Armagh I Podcast

At the tender age of fifteen it was clear to Libby Clarke that sales was the route for her, however, a change of product was on the cards. In the fourth and final episode of our Female Entrepreneur series, in partnership with Tarasis Enterprises – Supporting Female Entrepreneurs – we speak to the Portadown businesswoman who explains how property was not her first dabble in sales. Growing up with a farming background, cattle was always Libby's first passion and she recalls selling her first property at fifteen. Following Libby's father's retirement, the keen saleswoman took on a role with the then branded Joyce Estate Agents in 2002. Fast forward to 2010, Joyce Clarke was born following a buy out of the business. Libby explains the process as a "seamless transaction" and tells us how some of the team are key to the success of the business. Cash flow, IT systems, long hours and mortgage changes are all part of normal working life - not to mention a farm at home which Libby manages herself.

It is not always clear what the future holds. Plans are laid down and ideas cultivated but life often has a way of reshaping those plans. This is the third episode of our four part series, in partnership with Tarasis Enterprises, Supporting Female Entrepreneurs. In 2019, Benburb-based beautician Sinead O’Donnell was hard at work laying the foundations for her own brand of self-tanning products. Then, in 2020 with the onset of the Covid Pandemic her world was suddenly upended with the untimely and tragic passing of her beloved father, Patrick Hughes. Despite her incredible heartache, Sinead was acutely aware that her dad would not have wanted her to put paid to her new venture. So, with his devotion to her in mind, she decided to dedicate her line to his memory and thus PH20 Tanning was born. Two years on, Sinead has continued to develop her line. PH20 is currently being stocked by over 5o retailers, secured by none-other than Sinead herself, and is set to launch a new and exciting product in the very near future. With her sunny disposition, radiantly positive outlook on life and her quiet grit and determination it is patently clear that this female entrepreneur has a glowing future in business ahead of her.

What do you need to start a business? Qualifications, money, a business plan? Not according to long-standing Armagh based hairstylist and salon owner, Petra Carroll. Petra's is the second episode of our four part series, in partnership with Tarasis Enterprises, Supporting Female Entrepreneurs. 'Conventional' would not be the word to describe Petra. Her route to business, whilst not perhaps a stereotypical journey, is a reassuring one. She demonstrates that the key to success is intrinsic. It’s something she believes we all hold. Petra champions those around her and places huge emphasis on the importance of the help and support she has received across her years in business. This support is something she is now keen to provide to those coming next, her team and her customer base. Through shamanic healing and ‘energy medicine’ Petra has a zest and love for life that is nothing short of infectious. She has found a balance between business and pleasure that has allowed her to see life through a new lens. Her advice to fledgling entrepreneurs, also a tad unconventional, is perhaps some of the best and most actionable advice for anyone thinking of starting out on their own.

Most people can say that they have inherited something significant from an elderly relative, but few can say they have inherited a passion. Emma Stinson, of Richhill Co. Armagh, has inherited just that from her beloved Grandfather Jackie Stinson, saddler and restorer extraordinaire. This is the first of our four part series, in partnership with Tarasis Enterprises, Supporting Female Entrepreneurs.

For all intents and purposes, Sean Cavanagh is a son of Tyrone – a former county captain, three All-Ireland medals, five All-Stars; the list of accolades goes on. So much so, he says his parents' home is like a sporting monument; his own home, you would struggle to tell he played football at all. But strangely enough, Sean says his affinity – certainly off the sporting fields – lies on the Armagh side of the River Blackwater... Listen to Sean's story in business and how he keeps growing, despite the many challenges he faces – including a fire in his Moy premises within months of going out on his own – and how he balances his life between home and work - it certainly hasn't been easy! 

In 2019 Martin Carvill was on a life support machine battling for survival against oesophageal cancer. Three years later, almost to the day, since Martin underwent surgery, he won the singles championship title in the Banbridge and District Darts League. During the previous decade the world-class dart thrower was at the top of his game - a regular on the World Darts circuit and competing well in events like the Dutch, Belgium and Czech Opens, along with winning countless tournaments and trophies around Ireland as well as in Newry, with whichever team was lucky enough to have him. One of the only people who believed he would ever play darts again – especially at the level he had done – was Martin himself. Martin has been practising Mindfulness for 20-odd years and in the last 10 of those he developed a keen interest in Buddhism. It’s an on-going long and painful road back from the cancer that ravaged his body, but there’s no better man to overcome that obstacle than Martin, as the two words that fuel his life are ‘belief’ and ‘fear’ – the former a force that he says has helped him succeed in the darts world and in his recovery, and the latter the thing that he feels holds people back from reaching their goals. For this week’s podcast, Martin talks about his journey, since his cancer diagnosis and after the miraculous surgeries that couldn’t have been done a few years earlier. He battled through the doubts both from within and from fellow darts players when he decided to give up drink in 2016… But the biggest battle was still to come. Martin explains how Mindfulness and Buddhism has helped him through the  challenges he has overcome. He tells us all about his darts career and how he and other top dart players really need sponsors to come on board for the little it costs them in relative terms.

The KBRT logo can be seen on GAA jersey’s from Crossmaglen to Kilcoo and even across the water in San Francisco. The little bird emblem is significant for Kevin Bell’s parents Collie and Eithne whose charitable organisation, The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust [KBRT] is their son’s legacy. Kevin was killed in a hit and run car accident in New York in 2013 and it took a network of family, friends and the community home and abroad to gather the funds needed to repatriate his body home to his loved ones in just three days. The extraordinary generosity of those who donated to the Bell family at such a horrific time of grief inadvertently led to Collie and Eithne establishing KBRT. The charity has brought home the bodies of over 1300 people from around the world since then. For this week’s podcast, Collie explains how it all began and how the charity evolved over the years. He talks about his son Kevin and how KBRT is not only his legacy but also cathartic in some ways for his family. On a happier note, Collie and Eithne did have a little bit of luck a few years ago and Collie tells us all about that too…      

In 2008 Therese Hughes stayed in the Ritz, had afternoon tea at the House of Commons and was invited to to Buckingham Palace where HRH  Prince Charles awarded her an MBE as a recipient in the Queen’s Honours list for her work with the Health Services in Northern Ireland. That work included a compassionate practical solution to people suffering from hair loss - often due to the side effects of chemotherapy. Sometimes it’s the little things that help when a person is seriousl ill, and sometimes, in cases like the non-life-threatening condition alopecia, the service provided by Tresses Wig and Hairpiece Boutique can also be life-changing. Therese comes from a large family of 14 children and began her hairdressing career as a young teenager when she learned her trade in Scissors hairdressers in Newry. She opened her very own salon at the tender age of nineteen and 17 years later, when a client was in need of a wig, Therese went on a mission to find one in London. With the help of an Orthodox Jew she did, and with that the seed was sown to fulfil a want deep in her soul. In 1998 Therese opened Tresses, the first wig and hairpiece boutique in the country, and the business went from strength to strength. She opened another boutique in Belfast and Therese established a relationship with the NHS, cementing that collaboration when she and a psychologist Professor Davidson in Belvoir Park Hospital set up the first dedicated  room that provided wigs and counselling services to patients suffering from hair loss, which was rolled out to hospitals all around the UK and Ireland. For this week’s podcast Therese tells Armagh I how she got where she is today and why she feels compelled to do what she does. She tells us all about that memorable weekend when she was handed her MBE by HRH Prince Charles. A story that includes a fake Chanel handbag, a secret handshake and a very famous celebrity she met on the day…

Covid lockdowns had their downsides, there’s no denying it, but for twenty-five year old Banbridge designer Ellen Mooney the solitude inspired her to be creative and do something positive. Ellen, who studied fashion design at University, dusted off her sewing machine and began creating her own brand of quirky hair scrunchies. Demand grew rapidly and before long Ellen had progressed from scrunchies to sweaters and was growing her own streetwear brand ELN. Functional, sustainable and extremely fashionable, Ellen tells us about the factors that are most important to her brand. We talk fast fashion and influencer culture as Ellen explains the societal trends that shaped her vision, for not only the clothing line, but her own approach to branding and marketing.

An average of over seven million viewers are hooked on ITV crime drama The Bay, which first aired in 2019. The show, set in the small seaside town of Morecambe in Lancaster, is on its third season, with a fourth in the works. And the man behind the critically acclaimed and hugely popular whodunnit was born and bred right here in Armagh. Daragh Carville brought the complex characters and stories to life as writer and co-creator of The Bay and while it’s probably his best-known work, the screenwriter, playwright and university lecturer has produced plenty of fine work over the years. The recipient of numerous awards from stage to screen, Daragh has more than proven that he is a true talent. His first feature film, Middletown, was nominated in nine categories at the Irish Film and Television Awards in 2007, including Best Film and Best Screenplay, with Irish actress Eva Birthistle winning Best Actress. And his second film, Cherrybomb’ starring Harry Potter’s  Rupert Grint, Love /Hate alumnus Robert Sheehan and our very own James Nesbitt, also picked up awards at the Berlin and Belfast Film Festival. The theatre is where it all started for Daragh, but whatever the platform, his works have translated successfully on radio, and stage as well as on the big and small screen. Daragh is a proud Armagh man, a place that he still calls home despite settling in Lancaster with his novelist wife Jo Baker and their two children. The family come back to Armagh regularly to visit and  it’s in Armagh where his career began. He says writing was a vocation for him, with an innate love of film, music, books, comics and art pulling him in that direction. But it was a special and inspirational English teacher in St Pat’s Armagh, who encouraged Daragh to pursue his interests. That teacher nurtured his talents, and sent him on the path that led to the career that he loves. And for this week’s podcast, Daragh tells us how it all happened and allows us a glimpse into the mind of a successful writer.          

Born together, business partners forever. Over the last nine years entrepreneurial Banbridge twins Aaron and Andrew Burns have built themselves a remarkable business empire, now based in the heart of Markethill. This is Part Three in a four-part series of podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union. Astute and ambitious, the twins recognised their own set of skills early on and kick-started their journey into self-employment by leaning into what they were most passionate about, sports and nutrition, and established a multi-sports coaching company, Burns Skills School, in 2013. Fast forward nine years… the brothers now head up three thriving businesses, all housed under the one Old Barn roof. Yes, they are hugely successful, but as Andrew confesses… It wasn't always fair weather. From long drives to recruit clients, creating an office from a spare bedroom to the hardships of decision making with a sibling - they have been through it all. Not a pair to be easily defeated, they continued to ‘drive it on’ and, taking inspiration from their entrepreneurial father, Frank, they have now set sights on a new goal.

She grew up in Madden as Danielle Carragher, but since reaching back in time and taking her maternal great grandmother's long lost surname as her stage name, Dani Larkin was born. And it’s not just the name that Dani has adopted from the past. The Armagh singer/songwriter and musician’s songs also transcend time, steeped in Irelands ancient landscape, mythologies and folklore. Dani began writing at the age of 11 with a poem and since then years of working hard and performing , eventually saw her become the quintessential overnight success. Her debut album, ‘Notes For A Maiden Warrior’ was released in to 2021 to rave reviews. ‘striking debut,’ ‘stunning,’ ‘otherworldly,’ ‘powerful,’ ‘you can feel the music in your bones,’ are just a few accolades from the critics. A whirlwind year of touring home and abroad followed, amidst nominations  for ‘Best Album’ at this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize and ‘Best Emerging Artist’ at the RTE Folk Awards. She opened for Snow Patrol at sold-out London Palladium Theatre and Belfast’s Waterfront, and after performing at SXSW festival in Austin Texas, it was off to Vancouver before coming home to tour with Declan O’Rourke. Armagh I caught up with Dani, after she took a short breather in Galway, and she spoke about her life, her music and her philosophies on both. While she’s inspired by where she comes from and the legacies of the land, Dani, who has a degree in history and sociology and a masters in international conflict and cooperation, has also used her music to unite, working in places as far afield as Palestine, Indonesia and Columbia. It’s back on the road again closer to home in the coming months however, with Dani’s next tour kicking off on April 29 at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast, followed by a UK tour with Ye Vagabonds and some shows of her own. Tickets available at www.danilarkin.com

Anyone who has even the slightest interest in mountain biking will know the name Glyn O’Brien. The Newry man is a legend in the sport, and  for good reason. Glyn’s racing career spans the 90’s to the present day, and he’s crammed in plenty over the decades. He raced the UCI Downhill World Cup circuit from 1997 to 2006, and in 2009 came second I the World Masters Downhill Championships. But in 2003 Glyn lost the plot altogether – taking himself off to Utah where he competed in the Red Bull Rampage – and finished an incredible third. Legendary status confirmed, Glyn still went back for more the following year. Just in case you’re not clear exactly what this event consists of, Glyn describes it as ‘basically jumping of a cliff on a bike.’ And he’s not joking - check out the footage on YouTube. When he’s not hurling himself off mountains Glyn is immersed in the business end of the sport, working with Vitus Bikes a s a Brand Ambassador and founder of the Vitus First Tracks team, coaching and, oh yeah – he’s also been a fireman for the past 14 years. In fact Glyn took gold at the World Police and Fire Games in Canada in 2011 and again at home in Northern Ireland in 2013. Whenever he can though Glyn can be found riding the local trails in Bigwood or at the Mountain Bike Trail Centre in Kilbroney Park - which he was involved in setting up in 2013. Armagh I caught up with Glyn when he came down from a day’s work in Rostrevor, filming with the new range of Vitus bikes at the top of the mountain. The fit-as-a-fiddle athlete wasn’t even out of breath as he talked about his love of downhill biking and adventure. Glyn tells us all about that memorable day in Utah, touches on the tricky topic of the dangers posed by walkers on the bike trails in Kilbroney Park, and how he would love to see the area expanded. There’s no sign of Glyn slowing down, as he gears up to compete in the first round of this year’s Irish Downhill Mountainbike Series , which takes place in Rostrevor next weekend, April 2 -3. The event is completely sold out, with mountain biking more popular than ever – and long may it last.

An innovative media company is putting Portadown on the map with their 360-degree technology and high quality video content helping local businesses stay ahead of the curve. Atmosphere Immersive Media was established by Gerda Visinskaite and her boyfriend Jake Bailey-Sloan. Jake set up The Mill, the indoor combat centre on Bleary Road, when he was just a teenager, but sadly passed away in October, at the age of just 23. This is Part Two in a four-part series of podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union. Armagh I caught up with Gerda Visinskaite and videographer Jakub Cervenak to hear about the origins of the business and how they are working to keep Jake's legacy alive. Gerda explained that Jake had hired Jakub, whilst he was still working as a pizza chef, to carry out some videography work at the Mill. Impressed by the work, a few years later Jake approached Jakub with the idea for Atmosphere Immersive. From the start they tried to set themselves apart from the rest, using 360° multi-lens camera technology to capture 8K photo and video content. It was not an instant success, with Gerda and Jakub explaining there was a lot of free work to begin with building up a portfolio but after this businesses began contacting them impressed by the output.

Armagh may be quite some distances from Naples, but one young entrepreneur is bringing perhaps the region's most important invention to the Orchard county. Matthew Sherry, a Co Monaghan native, set up shop (quite literally) in the city centre when he opened up his artisan pizza shop, Basil Lane, less than two months ago. This is Part One in a serial of Armagh I podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union. Matthew realised his dream of serving the woodfired delights whilst studying science at university in Dublin. It took just one bite of an artisan pizza and he knew this is what he wanted to be doing. The 26-year-old did finish his initial degree but then changed tact with a post grad in entrepreneurship, which helped with the basics. Not only does Matthew own the business but he also will be your chef and server at Basil Lan, which he believes ensures quality. So focused was he in making sure his pies where up to scratch, Matthew had his pizza oven shipped in from Italy, however, piecing it together proved a bit of a tougher task. He admits that there were reservations to begin with but he has been blown away by the support of other businesses and customers. Looking forward, Matthew does have dreams of growing the business with more premises but he wants to make sure that this would not be to the detriment of the quality of his pizzas.

Vincent Loughran has been a photographer in Armagh for the best part of 50 years. He's been there, done it and, as the saying goes, got the t-shirt. He's had his near misses too... Like life itself, it's been a rollercoaster; there has been the good the bad and, indeed, the very ugly. Fires, hijackings, bombings – The Troubles in general – have been juxtaposed against happier times. An avid Armagh GAA fan, Vincy was there for the All-Ireland triumph in 2002 and before that, the All-Ireland defeat to Dublin in the '77 final. The contrast he says was "unreal".  Times have changed but memories last a lifetime. Here, Vincy details some of those memories as he exhibits some of the most striking images he has captured over the years at the Aonach Mhacha Culture centre on Lower English Street. That event runs for another few weeks...and just like those photos, our chat is well-worth listening to. 

It's been a road well-travelled for one local gin distiller who has enjoyed a remarkable career; one which once had him at the forefront of the battle against the HIV pandemic.  Nowadays, you can find Ric Dyer distilling his beautifully crafted gin in a lab in Benburb. It's been an unconventional route for Ric, but his Symphonia Gin is fast becoming a household name in a saturated gin market; his story, like his liqueur, is a unique one.

The casualties of war are often unseen and that’s never been more apparent than in poverty-stricken Belarus. The country, tied up with Putin’s Russia, is ruled by dictator Alexander Lukashenko and its poorest and most vulnerable citizens are locked away in abysmal conditions in institutions and orphanages out of sight hidden in forests throughout the country. Belarus was the country most affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the fallout continues, as the  children –  who never grew old, watched their children suffer on with illness, disability and poverty. Chernobyl Aid Newry was founded in 1997 to support the  neglected children and families of Belarus. Jacinta Curran was a pharmacist when she happened upon the charity when one of its founders came in for supplies to take to Belarus. Her medical knowledge was requested and she joined Chernobyl Aid Newry in 2001. They work tirelessly helping the Institutions, orphanages and asylums, providing them with whatever they require. Before Covid the charity travelled bi-annually to Belarus with medical and food  supplies, clothing, money and they even built a half-way house – in poignant circumstances -  for a group of men who had been institutionalised since birth. While all of our focus is naturally on the Ukrainian people right now, things have gotten even worse for the poor in Belarus. Any meagre amount of funding these state-run institutions receive will now go to the military for Lukashenko’s support for Putin. For this week’s podcast Jacinta tells Armagh I just what it’s like in the forests of Belarus and all of the work that Chernobyl Aid Newry does to alleviate the suffering. The stories are harrowing but the urgency and genuine distress and love Jacinta feels for these people is palpable when you listen to her speak.  

Half-way up Chequer Hill in Newry sits an unassuming building that around six years ago was just a shell. Since then the space has been transformed into the hub of one of the most successful martial arts clubs in the country, with Northern Irelands TaeKwon-Do Master, Cathal Fegan at the helm. His Dojang training Centre is the epicentre of clubs the fourth Dan Black belt runs – from Dundalk to Silverbridge - with around 200 students of all ages. Cathal has been involved in martial arts since he was five years old and it didn’t take him long to discover that TaeKwon-Do was the discipline for him. The walls of the Newry club are covered in pictures of founders, masters and inspirational leaders, alongside words of wisdom in Korean – the country where Tae Kwon Do was born. The Silverbridge man is passionate about spreading his knowledge throughout the community. He found his own way of giving back during the first lockdown by teaching classes to NHS workers and teachers to help with their mental health. Cathal is the current  world and 10-time All-Ireland Champion, and although it took him 10 years, he finally convinced the council to set up free introductory self-defence classes for girls on the back of  Ashling Murphy’s tragic murder. Spirituality and building a more peaceful world is at the heart of martial arts. It’s about technique and skill rather than physical size. For this week’s podcast, Cathal tells Armagh I all about the origins of Tae Kwon-Do, it’s place in our society, the success of his club and his students and how he hopes to expand the sport and spread the word.

For this week's podcast, I spoke with Culloville's Kieran Quinn of Co Armagh sporting goods brand 'Playr-Fit'. Kieran, alongside his business partner and friend Steven Burns, from Lurgan, started the brand having worked together for a number of years prior to the launch. It was a punt; a leap of faith that, despite Covid, has produced some serious results since.  A pandemic and an exiling of spectator sport did not stop the in their tracks; in fact, they grew bigger and stronger, against the odds. By chance, the pair brought in Monaghan GAA goalkeeper Rory Beggan, when they weren't planning on hiring...that was the catalyst for further growth. Three years later and a 15-strong team later, there are big plans in the pipeline..   Title music by NEW HORIZONS by Lesion X | https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeats Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US