Armagh I Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

At the tender age of fifteen it was clear to Libby Clarke that sales was the route for her, however, a change of product was on the cards.

In the fourth and final episode of our Female Entrepreneur series, in partnership with Tarasis Enterprises – Supporting Female Entrepreneurs – we speak to the Portadown businesswoman who explains how property was not her first dabble in sales.

Growing up with a farming background, cattle was always Libby's first passion and she recalls selling her first property at fifteen.

Following Libby's father's retirement, the keen saleswoman took on a role with the then branded Joyce Estate Agents in 2002.

Fast forward to 2010, Joyce Clarke was born following a buy out of the business.

Libby explains the process as a "seamless transaction" and tells us how some of the team are key to the success of the business.

Cash flow, IT systems, long hours and mortgage changes are all part of normal working life - not to mention a farm at home which Libby manages herself.

It is not always clear what the future holds. Plans are laid down and ideas cultivated but life often has a way of reshaping those plans.

This is the third episode of our four part series, in partnership with Tarasis Enterprises, Supporting Female Entrepreneurs.

In 2019, Benburb-based beautician Sinead O’Donnell was hard at work laying the foundations for her own brand of self-tanning products. Then, in 2020 with the onset of the Covid Pandemic her world was suddenly upended with the untimely and tragic passing of her beloved father, Patrick Hughes.

Despite her incredible heartache, Sinead was acutely aware that her dad would not have wanted her to put paid to her new venture. So, with his devotion to her in mind, she decided to dedicate her line to his memory and thus PH20 Tanning was born.

Two years on, Sinead has continued to develop her line. PH20 is currently being stocked by over 5o retailers, secured by none-other than Sinead herself, and is set to launch a new and exciting product in the very near future.

With her sunny disposition, radiantly positive outlook on life and her quiet grit and determination it is patently clear that this female entrepreneur has a glowing future in business ahead of her.

Born together, business partners forever. Over the last nine years entrepreneurial Banbridge twins Aaron and Andrew Burns have built themselves a remarkable business empire, now based in the heart of Markethill.

This is Part Three in a four-part series of podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union.

Astute and ambitious, the twins recognised their own set of skills early on and kick-started their journey into self-employment by leaning into what they were most passionate about, sports and nutrition, and established a multi-sports coaching company, Burns Skills School, in 2013.

Fast forward nine years… the brothers now head up three thriving businesses, all housed under the one Old Barn roof.

Yes, they are hugely successful, but as Andrew confesses… It wasn't always fair weather. From long drives to recruit clients, creating an office from a spare bedroom to the hardships of decision making with a sibling - they have been through it all.

Not a pair to be easily defeated, they continued to ‘drive it on’ and, taking inspiration from their entrepreneurial father, Frank, they have now set sights on a new goal.

She grew up in Madden as Danielle Carragher, but since reaching back in time and taking her maternal great grandmother's long lost surname as her stage name, Dani Larkin was born.

And it’s not just the name that Dani has adopted from the past. The Armagh singer/songwriter and musician’s songs also transcend time, steeped in Irelands ancient landscape, mythologies and folklore.

Dani began writing at the age of 11 with a poem and since then years of working hard and performing , eventually saw her become the quintessential overnight success.

Her debut album, ‘Notes For A Maiden Warrior’ was released in to 2021 to rave reviews.

‘striking debut,’ ‘stunning,’ ‘otherworldly,’ ‘powerful,’ ‘you can feel the music in your bones,’ are just a few accolades from the critics.

A whirlwind year of touring home and abroad followed, amidst nominations  for ‘Best Album’ at this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize and ‘Best Emerging Artist’ at the RTE Folk Awards.

She opened for Snow Patrol at sold-out London Palladium Theatre and Belfast’s Waterfront, and after performing at SXSW festival in Austin Texas, it was off to Vancouver before coming home to tour with Declan O’Rourke.

Armagh I caught up with Dani, after she took a short breather in Galway, and she spoke about her life, her music and her philosophies on both.

While she’s inspired by where she comes from and the legacies of the land, Dani, who has a degree in history and sociology and a masters in international conflict and cooperation, has also used her music to unite, working in places as far afield as Palestine, Indonesia and Columbia.

It’s back on the road again closer to home in the coming months however, with Dani’s next tour kicking off on April 29 at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast, followed by a UK tour with Ye Vagabonds and some shows of her own.

Tickets available at www.danilarkin.com

Anyone who has even the slightest interest in mountain biking will know the name Glyn O’Brien. The Newry man is a legend in the sport, and  for good reason.

Glyn’s racing career spans the 90’s to the present day, and he’s crammed in plenty over the decades. He raced the UCI Downhill World Cup circuit from 1997 to 2006, and in 2009 came second I the World Masters Downhill Championships.

But in 2003 Glyn lost the plot altogether – taking himself off to Utah where he competed in the Red Bull Rampage – and finished an incredible third.

Legendary status confirmed, Glyn still went back for more the following year. Just in case you’re not clear exactly what this event consists of, Glyn describes it as ‘basically jumping of a cliff on a bike.’ And he’s not joking - check out the footage on YouTube.

When he’s not hurling himself off mountains Glyn is immersed in the business end of the sport, working with Vitus Bikes a s a Brand Ambassador and founder of the Vitus First Tracks team, coaching and, oh yeah – he’s also been a fireman for the past 14 years. In fact Glyn took gold at the World Police and Fire Games in Canada in 2011 and again at home in Northern Ireland in 2013.

Whenever he can though Glyn can be found riding the local trails in Bigwood or at the Mountain Bike Trail Centre in Kilbroney Park - which he was involved in setting up in 2013. Armagh I caught up with Glyn when he came down from a day’s work in Rostrevor, filming with the new range of Vitus bikes at the top of the mountain. The fit-as-a-fiddle athlete wasn’t even out of breath as he talked about his love of downhill biking and adventure. Glyn tells us all about that memorable day in Utah, touches on the tricky topic of the dangers posed by walkers on the bike trails in Kilbroney Park, and how he would love to see the area expanded.

There’s no sign of Glyn slowing down, as he gears up to compete in the first round of this year’s Irish Downhill Mountainbike Series , which takes place in Rostrevor next weekend, April 2 -3. The event is completely sold out, with mountain biking more popular than ever – and long may it last.

An innovative media company is putting Portadown on the map with their 360-degree technology and high quality video content helping local businesses stay ahead of the curve.

Atmosphere Immersive Media was established by Gerda Visinskaite and her boyfriend Jake Bailey-Sloan.

Jake set up The Mill, the indoor combat centre on Bleary Road, when he was just a teenager, but sadly passed away in October, at the age of just 23.

This is Part Two in a four-part series of podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union.

Armagh I caught up with Gerda Visinskaite and videographer Jakub Cervenak to hear about the origins of the business and how they are working to keep Jake's legacy alive.

Gerda explained that Jake had hired Jakub, whilst he was still working as a pizza chef, to carry out some videography work at the Mill.

Impressed by the work, a few years later Jake approached Jakub with the idea for Atmosphere Immersive.

From the start they tried to set themselves apart from the rest, using 360° multi-lens camera technology to capture 8K photo and video content.

It was not an instant success, with Gerda and Jakub explaining there was a lot of free work to begin with building up a portfolio but after this businesses began contacting them impressed by the output.

Armagh may be quite some distances from Naples, but one young entrepreneur is bringing perhaps the region's most important invention to the Orchard county.

Matthew Sherry, a Co Monaghan native, set up shop (quite literally) in the city centre when he opened up his artisan pizza shop, Basil Lane, less than two months ago.

This is Part One in a serial of Armagh I podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union.

Matthew realised his dream of serving the woodfired delights whilst studying science at university in Dublin.

It took just one bite of an artisan pizza and he knew this is what he wanted to be doing.

The 26-year-old did finish his initial degree but then changed tact with a post grad in entrepreneurship, which helped with the basics.

Not only does Matthew own the business but he also will be your chef and server at Basil Lan, which he believes ensures quality.

So focused was he in making sure his pies where up to scratch, Matthew had his pizza oven shipped in from Italy, however, piecing it together proved a bit of a tougher task.

He admits that there were reservations to begin with but he has been blown away by the support of other businesses and customers.

Looking forward, Matthew does have dreams of growing the business with more premises but he wants to make sure that this would not be to the detriment of the quality of his pizzas.

Vincent Loughran has been a photographer in Armagh for the best part of 50 years. He's been there, done it and, as the saying goes, got the t-shirt. He's had his near misses too...

Like life itself, it's been a rollercoaster; there has been the good the bad and, indeed, the very ugly. Fires, hijackings, bombings – The Troubles in general – have been juxtaposed against happier times. An avid Armagh GAA fan, Vincy was there for the All-Ireland triumph in 2002 and before that, the All-Ireland defeat to Dublin in the '77 final. The contrast he says was "unreal". 

Times have changed but memories last a lifetime. Here, Vincy details some of those memories as he exhibits some of the most striking images he has captured over the years at the Aonach Mhacha Culture centre on Lower English Street. That event runs for another few weeks...and just like those photos, our chat is well-worth listening to. 

It's been a road well-travelled for one local gin distiller who has enjoyed a remarkable career; one which once had him at the forefront of the battle against the HIV pandemic. 

Nowadays, you can find Ric Dyer distilling his beautifully crafted gin in a lab in Benburb.

It's been an unconventional route for Ric, but his Symphonia Gin is fast becoming a household name in a saturated gin market; his story, like his liqueur, is a unique one.

The casualties of war are often unseen and that’s never been more apparent than in poverty-stricken Belarus.

The country, tied up with Putin’s Russia, is ruled by dictator Alexander Lukashenko and its poorest and most vulnerable citizens are locked away in abysmal conditions in institutions and orphanages out of sight hidden in forests throughout the country.

Belarus was the country most affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the fallout continues, as the  children –  who never grew old, watched their children suffer on with illness, disability and poverty.

Chernobyl Aid Newry was founded in 1997 to support the  neglected children and families of Belarus.

Jacinta Curran was a pharmacist when she happened upon the charity when one of its founders came in for supplies to take to Belarus. Her medical knowledge was requested and she joined Chernobyl Aid Newry in 2001. They work tirelessly helping the Institutions, orphanages and asylums, providing them with whatever they require.

Before Covid the charity travelled bi-annually to Belarus with medical and food  supplies, clothing, money and they even built a half-way house – in poignant circumstances -  for a group of men who had been institutionalised since birth.

While all of our focus is naturally on the Ukrainian people right now, things have gotten even worse for the poor in Belarus. Any meagre amount of funding these state-run institutions receive will now go to the military for Lukashenko’s support for Putin.

For this week’s podcast Jacinta tells Armagh I just what it’s like in the forests of Belarus and all of the work that Chernobyl Aid Newry does to alleviate the suffering.

The stories are harrowing but the urgency and genuine distress and love Jacinta feels for these people is palpable when you listen to her speak.