VOICES OF GREYSTONES

For Susie Kenney, it became a meeting place, a safe place for children, a place for neighbours to stop for a chat — and a small part of the story of Greystones.Susie is Greystones born and bred, with generations of family connections to the town. In this episode of Voices of Greystones, she takes Terry on a wonderfully nostalgic journey through the Greystones she remembers growing up in: a much smaller village where everybody seemed to know everybody, children wandered freely, summer visitors arrived, and the local shops were part of everyday life. She remembers the old main street, Artons, the butchers, the harbour, the churches and the divisions that existed when she was growing up — including the Protestant/Catholic boundaries that shaped parts of community life. She also talks about the things that helped bring people together, from pantomimes and clubs to the summer traditions that generations of children looked forward to. Then comes Paraphernalia.Susie tells the story of opening the shop, why she wanted to create something in Greystones, and how it gradually became much more than a business. For 30 years, people came through the door to browse, chat, meet friends, wait after school and simply feel welcome. She even recalls being recognised years later in Spain by former customers calling out, “Mrs Paraphernalia!”But Susie's story doesn't stop when she sells the shop.She talks about the community work she's involved in today, including The Primary Stitch, where children learn practical skills through sewing, repair and reuse, and the joy of seeing a child fix their own torn cuff.She also reflects on what community means to her, why connection matters, what has changed in Greystones, what she worries about for younger generations, and why she still believes there is something special at the heart of the town.As Susie puts it:“I think there is a soul.”This is a conversation about memory, belonging, community, creativity and the changing face of Greystones — but above all, it's a conversation about people.🎙️ Susie Kenney | Voices of GreystonesEvery stone has a story. What's yours?Chapters00:00 Welcome to Voices of Greystones00:29 Meet Susie Kenney02:35 Retirement, Markets & a Love of Making03:56 Family, Grandchildren & Life by the Sea05:05 Growing Up in Greystones06:11 The Old Greystones: Freedom, Safety & the “Bush Telegraph”07:59 A Family History on the Seafront09:18 The Shops & Memories of the Old Main Street11:07 When Greystones Really Was a Village12:40 Growing Up With the Old Religious Divides14:41 Clubs, the Harbour Gang & Breaking Down Barriers17:11 Dublin, Art Galleries & a Different Life18:58 Becoming a Mum & Coming Home to Greystones20:02 The Story Behind Paraphernalia23:06 When the Shop Became a Meeting Place26:00 Why Belonging Mattered26:57 A Safe Place for Children29:12 “Hey, Mrs Paraphernalia!”30:17 Selling the Shop After 30 Years32:04 What Susie Misses Most33:17 Shops, Community & Welcoming Newcomers35:13 The Primary Stitch: Teaching Children to Make & Mend38:07 Rivers, Nature & the Next Generation39:21 Back on the Tennis Court40:16 France, Italy & a Lifetime in Greystones41:13 What Community Really Means42:28 CSSM & the Summers That Brought Everyone Together44:36 What Does Susie Want for Future Greystones?45:46 Growth, Infrastructure & Keeping the Heart of the Town48:04 “There Is Still a Soul”49:15 Multicultural Greystones & Making People Feel Welcome50:45 What Susie Wants Future Generations to Remember52:13 Thank You for Listening

Deb Davis has never been particularly interested in putting herself in a box.Mother. Chef. Birth doula. Market trader. Community campaigner. Sea swimmer. Greystones local. Traveller. And, in her own words, not simply someone who has survived a difficult health experience, but someone who has learnt how to thrive through it.In this episode of Voices of Greystones, Deb Davis sits down with Terry at High Tide Studios for a remarkably open conversation about following your instincts, taking chances and finding the courage to say “hell yes” to life.Deb's connection with Greystones goes back 60 years. She remembers childhood summers at her grandparents' home in Gorse Hill, trips to the South Beach, her grandmother bringing people together through food, and her grandfather coaching children at the local tennis club. She also reflects on how much the town has changed — and what she believes has remained. At 19, Deb followed another “hell yes” and moved to California. That led to a life of travel, cooking and adventure, eventually taking her to Paris, Brussels and some extraordinary experiences working with food and pastry.She talks about why cooking became much more than a career, and how feeding people became a way of connecting with them.Later, motherhood led Deb towards birth work. She shares the experience that inspired her to become a doula and her passion for giving women and couples more information and possibilities around birth.The conversation then moves into one of the most personal chapters of her life: being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.Deb speaks honestly about the fear that came with that diagnosis, the decisions she made about her treatment, and how the experience changed the way she approached health, anxiety and everyday life. She describes it as a “divine tap on the shoulder” and talks about the tools she developed to manage fear and stress. There is also plenty of humour.From chocolate and Parisian patisseries to sea swimming, nipple tassels and her wonderfully named “Real Happy Pair”, Deb has a way of finding lightness in some of life's heavier moments. And at the heart of the conversation is one word: flourish.What does it actually mean to live well? What gets in the way of it? Can a community help people flourish? And what does Greystones have that makes Deb feel she belongs?Her answer comes back to people, nature, the sea and connection — and to the simple idea that everyone has something to bring to the world. This is a conversation about following your instincts, embracing change, finding your people and making the most of the life in front of you.Every stone has a story. What's yours?⏱️ CHAPTER TIMINGSI've based these on the actual transcript rather than the Gemini chapter list.00:00 – Welcome to Voices of Greystones00:26 – Meet Deb Davis: A Woman of Many Hats03:53 – Growing Up in Greystones05:21 – Childhood, Grandparents & the South Beach07:43 – Tennis, Food & Bringing People Together10:09 – How Greystones Has Changed11:28 – What Greystones Still Has13:08 – The “Hell Yes” That Took Deb to California15:48 – Discovering a Love of Cooking17:57 – Paris, Brussels & a River of Chocolate21:45 – Food, Family & Connection22:02 – Becoming a Birth Doula24:00 – Home Birth & Following Her Instincts26:11 – Sharing the Possibility of a Different Birth Experience27:33 – What Does It Mean to Flourish?29:12 – A Breast Cancer Diagnosis30:35 – Trusting Her Inner Voice32:35 – The “Divine Tap on the Shoulder”34:15 – Anxiety, Fear & Finding the Tools to Cope34:58 – Discovering Sea Swimming36:21 – “Do You Want to Live or Do You Want to Die?”38:52 – The Real Happy Pair40:38 – Humour, Healing & Reclaiming Yourself42:16 – What Does It Mean to Flourish?45:24 – Modern Life, Phones & Finding Stillness48:08 – Can Greystones Help People Flourish?49:30 – Sea Swimming, Dog Walking & Connection50:46 – What Deb Hopes Her Sons Learn52:30 – What Greystones Means to Deb Now53:44 – Thank You for Listening

What happens when the person who is always there for everyone else suddenly needs people to be there for her?For Sharon Felton, community has always been a huge part of life. A mum of two, Special Needs Assistant and someone who is rarely far from the next idea or community project, Sharon has spent years helping people around Greystones.But in 2023, her own life changed.In this deeply honest episode of Voices of Greystones, Sharon talks about discovering a lump, receiving her diagnosis and facing treatment while trying to keep life as normal as possible for her children. She talks openly about fear, uncertainty, losing her hair, the loneliness that can come with treatment and the determination that helped her keep moving forward. But this isn't simply a conversation about illness.It's about people.Sharon tells Terry about the strangers, friends, family, neighbours and local community who helped her when she needed it — including the lifts to and from treatment that made an enormous difference to her family. And then she explains why receiving that support made her even more determined to give something back. That led to the creation of the Pink Ball, a local fundraising event which has raised around €37,000 across its first three years for Greystones Cancer Support. Sharon also shares the story of how years of emails, persistence and one rather memorable radio interview eventually helped bring an official Darkness Into Light event to Greystones. And then there's Take That. ❤️A lifelong fan, Sharon tells the story of how an unexpected campaign by friends and the wider community led to her meeting the band during her treatment — and why music became such a special part of that period of her life.Towards the end, Sharon reflects on what life looks like now, what she has learned about strength, and why hope has become such an important word for her.This is a conversation about difficult moments, but it's ultimately a conversation about people, kindness, family, community and hope.Every stone has a story. What's yours?Chapter Timings00:00 – Introduction to Voices of Greystones00:31 – Meet Sharon Felton: Life in Greystones and Working as an SNA03:39 – Deep Roots in Community & Lessons from Her Parents05:46 – The Tuesday Night That Changed Everything: Finding the Lump08:49 – Family History: Remembering Her Parents’ Battles12:56 – Approaching Treatment: Entering Survival Mode & Facing Chemo16:04 – Everyday Resilience: Keeping Routine for Her Children18:13 – Understanding the Isolation and Hardest Parts of Treatment20:25 – The Moment of Overwhelming Fatigue at the Hospital23:13 – Signs of Hope: Chemo Results and Ringing the Bell25:33 – Standing at the School Gate: A Milestone Moment for Her Daughter29:42 – Giving Back: Greystones Cancer Support & Creating the Pink Ball40:10 – Bringing Darkness Into Light to Greystones43:39 – What Community Support Really Means in Difficult Times45:25 – Take That, Late Late Show, and Music as Healing54:23 – Living Life to the Fullest After Recovery58:25 – Advice for Anyone Facing a Difficult Health Diagnosis01:00:39 – Final Thoughts on Community and Hope

In this episode of Voices of Greystones, host Terry sits down with local resident Jimmy Lewis for a deeply candid conversation about survival, mental health, and the path to recovery.Growing up between Zimbabwe, France, and Greystones, Jimmy spent over a decade living behind a façade while silently struggling with severe distress, addiction, and psychiatric hospitalisations. He shares how substance abuse completely hijacked his life, the moment his perspective shifted from utter despair to safety, and how he finally found freedom and purpose.Jimmy reflects on his mental health support app, Please, the profound impact of serving others, and his vision for community-led support in Greystones, including the idea of a dedicated "Community Bench".Chapter Timings00:00 – Content Warning & Welcome to Voices of Greystones01:11 – Who is Jimmy Lewis? Moving from a Façade to Peace02:12 – Growing Up: From Zimbabwe and France to Greystones04:21 – Early Internal Struggles and Childhood Distress08:00 – The Onset of Addiction and Losing Control12:31 – The Impact on Personal Relationships and Mental Health15:30 – Reaching the Turning Point: Entering a 12-Step Programme19:35 – Finding Safety, Sobriety, and Living Free22:05 – The Challenges of Rebuilding Life One Day at a Time23:54 – What Recovery Teaches About Selfishness and Service25:00 – The Person Jimmy is Today: Finding Joy in Everyday Life27:34 – Creating the Please App to Help Others31:24 – Community and Connection in Greystones33:37 – Improving Mental Health Conversations: The "Community Bench" Concept34:59 – Jimmy’s Message to Anyone Currently Struggling38:23 – What a Good Life Looks Like Now

What happens when you grow up in a village where everyone knows everyone — and then watch that village become a thriving town?In this episode of Voices of Greystones, Terry sits down with Dave Robbie, whose family's story in Greystones stretches back around 70 years.Dave remembers a very different Greystones: playing football on Church Road when cars were few and far between, spending summer days swimming at the beach, travelling to school by train and growing up in a community where doors were left open and people simply walked into one another's homes. His family became deeply woven into local life. His mother, Dorothy Robbie, produced the St Patrick's Players Christmas pantomime for more than 20 years, bringing generations of Greystones children together. Dave recalls the characters, the rehearsals, the Christmas traditions and even the time a famous singer appeared in the pantomime. We also talk rugby, including Dave's brother Johnny's international career and eventual move to South Africa, as well as Dave's siblings Janie and Peter and the creative legacy that ran through the Robbie family. But underneath all those stories is something much simpler.People.What they meant to one another.What made Greystones feel like a village.And what Dave hopes the town never loses as it continues to grow.Towards the end, Dave shares a particularly touching memory of his mother and explains why, despite all the changes, he has never found another place that quite matched Greystones.This is a conversation about memory, family, community and the places that become part of who we are.🎙️ Voices of Greystones is produced by High Tide Studios in the heart of Greystones.Listen to the full series and find the video episodes here:Voices of Greystones — High Tide StudiosEvery stone has a story. What's yours?⏱️ Chapters00:00 — Welcome to Voices of Greystones00:44 — The Greystones that was once a village03:38 — Growing up by the sea05:25 — School, trains and a different Greystones09:24 — Why the Robbie family came to Greystones12:30 — Open doors and an open community14:36 — Dorothy Robbie enters the story16:19 — The Christmas pantomimes that brought Greystones together18:11 — The woman behind the pantomimes20:59 — How Dorothy Robbie changed the community22:32 — Christmas in the Robbie household24:37 — Life behind the pantomime curtain27:30 — Why the pantomimes meant so much29:06 — The village becomes a town33:29 — Rugby, Ireland and Johnny Robbie37:31 — The Robbie family's creative legacy39:23 — “Don't forget the village”39:49 — Where people gathered43:16 — The Ormond Cinema and old Greystones45:14 — What changed as Greystones grew?46:48 — What should Greystones never lose?49:20 — What did the Robbie family give Greystones?51:06 — The story Dave will never forget about his mum54:19 — What would Dorothy think of Greystones today?56:17 — What should future generations remember?58:52 — Every stone has a story

What happens when you spend years longing for home — and then discover that coming home doesn't necessarily mean finding the place you imagined?In this episode of Voices of Greystones, Terry sits down with Maxine Gallagher, who moved from Berlin to Greystones with her husband and two children believing she was coming home.What followed wasn't quite the homecoming she had imagined.Maxine speaks openly about leaving a life she loved in Berlin, adjusting to a much smaller town, losing her job, the pressures of starting again, and the difficulty of finding her place and rebuilding a sense of community.But gradually, something changed.Not through one dramatic moment, but through small interactions — a conversation, a coffee, someone noticing her, a hug, joining a choir, basketball, swimming with the Ducks and simply continuing to turn up.Those moments began to change how she saw Greystones, community and herself.Along the way, Maxine talks about her family, creativity, writing, music and her growing desire to call herself an artist. And she reflects on something many people who have moved away from home — or moved somewhere new — may recognise:Perhaps home isn't always where you came from. Perhaps it's where you eventually feel safe enough to become yourself.The conversation finishes with Maxine performing her original song “Keep On Keeping On” — a beautiful ending to a conversation about persistence, connection and the small things people do for one another.This is a conversation about home, belonging, community, identity, creativity and finding your people.🎙️ Voices of Greystones is a community podcast from High Tide Studios, created to preserve the stories of the people who make this town what it is.Listen on Spotify and other podcast platforms, or watch the full episode at: hightidestudios.ie/voicesWe’re also delighted to have Greystones Wellness Hub as a community partner. The Hub plays an important role in bringing people and local initiatives together, and we’re pleased to help create another space for those stories and voices to be shared. It’s a simple collaboration built around community, conversation and creating something of value for Greystones.Check them out: https://www.thewellnesshubireland.com/Every Stone Has A Story! What's Your?Chapters00:00 — Welcome to Voices of Greystones01:18 — Life Before Greystones02:40 — The Idea of Coming Home04:14 — The Greystones She Imagined05:34 — When Reality Didn't Match the Plan07:44 — “What Have We Done?”10:11 — The Small Things That Changed Everything11:13 — Meet the Ducks14:23 — Learning to Put Yourself Out There17:01 — What Community Really Means18:56 — Finding a Different Version of Herself20:52 — “I've Always Secretly Wanted to Be a Singer”23:01 — Family, Berlin and Finding Perspective24:17 — Who Are We Supposed to Become?25:33 — “I'm an Artist”26:09 — Would You Make the Move Again?27:09 — What Greystones Has Taught Me28:43 — If You're New Here, Keep Turning Up30:31 — What Does “Home” Mean?31:53 — Maxine Performs “Keep On Keeping On”35:49 — End of Episode

Every town has people who quietly help shape what it becomes.For the first ever episode of Voices of Greystones, Terry sits down with Fatima Alvarado — originally from Venezuela, now a Greystones resident, mother and community builder.Fatima shares the story of arriving in Ireland more than a decade ago, the unexpected path that brought her to Greystones, and the moment the town began to feel like home.She talks openly about belonging, family, faith and the simple decision to create something for the people around her. What began with a few free outdoor wellness classes grew into the Greystones Wellness Hub and, eventually, a wider vision for bringing people, businesses and community together.At the heart of the conversation is a simple idea: when we recognise what other people have to offer, something changes.This is a conversation about finding home — and then deciding to help make that home better for others.🎙️ Voices of Greystones is produced by High Tide Studios in the heart of Greystones, County Wicklow.Have a story to share, or know someone whose voice deserves to be heard?hightidestudios.ie/voicesEvery Stone Has a Story. What's Yours?Chapters00:00 — Welcome to Voices of Greystones01:09 — Growing Up in Venezuela02:45 — The Dream of Somewhere Green05:15 — Leaving Home08:25 — Finding a New Life in Ireland10:09 — Finding Greystones14:22 — When Greystones Became Home17:21 — The Idea That Started With a Few People19:20 — Bringing People Together21:06 — From Wellness to Community22:22 — Building Something Bigger25:23 — What Makes Greystones Special?27:42 — Faith and Purpose29:50 — Learning to Quiet the Mind32:34 — Choosing to See the Good34:55 — What I'd Tell My Younger Self36:23 — What Ireland Gave Me37:00 — A Vision for Greystones40:17 — The Greystones Quick Fire41:56 — A Final Thought42:31 — Every Stone Has a Story