Ready To Be Real by Síle Seoige

​Topics covered : Vulnerability, heritage, organic farming, biodiversity, food waste, value, climate, connection.This week's guest is Kenneth Keavey, co-founder of Green Earth Organics, one of Ireland's best-known organic farms.Kenneth holds a degree in science and a PhD in chemistry, and spent years working in biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry before making a life-changing decision over twenty years ago. Together with his wife Jenny, he returned home to Galway to take over the family farm and build what has become Green Earth Organics​; an organic farming enterprise that today employs more than 45 people and delivers fresh produce to homes all over Ireland.​Last week Kenneth ​posted a heartfelt video on social media.​..at the height of the growing season, he spoke openly about the realities of running an organic farm, the challenges of producing healthy food in today's world and the uncertainty that so many Irish growers face​.​ And the response to th​e video has been extraordinary. Green Earth Organics experienced its biggest week ever. While that's wonderful news, as Kenneth explains in this episode, one successful week isn't the answer. The bigger conversation is about creating a food system where local growers can thrive sustainably all year round.​He shares his journey from Cambridge-trained chemist to organic farmer, explaining why he walked away from a successful science career to return to the land that had been in his family for generations.​This conversation is an invitation to slow down, become more conscious consumers, and remember that every meal has a story behind it.To learn more about Kenneth, Jenny and the team, visit:Website: https://www.greenearthorganics.ie⁠You can order their organic fruit and vegetable boxes, browse their produce and find out more about how they farm.​Their farm shop is open every Saturday from 10am–5pm​ and they're also hosting their Sustainability Festival on Saturday, 12th September, celebrating sustainable food, farming and community.A note from me:​This episode is not an ad for Green Earth Organics.I simply wanted to share a conversation that I believe raises important questions about food, farming, health and the future we are creating​. 

Topics covered: island life, ​living without modern comforts, heritage, community, ​postnatal depression, writing and healing.This week, I’m joined by public historian and author Lesley Bond.In 2019, Lesley and her then-boyfriend, ​(now husband​) Gordon, left their busy lives behind to spend six months as caretakers on the Great Blasket Island, off the coast of Kerry.With no electricity or hot water, their days were shaped by the rhythms of the island and the unpredictability of the Atlantic. Together, they welcomed visitors from all over the world, ran the island café, looked after the guest cottages and became part of a small but special seasonal community.The Great Blasket was once home to a thriving Irish-speaking community and became renowned for its extraordinary literary tradition. The final residents left the island in 1953, but its stories, language and heritage live on.Lesley brings us behind the scenes of life as an island caretaker​...from the practical realities of running a café without electricity and carrying out​ the daily housekeeping, to wild weather​ and the unexpected joy of sleeping more deeply than she ever had before.She also reflects on what it felt like to step away from the constant noise and distraction of modern life, how time seemed to move differently on the island and the lessons she carried home with her.Now living in Kildare with Gordon and their almost two-year-old son, Naoise, Lesley also speaks openly about experiencing postnatal depression and how revisiting her memories of the Great Blasket through writing became a source of comfort​ and escape during a difficult time.T​​his is a​n immersive conversation about slowing down, connecting with nature and the places that stay with us long after we leave them​ and her beautiful book,​ ​'Blasket Bound: Memoirs of an Island Caretaker​', captures the magic, challenges and everyday realities of those extraordinary six months and is well worth a read.

​Topics covered : her upbringing, her late husband, grief, mourning, rebuilding her life, fostering, community, belonging and public service. This week, I'm joined by Helen Ogbu​ - Labour councillor, the newly elected Mayor of Galway, foster carer, life coach and PhD student.Helen made history this year by becoming Galway's first Mayor from a migrant background. But long before politics, her life had already taken her on an extraordinary journey.Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, Helen was one of eight children in a home where kindness, generosity and caring for others were simply part of everyday life. Those early experiences would later inspire her to become a foster carer, opening her home in Ireland to around 30 children over the years.Helen also shares the deeply personal story of meeting her late husband, Sunny Orji-Ogbu, a principled Nigerian politician who believed passionately that his country deserved honest, accountable leadership. As political tensions intensified, Helen became increasingly fearful for his safety. She moved to Ireland with their young daughter, ChiChi, hoping he would follow. Tragically, in 2010, Sunny was assassinated while returning home from a political meeting. Helen speaks with extraordinary honesty about navigating unimaginable grief, raising her daughter as a young widow, and slowly rebuilding her life in Galway.Today, alongside her work in public service, Helen holds a Master's degree in History and Diplomacy, is currently completing a PhD, and continues to champion community, inclusion and belonging in everything she does​.​C​onnect with Helen:Instagram: ​Helen Ogbu (@iamhelenogbu) • Instagram photos and videosLabour Party profile: Helen Ogbu

In this weeks Real Take from my conversation with musician, performer and storyteller Aindrias de Staic...he talks about the ancient Irish bardic storytelling tradition and why play is so good for our mental health.If you enjoyed this conversation, I'd really encourage you to listen to the full episode, where Aindrias speaks openly about his childhood, his relationship with his father, addiction and recovery, receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in life, reconnecting with nature and finding his way back to himself.Find AindriasWebsite: https://www.aindrias.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltownseanchaiBy the Light of the Silvery Moon tours Ireland from August. For tour dates and tickets, visit Aindrias' website or reach out to him on Instagram.If you're enjoying Ready to be Real, I'd be so grateful if you'd follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone who might enjoy it too...it really helps the podcast reach more people.Go raibh míle!

Topics covered : ADHD, addiction, recovery, nature, bardic storytelling, performing.My guest this week is musician, performer and storyteller Aindrias de Staic, who many of you will know online as 'Smalltown Seanchaí'.The son of the late writer and folklorist Eddie Stack, Aindrias grew up immersed in stories. But this conversation isn't simply about where he comes from, it's about the life he's lived.We talk about his childhood, his parents' separation, his struggles with alcohol and addiction, and what it has taken to reach 20 years of sobriety. He speaks openly about receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in life, his mental health, and how gardening, growing his own food and reconnecting with nature have become central to his wellbeing.And along the way, we explore the ancient Irish bardic storytelling tradition, the importance of play, creativity and finding flow.Please note: This episode contains personal experiences and opinions relating to ADHD, mental health, addiction and recovery. Any discussion around medication, herbs or other approaches reflects Aindrias' personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice.To connect with Aindrias :Aindrias de Staic | Ireland's Musical StorytellerAnd on Instagram :Aindrias de Staic (@smalltownseanchai) • Instagram photos and videosSupport :If anything discussed in this episode has affected you, or if you're struggling with your mental health or addiction, support is available.Ireland• Samaritans – Call 116 123 (free, 24 hours a day) or visit www.samaritans.ie• Pieta – Call 1800 247 247, text HELP to 51444, or visit www.pieta.ie• Alcoholics Anonymous Ireland – www.alcoholicsanonymous.ie• HSE Mental Health Services – www.yourmentalhealth.ie

In this week's Real Take, Tara Rafter reflects on her mother's final days living with COPD​ and the heartbreak of saying goodbye to the woman who had been her anchor throughout life.​If this excerpt resonates with you, I highly recommend listening to the full episode:Tara Rafter: Hypervigilance to Healing​Growing up in a home impacted by alcoholism and domestic violence, she learned from a young age how to navigate uncertainty. Despite the difficulties her family faced, she speaks with remarkable compassion about both of her parents, who died far too young.A​nd alongside her personal story, Tara brings the perspective of a Master Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner and Executive Coach.Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.

​Topics covered include:​ Alcoholism​, domestic violence​, hypervigilance​, compassion​, motherhood​, self-abandonment​, being a carer​, death and loss​, grief​, faith​, spirituality​, forgiveness​, love​, safety​, self-worth​, self-sabotage​, overwhelm​, healing​.This week I'm joined by Master Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner, Executive Coach and founder of The Navigation Coach, Tara Rafter.Tara lives in Mayo with her husband Kevin and their son Kai.In this deeply honest conversation, Tara shares the story of her childhood growing up in a home impacted by alcoholism and domestic violence. She speaks candidly about the hypervigilance she developed from a young age, the lasting impact those experiences had on her life, and the remarkable compassion she holds for her father despite the challenges her family faced.Tara's story is one of resilience, but also of love, forgiveness and understanding. She reflects on her relationship with both of her parents, who died far too young. Her father passed away at the age of 58, while her beloved mother​, who was her anchor throughout life​, lived with COPD for several years before she died.We also explore motherhood, self-abandonment, self-worth, self-sabotage, overwhelm​ and what it means to truly feel safe in yourself.Alongside the more difficult chapters, this conversation is full of warmth and humour. Tara talks about her love of music​ and heading off to gigs on her own, her deep faith and the practices that have helped her navigate life's challenges.You can connect with Tara here:Website: thenavigationcoach.comEmail: tara@thenavigationcoach.com

Topics covered : Multiple sclerosis, childfree by choice, travel, freedom, simple living. This week, I sit down with author Susan Bennett to chat about her memoir, One Year.Susan and her husband Chris live in Antrim. After both receiving a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis just three days apart, they made a decision that would change the course of their lives. Years later, they packed up their much loved campervan, fondly known as Hans, and set off on an unforgettable journey through 17 countries across Europe.