Life and Depth with Ryan McDaid

Bees notice the changes in nature long before we do.In this episode, I sit down with Mick the Beekeeper, a lifelong keeper of native Irish bees, to explore what these animals reveal about the world around us.Mick shares how years of observing his bees taught him to slow down and see patterns most people overlook. His experiences with hive behavior and shifting seasons changed the way he understands the natural world.We talk about why bees react to things we barely notice, how nature communicates through behavior and timing, and what we lose when we disconnect. The conversation also explores memory, attention, and the value of taking time to really look.This is a reflective conversation about awareness, connection, and the quiet lessons nature is always trying to teach us.============================Chapters:00:00 – Intro: meeting the beekeeper02:10 – How his path with bees began...04:55 – What bees teach about awareness?07:42 – Observing the natural world differently10:38 – The value of slowing down...13:27 – Why bees notice what we don’t16:15 – Learning from patterns in nature19:02 – Seeing change through bee behavior22:48 – The power of stillness and attention!26:11 – What nature shows when you listen29:30 – Understanding connection through bees...33:58 – How environment shapes behavior37:24 – Why paying attention matters?41:20 – A different way of seeing the world45:50 – Final thoughts with Mick

Burnout can creep in long before you realise something is wrong.In this episode, I sit down with John Duffy, an engineer-turned-regenerative farmer, to explore why high achievement, constant pressure, and disconnect from nature silently push people toward physical and emotional collapse.He shares how years in the oil and gas industry, chronic stress cycles, and a life-altering moment in a woodland ecosystem forced him to rethink success, health, and what it means to feel grounded.We talk about why modern lifestyles make burnout so common, how the body signals imbalance long before burnout hits, and why reconnecting with nature, community, and purposeful work can reset your entire life.This is a grounded, honest conversation about clarity, resilience, and the turning points that guide you back to yourself when life becomes unsustainable.============================Chapters:00:00 – Intro: How burnout led John to regenerative farming04:38 – The moment that shifted his worldview07:32 – Leaving oil and gas after years of stress09:52 – Losing his father and rethinking purpose12:13 – Learning regenerative agriculture around the world15:19 – Holistic management explained simply17:09 – Transforming poor land into healthy soil20:24 – Water, nutrients, and why soil health matters23:00 – Why conventional farming often leads to burnout26:39 – How modern agriculture became fragile28:22 – The grazing method that actually works31:35 – Helping farmers transition without losing income33:16 – Humans as part of nature, not separate from it36:00 – Food quality, nutrition, and long-term health41:56 – The comfort crisis and chronic stress44:17 – Nature, recovery, and mental clarity50:21 – What farming taught him about resilience53:54 – Burnout, priorities, and mental bandwidth59:26 – Rebuilding community and human connection01:01:56 – Ancestral skills and reconnecting to the land01:13:00 – Deer pressure and restoring native woodlands01:17:00 – Why wild Irish venison is misunderstood01:19:46 – Creating the Wild & Co protein bar01:23:21 – Kickstarter launch and the future of Wild & Co01:25:15 – Final thoughts and where to find John

Being fit doesn’t always mean being healthy.In this episode, I sit down with Bosco Reid, an osteopath and lifelong athlete, to explore why serious health issues can develop even in active, disciplined people.Bosco shares how surviving meningitis, a prostate cancer diagnosis caught early through routine checks, and a later heart scare reshaped how he thinks about health, prevention, and longevity.We talk about why fitness alone can hide serious risks, how emotional health and social connection influence recovery, and why balance matters more than performance as you age.This is a reflective conversation about resilience, early detection, and the deeper lessons that emerge when life forces you to slow down and reassess what truly matters.=========================================Chapters:00:00 - Intro: Cancer news and why health can change instantly01:08 - Bosco’s background and meningitis in 198303:49 - Being “very fit” but still getting seriously ill10:14 - Why athletes can struggle when they stop winning13:00 - Coaching, discipline, and sport as community20:45 - Why overly competitive sport makes people quit22:10 - Fitness imbalance and the hidden cost of skipping cardio23:21 - The 2 biggest longevity predictors: grip strength and VO₂ max23:49 - Parkrun: the simplest health habit Bosco recommends28:44 - Prostate cancer story and the moment everything changed39:28 - PSA testing: why early detection matters45:05 - The weekly baseline: cardio + resistance training48:34 - Sleep, REM, and emotional healing53:10 - Cholesterol, statins, and Bosco’s 2019 heart event01:00:07 - Cardio, diet, and preventative checks you should actually do01:07:06 - Why sitting destroys your lower back01:13:05 - Strength training basics and avoiding common mistakes01:16:20 - “Japanese walking” (interval walking) for heart health01:19:39 - Loneliness and cardiovascular risk01:20:03 - Why CPR training should be taught in schools01:24:13 - Final thoughts and where to find Bosco

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Anne McCloskey, a retired GP from Derry who has been suspended by the General Medical Council for challenging the official narrative regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Anne opens up about her transition from a respected physician to a whistleblower, detailing the alleged vaccine injuries she witnessed in her practice and the aggressive legal battles she has fought against regulatory bodies. We discuss the realities of her suspension, her imprisonment for refusing to pay fines, and her conviction that current global health policies are driven by financial interests rather than patient safety. This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about medical censorship, the ethics of healthcare, and the personal cost of standing against the establishment.=========================================Timecodes:00:00 - Suspension update & Introduction 00:43 - Medical background03:23 - Early skepticism06:40 - Midazolam protocols 09:30 - Returning to work12:50 - Story of a teenage diabetic denied face-to-face care 15:40 - The "COVID Cult" 18:13 - The "financial scam" 21:53 - How GP contracts changed to prioritize pharmaceutical targets 26:56 - Patrick Walsh’s data on excess mortality in Ireland 31:26 - The specific video and patient cases that led to suspension 34:00 - The "Midnight Email" from the Chief Medical Officer 37:50 - The "Anti-Human" Agenda: Technocracy and control 42:30 - Fear in the medical community45:40 - The decline of medical education and student debt slavery 50:40 - The end of the NHS and the push for digital health 56:34 - The legal battle01:02:40 - Personal tragedy and the refusal to adjourn hearings 01:08:40 - Imprisonment01:10:47 - Challenging the court jurisdiction: The "Strawman" argument 01:15:20 - Confronting "Naked Evil" and the spiritual battle

In this episode, I sit down with computing researcher, lecturer and expert Eoghan Furey to discuss the chaotic world of information overload and the alarming rise of artificial intelligence. We explore how social media algorithms secretly manipulate our worldviews, the hidden dangers of intrusive data tracking, and why we are rapidly losing our ability to think independently. Eoghan explains the concept of "Emotographics," the controversial impact of ChatGPT on education, and how big tech companies aggressively monetise our attention. We also dive into the psychological effects of screen time on children and the subtle ways technology permanently alters our behaviour. This conversation reveals the reality of digital addiction and the critical need to reclaim our cognitive freedom before it is too late.=========================================Timecodes:00:00 - Intro: The Age of Information Overload 00:50 - Losing Independent Thought to Algorithms 04:07 - The Attention Economy: "You Are The Product" 06:51 - The Hidden Cost of Wearable Tech Data 08:29 - Society’s Fragile Reliance on Technology 13:42 - Emotographics: How Tech Predicts Your Feelings 16:40 - The Global Race for AI Chips (NVIDIA) 20:40 - Why Siri & Alexa Failed vs. ChatGPT 24:35 - Is AI Destroying Critical Thinking Skills? 29:40 - The Black Box Problem: Why We Trust AI Too Much 38:56 - Sci-Fi Predictions Coming True (iRobot & The Matrix) 44:03 - The "Library of Everything": Dangers of AI for Kids 50:07 - The End of Privacy & DNA Data Risks 59:53 - Who Programs the Values? (The Bias Problem) 01:07:34 - Cambridge Analytica: 5,000 Data Points on You 01:12:00 - The Dopamine Trap: Likes, Validation, & Addiction 01:18:45 - Using Minecraft to Teach Healthy Habits 01:21:40 - The Correlation Between Screens and Anxiety 01:32:45 - Why Phones Should Be Banned in Schools 01:37:00 - The Death of Attention Spans 01:47:08 - The Rise of Narcissism & Need for Community