Sin Scéal Eile

It’s a misty, grey day down in Galway. I met Eamonn at the Blackrock diving board, a place that so many people find comfort and solace in. Eamonn, who has bounced between Galway and Dublin his whole life, swims here every day, even throughout the winter. He’s just come out of the water when I met him, even though it’s absolutely baltic. Eamonn is an advocate for mental health and has been an ambassador for many charities. He speaks at events, and festivals and he presents talks in workplaces. Eamonn has the unique perspective of being able to speak from lived experience. Eamonn’s life seems to centre around volunteering for various charities. He keeps himself busy by helping others in any way that he can. He’ll be the first to raise his hand for a fundraiser, no matter what the event is. He’ll try his hand at anything if he thinks it’ll make an impact or help even just one person. You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When I arrived to Ballycastle and we checked into our incredible accommodation (shout out to Yarn Ballycastle) there was some sourdough bread and wee pistachio cakes left for us. Let me tell you this, those cakes were the best thing I’ve ever tasted and I instantly needed to meet the woman behind them. Ursa Minor bakery is just a stones throw from the Yarn and inside you’ll find the bakery in the basement and a café and a very cute shop upstairs selling the finest foodie products our island has to offer.I met Ciara in the Ursa Minor bakery school where she told me how the cafe came to be. It's a beautiful story filled with romance, community vibes and soulful food.Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s unusual to hear of big families these days, so when Cheyanne contacted me and told me she was one of 15, I jumped at the chance to chat to her. Her story is incredibly positive, growing up in a small house filled with love and bunk beds. She’s very proud of all that she has achieved in life, including her place at Uni, but credits her Mother above all else for her success. Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever wondered about owning a campervan? Lorcan has had 4 in his lifetime, and like myself, absolutely adores the lifestyle. It was great to meet a fellow campervan obsessive and really get to the nitty gritty of why we’re ‘mad for road’. Unlike me, Lorcan likes a compact and stealthy van, something neat that he can fit into his driveway. What we totally agree on though is the utter relief you get when you park up somewhere new, open the door to an epic view, and crack a cold drink and watch the sunset. Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt is a joy to be around, a real buzzer and total chatter. He’s Australian originally, but only very recently got his Irish citizenship and is only delighted with himself. We talk about what it means to be Irish. It’s the first sunny day of the year, which is probably why we’re both in a great moon and together we gush over this fab Island and all who inhabit it. Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I feel a bit underprepared when I meet Ria and listen to her speak. She’s incredibly informed, confident and articulate, referencing book after book. I’m in awe of her knowledge.She’s an Irish, Jewish pro-Palestinian artist and activist, who works in NCAD (where she also studied). Her heritage has informed her practice as an artist, but also who she is as a person. She’s determined to speak her mind, even if it offends some of her own family (who would hold opposite political views). Working as both a lecturer and a journalist, she’s eager to make people understand that being Jewish, does not equate to being a Zionist and in turn, being anti-Israel, is not antisemitic. Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Usually at 6am, I’m getting into bed, not getting out of bed, putting on all my layers, and heading to a rowing club. I’m reluctant to say the least, especially as Galway has it’s trademark mist making my face glossy and freezing.However, I will admit, as soon as we passed the river and reached the lake, everything got eerily peaceful and I began to understand the draw of rowing. Colin has been rowing out here for decades and he’s currently the President of the Tribesmen Rowing Club in Galway. He rows for many reasons. For socialising, accountability, and to keep himself both physically and mentally healthy. It seems like the perfect activity to meet new, like-minded people who can become life-long friends. It’s also a great way to keep yourself out of the pub (rowing at 6am after a night out would obviously be all kinds of hell).Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I met Siobhán in St Anne’s Park, it was cold, but refreshing. She doesn’t remember what she wrote on her application form to be in this project, and she’s a bit surprised I chose to interview her. For me, it’s so important to include Siobhán as she describes herself as “ordinary” which is precisely who this project is designed for.“I feel a need to truly be "seen". I would never normally put myself forward for something like this but I'm moving into a new decade and I think it's OK to ask to be considered. An ordinary woman, an ordinary life, but I'm still here. I still matter.”I sat with Siobhán first not knowing what we’d talk about. I had asked her if there were any similarities between when she had a child at 21 and her next child at 37, then the topic quickly revealed itself as postpartum depression. Within 10 minutes of meeting we were deep into an incredibly sensitive conversation. The emotions, thoughts, symptoms she described to me sound utterly horrendous and I felt embarrassed for not previously understanding the complexity of postnatal depression. In a world where community nurses are extremely overstretched and the focus is primarily on the beautiful new baby, Siobhán thinks it’s important to check in with new mums. To ask them honestly and outright “Do you think you might be depressed?” when you think things are a bit off. You could save them so much pain and anguish and start them on their journey to getting help.. Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joyful, colourful, wonderful. Virtue is a Galway shop-keeper (but I really feel we should call her a shop-maker, as she makes a lot of things she sells). In her gorgeous shop on Dominick Street, she has a vibrant mix of Ghanian patterns, symbols and fabrics, paired with traditional Irish tweed and little dots of Gaeilge all around. Her ethos in the store is all about legacy and heritage. Making long lasting, high quality pieces, that not only tell a story, but can be handed down to the next generation. Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Galway has a certain type of rain that feels wetter than anywhere else in Ireland. The streaks of thick rain flow sideways across the huge windows of Barry’s painting studio, which is nestled in the Connemara landscape. Everywhere I look, inside and out, there’s warm colours of rust, green and stone grey, both in his paintings, his outfit and outside the windows, all unmistakably Connemara. We talk through Barry’s process as an artist. He tends to wear two hats in life, one as a successful touring trad musician, the other as an equally successful painter, both roles influencing each other. Elements of nature seeping deep into every aspect of his work. Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This project is an archive of 2026 and designed, not to serve me (the photographer) but you, the reader, the everyday people of Ireland. When Julie wrote to me and asked if she could use the project to remember her son, Zach, and record his name in print, I of course said yes. Zach was just 14 when he died in a road traffic accident. Julie tells me that he was a very chilled, compassionate and quiet boy. He was on the cusp of his true teenage years and just about to grow taller than his Dad (no mean feat at 6 foot 1).We talk about grief and there's no amount of imagination that will ever let me comprehend the pain of losing a child. What I do understand though is that Julie is an incredibly strong person, who is braving each day and making sure her family are as happy as they possibly can be, and that Zach lives on through all of them.Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I met Pat in his home in rural Galway and instantly I’m taken with his sense of style, not just in how he dresses but how he has decorated his home. It’s obvious it’s a home that appreciates art and music. He tells me what it was like being a teenager, leaving Dundalk and moving to Dublin at a time when he was too young to even get into bars. He’s lived a full life, 69 years of travelling, volunteering, playing music (even the odd bit of smoking weed) but he feels he’s kept young by his second wife (20 years his junior) and his beautiful kids. He now fills his days dishing out hot lunches to the kids in his daughter's primary school. —--------You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aoife is lovely, calm, happy, and polite. All the things I could never be if I had been through what she has been through. She has suffered for over a decade with chronic Lyme disease, something she believes picked up while gardening in Galway. It seems such an innocuous start to an experience that has been both devastating and life-changing for her. The chronic form of Lyme disease that experts in Germany finally diagnosed her with isn’t formally recognised in Ireland and many other states. This means that patients in these countries have to battle to get the care they need, whilst also battling the debilitating fatigue that is a classic symptom of their condition. Her story makes me upset, angry and utterly concerned for the rest of the public who are, like I was, completely unaware of the damage that an untreated tick bite can do. With life on the move (and with a dog) we’ve been encouraged to learn more about safety measures we can take from here on in. Here’s a brief explainer from the HSE if you’d like to learn more.Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who knew, that tucked away down a very unassuming wee road, in rural Galway, there would be a house, and behind the house, a cheese factory! Larry retired from the hustle and bustle in Dublin’s inner city, and migrated West with his wife Anne. Fascinated with the process of cheese making, Larry chipped in with a pal on some goats. He then got more goats, and more goats, until he had 64 of them, all being milked out the back of the house. His business boomed, winning food awards left right and centre. He has since transitioned to cow’s milk, which he collects from a woman down the road. He’ll don his white lab coat and play around with new flavours to keep himself entertained, his new truffle variety is apparently quite amazing. Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. RxSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m not just meeting strangers for this project, although the majority of 365 people I interview will be new to me. This week I sat down with my cousin, Paul, as he was keen to share his story with the world. Paul is 7 years older than me so we didn’t hang out a lot when we were younger. I always thought that he was cool, his bedroom was in the attic, he had dreadlocks and played guitar. I always knew he was adopted (and so did he). It was something that was never really mentioned, never made a big deal about, but not shrouded in secrecy either. Paul wants to chat today to normalise talking about adoption. “It's about demystifying the whole thing. I think what we're suffering from still is the idea that adoption needs to be a secret. I only know myself and one other person who've publicly announced that they're adopted.” Paul considers himself very fortunate that when he decided to trace his biological mother, the process was relatively easy, as she too was looking for him, but it’s not something he entered into lightly. “There are so many different stakeholders who are going to be impacted by this process.You’re keen, the birth mother is keen. But I've got siblings, I’ve got children, and all of those people need to be considered.”Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gospel music is something that has totally passed me by, except for the odd Sister Act marathon in my childhood. Seeing a gospel choir in full swing is amazing craic. Watching the choir's director, Keara, make it come to life with her sharp movements and blinding smile is truly fascinating. She lets her personality shine through via her faith, her gospel choir and her fashion style too.She’s been directing her choir in Galway City since she was 28, but has been singing in churches her whole life. She speaks passionately about her faith, residing somewhere deep in Catholicism but with the added energetic bounce of Pentecostalism. You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xR#SinScéalEileSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seamus is a breath of fresh air. He's over 6 foot, ripped, owns a kick boxing gym but absolutely radiates a beautiful energy full of positive masculinity.From his travels around the world as a “mindful rambler”, taking tantric classes with Dutch gigilos and teaching self defence classes in his local community, he has a very unique and enviable perspective on life.After meeting him (and doing some nifty breathing exercises) I feel centered and very confident that there's amazing men out there like Séamus, who look out for new generations and improve every world they inhabit.Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meeting Paul is so inspiring. Here’s a 48 year old man who recently started a brand new hobby which has utterly changed his life. Diagnosed with ADHD late in life, he began what he describes as a period of mourning, followed by investigation, education and eventually aerial silks. Now you’ll find him swinging from the rafters with a brand new lease of life. Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s safe to say I’ve never met a man in a kilt at a jumping church before. It was 3 degrees outside when we stood amongst the graves in the jumping church (named so after the walls “jumped” three feet to exclude a tortured soul from its burial grounds) and my feet were freezing to the ground. I'm not sure how Eddie coped with his bare knees. Eddie is a self described “field person”. He’s spent 30 years in fields across the world, running the bars at festivals (including my beloved Glastonbury). We chatted about the buzz of festivals, how they’re such an inherent part of our culture , one that’s unfortunately at risk of being swept up into the corporate world. Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We drove through what at times felt like a film set and found ourselves on a beautiful (albeit muddy) patch of land just outside Baltinglass. The rain gave us some grace as we pulled into a long driveway, making sure to close the fence and not let the horses out. We met Paul with his partner of 17 years Martina, their dog, cats and 4 horses in their cosy home (you’d never know it was a refurbished ruin).We have a very chilled conversation which concludes with a lovely thought, that sometimes success isn’t career goals, promotions and money. Success can be logging off at 5pm and heading out to care for the animals, with your partner by your side (and a birthday cake for Andromeda, the much loved, 37 year old horse).Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, Go to SinScealEile.ie for more information.If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee. xRSin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.