The How Is He Podcast

How Is He Podcast | Ep. 109 
Joining Podge & Popa in studio today are Mikey Martins & Shannon Basso Gaule.
Mikey is a powerhouse in the world of international arts and festivals. He is a performing artist, theatre maker, producer, and festival director whose career has spanned some of the most influential arts festivals across the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific.
Over the years, he’s held senior leadership roles with organisations including Winchester Hat Fair, Theatre Bristol, Norfolk & Norwich Arts Festival, and Freedom Festival Hull, where he led as CEO and Artistic Director during Hull’s landmark UK City of Culture years.
Most recently, he has joined Carlow Arts Festival in 2026, Mikey served as General Director of the globally celebrated Oerol Festival in the Netherlands, Europe’s largest site-specific theatre festival, set on the stunning island of Terschelling. 
Comedian & Festival Producer of Carlow Arts Festival, Shannon Basso Gaule, makes a long awaited return to the podcast, this time taking us through the ins & outs of festival production, planning, and organising, playing an integral part of this years Festival Edition.
The lads will be diving into creativity, leadership, festival culture, and what it takes to shape world-class artistic experiences.

The Second Half: Bonus Episode 37
Co-Hosted by Denis Byrne (Guich)
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How Is He Podcast | Ep. 108 
This evening Podge is joined in Studio by Gemma Delaney ,who began her media career in podcasting, creating the successful true crime series What’s Up Doc, which reached #1in the Apple Podcasting Charts, earned awards and performed live at CrimeCon. 
She established herself as a professional podcaster early on, securing sponsorships and co-hosting additional shows while still in college. Transitioning into radio, she became a presenter with WLR FM, a leading local station in Ireland’s southeast. On-air, she hosts shows like The Live Wire Lunch and the arts-focused programme On The Fringe, featuring interviews and local culture coverage. 
Today, she is recognised for her energetic broadcasting style and strong connection to Waterford’s music, arts, and community scene across both radio and podcasting.

The Second Half: Bonus Episode 36 

Co-Hosted by Denis Byrne (Guich)
Powered by Ampifi Studios

How Is He Podcast | Ep. 107 
Podge's guest today has lived a life shaped by music, movement, and bold reinvention. 
Tricia Hutton grew up in Carlow in a deeply musical family, where a love for traditional Irish music was part of everyday life. In her twenties, she followed that passion to Galway, performing with the trad band Lia Luachra, touring across Europe, recording albums, and even landing on the cover of Hot Press. 
Her journey then took a global turn when she joined Lord of the Dance, spending years touring stages around the world. From there, she crossed the Atlantic to Virginia to work as a musician in Busch Gardens, before once again returning to the whirlwind of international touring. 
Tricia’s story doesn’t stop there. She came home to Ireland to begin a completely new chapter, navigating life as a single parent, founding the Kilkenny Trad Trail, and later moving to Limerick to complete a Master’s in Traditional Irish Music Performance at UL. Not long after, she added another string to her bow, qualifying as a primary school teacher. 
In recent years, her sense of adventure brought her and her son all the way to Japan. What was meant to be a two-year stay turned into three. And now, back in Ireland, she’s balancing teaching in Carlow Educate Together with running a dog-friendly café on the side. 
From world stages to classrooms, from Ireland to Japan and back again. Tricia’s journey is one of resilience, creativity, and constantly embracing the next chapter.