How to be Irish

What does an interaction with an Irish fairy look and feel like? How do we connect with Ireland’s Neolithic and sacred sites? Were our ancestors supernatural beings? We’re ten episodes in and this one will definitely get you thinking! Bobbo the Bard is a musician, poet, and author who travels around Ireland, connecting with ancient sacred sites. Through these experiences, he has had multiple interactions with the otherworld. Bobbo chats to me about how he connects to our Neolithic tombs, cairns and stone circles through sound healing, meditation and following his path of alignment. We also speak about Irish mythology and how they remain connected to our world today through these magical sites. If you’re interested in ancient Ireland and the spirituality associated with it, then you will love this episode! Bobbo is very mindful when describing his experiences. I genuinely felt goosebumps and shivers up my spine while listening to him recall his stories. We cover all the different types of fairies: Banshees, Púcas, and Changelings as well as the Tuatha Dé Dhanann and the connection between them. He tells me about the story of Balor of the Evil Eye, Lú and Cú Chulainn. If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll love Bobbo’s podcast The Creative Space and his TikTok and Instagram. If you’re based in Ireland, you can message him to get a copy of his brand new book ‘My Poetic Awakening’ or it is available to purchase on Amazon. Did you get shivers listening to Bobbo share his stories? How to be Irish is on Instagram, and you can follow me, Úna, on TikTok. Please consider supporting this podcast by becoming a patron on Patreon. Your generosity helps me to cover the costs of running this podcast such as my editing and design software. If you are a small Irish business and you are interested in sponsoring this podcast, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. I’d love to chat! Beir bua, Úna xx

Why did the Irish language start to decline? Why should we be interested in learning Gaeilge? How can you go about bringing more Irish into your everyday life?Saoirse Garet is a voice facilitator and accent coach who has recently researched the Irish language and vocal identity. In this episode, Saoirse and I discuss how the loss of Irish has affected Irish vocal identity in our connection to our bodies, our minds and ourselves.We cover:The current revival of the Irish languageHow a mindset shift can help the Irish language to thriveHow playing with a language is the best way to learnHow the erasure of Irish is similar to Indigenous languagesWhat is Hiberno-EnglishIf you’re curious about the Irish language then this episode is for you!Míle buíochas to Saoirse for joining me in the How to be Irish studio today. She creates content around the voice on TikTok and Instagram. Be sure to check her socials out too if you would like to learn more about her research and upcoming workshop that was mentioned in the show.What other topics would you like to see covered by this podcast? Leave a comment.How to be Irish is on Instagram, and you can follow me, Úna, on TikTok. Please consider supporting this podcast by becoming a patron on Patreon.Irish language Gaeilge learning Irish podcast decline loss famine Irish in schools

Are the Irish repressed emotionally? How has our history impacted our soma? How are the young people in Ireland working to heal themselves for their future ancestors today? Caoimhe Gibney, aka The Mindful Physio and founder of the ANAM Collective, facilitates and runs healing retreats. Through her work with Irish people, she has discovered that we all hold a deep sadness within ourselves. In this episode, we explore the impact of intergenerational trauma on the bodies and lives of the Irish, and how young Irish people are doing the work to heal themselves. My discussion with Caoimhe includes: How she transitioned from working as a physiotherapist to finding healing therapies such as yoga, breathwork and Reiki. What healing actually looks like and how the body responds. How cultural shifts in Ireland have paved the way for healing from our intergenerational trauma. How somatic therapies allow us to connect with our ancestors and engage with our spiritual selves. Coping with trauma: alcoholism in Irish society. The shared traumas of Irish women passed on from generation to generation. Caoimhe mentions upcoming retreats in this episode. If you are interested in finding out more, Caoimhe is available on Instagram, TikTok and her website. Do you think the Irish are traumatised as a result of our history? Let me know in the comments! How to be Irish is on Instagram, and you can follow me, Úna, on TikTok.

Why did Ireland undergo so much societal change in the 1990s and 2000s? What was it like to be a young woman or a member of the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland in the late 20th century? What are the issues we should be focusing on next in Irish society? Ailbhe Smyth is an LGBTIQA and feminist activist, campaigner. She was co-director of the Together for Yes campaign to repeal the 8th amendment in 2018, and an academic at UCD where she founded and directed the Women's Studies programme. Join us in the How to be Irish studio as we discuss: The referendums of recent years in Ireland and how they came about. What it was like to be a lesbian in Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s. How the Catholic Church dominated Irish society for years. Why climate change needs to be prioritised. Let me know what you think of this discussion in the comments! You can follow Ailbhe on X and Instagram. How to be Irish is on Instagram, and you can follow me, Úna, on TikTok.