Many of you are married. Many of you kiss the other half goodbyein morning, go to work, and regale each other with stories of theday when you reunite over dinner in the evening. Dee Woods doesnot. She goes to work every day with her husband, Marty Miller(episode 27 of this podcast) to do Morning Glory, the breakfastshow on Radio Nova. Dee and Marty…

On this week's show it was a pleasure to chat with Adam Buxton.Normally the podcasts are recorded in our studio in Dublin, butbecause Adam was not, and is not to this day, in Dublin, we used athing called ipDTL which makes it sound like we're in the sameplace. I wanted to talk to him not simply because he is a verytalented and entertaining man, but…

Jim O’Neill has one of the most distinctive voices on Irish radio. It’s deep man, deeeeeep. Depending on your age you might remember him from RTE Radio 2 with his sidekick ‘Thing’, or from his time with Century Radio or 98FM. Today he’s with Today FM presenting ‘On the road’, classic anthems and great driving music. We chat about his start in radio…

Simon Maher was one of the original founders of Phantom, the popular 'Indie' radio station. It began in a bedroom, moved to a garden shed, and after many years of trying, was awarded a licence in 2004. Due to an objection by another party, the station's launch was delayed for almost two years, before it hit the airwaves in 2006. At first things loo…

Hey folks, sorry for the delay between the last episode and this one. Sometimes life and work and other stuff you can't move gets in the way. My guest today is journalist Dion Fanning. He's a hugely experienced football writer, and for many years was the Chief Football Writer at the Sunday Independent. Now, he's left London after 20 years to return…

My guest on the show today is the third member of the Second Captains crew to drop into studio. After Eoin McDevitt (ep 11) and Ken Early (ep 15), Ciaran 'Murph' Murphy is next to chat about his rise to internet broadcasting based stardom. We talk about how he got started in the media as family connections inspired and then employed him. A stint in…

My guest today is Eoghan McDermott, currently the presenter of the drive-time show on 2FM. Turns out he grew up just up the road from me – but obviously not at the same time. I was grown up when he was growing up, but still! We chat about his first forays into the media world, doing a weekend Irish language kids TV show on TG4. He then had to apply…

When a man brings his own headphones to an interview, you know you're about to sit down with somebody interesting. Morgan C Jones is an actor, writer, producer, voice-over artist, stand-up comedian and probably a few others things as well. We chat about why he brings his own cans to interviews and VO sessions, and discover he's revisiting our studi…

Sorry this episode is a day late. I try my best to stick to the Monday schedule, but sometimes life, work, or more work or extra life gets in the way. Still, I think the fact we had an election last Friday and I've got a new episode out on a Tuesday before they've finished counting all the votes puts it in perspective. My guest today is Andy Presto…

This week I was delighted to be joined by Síle Seoige, radio presenter, TV presenter, MC, actress, singer, yoga teacher ... she does a lot. We chat about her media career, starting at 19 and being thrown in at the very deep end with little or no training. We touch on dealing with life in the public eye, and how she caught the eye of a major Hollywo…

Kevin Branigan is the Chief Executive at Radio Nova 100 Dublin. He's also one of the first guys I ever did radio with back when we were just teenagers broadcasting from high up the Dublin mountains. I couldn't remember how it was we got together, so to speak, but Kevin's memory of a late night phone call to Radio Dublin, where I was working at the …

My guest on the show this week is writer Belinda McKeon. Her debut novel 'Solace' (2011), won the Irish Book of the Year award at the Irish book awards, and her second book 'Tender' was published last year. Having read both of them very recently, and really enjoyed them, it was great to chat with Belinda about the books, writing, teaching and more.…

My guest this week is 2FM presenter Tracy Clifford. She began her radio career, like so many of us, in the pirate world – this was the era of the 90s dance stations. She went to Ballyfermot to 'study', and almost immediately after leaving there landed a job as a news presenter/editor on East Coast radio. From there she worked on the breakfast show,…

If you're of a certain vintage you'll remember Mike Moloney as one of the mainstays of late night radio in Dublin, and in Ireland. As presenter of The Night Train, when Mark Cagney wasn't doing it, and later Moloney after Midnight, his voice and music choices were an essential part of the radio landscape for years. Mike Moloney began his radio care…

Some of you will know that part of what I do to earn a living is voice-over work. So, it was a real pleasure to chat this week to one of the legends of the Irish voice-over scene. Jonathan Ryan did his first gig back in the 80s, and he's been a mainstay behind the mic ever since. If you're in Ireland, you'll almost certainly recognise his voice whe…

My guest on the show this week is Cormac Battle who, if you're young enough, you'll know as a presenter on 2FM in his own right, and as co-presenter and 'man who comes up with surreal ideas' on the Rick O'Shea show. However, you might remember him from such bands as Kerbdog and Wilt, and we discuss his life as a musician, sending out demos and gett…

Today my guest is Leagues O'Toole, whose main gig right now is as a promoter with Aiken Promotions. Chances are you've been to one of his gigs at some point, and we start by discussing US comedians, like Marc Maron and Anthony Jesselnik, who have played in Dublin in recent times. Leagues is also a writer, so there's chat about how he got started by…

It's an absolute pleasure to welcome Tara Flynn back to the show this week. We first 'casted way back in episode 2, and so much has happened since that I had to ask her back on. In that first episode we talked a bit about social issues, such as the marriage referendum, and this year Tara spoke and wrote very openly and eloquently about her experien…

Hey folks, welcome to episode 50 of the podcast. A bit of a landmark, you have to say. If you've been here since the start, thanks very much for listening. If you're new to the show, check out the archives for some amazing chats with people like Marc Maron, Dara O'Briain, Tara Flynn, Jon Ronson, and loads more. Remember, you can follow the show on …

You might remember Nails Mahoney from such radio stations as Sunshine 101, Atlantic 252, 2FM, and 98FM to name just a few. His radio career has been long and varied, and in this episode I chat to him about his start in the industry as a rookie pirate, being given his current moniker by Wild Bill at Sunshine 101 when that station went 'hot hits', to…

On this week's show I chat with Donal Dineen who first came to prominence on the seminal music video show No Disco on RTE 2. He moved from there into radio, finding himself at the helm of two hugely influential shows. Firstly, Here Comes The Night on Radio Ireland, and Small Hours on Today FM. Donal chats about how life as the 'psychedelic black sh…

Bernard Butler is a musician and record producer, known to lots of us as the guitarist with Suede, before that all went a bit wonky. Others might know the song 'Yes', by McAlmont and Butler, as one that became something of an anthem around the time of the marriage referendum earlier this year. Aside from that he's played and/or produced with the li…

It was an honour this week to chat to a real legend of Irish radio, Ian Dempsey. Ian began his career like many others on the first wave of pirate stations in Dublin, including ARD. He joined RTE in 1980 and was 2FM's most successful breakfast jock ever, and since his departure they've never really managed to find anyone to replace him properly. He…

If you're a lover of sport and radio, you'll be well aware of today's guest. Colm Parkinson is a former Gaelic Footballer, turned broadcaster. He's part of the Off The Ball team on Newstalk every evening, and by his own admission he can be a bit divisive due to his forthright opinions. I spoke with him about his playing career; the difficulties of …

Today's guest is singer/songwriter Daniel Anderson. You might have caught a recent YouTube video which saw him go door to door around Dublin to try and sell the record he'd made. It was a clever and innovative way to generate some buzz about his work, and a successful one too as he sold out within a couple of days. The story of how he made the reco…

My guest on the show today is Dave Moore. You'll know him as part of the dynamic duo, Dermot and Dave, and their work on 98FM and now every weekday from midday on Today FM. I've spoken to quite a few radio people for this podcast, and the stories of how they got into the business have always been interesting, but quite similar. A love of radio or m…

One of the great accomplishments of my life will be tell people I've interviewed so many people who have Wikipedia entries. Maybe one day I'll have one of my own, in the meantime I can live vicariously through my guests. According to the online encyclopedia, my guest today is 'an Irish screenwriter and television producer known for his work on Iris…

I have to admit I always find it a bit strange when I sit down with somebody I know to do a podcast. I just think it's easier when it's someone I haven't met before. I've known Sinead Gleeson since the blog explosion in the early-mid 2000s, when we all had to answer the question 'What's a blog?' every time we talked about it. Now everyone know what…

My guest today needs absolutely no introduction, but I'll give him one anyway. As one of Ireland's most successful comedians he's filled venues up and down the country and, of course, in the UK where he's now based. Dara O'Briain is a regular on the telly with shows like Mock the Week, The Apprentice: you're fired, Stargazing and Dara and Ed's Big …

My guest this week is a stand-up comedian, broadcaster and writer Abie Philbin Bowman. We chat about his career, and why he didn’t go to the Edinburgh festival despite having a hit show there a few years ago. We discuss comedy as career, the comedy scene in Ireland (on TV and radio), how married life has changed him and his work, and loads more. It…

My guest this week is a writer of books who, by his own admission, doesn't read fiction. He writes for TV without being a dedicated television watcher, and has spent most of his life as playwright despite the fact he's only ever seen a couple of plays. His methods, in general, are what you might call unconventional. But Paul O'Brien's story is litt…

Louise O'Neill's debut novel, 'Only ever yours', was published in 2014. Her second book, 'Asking for it', was launched last month and has garnered rave reviews and feedback in the short time since. 'Brave, clever, provocative but relentless', said the Irish Times, while the Guardian said, ‘This may only be her second book, but it’s clear that O’Nei…

We all know what it's like to be a fan of somebody creative. A singer, songwriter, actor, playwright, poet, whatever it is, sometimes somebody's work just resonates with you. That's very much the case with Marc Maron whose show has become a huge part of my life since I discovered it a few years ago. Mondays and Thursdays provide new episodes, gleef…

On today’s show I meet author Jax Miller whose debut novel ‘Freedom’s Child’ is in shops now and causing quite a stir.She talks very openly and candidly about the heartbreak that prompted her to write the book, why the act of writing was essentially a life-saver for her, and how the instant success has been tough to deal with. We chat about how the…

My guest today is Hugh Linehan, Digital Development Editor of the Irish Times. Previously he was Online Editor there. We discuss starting in journalism, and how he became so involved with the online side of the publication. At a time when newspaper sales are falling, we talk about how the Irish Times, along with other traditional media outlets, are…

My guest on this week's show is 2FM presenter Louise McSharry. She talks about how she got her breakthrough in radio through persistence and a bit of brass neck, becoming the breakfast show presenter for iRadio, moving to RTE and her hopes for the music show she does every weeknight from 8pm - 10pm. We also discuss her upbringing, dealing with loss…

So back in the day, when blogging was the thing all the cool kids did, Lisa McInerney set up one called 'The Arse End of Ireland'. Using the moniker of 'Sweary Lady' it was a showcase of her writing talent, both comedic and serious, and it become one of the most popular blogs in Ireland. The plan, however, was to use the power of blogging to become…

No doubt many of you who are into podcasts are well aware of Jarlath Regan. His show 'An Irishman abroad' hit the ground running when his first episode topped the iTunes charts, and since then he's gone from strength to strength, interviewing people like Boy George, Niall Quinn, Aidan Gillen and loads more. Jarlath was in town last week for the Vod…

My guest this week is Adrian Kennedy who, for 17 years, was the host of the nightly FM 104 phone show. Having spent so long with that station, it's not a huge surprise that relations were strained when he decided to leave to join arch-rival 98FM, but the fall-out from that decision and the way it has affected some friendships has left a bitter tast…

My guest this week is author Donal Ryan. His breakout book 'The Spinning Heart' was long-listed for the Booker Prize and won the Guardian's First Book Award in 2013. It captured small town Ireland at the height of the recession, and the way it affected individuals, families, communities and more. That was followed up by a second novel 'The thing ab…

Ryle Nugent is obviously well known for his commentary work on Irish rugby, and he combines that role with that of Head of RTÉ Sport so he's a busy man.Ryle and I go way back, to when we were in the last throes of our teenage years, studying Broadcasting and Journalism at Senior College, Ballyfermot. We go back to those old days, talk about the ped…

The radio world in Ireland is quite small, and considering the stations he's been at – and when – it was a surprise to me that I'd never met Marty Miller before.It turns out that his departure from East Coast radio in 1994 more or less left the door open for me to take his job in the production department there the following year. Having begun his …

Mark O'Halloran is an Irish scriptwriter and actor, well known for writing and starring in Adam and Paul. He also wrote Garage, with Pat Shortt, and the TV series Prosperity which was directed by Lenny Abrahamson (episode 19).Currently he's starring in 'Shadow of a Gunman' in the Abbey Theatre. Mark came to the Castaway studios last week to talk ab…

Steve K has been a presenter on Spin 1038 for the last 13 years, taking the show from the early days of the station to the number 1 in the drive-time slot in Dublin. Having worked with Steve in KISS FM many years ago this is no surprise. He was always a brilliant DJ so it was fantastic to catch up with him after 21 years. When KISS closed down, we …

Declan Meehan began his broadcasting career in a friend's wardrobe. Bitten by the pirate radio bug in his youth, his first station was Radio Vanessa in the early 1970s.Arrested and charged with being a pirate in 1972, he worked for BigD and ARD as the stations came back on air, before moving to Sunshine and then to Radio Nova where he formed a grea…

Amanda Brunker has been in the public eye since the age of 17 when she won Miss Ireland.Since then she's worked as a model, a newspaper columnist, a radio presenter and, by her own admission, appeared on nearly every reality TV show ever made in Ireland. The first of her three novels, Champagne Kisses, was launched by Bono, and she's recently writt…

John Kelly is synonymous with Irish arts broadcasting. Currently he presents the John Kelly Ensemble every weekday on Lyric FM, and has presented The View and The Works on RTE television. Previously, he presented the ground-breaking Eclectic Ballroom on Radio Ireland/Today FM and Mystery Train on RTE Radio 1. As well as that he's a writer and his l…

Jon Ronson's latest book – So you've been publicly shamed – revolves around the re-emergence of public shaming as an Internet phenomenon. How is it that somebody with few Twitter followers can post a not very funny 'joke', and hours later become publicly online enemy number 1? No doubt you've read extracts, but if you haven't yet got the book I can…

Scott De Buitléir was the presenter of The Cosmo, a show for the LGBT community, on RTE Pulse for six and half years until he recently announced his departure.Part of the reason for that was the upcoming marriage referendum and how the requirement for balance from the state broadcaster was at odds with his show. We discuss the reasons for that deci…

A few months back I was at an event at which Lenny Abrahamson was receiving an award so, as you do, I thought I'd chance my arm and ask him if he might do the podcast.Very graciously he said he would as soon as his schedule allowed, and last week he came to the studio to talk about his career, and why he decided to quit Stanford University – where …