Sin Scéal Eile is a brand new podcast and photo series from acclaimed Irish photographer Ruth Medjber that will see her meet and chat with 365 people in one year.
All the Stories, Portraits, Podcasts and Behind the Scenes content can be experienced on our dedicated website: sinscealeile.com
Sin Scéal Eile features original field recordings and soundscapes by Ronan Lally with additional original music by Elaine Mai. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Liam has been involved in acting his whole life. At the age of 23, he got the part of a young vicar on Emmerdale, where he spent three years in the very fast paced world of TV, often just getting one take to deliver your lines perfectly.
He’s since moved back to Limerick where he acknowledges a huge change in the amount of regional theatre companies and the amount of shows they’re producing. It’s not all doom and gloom though, Limerick theatre folk have a lot to be delighted about, especially with a Blindboy play currently in the Abbey.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Michelle swapped a career in sales, to one where she gets to live her dream. Losing her father made her re-evaluate her life and the legacy she was going to leave behind. She took a risk and with a whole load of confidence, invested in herself. She set up a gallery and began painting full time.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Eamon is a very good pal of mine. He's one of the most honest, dependable, stand up people I know. Funny, compassionate and always rocking a 10/10 fit. Beoga, the Irish trad band, has been his baby for decades, along with Niamh, Séan Óg, Damian and Liam. Eamon is a founding member of the charitable coalition, Irish Artists for Palestine, which began not long after Oct 7th. Leaping into action, hosting gigs and fundraisers across Ireland. I witnessed him pouring his heart, soul and every penny into raising awareness and vital funds for Palestine.
When Ed Sheeran made his decision to exclude Macklemore from his tour, my first thoughts went to Beoga. They were Ed's touring band, accompanying him around the world, locked into a comfortable contract.
Eamon considers Ed a friend. They have collaborated on tracks for over 10 years. Beoga were a small enough Irish trad band, who were now playing massive stadiums across the world. They were suddenly thrown into the spotlight and forced to make a very public and difficult decision. Thankfully, they made the right one. But it can't have been easy.
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Liam has been involved in acting his whole life. At the age of 23, he got the part of a young vicar on Emmerdale, where he spent three years in the very fast paced world of TV, often just getting one take to deliver your lines perfectly.
He’s since moved back to Limerick where he acknowledges a huge change in the amount of regional theatre companies and the amount of shows they’re producing. It’s not all doom and gloom though, Limerick theatre folk have a lot to be delighted about, especially with a Blindboy play currently in the Abbey.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Michelle swapped a career in sales, to one where she gets to live her dream. Losing her father made her re-evaluate her life and the legacy she was going to leave behind. She took a risk and with a whole load of confidence, invested in herself. She set up a gallery and began painting full time.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Eamon is a very good pal of mine. He's one of the most honest, dependable, stand up people I know. Funny, compassionate and always rocking a 10/10 fit. Beoga, the Irish trad band, has been his baby for decades, along with Niamh, Séan Óg, Damian and Liam. Eamon is a founding member of the charitable coalition, Irish Artists for Palestine, which began not long after Oct 7th. Leaping into action, hosting gigs and fundraisers across Ireland. I witnessed him pouring his heart, soul and every penny into raising awareness and vital funds for Palestine.
When Ed Sheeran made his decision to exclude Macklemore from his tour, my first thoughts went to Beoga. They were Ed's touring band, accompanying him around the world, locked into a comfortable contract.
Eamon considers Ed a friend. They have collaborated on tracks for over 10 years. Beoga were a small enough Irish trad band, who were now playing massive stadiums across the world. They were suddenly thrown into the spotlight and forced to make a very public and difficult decision. Thankfully, they made the right one. But it can't have been easy.
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As soon as I met Grace it felt like I had known her for years. She’s incredibly warm and friendly. She signed up to this project back in April, when she was living a nightmare. She had just gone through the horrendous ordeal of losing a much wanted pregnancy.
The reason she reached out to me was to share her story. She figured it might either comfort someone who is going through it, or inform anyone that might be facing it.
When Grace began miscarrying, she was frightened. She felt underprepared for what came and wished that people would speak more openly about the reality of going through a miscarriage.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jenny is 26 and utterly wise beyond her years. She teaches History and Politics to secondary school students. As a “peace baby” herself, she’s keen to make sure the next generation understands the importance of studying the past.
In the very little spare time she has (when she’s not coaching sports at school and running marathons), she paints. She sets herself challenges in her practice and creates her own versions of politically charged scenes of the North, as well as some very trippy abstracts.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Juliane’s story in Ireland started when a colleague offered her a place to stay in Boyle. She was in Berlin at the time and did what any broke, twenty-something year old would do, she cycled to Ireland to avail of the offer.
After 7 weeks on the road she arrived to a bit of a shock in Boyle. The cottage was small, cold and damp, but it didn’t deter her. She fell in love with Ireland, and decided to stay. She raised her family, went on a varied career journey, and fell madly in love just shortly after her 50th birthday.
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As I walked into the exhibition space in the Digital Hub I was met by a team of people, all scurrying around, carrying cushions and bowls of peculiar items. It's the day before AlanJames' exhibition launch and huge preparations are underway to make sure it's ready. "Unmasking Nature" is a neurodiverse sanctuary and playground, where showing your stims is encouraged and you're invited to touch the artwork. AlanJames has AUDHD (much like myself) and through his art highlights the connection between neurodiversity and nature.
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Darragh has embraced the (almost) lost art of sign painting. He might be new to the artform, but since finding it, he’s never felt more at ease with his decisions in life.
If you walk around Dublin, or any city, look up and you’ll begin to notice the beauty that is hand painting signage, and also wonder why doesn’t every business have a gloriously enticing piece of art out front.
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lera will always say she's "from Russia" as opposed to just "Russian" as an ancestry test revealed she's a wonderful mix of so many places. She came to Dublin 10 years ago on a bit of whim, mainly inspired by the band Little Green Cars. She fell in love with Ireland and by hook or by crook got herself back here to stay. During the day she works in a bar but in her free time she makes beautiful stained glass pieces, most of which she sells for charitable causes.
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Graham has done the impossible. He has just recently managed to buy himself a wee two bed apartment in Dublin town. It was hard won, he double jobbed most days. In the day he works in tech (and fears he’ll soon be replaced by AI) and then at night he’s an amazing DJ. Although his new home offers him an additional sense of security that renting wouldn’t, he’s still concerned about the precarious nature of both his jobs and the rising cost of living.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Suzanne was part of the Mothers Against Genocide group who were arrested outside the Dail last year. It was a traumatic experience, one she was not expecting when the vigil began. It has changed her perspective about the Irish government and the Garda, but not about the genocide that’s still raging in Palestine today.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Poor Toni has been in the wars with her health. Toni was once a successful photographer and graphic designer with a bright and bold future ahead of her. Now, she’s registered as disabled and can barely find the energy to sit at a computer and walk the dog. She’s been on a journey to find a diagnosis for her symptoms which are quite similar to perimenopause (but about 10 times worse). Unfortunately, she has a very rare condition, which she struggles to find adequate treatment for in Ireland, especially with limited financial resources.
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Brendan is a photographer and a dad. Two rolls he excels at and takes very seriously, well, maybe he didn't always take photography incredibly seriously, who would at a rave at 6am in 1997? During the 90s and naughties, Brendan had the wherewithal to take the snaps. These very rare and incredibly fascinating behind the scenes photos from Ireland's growing club culture are now in Brendan's new book "Only Camera in the Room".
Brendan and I sat down to chat about his book, his life, and the twists and turns that it has taken. Since becoming a dad to a little boy with Down Syndrome just 6 years ago, his perspective on life and on disabilities has completely changed, and all for the better.
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Annie might be a grandmother, but she's never to be confused with a little old lady. She keeps herself busy, on town committees, doing arts and crafts with her grandkids and also a bit of bodyboarding for the craic.
She first arrived in rural Ireland in 1987 and was known as the “Mad Australian”. She brought notions of paper plates to communities who were more used to people going rather than coming.
Annie endured isolation and culture shock, but has found a happy home in Leitrim.
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Trevor has got it all figured out. He lives amongst nature, with the sounds and sights of cuckoos, owls and red squirrels from his own living room. He’s spent his life volunteering, sometimes doing 15 festivals in a year, all so that he could find the most perfect route for his life. It led him to Leitrim, conserving native woodlands.
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Akash moved here from Bangalore 10 years ago and in that time, trad music has changed his whole life. Akash got his Audio Technology masters degree in Maynooth College to pair with his degree in Computer Science. When he graduated, he had a choice, stay in Dublin and face Dublin rents, or move anywhere else. He chose to move to Leitrim!
“I had always just driven through Leitrim, never stopping, on the way to other counties. At the time when I moved here, five years ago, not a lot of people were moving to Leitrim. I found an amazing landlady, who is so kind, and I’ve just stayed here ever since.”
Akash works remotely, putting his education to great use as he builds plug-ins for music software. But when he’s not at his desk, he’s outdoors, slack-lining, rock climbing and cycling.
He loves how close he is to nature at all times in Leitrim. How there’s easy access to any type of outdoor adventure. Whether he wants to take the kayak on the lake or climb a mountain. “Ireland really changed my perspective about the outdoors. You can be outdoors really most of the year, as long as you don’t mind the weather. It really takes living in a place to appreciate the beauty, and Leitrim is beautiful.”
Admittedly, all this outdoor adventuring was first done on his own. Akash found it difficult to make connections in his new town. He always had a flair for music, he played in metal and post-rock bands back home in India, however he took a different direction when he landed in Ireland. He bought himself a penny whistle, the cheapest most accessible instrument he could find, and began teaching himself how to play with youtube tutorials.
Akash was keen to make new friends and acclimatise to Irish culture, so for months, he’d sit and watch the local trad session. He was too nervous to join in, only knowing about 10 songs himself. He’d watch in amazement as everybody else seemed to know hundreds. “I would always sit at the back and sort of listen to the musicians and be completely tra...
Imelda may not have won the Great British Bake Off when she was there in 2018, but I can unequivocally say she makes the best vegan apple tarts known to man. Imelda is passionate about food, and more precisely, Irish food. She wants us to return to a time where you knew the butcher and the fish monger by name. When the apples in the supermarket came from the orchard down the road, and not South Africa. She wants us to be proud of what we produce here and rescue all the hand written, Irish recipes that are in danger of being forgotten. She showcases old recipes on her online platforms, in the hopes of spreading the love of Irish food throughout the world, but also at home!
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What Brian (and his co-directors) have done in Sligo is pretty amazing. Back in his teens, he recognised a need for an arts space in the town. Somewhere young people could hang out, collaborate and make great art. Somewhere that wasn’t centred around alcohol. After a lot of research, site visits and funding applications, The Nest was born. It’s a multi-purpose space that hosts band rehearsals, pole classes, repair shops and soon a cafe.
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Death has been the uninvited guest in Joe and Mary’s beautiful home for the past 15 years. Twice in his life, his family were told to say their ‘goodbyes’. They made funeral plans, shared the passwords, got all the affairs in order. His doctors have thankfully pulled him back from the brink on both occasions.
Diagnosed with bone cancer, Joe has been re-prioritising his life. He only does what he feels able to do, and he avoids (most) situations where he could pick up a cold and jeopardise his immunity. The last 15 years have undoubtedly been very traumatic, but most importantly, he’s had time. He's seen his daughters get married and has gotten to be a huge influence on his grandkid’s lives.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I’ve known Tuesday since we worked together in a record store when we were very young. My memories are hazy at best, we were a wild pair who egged each other on and partied a lot. Then, like so many people our age, she flitted off to Australia in search of better opportunities.
She returned home with a man to marry and a family business to take over.
When I caught up with her in the hot tub of the glampsite, she had just put her 8 year old (Ziggy) to bed in a yurt. Like all the yurts here, it has been hand painted so lovingly and so creatively. Every inch of this campsite has Tuesday’s magic touch. Affirmations inscribed on every wall, fairy houses on secret wishing trees.
We may not go partying every night of the week anymore, but she’s still wonderfully wild in her own incredibly unique ways. We chat late into the night, but not too late, as she’s hosting a free workshop in her kitchen for the locals to learn how to create digital art without AI!
Very on brand for Tuesday.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From a high flying, well paid job in Australia, to running a campsite in Ballaghderreen while recording albums in a yurt. Life can come at you fast sometimes and take you in directions you never imagined.
Wes is settling into a different kind of life than he once pictured, his days are spent using his engineering skills to build glamping pods and fix yurts in a very rural part of Ireland. He’s striving to bring a little bit more life and creativity to the town. He and his wife, Tuesday (who you’ll hear from tomorrow) have been putting on gigs, hosting arts/crafts workshops, movie nights and just generally being a bit legendary!
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chris is extremely passionate about his work, native trees, and sustainability. Thankfully his new job involves lots of trees in very sustainable ways! Chris took a risk, quit a long standing job and joined a rapidly growing company in Roscommon. They build sustainable, timber, modular homes from their massive factory. They've figured how to quickly supply safe and cosy buildings, such as schools, in record time. Maybe this will finally herald the end of freezing cold prefabs!
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
If you were to watch a movie based on Tracy’s story, you would say it’s too far-fetched to be realistic. Tracy is an author, who published a work of fiction that was loosely based on her own life called “So Not Me”. She once drove to Madrid on a whim and started teaching English. She’s feisty and opinionated, but she’s had to be that way, to advocate for her own needs.
Tracy didn’t have an ordinary childhood as such, even though she was greatly loved and supported by her siblings, she was made an orphan tragically young. “My father died when I was three and a half, and then my mother when I was fifteen. I kind of went into survival mode. I thought about all the things I had to do, the leaving cert, college etc, and just tried to get on with it, not really processing that grief at all.”
When the leaving cert rolled around and Tracy was just a week away from her 18th birthday, herself and her boyfriend were in a terrible car crash. Her boyfriend died and Tracy was left paralysed from the chest down. She spent the following 9 months in hospital. Not only was she grieving the loss of her boyfriend, but she also lost the baby she was carrying.
“I really clung to the idea of the baby, because I thought, ‘oh, that's why this happened’, you know? I was trying to rationalise what happened. Even though I was paralysed, at least there’d be a baby to come from it all. I went without the pain medication for weeks because of the pregnancy, but then, after a scan, I was told that there was something there, probably at one stage, but nothing there now. I was devastated.”
Tracy is now in her 50s, and fears the worst is yet to come in her life. She feels her body deteriorating rapidly as the weeks pass. She’s living rather independently at the moment. When we called to her beautifully adapted home in Monaghan, she unlocked the front door with a touch of a button. She’s glamorous, her hair is perfect and her outfit is styled beautifully. You can tell she’s a woman who cares about h...
You can’t help but feel instantly happy when you visit Caroline’s world in rural Monaghan. She and her husband, Peter, moved back to Monaghan from Dublin 6 years ago when they purchased an old school. They renovated it, and are putting their own unique style all over it.
Caroline is optimism personified. She lives life in full colour and that’s reflected in what surrounds her at home. Quirky, circus-goth imagery, giant stuffed animals, a taxidermied peacock, and lots, and lots, of cats. Peter on the other hand prefers a more minimalist style and is apparently a lot more introverted. So it’s really interesting to hear how two vastly different people have made such a loving home together.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Gary is friendly and chatty but I can tell, also a little bit nervous about talking to me today. He welcomed us to his beautiful big home which he recently bought (a huge accomplishment for a single man in his 30s in a housing crisis!).
He starts by saying that he’s been approached before to tell his story as part of a documentary, but didn’t feel totally ready. I’m so glad he contacted me now to share his wonderful story with you all.
Apart from having wonderful taste in decor, and a sound head on his shoulders, Gary has two cures. They were passed down to him (and his brother) when he was just 11. An old lady in a neighbouring village specifically requested to see Gary and his brother when she was in a nursing home. His family knew her, they had used her for cures before, and she knew that she wanted to pass along her gift before her time came.
Gary has grappled with having this responsibility throughout his teens and young adult life, but has come to realise that it’s such an honour to be part of this centuries old lineage, and while it might not make sense to a lot of people, it’s still hugely important to respect those who have come before him.
Gary is also a clinical psychologist. So while on one hand, he can cure people using very traditional means, he has also equipped himself on how to help people in other ways too.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Eoin started his career on a whim, following a twitter hashtag. He found himself in London working a very fast paced and highly pressurised marketing job. Like most young men, he went for it, without really acknowledging the damage the job was doing to his mental health. His mental health soon affected his physical health and landed him in hospital with some very concerning and confusing symptoms.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Precious metals chat anyone? Ever wondered why you should buy literal gold bars? Think that lab grown diamonds are infinitely better for the world than mined? I chatted with jewellery designer (and DJ) Jenny about her range of banging jewellery, Edge Only, and we got nice and nerdy about the ins and outs of gold and silver!
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there, in cosy wee homes, who regard Sabrina as a literal angel. She’s worked in various parts of the housing sector throughout her career (even as a mortgage broker) but what she has always dreamed of doing was setting up her own housing charity. After years of applications, forms and miles of red tape, she finally launched Bridge Housing.
What they do, with their small but mighty team, is unbelievable. They provide housing and support to people from all walks of life, whether someone is aging out of the care system, escaping a bad situation at home, living in emergency accommodation or recovering from addiction. What Sabrina’s team does is not just provide them with a roof over their heads, but also a network and support system that they can lean on while they settle in.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sinéad's story is one I wish I didn’t have to tell. It's one that no one should experience. It's cruel and incredibly traumatic.
Sinéad's 4 week old baby boy, Ruadhán, died from SIDS.
The family had gone to a Christmas market. Baby Ruadhán fell asleep in his carrier and when they arrived home, he wouldn't wake up. The events that immediately followed were horrifying. His big brother desperately tried to administer CPR, and the ambulance took, what felt like, forever to arrive. Ruadhán passed away 11 days later in hospital.
The family have kept Ruadhán's memory alive in many ways, including starting Teach Ruadh (Rua’s House) a respite home on Achill Island for families to use after child loss.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ciarán has always been a bit garden obsessed, he’s always understood the need to know how to grow your own food, the importance of native trees for wildlife, and the joy of beautiful flowering plants. When lockdown came, he found himself quite garden-less. Thanks to the absolute kindness and generosity of a local neighbour, he was granted access to his own little slice of a Victorian walled garden to do as he pleased with.
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Paul is as Kerry as it gets and remembers a time when Dingle was very different to how we find it now. He tells me about how much Dingle has changed, how they once had 40 pubs (McCarthy’s being his favourite) but not a single restaurant.
He was 10 before they got electricity and running water at home. He takes great joy in regaling his granddaughter, Kitty (9), with all of these fascinating tales. Her first question was ‘how did they track Santa’s whereabouts without an app’.
Paul’s story is wonderfully meandering and endlessly fascinating. He served 20 years in the Dingle Fire Brigade, guided tourists around the West of Ireland, sold paddy caps to Americans in Massachusetts, did Guinness Quality Control (who wouldn’t love to taste pints for a living) and even worked as a fisherman.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Pauline is a musician, mother, great friend and incredible matchmaker (I speak from experience). We had the chats about what it means to be from Dingle and what it was like growing up without an ounce of anonymity in the town.
She currently finds herself researching a new body of work, one which will explore the subject of immigration, but from unheard perspectives.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I caught up with MayKay just as she was about to host a Palestine fundraiser table quiz in Kerry. Fundraising, activism and advocacy is something she does a lot of these days, often taking her away from her career as a musician, TV host and “panel moderator”.
She’s had a busy few 12 months. She released her first solo record after years of releasing tunes as part of Fight Like Apes. It’s fascinating to hear how her journey with music started, and equally as interesting learning what colour her debs dress was.
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Una is a music agent, but really she spins loads of plates for her artists. She’s gotten to a stage in her career where she now works exclusively with sounders (like Lisa Hannigan and Paul Noonan). In the last few years she started her own festival, Hibernacle, which has evolved into a beautiful wee event in the Dublin mountains showcasing gorgeous music, poetry and art.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Of course Bébhinn is incredibly easy to chat to, she’s a tour guide. She chats to people for a living! Today she took me to Lough Boora in Offaly. It’s a bogland like no other, full of incredible sculptures, old bog trains and interesting facts about the land. I never would have known of its existence without Bébhinn, and sure isn’t that what you really want in a local guide. Herself and her partner (and her dog) are going to go full time soon, after both doing their National Tour Guide exams and getting their fancy driving licences which means they can chauffeur tourists about.
Her reasons for wanting to be a tour guide? To show everyone how amazing Ireland is. Can’t say fairer than that!
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tony Murray was my college lecturer. I didn't like college, college didn't like me. I was surprised to see Tony's name pop up in my inbox (and a little bit panicked too if I'm honest, PTSD).
Tony was a great lecturer. He gave me a piece of advice that I've implemented my whole career “always have a project and always finish it”. So projects like this one, Sin Scéal Eile and my previous book, Twilight Together, are almost habitual thanks to Tony.
Tony and I talked at length about the college, what we loved, what we hated. We chatted about his time as a student too. However, when it boiled down to editing this podcast, I feel it was the subject we ended on that was most important. The topic of his daughter's future care.
Tony and his wife Susan have long been lobbying the government for additional support for disabled people. Recently they set up Before We Die. It's a group of adults, who are 70+ and currently caring for their disabled, grown children. Tony's worry is what will happen to his daughter, Aoife, who is intellectually disabled and can't live independently, when he and his wife pass. At present there is no plan, or even reassurance from the government that there even will be a plan coming soon.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nazli is a young Muslim woman from Turkey, she’s a member of the LGBTQ+ community and an award winning, fine art photographer.
In her work she covers issues such as self identity, religion and sexuality (and how these can exist together). Her work is bold, courageous and also a bit tongue in cheek.
Even though verbal communication can be difficult, English is not her first language, she speaks so passionately about being LGBT and reconciling that with her Faith.
“In Ireland, you are free and don’t have to live underground. Here, I faced my religion, my identity, my gender. I wanted to make peace between all these versions of me, so I did. I started wearing my hijab and being myself.”
Together we got silly in the garden. Pegging dishclothes and flowers to the washing line. Nazli took off her shoes to expose her bright yellow socks in great contrast to her black outfit. She pretends to delicately smell a little flower and then produces the most genuine and brilliant smile of this whole series so far. Nazli is a delight. She’s a warrior who is living life utterly true to herself.
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ann is a public health professional specializing in HIV/AIDS and sexual health. She’s a staunch advocate for migrant women. She goes above and beyond to ensure that the awareness of HIV/AIDS passes no one, and that anyone who needs medical care, can access it.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ruth is a preserver of folk and heritage crafts, minding them and teaching others, so that we don’t lose the skills forever. They spin wool from Donegal sheep, extract linen from flax seeds and even grow specific plants in their garden in order to naturally dye it all.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ann found herself in tech, and after a bit of “Eat, Pray, Loving” around the world, she eventually secured a job in AI security. It’s something that we should all be more aware of, but genuinely I don’t have much of a clue about. I’m blown away by all the facets of AI security, and perhaps even a little terrified!
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cat is currently pregnant with twins and negotiating a cross border birth! This is something which is evidently a lot harder when there are same sex parents and donors involved.
Cat grew up in Omagh, watching her father work hard for the local community and some of that ethos rubbed off on her. She found herself thousands of miles away in Malaysia, working hard to set up local clandestine LGBT+ social clubs and events for her community.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Meeting Chanelle was a bit of a whirlwind and extremely inspiring. She talked at such great speed, I can definitely tell that she spends the majority of the day alone, perhaps chatting to plants. It takes her a few breaths to realise that I can talk back.
We chatted in a massive greenhouse just on the outskirts of Dublin where Chanelle works growing plants and making all the beautiful hanging baskets you see around the city. She has had a varied career to say the least, and being the open book that she is, gave me the run down of her life in 10 quick seconds.
“I started off in design and then got lashed out of it in the 2008 recession. Then I retrained as a private chef, I moved to the south of France and was doing the Grand Prix and the Cannes Film Festival. I had a baby during Covid and became a single mother. I also became homeless because the house I was living in got sold and then to top it off, I lost my job as a chef.” In what many would have seen as a devastating situation, Chanelle used it as an opportunity to change careers yet again.
“I drove by this garden centre one day, I had driven by so many times before but never actually went in. Something got me in here that day and I just asked if they were looking for staff and I haven’t left. So I retrained in horticulture.”
Even though it took Chanelle 40 odd years to find her way to horticulture, it was more of a return to it than an introduction. “My dad had a nursery when we were kids and he was a landscaper. Then my mum did floristry. Actually, the lads here used to buy plants off my dad back thirty years ago. Back then I used to think I hated plants. I suppose when you hit 40, you kind of stop going out, your social life changes, and then you start looking at flowers in a different way, or even birdwatching.”
Next time you’re driving through town and notice all the beautiful hanging baskets outside of pubs and hotels, you’ll know who exactly chatted away to those wee plants when they were being planted....
It was a joy to sit and chat with Séamas as I’ve been a long time fan of his work. He’s a man with quite a few viral moments. The twitter thread about meeting the President while high, and then of course, “10 siblings!” However, he’s much more than just a meme muse. With 2 deadly books under his belt and columns in all the papers, his very particular style of writing (and humour) is very easy to spot and just as easy to relate to.
I must now publicly apologise to our fantastic editor and producer, Dee Reddy, who had the chore of trimming this 90min pub chat (most of which was quick fire insults being lobbed back and forth) down to a much more palatable length.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Like a lot of people, Carlene needed to get away from her hometown to really understand that it’s where she needed to be. She moved back to the gorgeous beach where she summered as a child to raise her own son.
She reclaimed a house from dereliction and reconnected with her 100+ cousins! Now she works to preserve the magnificent sand dunes and understand the ever changing nature of the landscape.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Think about the amount of women in the world. And then understand the amount of scientific and medical research that goes into treating menopause. For something that will affect a huge amount of the population, there is very little said about it in the media, or even in conversation amongst friends. In 2026 we still harbour shame around talking about "women's issues”.
Marie was 46 when she went to the doctor thinking she was losing her mind. Instead, she was in perimenopause, but had no idea.
She then went on an intense journey of research and discovery. She became a bit of an expert on the topic and has even written a book. In the book, you’ll find a “Letter to Men” which is something I suspect an awful lot of people need to read.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The fact that Mia is sitting with me here today, as a confident, strong, well educated (and funny) woman is no mean feat, in fact, it’s a huge testament to her character and to the work she has done on healing herself.
Mia’s adolescence and young adult years were plagued by abuse. She was raped when she was just 16 and then when at her most vulnerable, she was preyed upon and groomed by an older man. This resulted in years of physical and emotional abuse and ultimately becoming involved in the sex trade.
On the surface, Mia was just like any other young woman, she was in college, studying art, discovering who she was, but behind closed doors, she was suffering appalling abuse.
She has written about some of these experiences in her memoir, “Any Girl”. Mia has since trained as a psychotherapist specialising in sexual trauma. But lately, she finds herself drawn back to the art world and on the cusp of a new chapter in her life.
It’s not easy to sit and talk to a stranger about these things, so I personally want to thank Mia for sharing this painful story with me. I know it’ll help a lot of people. x
www.drcc.ie/services/helpline/
xR
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Faced with an all too common reality these days, Laurie had to make some risky decisions. The house she was renting with her 3 children in Dublin was being sold. Unless you’ve been lucky enough to live under a rock, you’ll know that the housing crisis is crippling so many people. Dublin became unaffordable for her, so she set her sights on somewhere new.
Now, 4 years later, she runs a successful Pilates studio (with her pal Louise) in Derry city. Her children have adjusted to their new schools and college and she feels a little more stable and secure than she did in Dublin.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lucy is a very proud Mother. I’ve known her since I was 15 and I’m immensely proud of the woman she’s become. For the first time in a long time (she has 2 young kids) we sit and have a quiet chat about life, motherhood, and when she knew she had met the man she was supposed to marry.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When Gugai’s Mother held her little newborn son in her arms for the first time, she looked down and said “oh my little Gugai”. Gugai, if you don’t know, means “Little Egg” in Irish.
I guess he took this name to heart and you’ll understand once you press play on this episode and hear all about his undying devotion to and absolute fascination with his chickens.
Gugai is a music promotor, venue owner and label boss in Galway. Many people know him through music, but we don’t even touch upon tunes in our chat today. It’s all chickens, chickens, chickens.
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Shelly has led a broad life of travels, moving from country to country. She found her love in Vienna, had a child and returned back to the place she loves most, Ireland. It’s a simple but gorgeous story.
She lives on a tiny island in the middle of a lake, where people have boats at the end of their driveways that lead straight into the water. It feels almost eerier like suburban America (or maybe I’ve been watching too many Dawson’s Creek re-runs).
Rx
Sin Scéal Eile is a Poddle Audio production.
Host & Creator: Ruth Medjber
Executive Producer, Editor & Sound Designer: Dee Reddy
On-Field Audio Recording: Ronan Lally
Original Theme & Score: Elaine Mai
Follow our daily journey on Instagram @SinScealEile and at sinscealeile.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
