The World is Storytelling

Today I'm in the Lake District with the fabulous Nicole Peters. We ended up on a rainbow soaked, windy hike up Place Fell above Ullswater.Nicole is a Woodland Advisor at Tees Community Forest, where she helps grow new woodlands and connect people with nature across the Tees Valley in North East England. She was part of the team that delivered 70 hectares of new woodland in the forest’s first planting season. When she’s not out in the woods, you’ll find her hiking her way through the Wainwrights or hanging out with her cats, Rufus and Guinness. Nicole is all about making life fun and giving anything a go whether at work or on an adventure.Find out more about the Tees Community Forest here and connect with Nicole here. Be in touch with me, with all your ideas and to help me hike up more hills, comedic or otherwise. All that ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Today we're in County Dublin (and County Wicklow) for a woodland bathe in Coronation Wood, as well as a wet and foggy hike up Kippure. For this jaunt I am joined by the wise Oisín Ó Néill, ex solicitor, gaeilgeoir, and director of the Gaelic Woodland Project.The Gaelic Woodland Project is a Rewilding charity with a dual focus of preserving and enhancing native ecosystems and culture. Oisín is actively campaigning for better regulation in the area of invasive species. In the past year alone he has been involved in successful reforestation and community empowerment initiatives.Read about the Gaelic Woodland Project here and follow them on Instagram here. Be in touch with all your ideas and to help me hike up more hills, comedic or otherwise. All that ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Today we're in County Longford for a little wander up Carn Clonhugh (Corn Hill), and to have a relaxed chat in the sun with the lovely Luke Casserly.Luke is a multidisciplinary performance maker from Longford. His work weaves together ecological research, autobiography, sound art, and site, as a way of carving out space for new possibilities to emerge between live performance and physical landscape. To date, his projects have brought audiences through city streets, back gardens, train stations, beaches, and a bog in the Irish midlands. His most recent project 'Distillation' premiered as part of Dublin Theatre Festival in 2023, and has toured extensively throughout Ireland, the US, and Canada since then.You can find out more about Luke's work via his website. He will be presenting a work-in-development of a new performance project called 16 Longfords as part of Dublin Theatre Festival 2025. More information here.To help me hike up more hills, comedic or otherwise. Please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

We're in County Armagh today for a hike up Sieve Gullion, and to record an episode of the podcast in a passage tomb with the fascinating Brinsley McNamara.Brinsley is a content creator, author, podcaster, and adventurer who documents the unique, interesting, and weird stories, places, and folk in Ireland. He’s got a social media channel called ‘Weird Ireland’ and the book and podcast have the same names too. Find him on Instagram here, buy his book here, and listen to his podcast. To help me hike up more hills, comedic or otherwise. Please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Up into the foggy hills of Mayo we go. The weather may have been bleak, but climbing Croagh Patrick with the fabulous Aoibhinn was worth the freezing temperatures and the yellow weather warning.Aoibhinn is a Mayo native living and working in Australia. She's an adventurous soul with a love for the open road and is a fiend for a meandering conversation. Whether she’s tackling a hike or embracing the joy of the sea, she spends as much time outside as possible and tries to bring warmth and a spark of fun to everything she does. Follow Aoibhinn on Instagram here and go hike some mountains in Mayo!To help the podcast hike up more hills, comedic or otherwise, please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Headed back up the hills, and today we are in Galway up the gorgeous Knockma. It isn't the county top, but that will be for next time. This was purely for the very rocky seats at the top, as well as the fantastic (not at all rocky) conversation, with the awesome Shawna Scott.Shawna is the owner of SexSiopa.ie, a multi-award winning queer & female friendly online sex toy boutique. She has been featured on Forbes, The Irish Times, RTE, Stellar magazine, Image magazine, and has been speaking about sex & pleasure at events and festivals both nationally and internationally for over a decade. Shawna currently resides in rural Galway with her rescue Greyhound where she enjoys drinking cocktails in her field. Follow Shawna on Instagram here and buy her old clothes on Vinted here.To help the podcast hike up more hills, comedic or otherwise, please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Headed back up the hills, and today we are in the bizarrely snowy Carlow Alps, as no one has ever called them before. We didn't make it to the top of Mt. Leinster, because of the thick snow, but I did have a fantastic afternoon with Cathy & Martin.Cathy Fitzgerald grew up in Aotearoa New Zealand and has been living in rural South East Ireland, the home of her Irish ancestors for several decades. She is an ecological artist and ecoliteracy educator at Haumea Ecoversity, her independent online ecoliteracy learning platform for creatives, teachers and cultural professionals. She addresses a critical gap in higher education on holistic transformative learning, to empower people to act for personal, societal, planetary and intergenerational well-being. All of this drawing from the re-wilding of the Sitka Spruce plantation her and Martin live with, that is the ongoing 'Hollywood Forest Story'. Cathy's husband Martin Lyttle was born in Kenya, and grew up near Mt. Leinster, South County Carlow, very close to where he and Cathy now live. Martin has always gravitated towards geology, rocks, and mountains. Once a former geotechnical engineer, in recent years he has followed his passion for creativity in becoming a stone sculptor. He takes care to only work with local Kilkenny limestone and granite, with his unique sculptures of organic forms, fruits and vegetables, often hand-polished, relate to his interest in Nature's forms, gardening and care for the Earth.Find more information about Cathy's work here and here. Find Martin's art here and here.To help the podcast hike up more hills, comedic or otherwise, please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Headed back up the hills, and today we are in the misty uplands of Kildare with Professor Dr A Jamie Saris. Dr Saris is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology, Maynooth University. He has been working for more than twenty years in medical and psychological anthropology in Ireland, North America, and parts of Africa, where he has researched and published on such diverse issues as the social life of mental hospitals, the experience of major mental illness, colonialism and its aftermath, structural violence and health risk, authenticity, health services research, drug use/abuse, professionalism in medical education.Find more information about Jamie here. His latest book can be found here.To help the podcast hike up more hills, comedic or otherwise, please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Today in honour of April Fools, we are taking a break from hills and climbing to the peaks of comedy instead with the hilarious Curtis Raye. Curtis is a comedian from New Jersey and host of "A Comedy & Bluegrass Show About Strange Public Records." In 2020, he created "The Lonely Jukebox" show, where he used an app to play songs on a jukebox inside an empty pub that was shuttered by Covid. Nobody heard the songs--but guests on the show included Cecily Strong, Richard Kind, and Jimmy Pardo. He performs at the UCB Theater in NY and LA and Washington Improv Theater in DC.Curtis's upcoming shows will be listed here. Learn more about his public records comedy show here. He writes songs and acts in videos here.To help the podcast hike up more hills, comedic or otherwise, please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Today we are hiking up Lugnaquilla (925m) in County Wicklow, also known as the Mighty Lug. This bog-alicious adventure is with the fabulous Anna Sheehan. Anna is an equality and human rights law solicitor, working mainly in the areas of immigration, accommodation and access to services, education and employment. She is a music and nature lover, and spends her weekends out swimming in Seapoint or singing showtunes in a basement karaoke bar. Ideally both on the same day.Connect with Anna here. To help the podcast hike up more hills, please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Today we are hiking up Slieve na Calliagh, also known as the Loughcrew Cairns (276m) in County Meath, with the very wise Hans. This episode is slightly longer than usual, so feel free to listen in two separate sittings! Hans lives with his family in rural Westmeath in Ireland. There he works as an Author, Musician, and Community Connector. He translated the bestseller "The Art of Living" by Sharon Lebell into German and tries to practice the stoic wisdom contained within. He also attempts to defend classic philosophers and poets from being taken over by bad actors in the manosphere.Connect with Hans here. See more about Stoicism here and here. To help the podcast hike up more hills, please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Today we are hiking up Moylussa (532m) in County Clare, with the incredible Sinéad. A nature lover and adventurer living in Clare, she enjoys roaming the hills and sitting by an open fire.She also runs Conscious Connections, offering personal development workshops and retreats focused on mindful, healthy dating, relationships and authentic connection. Find out more from Sinéad here.To help the podcast hike up more hills, please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

Welcome to episode one of season 4 of 'The World is Storytelling'. This time from the county tops of the island of Ireland.Today we are hiking up Mullaghmeen (258m) in County Westmeath, with the wise Torben, who loves fixing and riding bikes, growing and eating vegetables, and is currently on a very long cycle somewhere in the world.To help the podcast hike up more hills, please be in touch with ideas of who I should be inviting on the podcast, and support me with some waterproof gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters as well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy ⁠⁠today⁠⁠!

The World is Storytelling podcast is back for some more outdoor based shenanigans, this time from the county tops of the island of Ireland. It's going to be enlightening, enjoyable, and hopefully not too expensive.Tune in next week for the first hill, Mullaghmeen in County Westmeath. It maybe the lowest county top, but it's a lovely adventure!Be in touch with ideas of who I should hike up hills with, and with donations of some waterproof hiking gear. All that and more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to all the supporters well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack.The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth. Buy your physical or digital copy today!

It's the final episode of Season 3 with the fabulous Gerardo. Gerardo is a Venezuelan living in Canada, an ESG practitioner and an old friend of mine from living in the desert.  Tune in next week for the start of Season 4 of the podcast and look out for Ronni, support the podcast, order the book, and sponsor a virtual coffee ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be part of the '1000 Coffees with Ronni' project ⁠here⁠ and find amazing people doing similar things ⁠here⁠. Thank you to all the supporters well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack. The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Join me in a back garden to chat with my old friend Ruby and Hugsy the dog⁠. Ruby is an amazing Dad, Husband, and Pizza Baker. It just happens to be his birthday on the day this comes out, so Happy Birthday Ruby. Many happy returns. If you're ever in North Manchester make sure to try his fantastic pizzas out! Find him on Instagram here.  Look out for Ronni, support the podcast, order the book, and sponsor a virtual coffee ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be part of the '1000 Coffees with Ronni' project ⁠here⁠ and find amazing people doing similar things ⁠here⁠. Thank you to all the supporters well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack. The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Join me in a stairwell, to tell stories about greening the planet with the fabulous Rob Greenfield⁠. Rob is an award winning eco content creator and Senior Social Media Lead at Water Bear Network, a storytelling and impact-focused content platform.  He previously ran Earthtopia, one of TikTok & Instagram’s biggest eco communities, growing the channel from 0 to 500,000+ followers through content focused on positive news, eco-solutions and climate action. Co-author of '100 Ways to Save the Planet’, he spent 8 and a half years at communications agency 33Seconds, developing social media strategy and campaigns for the likes of Sky, WWF and Macmillan Cancer Support.   Look out for Ronni, support the podcast, order the book, and sponsor a virtual coffee ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be part of the '1000 Coffees with Ronni' project ⁠here⁠ and find amazing people doing similar things ⁠here⁠. Thank you to all the supporters well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠⁠Storytelling Animal⁠⁠' as our soundtrack. The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

It's the first episode of 2025 and in honour of the new year we have a long form treat with Professor Danny Dorling. ⁠Danny is the Halford Mackinder professor of geography at the University of Oxford, and is the author of countless fabulous books and academic papers. Most importantly of all however, he is the builder of over 250 sandcastles.   Read more about his work here, and find his books here.  Look out for Ronni, support the podcast, order the book, and sponsor a virtual coffee ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be part of the '1000 Coffees with Ronni' project here and find amazing people doing similar things here. Thank you to all the supporters well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠Storytelling Animal⁠' as our soundtrack. The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

Now for a load of laughter with Ollie (also known as Leaf). In their own words, they are 'a play facilitator, improviser and aspiring idiot'. Thank you to our mutual friend Maya for the use of her living room as our recording studio! Follow Ollie/Leaf and their work on Instagram.  Look out for Ronni, support the podcast, order the book, and sponsor a virtual coffee ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Book a coffee with a stranger and find out more about the project and the amazing people doing similar things here. Thank you to all the supporters well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠Storytelling Animal⁠' as our soundtrack. The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.

It's the first episode of the second year of the podcast and it's a footballing treat with Dr Pete Watson. ⁠Pete is a teaching fellow in Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Leeds. His research focuses on the interrelation of sport, history, politics and society in Latin America with a focus so far on Colombian men's and women's football. Consider buying Pete's book 'Football  and Nation Building in Colombia: The Only Thing that Unites us' here, or download a free open access PDF here.  For Pete's other work, including articles, podcast appearances and talks, see his Linktree, or follow him on LinkedIn.  Look out for Ronni, support the podcast, order the book, and sponsor a virtual coffee ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Book a coffee with a stranger and find out more about the project and the amazing people doing similar things here. Thank you to all the supporters well as to the amazing band Bukahara for their permission to use their fabulous, on point song '⁠Storytelling Animal⁠' as our soundtrack. The World is Storytelling podcast is based on the book by the same name. Written by Arjen Barel, Ronni Gurwicz, and Stu Packer, it is the definitive guide to how sharing stories can be used for social impact and personal growth.