Sin Scéal Eile

Miceál has been given a second and third chance at life. He is the recipient of two kidney transplants, one when he was 14 and another just last year. The donors? His own brother and sister. He is, of course, incredibly grateful to them, and does not take a single moment in life for granted. Rx

Avery introduced me to the wonderful world of ceramics. In Dublin 8 there’s a fantastic community ceramics studio called Throwing Shapes where you can pay a membership fee and throw down some clay. Avery has found his joy teaching classes, making lovely wee mugs and even a bespoke piece for his Nana’s urn!xR

Sian is a woman’s woman. With each success she puts the ladder back down to help others come up. We met in her new home in Cork that’s surrounded by rubble as she renovates it.  We cover so many topics, from her numerous pilates studios, plus size athleisure wear, her huge successes in business, and being a busy, fulfilled, childfree woman who goes out of her way to help other Female Founders. Rx

Robyn is a beautiful young woman, full of the joys of life. She’s in a relationship, living away from home in Cork city where she goes to college. This normal, happy life wasn’t always on the cards for Robyn and she feels so lucky to be where she is now. Robyn has been chronically ill her whole life. She was diagnosed with POTS at a young age and since then has battled with lots of different symptoms and other diagnoses along the way. She’s 20 now, and with physio, medication and hard work she has started to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and a chance to start living a more carefree life. xR

Jonathan has the coolest job. He makes title animations for TV & film, something that I find truly fascinating as it sets the scene for the whole show. Of late, he has entered the world of fine art, selling pieces in the RHA annual show and gaining the confidence to perhaps pursue it a little more seriously than ever before. This segway is something he can only do now that his kids are a little older and the risks are a little lower.With his wife, Cara, they made the decision to move back to his home town of Ballydehob to raise their kids. Their home is idyllic and feels like we’re sitting in the french countryside under a sun-dappled vineyard, his little dachshund chilling at our feet and Cara making dinner inside. If this is West Cork, then I’m in. Rx

At just 20 years old, Cork native Lavie Olupona is no stranger to the spotlight. Through her work as a spoken word poet she has performed at Electric Picnic and Misléor. Today, I met Lavie in her local park in Clonakilty, Cork, where she wanted to show me a very special bench. It’s a bench that is dedicated to her grandfather Michael Foley, commissioned by her Mam, aunty and grandmother. Lavie’s Mam, Mary, sadly passed away from cancer in February this year, but left Lavie with plenty to remind her of her presence.  “My mam was actually a poet as well. She left a journal with all that she wanted and letters to us. She had everything prepared. Every day I see little signs around me that let me know she’s here. I saw a feather on my way to meet you today, and she said she'd come back as a crow with a fag in her mouth. She had a very specific humour, very dark but hilarious.” Lavie’s Mam was a proud Irish Traveller and instilled that sense of pride and heritage in her daughter. “I'm very honoured that my Nana passed down a lot of stories from her life to me and my Mam. I try to incorporate that in my poetry where possible. And my Mam was a very proud Traveller woman, so I try to carry the culture and history with me and honour her that way.”While Lavie’s Mam is Irish, her Dad is Nigerian, which is a beautifully unique mix. “A lot of people tell me it's really interesting or that it’s like I have two identities. But for me, I think it's one together, combined, that's just how I was raised.”

Donncha is a dark horse. He’s been a dairy farmer all his life (as was his father, and his father’s father). He dotes on his herd and loves to see them so calm and curious and you can easily tell that they dote on him too, they crowd around him to take a photo together. But Donncha is a man of many talents, not just milking. He’s tread the boards of local stages and even tried his hand at salsa dancing. Like most farmers, Donncha works relentlessly on the farm, rarely taking holidays, worrying about diseases and never giving much thought to retirement (much to his wife, Teresa’s disappointment).

Valerie is a busy woman. She’s a single Mam to three kids from ages 28 down to four (one with additional needs), she works as a lecturer in TUS and is also studying for her PHD. Valerie is tasked with finding out what kids need in order to thrive in education. She recognises that not everyone learns in the same way, but that everyone deserves the chance to excel.