing the likes of Universal, Poodie Foo, setting up shop. It's going to be really interesting to see how that impacts not just the UK, but the European market as well.Andy Povey: I couldn't agree more. I really, really look forward to seeing that anticipated improvement in quality of experience that we'll get across the UK. So looking forward to '26 now, what are you anticipating as being the exciting things we're talking about in 12 months' time?Robbie  Jones: Gosh, I mean, I think there will be an element of a quiet time, I think, especially with the new build theme parks, whether that's in the UK or, of course, in the Middle East. I think there'll be an element of quiet that we need to get used to in terms of waiting to see what the next big thing is or the next IP that's going to be in those rides. But I certainly see a lot more positive vibes coming out of the industry. I think we'll see more exciting local experiences, maybe not just big global ones. And yeah, just on the horizon, maybe plenty more opportunity and positivity.Paul Marden: It has been my first IAAPA Expo, and I've had a whale of a time. And I am joined here by Peter van der Schans, the VP and Exec Director of IAAPA EMEA. Peter. Tell me a little bit about what the show has been like for you because I've had an amazing time.Peter van der Schans: Well, so did I. The funny thing is we've always worked so hard on these expos. It takes a hell of a lot of time and it all comes back in this one week. And once you exit that plane or train or however you arrive, you start in a bus and then it's over before you know it.Peter van der Schans: And the week is done and you fall in this big black hole. That's where we're going now. So it's been a wonderful week and it's great to see all our members and every industry leader that is visiting us. We're a small team at IAAPA. We're not a huge organisation, but we have our members supporting us. It's a team effort from both IAAPA and our members, basically. And it's only pride.Paul Marden: One of the most important parts of the show, I think, is the educational side of what you do. There's been a big educational program. Are there any big themes that you've spotted coming out of that education strand?Peter van der Schans: So the education program actually is built with our members and by our members. So, of course, we guide it and shape it. But it's actually done by our members. So it's our members saying, 'Hey, this is where I have issues with. This is the trends I see. This is where I think this is going, which makes it always accurate because we have that industry knowledge by our members.' So in that sense, what we saw this year, there's a lot of focus on AI, obviously, the hot topic nowadays. Paul Marden: It's not a single interview I do where somebody hasn't dropped AI into it. So it's a hot topic.Peter van der Schans: It's a hot topic. And I'm very curious also to see where it's going because right now, if you see execution, the focus is much on back office. For example, Parks Reunidos for example, shared on stage, that they can now predict their next, the next day in visitor numbers with accuracy of 93% which is perfect. Things like that. But I'm curious exactly to see how it's going to evolve in the future to the front end. So what is that visitor going to see in the future? Whenever I go to a theme park, for example, will I be recognised by my name? And if I ride a ride, will the animatronic know my name, for example? Things like that. I think there's limitless possibilities.Peter van der Schans: And we're just at the verge of the beginning. And it's also so, so, so excited about that education program that we share what we know and we work together to get to that point to make it better. Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. The collaboration in this sector is just amazing. And IAAPA is just the living proof of that. So many smiling faces. You know that there were competitors together on stands just chatting and enjoying. It's a really enriching experience seeing everybody work together.Peter van der Schans: It is, it is. And the funny thing is I've worked in this industry since I was 16. I started as a ride operator. I didn't know any better than when I had an issue when I became supervisor and manager that I could call the park at the other end of the country and ask, like, 'Hey, how are you dealing with this?' And they helped me. And then I worked at the cinema industry and suddenly I realised that that is not that common in all industries, to say it lightly. It was much more competitive and I didn't want to share anything and really opened my eyes in a way that I realised, like, 'hey, this is special'. And also made me realise that IAAPA plays a big part in that as well, as an organisation to bring all those people together, to provide that platform to work together.Paul Marden: Yes, the facilitators of the community, aren't you? I'm going to ask you a slightly controversial question here. Outside of show hours, what has been your favourite party or event? And you can name drop any one of them. It's absolutely fine. Nobody will be upset with you.Peter van der Schans: I must say the ballpark reception, obviously for the British people. Always good beers. The Tuesday events with the opening ceremony, where we really kick off the week. They made me dance again. I don't recommend watching that back, but that's always just a fun, fun morning where we really kick off the week with a big energy, with a nice connection to the host city as well. Peter van der Schans: It's always fun to work on that and to execute that, but also the evening event, the opening reception where we gather. Well, this year we had 1,400 industry professionals coming together and mixing, mingling in Tibidabo. Without rain, thankfully. Paul Marden: Well, yes, this is the thing. So I was watching the skies thinking this could go really badly wrong. The BBC weather forecasts were not looking good. Peter van der Schans: There's this tradition in Barcelona that you bring eggs to nuns and they make sure you'll have good weather. We did that. We brought three dozens.Paul Marden: Took a lot of eggs. There was a lot of eggs broken in the making of this party. But you did very well. We're at the end. And everybody gets to heave a big sigh of relief that the show's done. It's in the can. But there's also a touch of sadness and fondness looking forward to what comes next. So next year, what have you got coming up first? I understand there's something in the Middle East.Peter van der Schans: Yeah, absolutely. We actually last year at this expo in Amsterdam, we announced the launch of our newest expo, IAAPA Expo Middle East, which is actually the first time in IAAPA's history that we built a new expo from scratch.Peter van der Schans: Never done that before, our members and and people in the industry ask us year after year like, 'When is IAAPA coming to the Middle East?' Of course, there's a huge amount of investments going on in that region. It's crazy. And in that sense, we we simply listen to our members and decide that this is the time we need to go. And we're excited to get closer and closer to the actual launch of the event in March in 2026 in Abu Dhabi.Paul Marden: So March 2026, Abu Dhabi is our next event. But there is another event coming next year. IAAPA is coming to London, which I'm very pleased about. Tell me, is the planning all starting on Monday? Are you already a long way through planning? Plans you can share with me about what's coming up in London?Peter van der Schans: We will have an exciting program for sure, but we're not there yet with with the actual education programme. That takes a little bit more of time, but we do have the show Florencial already and that's looking to be another record-breaking show. What I think also remarkable is that we will have one third more education than we will have in our previous show. So we always had two conference rooms— we'll have three in London. So we'll have actually quite a big increase in our educational offerings as well.Paul Marden: That's amazing. I cannot wait. This has been my first IAAPA, but it won't be my last IAAPA. I think I can confidently say that. So grateful for you and the team inviting us along as Skip the Queue to be part of what you've been doing. We've had an amazing time and I cannot wait to see you again in London.Peter van der Schans: Thank you very much and happy to have you here.Paul Marden: We are here at the end of day three of IAAPA Expo Europe. We've had a wonderful time. Andy Povey: I'm broken. Paul Marden: Oh man, I'm going home a broken man. The voice is barely holding on. I am here with Laura Read from Marwell Zoo. Welcome to Skip the Queue, Laura.Laura Read: Hello. Thank you for having me.Paul Marden: Laura, what's it been like for you? What's the benefit of coming to IAAPA for you?Laura Read: So this is my first IAAPA. For me, this was all around looking at what's new for visitor attractions, what's innovative, what's coming up, and what could we potentially bring to the visitors of Marwell Zoo that might be exciting and might drive more visitors to come to us, really, ultimately. It's all about, for us, diversification, keeping the zoo product at the core of our offer, obviously, but seeing how we can augment that with other things.Paul Marden: So what can we expect? Is it going to be a 4D immersive ride experience? Water slides? Or are you looking for something that enriches the in-real-life experience for you? And it's a bit more low-tech.Laura Read: Oh, I'd love to put in like a water park. Do you know what? That's something like the coolest stalls. Like going around going, 'oh, I'd love to design a water park. That's so fun. No, no'. So for us, it's really about looking at sort of smaller, lower-level, new attractions that we can bring in, you know, we're primarily a family audience. So it's what do kids want to play on? You know, I've seen some really cool little ride-on Jeeps that we think would work really, really well because we also want to stay true to our ethos. You know, Marwell's built its reputation on our conservation work, our hands-on conservation work in the field, you know, reversing species decline and also around sustainability. So sustainability is really core to our offer.Laura Read: This is not about turning Marwell into a theme park or a water park or anything like that, because the animals are still very much the stars of the show, as is the conservation work. But it's about how we can best utilise our space to provide that density of guest experience. And I think seeing all the things here today. That's where the inspiration comes in.Paul Marden: I think it's really interesting, isn't it? Because when you take your kids to the zoo, you need some space. You need a palate cleanser between the animals, don't you? To give the kids time to burn off some energy, to do something a little bit different. And then they come back re-energised and you're hiding the vegetables. You're teaching them about the conservation efforts and all the really important stuff that you do, but hidden around lots of things that keep them happy and engaged in what's going on.Laura Read: Exactly. The problem with zoos is the animals— they don't care that they're the exhibits.Laura Read: And, you know, we are a primarily outdoor attraction. Extremes of heat, rainy days, animals disappear. We know that. We know that the perennial problem is: I didn't see any animals because we have really, really high animal welfare levels and standards. And if those animals want to go off show and take themselves off to bed or away from the public view, they all can and should and do. So we need something that can keep kids particularly engaged and entertained, hopefully getting across a bit of education and messaging as well at the same time. That's a massive tick in the box. But, you know, it fills in the gaps when those animals just aren't playing ball.Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. Andy, what's been the highlight of day three for you, mate?Andy Povey: So I think it's actually talking to Laura.Paul Marden: Such a charmer.Andy Povey: Let me finish. Let me justify. It's really picking up the fact that this isn't just a theme park show. Yeah. There are elements for everything you could possibly do any day out any attraction, even in any shopping centre or any place you go to where there's large crowds of people— so it's all of that kind of stuff. I think is it's refreshing to see it through someone else's eyes, through our conversations.Laura Read: I was going to say, 'I have to say,'  Before I was chief exec at Marwell, I ran a really large, shopping centre like retail, leisure, events, and destination. And I'm amazed that this is not on more commercial real estate people's radar. I look to see if there's anyone from a previous company here, then there isn't on the attendees list. And I'm like, 'Wow,' this is all the stuff that we should have been thinking about five years ago, ten years ago, when we were realising that diversification from a retail point of view is so important because of online shopping. So that's really interesting what you say. It's not just the theme parks.Andy Povey: No, absolutely not. It's all about the day out. And ultimately, that's all. We're all here to do is we work in a fun industry, and fun doesn't have to just be an amusement park.Paul Marden: Yeah, I found it really interesting. Seeing the things that I've seen has stretched my definition of what a visitor attraction actually is, because it is more than just a theme park. As you wander around and you see the different exhibitors, I was expecting to see... The ride designers and some of the really cool tech that I've seen. But there was other stuff that I've seen that I just hadn't expected.Andy Povey: No, I mean, I was chatting yesterday to a guy who supplies park benches and litter bins.  You see them everywhere. Paul Marden: I say the park bench thing. I remember when I was working at the Botanic Gardens in Wales as it was being built, the importance of the park bench and sitting on them. And they were beautiful park benches, but they were also super comfy. The importance of a park bench, like a good toilet, can't be underestimated.Laura Read: You can always tell someone who works in visitor attraction operations, when they go to any other visitor attraction, they take pictures of the bins. I think that is an absolute giveaway. When I go places with my family and the kids are there, taking pictures of animals or taking pictures of each other or whatever they're doing. And I'm there. Oh, I'm just gonna take a picture of that sign. You know, like.Andy Povey: I have another confession to make. I had a conversation with my wife who took the kids to an attraction a couple of weeks ago. And I was most distressed that she hadn't taken a picture of the till for me.Paul Marden: Oh, you would know what the part number and everything about that till, wouldn't you? Such a retail geek.Paul Marden: Laura, thank you so much for joining us on Skip the Queue. It has been delightful. I feel that there might be a full episode coming on, talking about the zoo, if you'll have me.Laura Read: Yes, absolutely. Bring it on. Paul Marden: Oh, wonderful. Thank you so much.Andy Povey: Andy, take me to the airport.Paul Marden: If you enjoyed this episode, please like and comment in your podcast app. It really helps more people to find us. Show notes and links to all our guests this week are available on our website, skipthequeue.fm. It's been a massive team effort to take Skip the Queue to IAAPA. A huge thank you to Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle, Steve Folland and Wenalyn Dionaldo, Claire Furnival and Andy Povey, as well as Erica Washington-Perry and her team at IAAPA Global Communications.Paul Marden: Next week, we're wrapping up our IAAPA theme, talking to Choni Fernandez, Chief Sustainability Officer at PortAventura Entertainment, and Jakob Wahl, President and CEO of IAAPA. See you then.  The 2025 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsTake the Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

Introducing Pressgang Mutiny, a Toronto-based vocal quartet recapturing the raw spirit of t he sea shanty, Jim Moray's shanty for All The Pretty Girls, another supersonic pass from Haggis X-1 and The Jerry Cans perform music from Canada's third coast in Nunavut. Ever-expanding the boundaries of Celtic music, you got yer Celt In A Twist!   Doolin' - The Galway Girl  Grumpy O Sheep - Fiddler's Despair  Pressgang Mutiny - Haul Away Joe CANCON Pat Chessell - This Is The Life CANCON Hackensaw Boys - Mecklenburg County  Harv - Grythyttehyl  Afro Celt Sound System - Radio Ronza Haggis X-1 - Down In The Valley CANCON Culbeag - Across The Water  House Of Hamill - Cat Bacon  The Jerry Cans - Nirliit  CANCON Jim Moray - All You Pretty Girls Martin Simpson - Swooping Molly  Willos - Best Of Luck    59:26

Clare musician and composer – and previous In Profile guest - Neil Ó Lochlainn will be bring a Clare premiere to Doolin for this year's Culture Night. ‘Emain Abhlach' is an imagined Irish mythological tale expressed through a suite of music in three movements with an interwoven text by acclaimed Irish poet Aifric Mac Aodha. It will be performed at The Attic, Hotel Doolin this Friday (19th of September). To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined on Monday's Morning Focus by Neil Ó Lochlainn and Erin Slattery. Photo (c) Clare FM

Alan Morrissey was joined on Monday's Morning Focus by Margarita Urdenko. Margarita, who hails from Ukraine, has swapped international tankers for Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, where she now helps passengers sail to the Aran Islands and cruise beneath the Cliffs of Moher as a deck officer with Doolin Ferry. The Odessa native is the only female crew member at Doolin Ferry, and she's carving out her own unique path in Ireland's maritime world. As Ireland's school leavers consider their next steps, one woman on the Wild Atlantic Way is showing that the sea holds more opportunities than many might imagine.

Fáilte ar ais chuig eagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo ar an 8ú lá de mí Mheán Fómhair, liomsa Lauren Ní Loingsigh. I 1976 bhí na Gardaí ag fiosrú tine sa halla pobail I gCorcaigh le níos mó ná 50 míle punt de dhamáiste déanta. I 1983 bhí 12 stáisiúin gin ESB chun dúnadh timpeall an tír.. I 1983 dúradh gur shiúil Garda nach raibh ar dualgas isteach chuig áit agus beir madra air agus níor scaoil sé leis. Chuaigh sé chuig an úinéir agus dúirt an t-úinéir gur ardaigh sé a cos chuig an madra. I 1997 bhí Dúlainn níos fearr agus bhí níos mó daoine ag dul ann nuair a tharla rásaíocht chapall sa bhaile. Sin ABBA le Dancing Queen – an t-amhrán is mó ar an lá seo I 1976. Ag lean ar aghaidh le nuacht cheoil ar an lá seo I 1957 tháinig Reet Petite ó Jackie Wilson amach don chéad uair ach chuaigh sé chuig uimhir a haon sa Bhreatain 29 bhliain tar éis. I 1973 chuaigh Marvin Gaye chuig uimhir a haon lena hamhrán Lets Get It On agus d'fhan sé ann ar feadh dhá seachtain. Agus ar deireadh breithlá daoine cáiliúla ar an lá seo rugadh aisteoir Martin Freeman sa Bhreatain I 1971 agus rugadh amhránaí Avicii sa tSualainn ar an lá seo I 1989 agus seo chuid de amhráin. Beidh mé ar ais libh amárach le heagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo. Welcome back to another edition of Ar An Lá Seo on the 8th of September, with me Lauren Ní Loingsigh 1976: Gardaí were investigating fires which caused more than £50,000 in damages to a community hall in Cork. 1983: 12 of the country's ESB generating stations were threatened with closure. 1983: An off duty Garda claimed that he entered a premises and a terrier caught him by the shoe and wouldn't let go. When he brought this to the attention of the owner the owner said that the Garda must have raised his foot to the dog. 1997: A new dimension was added to the Doolin scene when horse racing took place in the parish. That was ABBA with Dancing Queen – the biggest song on this day in 1976 Onto music news on this day In 1957 Reet Petite' by Jackie Wilson was released for the first time, it became a UK No. 1, 29 years later. In 1973 Marvin Gaye went to number one with his track Lets Get It On and stayed there for 2 weeks. And finally celebrity birthdays on this day – actor Martin Freeman was born in the UK in 1971 and musician Avicii was born in Sweden on this day in 1989 and this is one of his songs. I'll be back with you tomorrow with another edition of Ar An Lá Seo.

If you think you know Irish mythology, think again. This Friday, September 5th, The Attic in Doolin will host a night of wild, witty, and wonderfully untamed storytelling with Clare Murphy, one of Ireland's most captivating voices. Her show, The Spanking Goddess and Other Discarded Tales, is a romp through the lesser-known, often outrageous myths of the Celts, stories that didn't make it into the schoolbooks, but absolutely deserve to be heard. To tell us more about these untold tales and what audiences can expect, Sally-Ann Barrett was joined by Storyteller, Clare Murphy. Photo Credit: Eventbrite

talking about the annual fundraiser for the RNLI taking place from Doolin on the 29th of August, sometimes known as the sparkle cruise! Also the annual Burren Ramble which is taking place on Sunday 7th September 2025 , with main parking at the church in Boston. Pat also talks to Joe about a recent article he had printed in the local papers.  Originally broadcast Live from the SBCR Studio on 16th August 2025 as part of Saturday Chronicle hosted by Pat O'Brien and Anthony Lenihan.  Saturday Chronicle is Sponsored by JAMES M NASH AND DERG KITCHEN DESIGN http://dergkitchendesign.ie Message or what's app the studio on 089 2582647 or email sbcrstudio@gmail.com  

Join Max, Kyle, Kenny, and Doolin as we play a Kenny creation! Kenny made a game with our friends by asking them to rank 4 things- games, movies, Disney rides, all sorts of things! Then, it's up to us to see if we can get the rankings right... there's a twist too. shhhhhhh—————

More bins and a fresh call for a levy on disposable coffee cups have been proposed to tackle Clare's costal litter scourge. It's after he Irish Business Against Litter League's latest report has deemed Lahinch and Doolin to be "moderately littered". The judgements were made by the environmental group An Taisce and the independent adjudicators decided in Clare, only Mountshannon was clean to European norms, for having a "virtual absence of litter.". At Lahinch, however, legacy issues of utensils, cigarette butts food waste, coffee cups, plastic bottles discarded within the rock armour and on the promenade and car park reared their head once again. Lahinch was ultimately deemed to be moderately littered; a slight improvement on the litter grade received last year. IBAL Spokesperson Conor Horgan says that while the local authority should look to revise their cleaning schedule during busy periods, he believes a coffee cup levy is also necessary. Doolin also improved on last year's ranking, but was judged to be moderately littered, with discarded food wrappers, plastic bottles, coffee cups and cigarette buts in the Pier Car Park, again the main issue. Inspectors stated this problem could easily be addressed with a more thorough cleaning approach. Doolin Community Council Secretary Julia Stringer believes more staff and public bins are needed from the local authority.

The RNLI Charity Cruise makes its return on Friday, the 29th of August. The cruise offers a chance to support the work of the RNLI, who dedicate their time to saving lives at sea along the Clare coast and beyond. To find out more about the RNLI Charity Cruise, Alan Morrissey was joined by Liam O'Brien, Owner of Doolin Ferry Co. and Joe Queally who is involved with the Ennis Fundraising Branch for the RNLI. Photo (c) Kilrush RNLI

Two Clare beaches have been deemed to be 'moderately littered' in the latest litter league rankings. That is according to the Irish Businesses Against Litter Coastal Report. IBAL's report shows both Lahinch and Doolin have fallen short of 'clean to European norms' status. However, Mountshannon managed to attain clean status. To find out more Alan Morrissey was joined by Conor Horgan, IBAL Spokesperson.

Ann talks with Estrellita J. Doolin, CEO of Meals on Wheels Waco, Doreen Ravenscroft, Director at Waco Cultural Arts Fest, Act Locally Waco with Elizabeth Riley brings community news, and we get a great song by Orlando Twyford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Max, Kyle, Kenny, and Doolin as we discuss our 5th and final movie of our road trip list: Midnight Run! After that, we hear Doolin's thoughts on Little Miss Sunshine, before diving into our ranking for the list as a whole! —————

GenCon 2025, the largest board gaming convention in the United States has concluded another year! Max, Doolin, and Kenny report, review, and discuss our experience with GenCon 2025. The games we played, the memories made, and so much more! —————

Let's gab with Kenny & Kyle! While Max and Doolin are away at GenCon We talk about all of the games and movies we've been enjoying lately! Pillars of Fate, Superman, and so much more! —————

Susan O'Neill brings her critically acclaimed live show to The Attic at Hotel Doolin, on August 9th Known for her soulful blend of folk, blues, and indie, and described as “equal parts balm and blowtorch” — Susan has wowed audiences across Europe and North America, and her latest solo album Now in a Minute debuted at No. 1 on the Independent Album Charts. To discuss this further Derrick Lynch was joined by, Susan O'Neill, singer-songwriter from Ennis.

We're sailing across the ocean on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #720 . Subscribe now! Lussa, Tulua, Chloe Matharu, Andrew Finn Magill, Doolin', Marc Gunn Fir Arda, The Irish Lassies, Natalie Padilla, Jaywalkers, Brynmor, Wooden Legs, Celtica Pipes Rock, Moher  -  BZH GET CELTIC MUSIC NEWS IN YOUR INBOX The Celtic Music Magazine is a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Enjoy seven weekly news items with what's happening with Celtic music and culture online. Subscribe now and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2025 This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create this year's Best Celtic music of 2025 episode. You have just three weeks to vote this year. Vote Now! You can follow our playlist on YouTube to listen to those top voted tracks as they are added every 2 - 3 weeks. THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC 0:06 - Lussa "Lussa Reels" from Lussa Reels 3:57 - WELCOME 6:22 - Tulua "The Opening Set" from No Coming No Going 10:56 - Chloe Matharu "The Silkie of Sule Skerry" from Sailors and Rolling Stones 17:37 - Andrew Finn Magill "Charles Dickens' Jig, Erynn & Carl's Jig" from Courting the Sun 21:31 - Doolin' "Sailing Across the Ocean" from Doolin' 24:18 - FEEDBACK 26:36 - Fir Arda  "Boys of Ballycastle/The Dunmore Lasses" from At Home 30:29 - The Irish Lassies "Andersonville" from Andersonville 35:02 - Natalie Padilla "Terra" from Eostre 39:02 - Marc Gunn "Bunny in the Bracken" from Patreon Single 41:15 - THANKS 43:49 - Jaywalkers "The Longest Day" from Move On 47:44 - Brynmor "Musical Preist" from The Great Hill 49:58 - Wooden Legs "We Ne'er Shall Wean Her" from Animali 55:25 - Celtica Pipes Rock "Beyond Avalon" from Legends And Visions 59:04 - CLOSING 59:57 - Moher  -  BZH "Le reel du Cheval Blanc" from single 1:04:13 - CREDITS Support for this program comes from International speaker, Joseph Dumond, teaching the ancient roots of the Gaelic people. Learn more about their origins at Sightedmoon.com The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to follow the show. You'll find links to all of the artists played in this episode. Todd Wiley is the editor of the Celtic Music Magazine. Subscribe to get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you'll get 7 weekly news items about what's happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage. Please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor. Finally, remember—our planet's future is in our hands. The overwhelming evidence shows that human activity is driving climate change, from record  -  breaking heat waves to rising sea levels. But the good news? We have the power to fix it. Every choice we make—reducing waste, conserving energy, supporting clean energy, and lobbying our political leaders—moves us toward a more stable climate. Start a conversation today. The facts are out there, and the future is ours to shape. Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/. WELCOME THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST * Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn. I'm a Celtic musician and also host of Folk Songs & Stories with a new feature coming soon. It's called Quest & Chorus: Where every place has a story, every story has a song, and every song is a step in the quest. This podcast is for fans of Celtic music. We are here to build a diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you. If you hear music you love, please email artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. Musicians depend on your generosity to release new music. So please find a way to support them. Buy a CD, Album Pin, Shirt, Digital Download, or join their community on Patreon. You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com. Email follow@bestcelticmusic to learn how to subscribe to the podcast and you will get a free music - only episode. You'll also learn how to get your band played on the podcast. Bands don't need to send in music, and You will get a free eBook called Celtic Musicians Guide to Digital Music. It's 100% free. Again email follow@bestcelticmusic Todd Wiley, the Celtic Music Magazine editor, relaunched his old podcast. Celtic Indy Podcast is now available online. He's currently aiming at new episodes every two weeks. You'll learn about new Celtic music concerts in the Midwest on the show. A big thanks to our very first underwriter of the podcast. Joseph Dumon is an international speaker. He teaches the ancient roots of the Gaelic people at Sightedmoon.com. You'll hear me mention him in each episode of the podcast at the end of the show. This is not exactly advertising. It's awareness promotion. I have no more than four more slots available every month if you, your business or your band want to be mentioned as an underwriter of the podcast. GET AN IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST ALBUM PIN Supplies are limited. Grab your album pin now before they're gone! These stunning lapel pins feature bold designs inspired by our official podcast compilation albums—packed with some of the best Celtic bands around.And here's the kicker: each pin comes with the full digital album. Art you can wear, music you can love. Get yours at magerecords.com And if you're a musician, I've got a full blog post with templates and tips to help you design your own album pin jacket.  WHAT IS AN ALBUM PIN? THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST! Because of generous patrons like you, the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast releases new episodes nearly every single week. Your support doesn't just fund the show—it fuels a movement. It helps us share the magic of Celtic music with thousands of new listeners and grow a global community of music lovers. Your contributions pay for everything behind the scenes: audio engineering, stunning graphics, weekly issues of the Celtic Music Magazine, show promotion, and—most importantly—buying the music we feature from indie Celtic artists. And if you're not yet a patron? You're missing out! Patrons get: Early access to episodes Music - only editions Free MP3 downloads Exclusive stories and artist interviews A vote in the Celtic Top 20 Join us today and help keep the music alive, vibrant, and independent.

Clare's coastal gems are now easier than ever to reach, without a car. The new TFI Local Link Route 351 connects Galway City to Doolin Pier and the Cliffs of Moher, with up to five services daily. The service opens up key Wild Atlantic Way destinations including Ballyvaughan, Fanore, and Doolin, and links with ferry departures to the Aran Islands. It's a major boost for sustainable travel and local tourism. To find out more, Derrick Lynch was joined by Liam O'Brien, owner of Doolin Ferry.

Join Max, Kyle, Kenny, and Doolin as we tier list the BGG top 100! Which games are deserving of their spots, which deserve to be kicked to the curb, and more! —————

It's claimed some communities in North Clare have been "bypassed" by tourism initiatives. Lisdoonvarna Fine Gael Councillor Joe Garrihy has asked Clare Tourism and Fáilte Ireland to work with towns and villages across the region to develop a "local area business and community training program" for each. It follows the establishment of the Burren and Cliffs Explorer shuttle bus in May which serves areas like Ballyvaughan, Corofin, Carran, Kilfenora, Doolin, Liscannor, Lahinch, Lisdoonvarna and Miltown Malbay. Councillor Garrihy believes smaller areas need a helping in hand in enhancing their tourism offering.

Some of us have been watching lots of movies lately (Kenny) while some of us have been too preoccupied to do much at all (Max). That said, we all have some movies we want to talk about! Join Kyle, Kenny, Doolin, and Max as we discuss the movies we've been watching lately, as well as some hypotheticals! —————

Join Max, Kyle, Kenny, and Doolin as we discuss our 4th of 5 movies in our Road Trip movie list, National Lampoon's Vacation! Next, and final, on our list is Midnight Run! Also, we discuss 5 major IP's and which ones we'd choose to keep if we had to! Marvel, LOTR, Star Wars, and more! —————

On Monday's Morning Focus, it was time again for our Arts Slot with County Art's Officer Siobhán Mulcahy. Siobhán provided our listeners with all the details of this week's live events for entertainment lovers in the Banner County. This week, Siobhán told us about Tom Tuohy and the Teabags in Doolin, The Wild Robot, Ana Colomer's Exhibition in Scariff and much more.

On today's episode, Luis and Camille welcome back Grey Doolin to discuss marginalization and victim mentality. Join them for an open-hearted conversation, with a bit of throwing shade.They explore: · seeking safety from outside· the way counterculture and mainstream culture interact· honoring the knowledge of community elders· separating others' judgements from internal self-worth· building resilience and resources· capacity for disagreement[Ep. 262] Trans People Don't NEED To Belong: The Freedom Of Being An Outcast w/ Grey Doolin[Ep. 22] The Roots Of The Transgender Movement & Other Tales w/ Chelsea Goodwin & Dr. Rusty MooreYou can learn more about Grey, and work with them, at: https://greydoolin.com/You can read more about, and register for, the Living & Working Seasonally mini-course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/living-working-seasonally You can read more about, and register for, the 6-month Embodied Nutrition group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/slow-practice-nutrition-group----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

In this episode, Kelsey sits down with Martha from The Next Chapter Travel, a company that curates small luxury trips for women. Martha shares all the details of their unforgettable 5-star journey across Ireland — from spa treatments to falconry, fine dining to pub hopping, castle stays and countryside views in October 2024,Their itinerary highlights include Adare, Killarney, Kenmare, Cork, and Dublin, with overnight stays at some of Ireland's most celebrated properties: Adare Manor, The Park Hotel, and Hayfield Manor. You'll hear about tastings at Jameson and Guinness, views of the iconic cliffs, and how this luxurious, all-female escape delivered the perfect blend of pampering, culture, and connection.This episode is presented by The Next Chapter Travel.Trip Tales listeners can get $100 OFF a trip curated by The Next Chapter Travel by using code TNCT100 at booking.Buy Me a CoffeeMentioned in this episode:- ADARE: Adare Manor, Calendar House, falconry, The Oak Room, Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Gus O'Connor's Pub- KILLARNEY: Killarney National Park, Ring of Kerry, Ross Castle- KENMARE: Park Hotel, SAMAS Spa, tea at Sheen Falls Lodge, Cromwell's Bridge, fairy tree, Kenmare Stone Circle, The Quiet Man movie- CORK: Jameson Midleton Distillery Tour, Hayfield Manor Hotel, Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone, Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral, The Cork English Market, The Rock of Cashel, The Cashel Palace Hotel, Irish National Stud & Gardens- DUBLIN: EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, The Shelbourne Hotel, St. Stephen's Green, Trinity College, The Book of Kells Experience, The Long Room at The Library of Trinity College Dublin, St. Patrick's Cathedral, The Church Cafe Bar- Ashford Castle in Mayo, Ireland- Dromoland Castle Hotel in Country Clare, Ireland- The K Club

[314] In Part 2 of this conversation, co-hosted by Luke Doolin (UKI Managing Director at Phorest), we pick up where we left off with Sarah Abel — CEO of TNB Skills Training (@tnbskillstraining) and proudly known in the industry as the Funding Godmother. The topic of mindset as a strategic tool for growth remains a constant throughout, but in this episode, we spend more time exploring how salon owners can access funding, develop their teams, and build businesses that aren't just bigger, but stronger and more resilient in the face of change. We get into:

Three Clare music venues are among the beneficiaries of a €500,000 Government funding pot. The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O'Donovan, has announced the 33 recipients of the Grassroots Music Venues Support Scheme. Kenny's Bar Lahinch, Pot Duggan's in Ennistymon and the Attic in Doolin will all receive up to €15,000 under the scheme which has been devised to support smaller venues showcasing emerging artists. Kenneth Kenny of Kenny's Bar Lahinch says it's a welcome helping hand at a time when businesses like his are facing additional challenges.

Doolin is the place to be for music lovers this coming weekend! The 2025 Doolin Folk Fest will take place this coming weekend. Running from Friday until Sunday (13th – 15th), a host of great acts including John Francis Flynn, De Danann, Brian Finnegan, Muireann Bradley & many more will perform. To get the full rundown, Alan Morrissey was joined by Festival organiser and General Manager of Hotel Doolin, Dónal Minihane. Photo(C): https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1085255970078772&set=a.628871729050534

A long-awaited stretch of footpath in one of Clare's tourism capitals is expected to be in place by the end of the year. West Clare Municipal District has this week confirmed that works to provide a "new and improved" pedestrian link between Fisher Street and Doolin Pier will recommence in the coming weeks. Funding has been secured for the footpath which will run from the bottom of Fisher Street to the pier car park and the installation of street lighting will also be included in the works. Lisdoonvarna Fine Gael Councillor Joe Garrihy says he's been pushing for it for a long time.

On Monday's Morning Focus, it was time again for our Arts Slot with County Art's Officer Siobhán Mulcahy. Siobhán provided our listeners with all the details of this week's live events for entertainment lovers in the Banner County. This week, Siobhán told us about Drama in Kilkee, The Attic Sessions in Doolin, Killaloe Music Festival and much more.

Two fringe misfits walk into a Zoom room and..... Join Grey Doolin and Luis for a joyful, lit up conversation about the spirituality of sex dysphoria. Grey shares how their trans identity is a gift not a destination, and how it's not about shutting parts of yourself off, it's about bringing all of yourself along for the ride. An important part of this realization dawned when their therapist asked if they wanted top surgery because society hates female bodies, or because top surgery was aligned for them?Luis and Grey wonder, which part of a person thinks it will die without the hormones and surgical intervention? That is the part that needs tending. They question the standard procedural process of affirming care and envision the benefits of slowing it down to the speed of the body. This slowing down has led Grey to practicing belonging in a natural way, remembering their own belovedness and divinity, and learning to hold complexity.In Grey's words, "Everything in your life is an invitation, EVERYTHING." Regardless of your gender, sex, or identity this invitation holds true. You can learn more about Grey, and work with them, at: https://greydoolin.com/[Ep. 261] "Ayahuasca Told Me To De-Transition" Born Female, Living As Male, Then Back To Female w/ Maddie DurbinYou can register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/food-therapy-weight-gain-weight-loss-balance To read more about, and register for, the 2025 Menla retreat, click here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/menla-retreat----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

Our road trip movie list is underway, and we're talking about Ryusuke Hamaguchi's Oscar winning film, Drive My Car. Join Max, Doolin, Kyle, and Kenny as we review the and discuss the movie. If you haven't already, check out our previous episode on Nebraska! —————

Join Max, Kyle, Kenny, and Doolin to catch you up on the board games we've been playing lately! Le Havre , Dune: Imperium - Uprising, Fromage, Tichu, Decrypto, and MORE! —————

Each of us have finally completed our top 50 board games of all time lists! Now, Doolin has put together some statistics for our lists. Crossovers, most similar to, and of course, the Tablenauts collective top 10 games of ALL TIME! Listen in and let us know what you think! —————

Our road trip movie list is underway, starting with 2013's Nebraska directed by Alexander Payne. Why did we choose this? Do we recommend it? And how cool is June Squibb? Join Max, Kyle, Kenny, and Doolin as we review and discuss Nebraska! Also, 100 men v. 1 gorilla, 100 gorilla's v. 1 man, same clothes every day, and so much more! —————

May the 4th mixing with Draft Day? Is Kevin Costner here!?Join Max, Kenny, Kyle, and Doolin as we draft board games and movies from the Star Wars Universe! Let us know what you would have drafted, and who's draft you think stole the show! —————

May the fourth be with you! This year we're talking about the sequel trilogy, starting with Star Wars: The Force Awakens! Join Max, Kyle, Kenny, Doolin, and Jash as we celebrate May 4th with our discussion on Star Wars: Episode 7. We'll be back later this month to discuss The Last Jedi & The Rise of Skywalker. —————

On the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #707. Subscribe now! Doolin', Austral, Fialla, Flook, The Friel Sisters, On The Lash, Brobdingnagian Bards, The Lilies of the Midwest, Robert Zielinski, Nathan Gourley, Joey Abarta, and Owen Marshall, Albannach,, David Mitchell, Drumspyder, Kevin Meehan GET CELTIC MUSIC NEWS IN YOUR INBOX The Celtic Music Magazine is a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Enjoy seven weekly news items for Celtic music and culture online. Subscribe now and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2025 This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create this year's Best Celtic music of 2025 episode. You have just three weeks to vote this year. Vote Now! You can follow our playlist on YouTube to listen to those top voted tracks as they are added every 2 - 3 weeks. THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC 0:08 - Doolin' “Mary's Jigs” from Doolin' 4:34 - WELCOME 5:46 - Austral “Woodford Nights” from Thylacine 12:38 - Fialla “No Fear No Grace” from A Rare Thing 17:00 - Flook “Koady / The Burning Lion” from Sanju 21:10 - The Friel Sisters “The Queen of the Rushes/Scully Casey's/McGovern's Favourite (Jigs/Reel)” from Northern Sky 26:01 - FEEDBACK 28:29 - On The Lash “Dog in the Distance” from Fireside 32:23 - Brobdingnagian Bards “The Salmon of Knowledge” from Another Faire to Remember 36:59 - The Lilies of the Midwest “Rent Charlie's Cottage for a Fee” from Cat's Ceili 41:20 - Nathan Gourley, Joey Abarta, and Owen Marshall “Bonnie Prince Charlie / Return to Fingal” from Copley Street 2 45:15 - THANKS 47:57 - Robert Zielinski “The Yellow Heifer” from The Day Dawn 51:02 - Albannach “Bare Arsed Bandits” from Bareknuckle Pipes & Drums 55:03 - David Mitchell “Lathkill Dale” from Contours 58:01 - Drumspyder “The Oak and the Ash” from Oak and Ash 1:02:05 - CLOSING 1:02:55 - Kevin Meehan “Borve Castle” from Spanish Point 1:06:27 - CREDITS The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to follow the show. You'll find links to all of the artists played in this episode. Todd Wiley is the editor of the Celtic Music Magazine. Subscribe to get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you'll get 7 weekly news items about what's happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage. Please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor. Climate change is real, and we can fix it. Cutting waste, saving energy, and pushing for clean power all make a difference. Not convinced? What if you're wrong? A cleaner, safer world benefits everyone. Talk to someone today—our children are counting on you! Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/. WELCOME THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST * Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn. I'm a Celtic musician and also host of Folk Songs & Stories. This podcast is for fans of Celtic music. We are here to build a diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you. If you hear music you love, please email artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. Musicians depend on your generosity to release new music. So please find a way to support them. Buy a CD, Album Pin, Shirt, Digital Download, or join their community on Patreon. You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com. Email follow@bestcelticmusic to learn how to subscribe to the podcast and you will get a free music - only episode. You'll also learn how to get your band played on the podcast. Bands don't need to send in music, and You will get a free eBook called Celtic Musicians Guide to Digital Music. It's 100% free. Again email follow@bestcelticmusic WHAT IS AN ALBUM PIN? An album pin is a lapel pin with artwork inspired by a specific album or song from an album. It could be the actual album artwork or it could be inspired by a specific track on the album. The best album pins stand out on their own. They appeal to more than just your fans. It is simple, bold, and visually engaging. However, what truly makes it an “album pin” is that the purchaser also gets a digital album with their pin. I have an entire blog on my website with details including templates for you to make your own album pin jacket.

After the Battle of Ingalls in 1893, the Doolin Dalton Gang is on borrowed time. They perform a few more robberies, but then, one by one, gang members fall to bounty hunters or the U.S. Marshals.  Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. For more details, visit our website www.blackbarrelmedia.com and check out our social media pages. We're @OldWestPodcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. On YouTube, subscribe to LEGENDS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the early 1890s, the Dalton Gang burns hot and bright in Kansas and Oklahoma, but then burns out quickly. After the disastrous Coffeyville Raid, Bill Doolin and Bill Dalton pick up the pieces and start a new gang. The Doolin Dalton Dang, also known as the Wild Bunch, robs banks and trains and quickly becomes the most feared outfit on the southern plains. In the process, the gang draws the attention of the U.S. Marshals, and the stage is set for a legendary shootout in the village of Ingalls, Oklahoma. Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. For more details, visit our website www.blackbarrelmedia.com and check out our social media pages. We're @OldWestPodcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. On YouTube, subscribe to LEGENDS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Connor quizzes D.J. on his recent travels through Scotland and Ireland. Along the way, they explore new discoveries, revisit a few longtime favorites, and reflect on what continues to make golf across the pond so special.From The Highlands to Killarney, the journey was a great reminder that no matter how much you've seen across the pond, there's always something new to discover. Additional ResourcesScottish Golf Tourism Week RecapPast Episode: Exploring AberdeenGreetings from Doolin

It's time to play catch up! Join Kyle, Kenny, Doolin, and Max as we discuss the board games we've been playing and the movies we've been watching! Get our fresh, half baked takes, on Phantom of the Opera (the game), Black Bag, Eternal Decks (ED), & Ostia! —————

The Doolin family was set to enjoy their oldest sons football game when the unimaginable happened. Gabbi Doolin was 7 years old and left her moms side to go play hide and seek with friends.  When they couldn't find her, panic set in.   In a small town, the rumor wheel started turning and the perpetrator was quickly apprehended. 

IT'S MARCH MADNESS BABY! Join Max, Kyle, Kenny, and Doolin as we pit the BGG top 64* games together in one bracket to rule them all! Which board game will come out on top?The dice are up to no good, things can, and will, get crazy. Let's see how this thing shakes up...—————

Kenny polled some of our Discord members for answers and is now hosting a Max v Doolin v Discord Newlywed Gameshow! Who comes out on top? A test of board games, movies, and friendship! —————