Podcasts about Far North

Our meth use continues to break records. According to the latest wastewater drug test, methamphetamine use is up 15% since the last quarter. And wastewater testing is pretty accurate. Consumption of methamphetamine and MDMA both increased. MDMA use does have a seasonal component though, they said, with increases during the summer music festival period from January to March. People pop a pill while they're at the festivals and then pretty much get on with their lives. But meth use, up 15% since the last quarter, and my question is why? Why? Why are people taking up this pernicious drug when there is so much harm associated with it? Do they think that all the stories they hear, all the stats you read or hear, all the pearl-clutching is just middle class, middle New Zealand moral panic? Surely not. Meth use seems to be across all socioeconomic groups, but even on TikTok, Instagram, you've got former users who are saying how much better their lives are now that they've got free of the clutches of the drug and the gangs who control it, that they can't believe that they let themselves get hooked, that they were so low that they wanted to die and now they're out of it. Why are people still picking up the pipe and giving it a go? To a certain extent, I can understand how people become sellers and pushers of the drug. They don't actually want to work to make a buck. They see a way of making easy dollars, far more than they could ever earn in their small town with their small skills, and the lure of the money is just too great to withstand the overtures from gang members. So selling it, I can understand how you would get into that. You don't want to work, you don't want to work hard, you haven't got the ability to earn the sort of money that you get from selling drugs, I sell drugs. But why become a user? There was much hoohah yesterday with a major drugs bust in Northland. Operation Phoenix has dismantled an operation manufacturing and supplying meth in remote parts of the Far North – it's a huge problem up there. 14 people have been arrested with links to the Tribesmen and Head Hunters. Police say the gangs were getting single mums addicted to meth with the intent of turning them into dealers of the drug. So give it to them for free, get them addicted, get them to pay off the debt in the time-honoured way that desperate women pay off debts, get them becoming dealers, and off you go. Nothing new here. Kids from private schools have also been targeted for decades. Good looking boys hang around the girls' schools, good looking girls hang around the boys' schools, they give them drugs for free. They know that even if these kids don't have money, they know people who do, and off you go. So yay Operation Phoenix for busting this gang operation, but even the police know that meth use won't drop. They said in the press conference that it's a long game they're playing, it's not about one off jobs. It will have an impact on this particular gang for a certain amount of time. But why? Why are people using? Sir Paul Holmes, bless him, once he saw the damage that drugs could do within his family, he was on an absolute rampage against the drugs and the pushers of the drugs. We've all known the dangers of it, the dangers of being associated with it after all the publicity, the horror stories from former addicts. Why are people still picking up the pipe? I get that the world is a tough place if you feel like you can't get out from under the crushing weight of bills and debt and trying to be somebody, trying to do better, trying to escape a dreadful childhood, you just want to turn off. But nowhere have I ever seen somebody say, well, that meth use really helped, that turned my life around for the better, boy do I feel like a better, more whole human being as a result of using meth. Nobody. Not one person. There are other drugs, there are legal drugs. Alcohol does terrible, terrible harm too, but at least you're not in the claws of the gangs. If you need a drug to switch off, there are other far less damaging drugs than meth. Why? Why? I'd love to hear from those who might have been there, done that, who've got family members. And if you are trying to get off or you have managed to, how hard is it to get away from the gangs, to settle your debts to your dealer and walk away, and then how hard is it to get off the stuff? Because it's only by getting rid of the users that you get rid of the sellers and the pushers. If the gangs don't see a market in it, they won't be selling it, they'll move on to something else. It's the dumb shmucks who allow themselves to get hooked that ensure that the gangs keep earning good money, that they keep riding the flash bikes that you've bought them. Your money's funded their lifestyle while you're living in squalid, desperate poverty. The gangs are travelling the world in first class, the gang leaders, laughing all the way to their crooked accountant. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders drink 3.7kgs of coffee per person every year ... that's according to data from the International Coffee Organisation .. which puts us just out of the top twenty coffee consuming countries .. but well above the global average. It's fair to say, we've cracked drinking coffee and making coffees, so it seems only right that our attention turns to growing coffee. More than 9 thousand coffee trees have been planted from Bay of Plenty through to the Far North and crop trials are happening in other places too. Over the weekend, the second annual New Zealand Coffee Producers Association conference took place to share what's happening on the ground in this growing industry. Here to tell us more is NZ Coffee Producers Association officer Justine Stuart.

We reizen de halve wereld rond, in het spoor van Noormannen en -vrouwen. We zijn getuige van plundertochten en vreemde rituelen, luisteren naar oude sagen en kronieken en vragen ons af of Vikingen wérkelijk de gehoornde terreur van de middeleeuwen waren. WIJ ZIJN: Jonas Goossenaerts (inhoud en vertelstem), Filip Vekemans (montage), Benjamin Goyvaerts (inhoud) en Laurent Poschet (inhoud). MET BIJDRAGEN VAN: Prof. Peter Petré (Engelse en algemene taalkunde, UAntwerpen - Anglo Saxon Chronicle), Niels Engelen (vertaling kronieken en getraumatiseerde monniken), Ward Bal (bijnamen en mythes), Greet Moonen (vikingreis), Leví Sigmarsson (Ijslandse tekst), prof. Brigitte Meijns (middeleeuwse geschiedenis, KULeuven - kritische lectuur tekst). WIL JE ONS EEN FOOI GEVEN? Fooienpod - Al schenkt u tien cent of tien euro, het duurt tien seconden met een handige QR-code. WIL JE ADVERTEREN IN DEZE PODCAST? Neem dan contact op met adverteren@dagennacht.nl MEER WETEN? Onze geraadpleegde en geciteerde bronnen: Barraclough, E. (2025). Verborgen levens: Wat de nieuwste vondsten ons vertellen over de Vikingtijd (C. van Paassen & W. van Paassen, vert.). Omniboek.Brink, Stefan, & Price, N. (Eds.). (2008). The Viking World. London, UK: Routledge.Byock, Jesse. (2001). Viking Age Iceland. London, UK: Penguin Books.Price, Neil. (2002/2019). The Viking Way: Magic and Mind in Late Iron Age Scandinavia. Oxford, UK: Oxbow Books.Price, Neil. (2020). Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings. New York, NY: Basic Books.Ibn Fadlan. (2012). Ibn Fadlan and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travellers in the Far North. (P. Lunde & C. Stone, Trans.). London, UK: Penguin Classics. (Origineel werk ca. 10e eeuw)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government will stop unelected individuals from voting on council committees, a move an Act MP has described as closing an anti-democratic loophole. It seems like a no brainer. Why should unelected individuals have the right to vote on council committees? Of course people who have never been elected to a council or a government shouldn't be given voting rights. You can certainly ask people for their opinion, their informed comment, but voting rights? The issue of unelected New Zealanders being appointed to council committees and then having voting rights has been in the news recently, predominantly around the Far North where hapū representatives were confirmed to be put on a committee tasked with shaping Māori strategic relationships and embedding Te Tiriti based partnership in council decision making. Fair enough, getting their opinions. Absolutely. You would imagine that hapū representatives are the best people to talk about how to shape Māori strategic relationships and how they see Te Tiriti being enacted through council decision making. Totally fair enough. Where it gets a bit murky is that they have full speaking and voting rights alongside elected representatives. They're also paid the daily rate. They don't have to accept it, but they are paid a daily rate of around about 250 bucks plus travel costs plus any childcare, just as elected representatives can ask for. They can volunteer their time and their knowledge, but if they want to be paid, they will be. They wouldn't make final decisions, but they would vote on the issues that would be heard at full council. ACT leader David Seymour said anyone voting on council decisions should be accountable, including facing elections, and the party lodged a member's bill to prohibit voting rights for unelected appointees. But Simon Watts, Local Government Minister, has basically cut their lunch and announced that non-elected individuals can be appointed to offer their professional advice, they can represent communities, but they will not be able to vote or count towards a quorum. The statutory committees and appointments, including those agreed as part of a treaty settlement though, will be excluded. WATTS: This is a specific board set up for Auckland Council. Short answer is, is that for the Independent Māori Statutory Board, those members will only be able to vote on council committees where the law specifically enables it, and what that means is, is that that committee's set up under a different act. HDPA: So they retain their voting rights? WATTS: If it's related to the specific act. So it relates to where they're doing the management of natural and physical resources. If they're on a subcommittee doing that, then they're able to vote. Anything else, they're not able to. So, does that clear it up? I would be really interested to hear from a range of interests as to how council decisions will impact, and some will vary more than others. If you're in Wellington right now, for example, and you're in council, you would want to hear from businesses as to how decisions made by the council have impacted upon them. The cycle lanes, the development of, or the neglect really, the lack of development around the bridge, the Paremata Bridge and the library, the reopening of the library, the cost of that, the redevelopment of the Michael Fowler Centre. You would want representatives from business to say, look, this is our experience, this is what's happening, make your decisions perhaps based on that. If you're Māori in the Far North and you're dealing with issues around Māori land or the rating of Māori land, the re-rating of Māori land, or water, tourism perhaps, you would definitely want a Māori lens, a Māori perspective. But if you're going to be making decisions so that some issues don't make it to full council, elected members might not even know that there was an issue because it's been dealt with by these unelected representatives and they have voted on what the elected members of the council will actually see, I think it's a different story. Imagine if the Government asked a panel of Newstalk ZB hosts for their reckons to shape policy and then vote on it as to what would get to Parliament. You know, basically act as a select committee. I don't think so. You wouldn't stand for that. And if we want to have our reckons represented at a council level or government level, then we stand. We stand as councillors, mayors, we stand as MPs. There are 33 Māori across all parties in Parliament, representing a huge range of views and lived experiences, which is fantastic. We have councillors, chief executives, highly regarded mayors, all Māori. And I'd be really interested to hear the views of Māori, particularly in how it relates to land and water management. But if you're not elected, I don't think you should have a vote. Have a reckon by all means, but not a vote. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Local Government Minister says they're restoring democratic accountability to councils. The Government's amending a bill currently before Parliament to bar non-elected council members from voting on committees. It follows councillors in the Far North voting to expand a Māori liaison committee. Simon Watts explained such examples give voting rights to people not elected by the community. "You've also seen instances in the last term with someone under the age of 18 being appointed onto Hastings Council. None of that stuff can happen going forward." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's being praised for stepping in to save councils from themselves. It's amending a Bill before Parliament to stop unelected council committee members —like iwi representatives— from voting. It follows a decision by the Far North District Council to expand its Māori liaison committee. District Councillor Davina Smolders told Francesca Rudkin the recent rise in unelected members prevents councils from fixing problems on their own. She says if someone has the power to cast votes that affect rates, roads, and water, they should have to earn the support of voters. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you done the sums yet to work out how much more you're going to have to pay, how much more you're going to have to find to pay the rates bill? We were talking before the show, for some of my colleagues it's an extra $45 per fortnight, they're in an apartment out of the main city. I can't even imagine how much the increase will be for people living in the leafy suburbs. Auckland Council has locked in a 7.9% rates rise, according to Wayne Brown it's to fund the City Rail Link. They've managed to keep everything else, they've managed to cut costs and reduce spending and keep everything level, this is purely to fund the City Rail Link. He's unapologetic. He said we've got this railway, if we don't pay for it this year, then we're just going to have to pay for it next year. And that's quite true, you can't just keep deferring essential spending. And that's what a lot of councils are finding around the country, that they might have deferred spending, put off investing in the vital infrastructure that needs to be spent, Moa Point anybody, and now they're going to have to, now they're going to have to do it. It's this lot of ratepayers that is going to have to pay because previous years' ratepayers didn't want to. Councillors didn't want to because they might get voted out, ratepayers didn't want to because they said we've got nothing extra in our pockets. Well now we're just going to have to find it. In effect, the rates increase is only an average, but pity the people of Waitaki, councillors there were looking at rates increases of up to 45%. Eventually they opted for a 22% rates rise because they've got to fund their three water scheme. Now that's been put off, put off, put off, they can't put it off any longer and now the people of Oamaru and the surrounding districts are going to have to find the money and pay for it. Many, many people are doing what the councils around the country are doing and what the Government is doing. They're looking at the bills, they're slashing what is not essential, trying not to slash everything that's not essential because you need something that's a bit of a morale booster. But when you've got a finite amount of money coming in, it has to cover so many, many increases. Fuel, insurance, rates. When there's two of you working, it's tough enough, if you're on a fixed income with very little in the way of other money coming in, you've already pared down the spending to the bone, it's even harder. Is this the time you look at selling the house if you have one? You're told when you go into retirement that you have to have a house, that this is one way that you'll be able to ensure a comfortable retirement, you have your own home, you have a roof over your head. But how do you make economies to cover the rates bill to pay for the house when you're already stretched so very thin? If your rates bill has come in, have you crunched the numbers, where are you at? I mean Auckland like Rotorua, and number of other councils around the country, even the Far North, they're trying to keep it into single digits, just skimming the 10%, but other councils, they're having to pay for that work that they deferred for so long and those rates increases are going to hurt. An earlier version of this article stated that “many Aucklanders will face an effective rate rise of between 12% and 15%”. Auckland Council estimates the vast majority of unchanged residential properties (around 94%) will receive a rates increase within 1% of the 7.9% average.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For 20 years, all from the comfort of a makeshift desk at her Doubtless Bay cottage, Annette Hall has been keeping boaties in the Far North safe. Last week, the volunteer radio operator signed off for the last time, and we wanted to meet the woman affectionally known as "Mum" by the boaties.

ACT-aligned councillor Davina Smolders is spreading claims the Far North District Council plans to sign agreements ceding sovereignty to five iwi. She previously challenged a recent Council decision to expand a Māori liaison committee - appointing 10 iwi members with voting rights, out of a total 16. Smolders says it's not co-governance, but rather outright iwi governance. "So it's going to affect everybody...if you want to move dirt, you have to pay for cultural impact reports, it's a grift - pure and simple. It's holding development hostage." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The shiny resin on balsam poplar buds turns to airborne molecules during spring leaf-out. Those molecules contain a myriad of chemicals that are useful to the tree -- and beneficial to us! Thriving in the far north -- farther than any other broadleaf tree in North America -- balsam poplar is poised to make drastic changes to the tundra as summer temperatures warm. Read more about this amazing tree in this week's Natural Connections, or listen to the podcast. 

For the past 20 years Annette Hall has been the voice of a vital maritime radio service, checking in on fishermen, providing forecasts, and coordinating rescues. For those on the water in the Far North, she's seen as something of a guardian angel. At 6pm tonight, however, the long-serving volunteer with an infectious laugh will hang up her handpiece for the last time and the channel will fall silent. Reporter Peter de Graaf has more.

Title: The Arctic Paradox: Extreme Heat in the Far North Timestamp Breakdown00:00 - Introduction: The Paradox of Arctic Temperatures01:04 - Record High Temperatures in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic 03:25 - Part 2: The Recipe for Extreme Heat (Ingredients 1-4) 05:36 - Ingredient 5: 24-Hour Daylight and Solar Angles08:04 - Part 4: The Energy Budget - Why the North Pole Wins 09:54 - Surface vs. Top-of-Atmosphere Insolation10:39 - Part 5: Sun Angle vs. Duration - Thought Experiments (Fairbanks vs. Death Valley) 12:09 - Continued Thought Experiments: Death Valley's Sun Angle in Utqiagvik 14:13 - Part 6: Why the Real Arctic Doesn't Bake - Limiting Factors15:19 - Part 7: Seasonal Lag - Why Records Peak Near June 2116:53 - Part 8: The Latitude of Peak Heat - Why Death Valley Wins18:35 - Additional Factors for Subtropical Desert Heat19:49 - Part 9: Could the Arctic Reach 121°F?20:52 - Climate Change Attribution and Extreme Events21:54 - Part 11: Humidity - Why the Far North Can't Replicate the Gulf Coast 22:58 - Environment Canada Heat Warnings & Calibration23:59 - Part 13: UV Index in the Arctic 25:02 - Conclusion: The Arctic Paradox in a Single Sentence20 Hashtags: #ArcticHeat #ExtremeWeather #ClimateScience #SolarInsolation #HeatDome #ArcticCircle #ClimateChange #WeatherPhenomenon #Permafrost #SiberiaHeat #AlaskaWeather #YukonWeather #LyttonBC #DeathValley #NorthPole #SeasonalLag #UVIndex #Meteorology #Geography #WeatherRecordsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/weather-with-enthusiasm--4911017/support.This episode includes AI-generated content.

After years of devastating floods, a small Far North settlement could become the first place in New Zealand where an entire community relocates to higher ground. Ruth Tautari, Chair of Whirinaki Trust spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

A Far North settlement could become the first in New Zealand to move because of climate change. Peter de Graaf reports from Whirinaki in the Far North.

Government ministers gave councils an ultimatum yesterday: come up with your own plans for amalgamation within three months, or the Government will do it for you. Local Government Minister Simon Watts and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop said there was broad support from councils – some were already gung-ho and proceeding with plans to amalgamate. One of them is Nelson Mayor Nick Smith. He's long held the view that merging with Tasman is the right thing to do for his city and cites common interests and unnecessary duplication. Back in 2012, Nelson voted in favour of amalgamation, Tasman voted against it. Tasman Mayor Tim King still prefers an arranged marriage – he wants to wait for the Government's backstop process, which would force reform before the 2028 local elections. King says he'd rather have central government just do it, decide on the country's local government model, rather than have all the arguments that come with trying to hash out, thrash out these sorts of governance arrangements for themselves. As King pointed out, the biggest problem councils face right now is financial pressure, and amalgamation won't necessarily save money, and it won't necessarily make everything magically better. Come on in, Auckland Super City! A prime example of amalgamation. Did it make things better? Back in 2010, the 1st of November to be exact, eight councils became one. And from that one big Super City Council, 21 local boards were created to focus on community issues. The council managed regional issues like transport and planning. The aim was, as Nick Smith said, to avoid unnecessary duplication and improve services. And I guess on paper it makes sense but back in 2020, on the 10 year anniversary of the Super City, some districts felt amalgamation hadn't really worked for them. Speaking to Radio New Zealand, former Franklin District Mayor Mark Ball said his community felt like a cash cow for the big smoke, that they had specific regional interests that weren't being represented at council level. He conceded that the water had got a lot better, the drinking water under the new structure was a lot better, but he said vital infrastructure like upgrading roads down south had been passed up in favour of bike paths in Auckland's CBD. He said elected members all love to build the shiny things, they love to have their Aotea Squares and go to the openings of this and that. Nobody ever wants to bury pipes. And he said, as an example of where your own region's specific needs are overlooked or misunderstood or not taken into account, some roads that had been built were too narrow for farming vehicles. Why would you possibly need a wide road? Says somebody driving a smart car in inner city Auckland. Because I've got a whopping great combine harvester, you numpty, would be the answer – and he said the town centres have been stripped of car parks. The thing that concerns me is that so few people take an interest in local body politics. So few. People could be getting up to God knows what with God knows who and you wouldn't have a clue until it's all too late because nobody takes an interest, nobody goes to the meeting – well, very few. I'm exaggerating for effect. Very few people go along to the council meetings, very few people bother to vote. So they can decide what you like and you go, oh, I don't think this is very good, I don't like this, and well, too bad. You didn't care. You care now. I find it really interesting that when it comes to amalgamation, trying to get these disparate interests all working together as one, and the case that Mark Ball cites is a really good one. Franklin needs new roads. Right then, let's build them. Oh, they're not big enough for farming vehicles – you know it's because nobody knew. The Far North seems to be quite keen to amalgamate. They're first out of the blocks. Far North, Whangārei, Kaipara, and the Northland Regional Councils are looking to merge into one or two authorities. But the difference between the West Coast and the East Coast is phenomenal. There's a line you cross when you're driving from Hokianga to Kerikeri and you know that you've crossed it, that you're on the East Coast now. How do you get fair representation and, and manage to lobby for what's important in your area when the needs in the other area are so, so different? On the West Coast of the South Island, they're also keen. Grey and Hokitika District Councils are considering merging into a unitary authority with Westland Regional Council. Buller's like, no thanks very much. Not for me. They'll go at it alone. So if you are one of the few in the country that is taking an interest in local body politics, if you are one of the few in the country that cares about what happens in your region, where your rates go, how they're spent, whether you'll get fair representation when a merger happens because it's a matter of when, not if. Is it going to work for your area? Can you see a case for it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three dead in a boating tragedy off the far north coast of New South Wales... the United States shoots down multiple Iranian missiles... and Brisbane Lions player Koby Evans accepts responsibility for using a homophobic slur. - रिजर्भ बैङ्कको आज बस्ने बैठकले ब्याजदरका बारेमा निर्णय गर्दै, न्यु साउथ वेल्सको शिविरमा एक शिशुको मृत्यु भएपछि घरबार विहीन हुने अवस्थामा अन्त्यका तत्काल कदम चाल्नु पर्ने सरोकारवालाहरूको भनाइ र भिक्टोरियामा राज्य सरकारले आज बजेट ल्याउँदै लगायत आजका प्रमुख अस्ट्रेलियन समाचार सुन्नुहोस्।

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Three dead in a boating tragedy off the far north coast of New South Wales... the United States shoots down multiple Iranian missiles... and Brisbane Lions player Koby Evans accepts responsibility for using a homophobic slur.

The government says they aren't intervening in the Far North, but we've seen the letters that say otherwise. Officials are at the table, reporting back to Wellington, and the pressure is mounting. We dive into the co-governance creep National promised to stop and ask why they're still being so soft. Plus, the panel reacts to Winston Peters' most brutal tweet in 40 years. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSypyI8wbnZgJDYY0VCdwJQ/join Get in touch with Duncan - duncan@rova.nz and join us on the socials. Website: https://www.rova.nz/podcasts/duncan-garner-editor-in-chief-live Instagram: @DuncanGarnerpodcast TikTok: @DuncanGarnerpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plans for a new social housing complex are raising hackles in the Far North town of Kawakawa. Northland reporter Peter de Graaf reports.

Days after winning a world title at Madison Square Garden in New York, boxer Lani Daniels is already back working on the family farm in the Far North. Hailing from Pipiwai - a blink and you'll miss it town 40 minutes north of Whangarei - Lani won the IBF and WBO world super middleweight belts via technical knockout. It's the third weight class she has won a world title in.

According to new data from Consumer NZ, there is a big difference in how much you pay for power depending on where you live. It has analysed the April 1st electricity price rises and discovered that the Far North will have annual cost increases in the range of $140 to $420, while in Wellington, the same household can expect an annual increase of between $102 and $305. Kerikeri currently has amongst the highest average electricity prices in the country, which was about 20 percent above the national average. So, why is the cost of electricity increasing a lot more in some regions than others? Powerswitch manager Paul Fuge is with Jesse.

You'll be aware of the Far North Council and their unelected Māori voting plan. It is of course a scandal, but more importantly it is part of the overall de-Māorification of the economy this current Government, in one form or another, promised to address. The fact this stuff is still going on proves they are failing. ACT's Todd Stevenson the other day wrote to Public Service Minister Judith Collins asking about Māori names in government departments. She said there was a war on, and we had better things to do. Fair point? Or convenient excuse? The simple truth is what they promised and what has happened are two different things. Enter ACT, who are now promising to ban the Far North type of behaviour. Is that a double promise? Didn't you already say you would do that? Here is the problem with it: 1) ACT aren't running the Government; they are merely part of it. Unless they make it a bottom line, which they won't, it may or may not see the light of day after the election. 2) Given their well-promoted stance on race-based policy, going into another election having had the opportunity to fix it already, you have a credibility problem. And 3) My sense of this as a broad-based issue is it isn't what it once might have been. Personally, I find Māorification problematic. To give someone rules, or money, or decisions of names, or a job based on race is simply irrefutably wrong. But the fervour with which that was argued a couple of years ago doesn't appear to be quite as white hot. Yes, there is a very vocal group who seem to have made it their raison d'être, but they are small and many of them are rabid, which makes the appeal of the overall argument to the broader populace less enticing. You might also argue that against this wall of determination was an even bigger wall of determination, i.e. those who believe in it, think it's good, who have held the line and carried on. And can I suggest that at this point, and the Far North Council are your gold star example, it is they who are the more successful of the two camps.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They're damned if they do and damned if they don't, aren't they? Last week people were castigating MetService for overhyping the incoming storm. And I would argue it wasn't MetService who were overhyping it, it was the media making an absolute meal out of it. Today, people are calling out MetService for not getting enough warning about the life-threatening rain and winds that are slamming Wellington and the Wairarapa district as we speak. Whatever happened to looking after yourself? Gathering the information, you need and making decisions based on that? We seem to have descended into a national state of learned helplessness. Were we like that before Covid? Were we getting to that level before Covid or has it been exacerbated because of Covid? People with brains, people with rational capability, just sitting there like inert dummies waiting to be told what to do and when to do it. That is no way to live life. Perhaps it's a rural-city divide. If you are living somewhere where help is not a 111 call away, where you know that if you need help, you're going to have to help yourself and then you're going to have to help your mates. You're not waiting to be told what to do. Last weekend I knew that the storm was coming, you could hardly avoid it if you were listening to the radio or watching the television. So that was helpful. You know, I knew it was coming, I knew what time it was expected to hit the Far North, and I knew the Far North was in the firing line. So you get prepared. I knew the power would go off, the power goes off all the time, so that means no cooking, no water, so I made sure I had enough drinking water to last a week, that there was gas for the barbecue. I ran the bath the night before the storm was due to land so there was water to flush the loo. The torch had batteries, a good heavy duty powerful torch, waterproof torch, and I had a grab bag in case the stream on the property flooded or there was a landslide, those were the two risks that I identified on the property. I knew where the nearest community centre was in case I needed help or in case I could give help. And I made sure there were very few perishable foods left in the fridge, don't you worry about that, we did not go hungry. I could have probably, like a camel, lasted a couple of weeks. So, you know, you get prepared. And then I turned off the radio because I didn't need to hear breathless stories on the hour every hour, and again that's not MetService's fault, that's the media hyping it up. And I made the most of the beautiful lovely calm sunny day. And I knew it wouldn't last. I'd checked the forecast, I knew the weather would change and when I came inside and saw the barometer had absolutely plummeted, I brought in the outdoor furniture, made sure that everything was tied down and nothing could go flying and settled in for the evening. And sure enough at ten that evening the power went off, and I knew it would and I was ready. The power stayed off until the next afternoon. Around about 4pm it came back on and thank you very much to the Northpower team for working in nasty conditions on a Sunday restoring power to the Hokianga. And I don't have that much common sense. Nobody would ever, if I had to be summed up at my funeral, say, “Well, there was a girl with common sense." I don't have that much of it, and you don't actually need that much to get yourself ready. I don't want to be helpless, and I don't want to be dependent on other people. I was up there on my own so I made sure that I could look after myself to the best of my ability. It takes very little money, very little effort, very little time, and as it turns out, not that much common sense to be prepared. Am I the last person in the world to use a barometer? I really think every home should have one because if you're not listening to the radio or you're not watching the television news or the cellphone towers go down and you can't look at the apps on your phone, then you've got the barometer. They've been around since 1645 and have been accurate since then and still are today. And when you look at that barometer plummeting down, you know that the weather is going to change for the worse, so you get yourself ready. I really think we need to drive home the message that it's not MetService's fault if you are flooded out of your home. They didn't cause the deluge, they cannot predict which house in which street will be flooded, that's unfair to expect them to do that. There are so many ways we can keep ourselves informed, even the good old-fashioned barometer which I absolutely swear by. Do not just sit there waiting for people to tell you what to do and when to do it. Use the brains and the common sense that the good gods gave you and stop blaming other people for natural events that can't possibly be pinpointed to your personal address. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes to the Local Government Act could be on the way after controversy at the Far North District Council. Councillor Diane Smolders claims a committee made-up of six councillors and 10 unelected Iwi and hapu representatives is co-governance on steroids. Local Government Minister Simon Watts says he's looking at changes to give to cabinet. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he'll have a proposal soon. Watts says he expects it to take about a month. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A long-standing, but newly expanded Maori relationships committee is proving controversial in the Far North. It's seen locals turn out in support of the change but there is backlash, too, despite the committee being advisory only. Council decisions are still made by elected members. Reporter Peter de Graaf headed to Wednesday's meeting to find out what the fuss is about.

As global attention remains focused on the Middle East, a parallel contest of influence is unfolding in the Far North, where NATO troops have recently carried out a large-scale exercise simulating a Russian invasion. Armoured vehicles, ships, helicopters, and thousands of soldiers braved sub-zero conditions to test their readiness and send a clear message to Moscow. This report from our colleagues at FRANCE 2 and FRANCE 24's Guillaume Gougeon.

Right, here's a question I'd like to answer: Do we all have strange priorities in this country, or is it just the evening TV news that does? Last night, I sat through 13 minutes of TV One telling me nothing had happened with the cyclone before we finally got to the Iran situation, where something actually had happened. First, One News took us to a reporter in the Bay of Plenty, who told us a tree had come down on the main street. A couple of older women joked about going for a swim in the swell, but really, nothing much had happened. Then we went to Gisborne, where wastewater had flooded, and the guy in the caravan from the previous night was barely affected - because, again, nothing much had happened. Next stop was Hawke's Bay, where nothing had happened yet. Then the Coromandel, where Simon Mercer reported large storm surges in Whitianga - but nothing had happened.After that, the Far North, where the river was high - but nothing had happened. Then the weather presenter wrapped it all up, and we were told Breakfast would be covering it in the morning - just in case something did happen. Finally - after 12 minutes and 45 seconds of this - we got to the Iran situation, where peace talks had broken down and the US delegation had left. That is a conflict that will affect every single one of us. The weather will impact some people - potentially quite severely - but the situation in Iran will affect everyone here. Diesel is tipped to hit $4 a litre, food prices will rise, inflation is forecast to peak higher than after COVID at around 7.5 percent, and ANZ is predicting three OCR hikes this year as a result. I wondered whether this reflects audience interest - maybe people can't get enough of the weather and don't care about a conflict in Iran. But I checked the Herald this afternoon. Both stories were top trending, and there wasn't much between them. So, I'd suggest the evening TV news might want to rethink leading with 13 minutes of nothing. I understand that pictures matter in television. And yes, they've paid to send reporters around the country, so they need something to show. But pictures of nothing are still nothing - and there's only so much time people will spend watching nothing before they simply switch off. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a council stops looking like democracy and starts looking like intimidation? That's where we begin today, as Duncan digs into the government's warning to the Far North District Council and asks whether local democracy is being pushed off course. Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour joins us to talk through the claims, the growing pressure on the government, and what happens when elected representatives say they're being frozen out or threatened. We also get into the wider question here: who gets to make decisions in New Zealand, and how far ministers should go when councils appear to be losing control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some residents in the Far North town of Kaikohe say a dire jobs shortage means they have no choice but to leave to find work or else languish on the benefit. About 6000 people in the Far North region are on the job seeker benefit, and a local employment adviser says she's snowed under with people desperate for work but nowhere near enough jobs available. On the day Checkpoint visited Kaikohe, all of 15 jobs were being advertised. Teuila Fuatai has more.

We are diving into a shocking breakdown of local democracy today. Duncan shares a blunt, two-word email from Far North Mayor Moko Tepania that has left us gobsmacked. After serious allegations about unelected influence at the council table, the Mayor was offered a right of reply. His response? A personal "f off". We ask if it is time for the government to step in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winston Peters is back, and he is not just making up the numbers. With a massive surge to 13.6 percent in the latest poll, the New Zealand First leader is eyeing up the top job while National and Labor drift. We also dive into the co-governance rows erupting in Hastings and the Far North, where local councillors say democracy is being pushed aside for unelected boards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan sits down with Far North District Councillor Davina Meads for a sobering look at what she calls "co-governance on steroids." From unelected representatives outvoting elected officials to serious questions about financial accountability and personal safety, Davina shares her front-row seat to a system she believes is drifting away from democratic principles. We ask if the government is doing enough to step in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been a very tough few days for communities in the far north of the country, with some areas receiving around two and a half months' worth of rain in the past 72 hours. In Northland, Civil Defence teams are continuing to assess the damage, and residents are beginning the clean-up. Both the Far North and Whangarei districts are set to remain under a state of emergency for a further six days. To get the latest on the situation, RNZ Pacific journalist Kaya Selby is in Kerikeri.

States of Emergency have been declared in Whangarei and the Far North with storm conditions expected get worse overnight. Northland east of Kaikohe from Doubtless Bay to Whangarei is under a red weather warning until 4am tomorrow. 25 schools closed throughout the region, affecting nearly 4000 students. State Highway 1 is also closed at four different locations around Northland. Civil Defence Co-ordinator in Whangaruru, Noeline Whitehead spoke to Lisa Owen.

It's been a wet and wild 24 hours for the top of the country, with some areas seeing more than 200 millimetres of rain. Whangārei District Council and the Far North District Council have each declared states of emergency. The deluge has closed roads, including the two routes that connect the tip of the Far North to the rest of the motu. Locals are now bracing for another night of rough weather, with Civil Defence warning the worst could be yet to come. Teuila Fuatai reports. 

States of local emergency remain in place in Northland this morning, as the wild weather moves south. Far North Mayor Moko Tepania spoke to Corin Dann.

Emile gets an update on the weather from MetService meterologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane gets the latest from Far North Mayor Moko Tepania.

We sit down with author Ryan Rodgers to explore the legendary life of Bob O'Hara, a master paddler who spent fifty years navigating the remote Arctic without GPS or a lifeline. It's a captivating conversation about the "Green Light" philosophy, the evolution of wilderness exploration, and the eternal allure of the Far North.    Presented by Kinetico (kineticoMN.com/), Star Bank (star.bank/), & Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota (https://davmn.org/)

Seeing as it's getting towards autumn, a number of bulbs need planting in the garden - I'll pick on a few of them. Tulip Fabulous early spring colour – remember the historical stuff with the Dutch making heaps of money out of often virus-ridden “varieties” (early 1600-s AD) – around Fl 3000.00 per bulb while the average yearly wage of a skilled craftsman was around Fl 300.00. The bubble burst in 1637 AD. These days they are a bit cheaper and more reliable. They grow well in the South Island with very cool winters – up north they need winter chilling (taking out of soil and put in fridge for 8 weeks). In mild climates it pays to plant later in the year, say May/June. But in the South Island, planting the bulbs can start in a few weeks; order them now! Some great bulb outlets: Bulbs direct, Garden Post, NZBulbs, Fiesta Bulbs, and Hadstock Farm in Springston. Work the soil to 20 cm deep in sunny to semi-shade position (generally bulbs prefer well-drained soils). Plant 15 cm spaced and 15 cm deep. In warmer climates, plant them a bit deeper (20 cm deep). A bit of mulch over the planting site will keep weeds down. Bulb fertiliser is recommended and after flowering some blood and bone will feed the green leaves. Do NOT cut those green leaves after flowering: they gather sunlight (photosynthesis) for re-stocking the food reserves inside the bulbs underground. Narcissus Daffodils Prep the soil to 40 cm or so – daffodil roots go way down! Plant them 10 cm deep and space 10 cm apart in well-drained soils (perhaps under deciduous trees). Hagley Park is a great example. Planting them in full sun is okay too. Mass planting works really well, and bulbs come up year after year and they'll multiply. Apart from the Far North, the whole of New Zealand can grow them. Leucojum Leucojum is also known as “snowflake”, and in the Netherlands it's known as the “Zomer Klokje” (summer clock). This wonderful plant has a special place in my heart: we used to have this rare and endangered native species in the wetlands where I used to roam as a nature nerd in the Netherlands. There are many different varieties now, flowering in spring, and planting is best done in early April. Must get some more! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Far North community has rallied around its local electrician after three vehicles and his tools were stolen from outside his Tauranga Bay property. 

Another dream-come-true interview for me here at the InfatuAsian Podcast! Michelle Krusiec has been acting since the 2000's. You've no doubt seen her in something: Star Trek DSN, Sweet Home Alabama, Monk, Cold Case, Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, Weeds, Dirty Sexy Money, Far North, Fringe, CSI, Hawaii 5-0, and dozens more. She was Wil Pang in Alice Wu's Saving Face, and Anna May Wong in Netflix's Hollywood. She has directed and written her own shorts as well. She's done and seen a lot in Hollywood over her prolific career, so she has lots of insight into the inner workings. It was a real joy to speak with her for an hour. Follow Michelle @michellekrusiec on social media. And keep your eyes out for her next projects.  As I always mention, you can write to us at: ⁠infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com⁠, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by Invictus Quartet. Cover Art and Logo designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half the World) #asianpodcast #asianamerican #infatuasian #aapi #representationmatters

NAMI Far North, the local chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness, will be in the studio with updates on the activities of the organization and the Sand Creek Clubhouse, a preview some upcoming events, and a general discussion on mental health now in our area. With NAMI Far North board president Dawn Mehra […] The post March 4, 2026: NAMI Far North appeared first on KRFY Radio.

What do a slip jig, a sailor's lament, a whiskey - soaked anthem, and a timeless Irish air all have in common? They're all in episode 748 of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast — and you won't want to miss a single track  -  -  Subscribe now at CelticMusicPodcast.com! Irish Millie, Alex Sturbaum, Kera - Lynne Newman, Kinnfolk, Jenny and the Weazels, Tiller's Folly, Sean Heely, Beth Patterson, Lane to the Glen, Sue Tillotson, Jim Cunningham, Jim Tillotson, Dan Possumato, Kevin Burke, Frances Cunningham, Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones, The Far North, Shades of Green, The Muckers, Rogue Diplomats, The High Kings 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 2026 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 episode. You have just three weeks to vote this year. Vote Now! THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC 0:07 - Irish Millie "Slip Jig" from GRACE 1:55 - WELCOME 5:05 - Alex Sturbaum "Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part / The Coachman's Whip / My Maryanne (feat. Kera - Lynne Newman)" from Slash 8:26 - Kinnfolk "The Hat Song" from The Knotted Circle 13:48 - Jenny and the Weazels "The Goldfinch (Live at the Jackson Theater)" from Single 18:33 - Tiller's Folly "Far End of the Road" from Far End of the Road 22:34 - FEEDBACK 25:57 - Sean Heely and Beth Patterson "Socair Ort, a Dhòmhnaill, Seall!" from Stir the Blood to Fire 30:31 - Lane to the Glen "Aughamore : The Bog of Allen : Tom Maguire's Fancy (Reels)" from Lane to the Glen 34:02 - Sue Tillotson & Jim Cunningham "Bonnie Ship the Diamond / Celtic Society Quickstep (feat. Jim Tillotson)" from Water Horse 37:21 - Dan Possumato "Da Eye Wifey (feat. Kevin Burke & Frances Cunningham)" from An Teachín Gorm 39:57 - Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones "The Galtee Mountain Boy" from Let Ye All Be Irish Tonight 43:19 - THANKS 45:39 - The Far North "Sailor And The Sea" from Songs For Weathering Storms 49:08 - Shades of Green "I'm Irish" from Conversations We Never Had 51:46 - The Muckers "Whiskey Tango" from Whiskey Tango 56:37 - Rogue Diplomats "Come Out Ye Black And Tans" from Whiskey Picnic 59:57 - CLOSING 1:00:56 - The High Kings "Red Is The Rose" from Decade: Best Of The High Kings 1:04:05 - CREDITS Support for this program comes from Dr. Annie Lorkowski of Centennial Animal Hospital in Corona, California. 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 Support for this program comes from Cascadia Cross Border Law Group, Creating Transparent Borders for more than twenty five years, serving Alaska and the world. Find out more at   www.CascadiaLawAlaska.com Support for this program comes from Hank Woodward. The Executive Producer for St Patrick's Month is John Sharkey White, II. 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. Clean energy isn't just good for the planet, it's good for your wallet. Solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources in history. But too many politicians would rather protect billionaires than help working families save on their bills. Real change starts when we stop allowing the ultra - rich to write our energy policy and run our government. Let's choose affordable, renewable power. Clean energy means lower costs, more freedom, and a planet that can actually breathe. 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 Pub Songs & Stories. Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene. This podcast is for fans of all kinds 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 the artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. These musicians are not part of some corporation. They are small indie groups that rely on people just like you to support their music so they can keep creating it. Please show your generosity. 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. IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODFEST Join us Sunday, March 8, 2026, from 12 to 6 PM for the Irish & Celtic Music PodFest and Arts Market at The Lost Druid Brewery in Avondale Estates, Georgia. Spend the afternoon surrounded by live Celtic and folk music from Kinnfolk, The Muckers, May Will Bloom, and Marc Gunn. Grab a pint, enjoy the tunes, and share the energy of a true Celtic gathering. While the music plays, explore our Arts Market filled with handmade crafts, art, and unique gifts from local creators. It's a celebration of music, creativity, and community — all in one place. Come for the songs. Stay for the spirit. We'll see you at The Lost Druid on March 8.

Waitangi Day commemorations in the Far North kick off this week, with thousands of people flocking to the small tourist town of Paihia. Waitangi National Trust chair Tania Simpson spoke to Corin Dann

This week on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, we travel from kitchen sessions to open seas. Fiddles. Waltzes. Pub songs. And modern Celtic voices you're going to want to hear again on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #743  -  -  Subscribe now at CelticMusicPodcast.com! Nerea The Fiddler, Socks in the Frying Pan, Shannon Heaton, The Irish Rovers, Boxing Robin, Whiskey Faithful, Mary Beth Carty, Michael Joseph Ulery, Blackwillow Starling, CaliCeltic, Hugh Morrison, Jiggy, The Far North, SeaStar 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 2026 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 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 0:07 - Nerea The Fiddler "Kitchen Music" from Off The Beatn Path 3:20 - WELCOME 7:32 - Socks in the Frying Pan "Willy Annes Waltz" from Waiting for Inspiration 10:58 - Shannon Heaton "Tattered Wings" from Perfect Maze 12:32 - The Irish Rovers "Back to Sea" from No End in Sight 16:30 - Boxing Robin "An Dro -  Trois Matelots du Port de Brest" from The View From Here 20:19 - FEEDBACK 25:30 - Whiskey Faithful "Whiskey in the Jar" from single 27:37 - Mary Beth Carty "A' Challuinn : 'S e gillean mo rùin / Walking the Floor / Capers Jig / Miss Anderson's Jig" from single 31:23 - Michael Joseph Ulery "All I Really Needed" from Mild November 35:03 - Blackwillow Starling "Wild Maiden" from Blackwillow Starling 38:46 - THANKS 40:29 - CaliCeltic "Hotaling's Whiskey" from Whiskey Mustache 45:05 - Hugh Morrison "Blinkers" from Lift Your Head Up 48:11 - Jiggy "Dekho" from single 52:22 - The Far North "Sailor And The Sea" from Songs For Weathering Storms 55:51 - CLOSING 56:56 - SeaStar "Auld Lang Syne" from single 1:00:10 - CREDITS Support for this program comes from Hank Woodward. Support for this program comes from Dr. Annie Lorkowski of Centennial Animal Hospital in Corona, California. 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 Support for this program comes from Cascadia Cross Border Law Group, Creating Transparent Borders for more than twenty five years, serving Alaska and the world. Find out more at   www.CascadiaLawAlaska.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. Clean energy isn't just good for the planet, it's good for your wallet. Solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources in history. But too many politicians would rather protect billionaires than help working families save on their bills. Real change starts when we stop allowing the ultra - rich to write our energy policy and run our government. Let's choose affordable, renewable power. Clean energy means lower costs, more freedom, and a planet that can actually breathe. 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 Pub Songs & Stories. Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene. This podcast is for fans of all kinds 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 the artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. These musicians are not part of some corporation. They are small indie groups that rely on people just like you to support their music so they can keep creating it. Please show your generosity. 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. We have a Kickstarter that is running until January 30. The initial goal was to fund our 2025 Best of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast album. Happily that goal was reached within three days of the start of the campaign. Now we have a secondary stretch goal to fund the… IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODFEST AND ARTS MARKET This is a one - day music festival and arts market that will take place on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at The Lost Druid Brewery in Avondale Estates, GA, 15 minutes from downtown Atlanta. There are four bands performing at the festival. I am performing one show solo and one show with May Will Bloom, where my daughter takes the lead. Kinfolk will join us as well as I mentioned last week. But the final band performing at the festival is a 3 - piece version of The Muckers, our local Celtic punk band. That will complete our lineup. Follow our event page on Facebook for more details. Or Follow us for Free on our Patreon page. Now my next goal is to raise $3200 so that all of the bands are paid a decent wage and to promote our first - ever Celtic festival. To that end, I added three new rewards for Kickstarter. Each is a chance to sponsor individual bands at the festival. When you do, you'll get one of the first album pins from each of these amazing Celtic bands. That's because we are highlighting album pins at the festival as well, as another means to promote the music of bands. Our album pins are wooden lapel pins themed to a particular album released by a band. The buyer gets a digital download of the album, then they can wear their album! There's just 8 days left on this Kickstarter. So please make a pledge to support Celtic culture through music. 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.

While driving down the country roads during winter, you may see a flock of sparrow-sized birds get up and fly away. Most people probably dismiss them as sparrows, but the next time you see the birds, look for flashes of white in the wings — they may be snow buntings.

Get ready for a musical adventure across the Celtic world. From wild reels to heartfelt ballads, these artists capture the spirit of the isles. Celebrate Celtic music and culture before IrishFest Atlanta on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #733 - - Subscribe now! Blame Not The Bard, The Gothard Sisters, Jesse Ferguson, Eloise & Co., The Far North, Ritchie Remo, The Bookends, Ainsley Hamill, Nerea The Fiddler, Amelia Hogan, Reilly, Drumspyder, George Murphy and The Rising Sons, Kim Carnie, The Irish Lassies 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 until December 4 to vote for this episode. 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 0:09 - Blame Not The Bard "Slide In The Sky / The Ocean Breeze / Until The Sun Rises" from Slide In The Sky / The Ocean Breeze / Until The Sun Rises (Single) 3:51 - WELCOME 6:50 - The Gothard Sisters "Adventurer" from Moment in Time 9:59 - Jesse Ferguson "Scots Who Have with Wallace Bled" from Ten 12:09 - Eloise & Co. "Avant - deux de Vitteaux/Queen's Bath" from avec Elodie 15:57 - Olivia Bradley "Amhrán Na bhFiann" from Amhrán Na bhFiann 17:05 - The Far North "Hummingbird" from Songs For Weathering Storms 20:18 - FEEDBACK 24:50 - Ritchie Remo "Hills Of Connemara" from Hills of Connemara Single 27:54 - The Bookends "The Old Grove" from A Celtic Celebration 31:04 - Ainsley Hamill "Cumha an Eich - Uisge" from FABLE 34:06 - Nerea The Fiddler "The Return" from Off The Beaten Path 38:25 - Amelia Hogan "Snow Hare" from Burnished 41:24 - THANKS 43:16 - Reilly "Black Velvet Band" from Durty Pool 47:01 - Drumspyder "Paddy on the Erie / The Toormore" from Oak and Ash 51:04 - George Murphy and The Rising Sons "Something Out of Nothing" from Something Out of Nothing 55:48 - Kim Carnie "Oran na Beiste Maoile" from A' Chailleach Òran: "OH - ran" (the "ò" is a long 'o' sound) na: "na" (the "a" is a schwa or unstressed 'a' sound) Bèiste: "BEYSH - tya" (a softer, palatalized 's' sound, followed by "tya" rather than a hard 't' sound) Maoile: "MWAH - lee" (the "aoi" combination makes a sound similar to "oo - ee" but with more of an "ah - ee" diphthong) 59:09 - CLOSING 1:00:08 - The Irish Lassies "Redwood Shepherd" from Immigration Stories 1:03:35 - CREDITS Support for this program comes from Hank Woodward. Support for this program comes from Dr. Annie Lorkowski of Centennial Animal Hospital in Corona, California. 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 Support for this program comes from Cascadia Cross Border Law Group, Creating Transparent Borders for more than twenty five years, serving Alaska and the world. Find out more at www.CascadiaLawAlaska.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. Clean energy isn't just good for the planet, it's good for your wallet. Solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources in history. But too many politicians would rather protect billionaires than help working families save on their bills. Real change starts when we stop allowing the ultra - rich to write our energy policy and run our government. Let's choose affordable, renewable power. Clean energy means lower costs, more freedom, and a planet that can actually breathe. 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 Pub Songs & Stories. Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene. This podcast is for fans of all kinds 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 ALBUM PINS ARE CHANGING THE WAY WE HEAR CELTIC MUSIC I got an email from Discmakers, my CD manufacturer, saying they were forced to raise their prices because of tariffs by our president. This is a tax on Americans. So if you love CDs, remember that the prices will go up. So please support those higher priced CDs. But there is an option for those who don't want to buy CDs and for those who want a better alternative for the environment. It's the Album Pin. Album Pins are lapel pins themed to a particular album. You get a digital download of the album. Then you can wear your album. All of my latest Album Pins are wood - burned and locally produced. This makes them better for the environment. And they are fun and fashionable. If you want to learn more about Album Pins, you can read more about them on my celtfather.Substack.com or just buy one at magerecords.com IRISHFEST ATLANTA Join us at IrishFest Atlanta on Nov 7 - 9, 2025. You'll enjoy exclusive concerts with Open the Door For Three with Special Guest dancer Kevin Doyle on Friday and Teada on Saturday night. Plus enjoy music from Kathleen Donohoe, O'Brian's Bards, Olivia Bradley, Roundabouts, The Kinnegans, The Muckers, Irish Brothers, Celtic Brew, Station 1 2 3 and special set from Inara and Marc Gunn. There are music and dance workshops, Irish cooking competitions, IrishTea, Irish Films, and of course, LOTS of Irish dancing. Celebrate your Irish heritage at IrishFest Atlanta in November. Bring a friend! Learn more at IrishFestAtlanta.com THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST! Your support makes the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast possible, nearly every week of the year. You're not just funding a show. You're fueling a movement that shares the magic of Celtic music with thousands around the world. Your generosity covers everything from audio engineering and artwork to the Celtic Music Magazine, show promotion, and buying music from independent Celtic artists. If you're not a patron yet? You're missing out! You get ✨ Early access to episodes

Darkness Radio Presents:  Telepathic Tales: Precognition and Clairvoyance in Legend, Lyric, &Lore with Researcher/Author, Daniel Bourke! Whether a premonition of an impending event, a warning of potential danger, or an unlikely synchronistic experience, such things are surprisingly common, even if they often cannot be clearly explained. Taking readers on a historical and cross-cultural voyage through extrasensory experiences, Daniel Bourke documents, contextualizes, and sheds light on these mysterious phenomena. From the plains of Peru and the haunted highlands of Scotland to the snowy taiga forests of the Far North and the Indigenous cultures of Australia and America, Bourke examines the strange psychic occurrences that seem to appear in all places, at all times. These include instances of bilocation, premonitions about the coming of visitors, intuitions of the location of lost items or treasures, the discovery of cures by telepathic means, and even accurate pre-perceptions about one's own demise or the perilous situation of a loved one. He looks at the renowned Greek seers, including Iamos, who announced the death of Hercules at the moment it occurred; the far-reaching visions of the shaman in a trance who might warn his tribe of danger; and the witches, wizards, and heroes of legend and romance who were privy to secret knowledge through magical means. Bourke's survey incorporates rare accounts from people all around the world and across the ages, including figures like Rumi, Saint Anthony, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, and Carl Jung. On today's show, Tim sits down with Daniel and talks about why through history our ancestors have tried to contact us to warn us about impending danger, give us the cure for certain diseases, tell us where there is hidden treasure, and give us certain messages from beyond! Get "Telepathic Tales" here:  https://bit.ly/4lM0nLA Sign up to go with Dacre Stoker and Mysterious Universe Tours to Romania here:  https://mysteriousadventurestours.com/tour-item/draculas-haunted-halloween-romania-tour/ Want to attend JUST Dracula's Vampire Ball at Bran Castle? Click this link to find out how: https://mysteriousadventurestours.com/tour-item/draculas-vampire-ball-at-bran-castle-a-private-halloween-experience/ Travel with Brian J. Cano to Ireland for Halloween for 11 days and get 100 dollars off and break it into 10 easy payments here:  https://www.mysteriousadventurestours.com/darkness_radio/ Make sure you update your Darkness Radio Apple Apps! and subscribe to the Darkness Radio You Tube page:  https://www.youtube.com/@DRTimDennis #paranormal  #supernatural  #metaphysical  #paranormalpodcasts  #darknessradio  #timdennis #danielbourke #telepathictales #precognitionandclairvoyanceinlegenclyricandlore  #death #ghosts  #spirits  #spectres #hauntings  #demons #apparitions #tokens #visions #messengers #angels #guardianangels #spiritguides #Psychics #mediums #empaths #grief #loss #deathandmourning #soulcontracts #dreams #shaman #medicinemen #healing #signs #intuition  #neardeatheexperience