The Studio Sessions of O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects

Orla O'Kane talks to John and Sheila about the ideas behind the podcast – the architecture studio as a concept, the various studios of their lives, and the studio that they built for themselves at the end of their garden, and they introduce the conversations of the series, the speakers, why they chose them, and some of the things they talked about.This conversation was recorded in Dublin in front of a small audience in December 2024.Find out more about O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects here and follow them on Facebook Instagram LinkedIn You TubeFollow Orla O'Kane here.All enquiries to thetudiosessionspod@gmail.comThis episode was co-hosted by John Tuomey + Sheila O'Donnell of O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects.Produced and Narrated by Orla O'Kane.

John talks with Vincent Woods, Irish poet, playwright and broadcaster, about formative experiences of Johns childhood, the influence and enduring lessons of his father, and his memoir, First Quarter. They discuss how the village streets, rural houses and landscapes shaped Johns approach to architecture, the parallels between shaping space and shaping language or memory, and explore ideas of place, feeling, and the promise and possibility of youth. This conversation was recorded in Dublin in front of a small audience in July 2024.Find out more about Vincent Woods here.All enquiries to thestudiosessionspod@gmail.comThis episode was co-hosted by John Tuomey + Sheila O'Donnell of O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects.Produced and Narrated by Orla O'Kane.

John and Sheila talk to Joseph Walsh, designer, artist and furniture maker, about his upbringing and rural life, intergenerational learning, the idea of ‘making is thinking’ and the iterative, exploratory nature of craft. They discuss their twelve year collaboration, and the transition from intimate handcrafted pieces to the Rambling Houses project, as well as the challenges of interpreting traditional techniques for modern contexts, poetic and experimental materiality, and the interplay between architects, makers, and craftspeople on shared projects.This conversation was recorded in Dublin in front of a small audience in July 2024.Find out more about Joseph Walsh and the work of Joseph Walsh Studio here.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, NewsletterInformation and tickets for Making In 2025 available here.Watch Pat Collins' film Making here.This episode was co-hosted by John Tuomey + Sheila O'Donnell of O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects.Produced and Narrated by Orla O'Kane.

Sheila talks to the Irish artist Helen O’Leary, whose work defies conventional categorisations of painting and sculpture, and is often described as 'knitting with wood', about the relationship between her personal history and her work, and her deep engagement with found and repurposed materials. They discuss nomadism and the dual cultures of Ireland and the United States, the influence of Irish music and literature, experimentation, pigments and the integration of teaching with art practice.This conversation was recorded in Dublin in front of a small audience in July 2024.Find more information on Helen O'Leary's work here and follow her on Instagram.All enquiries to thestudiosessionspod@gmail.comThis episode was co-hosted by John Tuomey + Sheila O'Donnell of O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects.Produced and Narrated by Orla O'Kane.

John talks to poet, editor, academic, and publisher, Peter Fallon, a pivotal figure in modern Irish letters, about Gallery Press, Ireland's pre-eminent poetry house, which he founded at eighteen years old while a student at Trinity College Dublin. They discuss Peters formative experiences leading to a life in poetry, the idea of poetry as 'making' or craftsmanship and where it finds common ground with architecture, the nurturing role of a publisher in a poet's journey, the influence of the landscape of Connemara and Lough Crew, and the role the visual arts, and in particular the work of the artist Michael Kane, played in the history of Gallery Press. Peter also reads a few of his poems, and reflects on the influence and legacies of his friends and fellow poets Derek Mahon and Seamus Heaney.This conversation was recorded in Dublin, in front of a small audience, in October 2024.Find more information on Peter Fallon and Gallery Press here.All enquiries to thestudiosessionspod@gmail.comThis episode was co-hosted by John Tuomey + Sheila O'Donnell of O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects.Produced and Narrated by Orla O'Kane.

Sheila talks to Belfast-born co-founder of Rough Magic Theatre Company Lynne Parker, who has spent forty years proving that Irish theatre thrives on audacity and craft. They discuss the role of Rough Magic in defining Irish theatre in the 1980s amidst socio-political turmoil, the significance of physical spaces and how architecture influences performance, the lack of support for emerging artists and the importance of artist development programmes, and the resilience and joy to be found in experimental commissioning and form.This conversation was recorded in Dublin in front of a small audience in October 2024.Find more information about Lynne Parker and Rough Magic Theatre Company here and follow them on Facebook, You Tube, X and InstagramAll enquiries to thestudiosessionspod@gmail.comThis episode was co-hosted by John Tuomey + Sheila O'Donnell of O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects.Produced and Narrated by Orla O'Kane.