Podcast Corner: A Cork flavour from I'm Grand Mam and Rebel Matters
PJ Kirby and Kevin Twomey of the I'm Grand Mam podcast.
Here are a couple of established podcasts from Cork to try for 2021.
OK girlies, if you want an easy-flowing conversation laden with LOL moments, you'll love this show from Kevin Twomey and PJ Kirby. Originally from Cork, which you'll notice in their accents straight away and in their 'pure'-laden chats, the pair have been living in London for a few years. They say the show explores "the collective life landmarks that accompany growing up gay in the world today".
You'll come knowing there will be hilarious anecdotes: On their first episode of 2021, 'A Queer Old Year', PJ says he wants to get into shares mainly because he's tired of seeing the same ads coming up on his TikTok feed, but is afraid he'll get addicted to the stock markets like he does with the coin machines in Leisureplex and La Scala in Crosshaven. And you'll stay to hear the always reassuring audio messages from their titular mams - we could definitely get behind Kevin's mam's advice for the year ahead, to have double celebrations for birthdays, anniversaries, and New Year's.
Fáilte, fáilte, fáilte a chairde gael. That's the warm intro you'll hear from Ainle Ó Cairealláin on pressing play on Rebel Matters. Ó Cairealláin is from west Belfast but lives in Cork city where he runs the ACLAÍ gym. Having fundraised and set up a volunteer gym in Palestine in the past year, he keeps such pressing societal issues at the heart of the show.
He says as much on episode 86, explaining that he wants the podcast to be a platform for people who usually don't get to tell their stories or don't get the platform they deserve.
The ensuing conversation with Kate McGrew of the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (Swai) is fascinating. Previous guests include Virginia O'Gara of My Goodness on the worrying future of Big Food, Cork DJ Stevie G, and Gemma Dunleavy, whose brilliant song 'Up De Flats' is an ode to her working-class roots in Dublin.
The Commission of Investigation into Mother & Baby Homes publishes its final report this week. Last year, as part of its Tuam Oral History Project, NUI Galway released a three-episode podcast series, narrated by Cillian Murphy, telling the stories of survivors of the Mother & Baby Home. Listen here or search for NUI Galway in your podcast apps. The episodes are called: 'Throw away the bruised', 'They'll even come after your soul', and 'I love every bone of you'
