Explore every episode of the podcast Conversations with Ger Sweeney

James has released his new novel and like the three before it is set in Spain. It is called Helios and it follows the fortune of a former Christian Brother who wants to experience life following receipt of some bad news medically.

The Turning Tide is a hymn to a sea passage of world-historical importance. Combining social and cultural history, nature-writing, travelogue and politics, Welshman Jon Gower charts a sea which has carried both Vikings and saints; invasion forces, royals and rebels; writers, musicians and fishermen.

Grow Remote is non-profit group advocating for remote workers. The General Manager John Evoy has called for a body to be set up to promote remote working in Ireland. It comes after the first meeting of an All-Party Group on Remote Working took place in Leinster House recently. Grow Remote was set up in 2018 to promote remote working in Ireland. Mr. Evoy says that remote working could solve social, economic and environmental problems if it is done correctly.

Mantillas and Head Scarves is the title of a piece writte by George Lee. The piece brought memories flooding back to a simplier time and in this piece I chat with George to tease those memories out.

As the Religious Affairs Correspondent of The Irish Times from 1997, Patsy McGarry reported on some of the most troubling scandals to have rocked both Catholic and Protestant Churches in the last few decades. In Well, Holy God, he looks back not only on his time in journalism, recalling some of the most distressing stories he has had to cover, but also his own history with Catholicism and of a faith lost when the stark realities of being part of that Church became apparent to him.

David uncovers the clandestine activities of Patrick Crinnion, a Garda intelligence officer who secretly served MI6 during the early years of the Troubles. Burke reveals MI6’s shady dealings, from attempts to smear Irish politicians to plans for using criminals as assassins and the secret surveillance of a key IRA member.

Tim is the author of a book called The Atlas of Endangered Alphabets. If something is important, we write it down. Yet 85% of the world's writing systems are on the verge of vanishing - not granted official status, not taught in schools, discouraged and dismissed. When a culture is forced to abandon its traditional script, everything it has written for hundreds of years - sacred texts, poems, personal correspondence, legal documents, the collective experience, wisdom and identity of a people - is lost.

John joined an Garda Síochána but struggled to fell comfortable in his role. His life and career was changed in an instant one day as he visited HQ in the Phoenix Park. That visit started him on a very fulfilling and productive career within the force. The details are covered in his book "Identity".

Dan Lawton has written a book about the harassment by the British security forces in Northern Ireland, the wrongful arrest, the escape, re-capture and ulimate exoneration of Belfast man Keving Barry Artt. A truly unbelieveable story.

There is something special that connects Kylie, Calvin Harris, Noah Khan, Kodaline and the members of the Timahoe Male Choir. To find out what that is and to hear some of the members' stories have a listen.

Bridie Wren was born in Tarbert, Co. Kerry and went on to become the first female elected Member of Parliament in Pakistan. Patrick Lynch from the Tarbert Historical & Heritage Society tells Ger who Bridie was and a little about her time in Tarbert.

Tuamgraney native Edna O'Brien passed away on 27th July 2024. Tributes have poured in from across the artistic, political and literary world. Former Clare FM Founding CEO, Caimin Jones, grew up in Scarrif in East Clare, the Jones and O'Brien families knew each other and as a Clare FM broadcaster he got to capture her words on tape. Caimin tells Ger about some of his memories of Edna O'Brien

The O'Connell Tower in Glasnevin Cemetery, built to commemorate Irish leader Daniel O'Connell, has been relaunched following enhancement works. The structure is Ireland's tallest round tower standing at 55 metres tall and was built in 1855. Ultan Moran is Heritage Officer at Glasnvin Cemetry and he tells Ger about the historic tower.

Patricia Carey commenced her role of Special Advocate on 25 March 2024. She has been meeting and hearing from survivors and representative groups since then. Her role includes survivors of Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, Industrial and Reformatory schools, and related institutions, those who were adopted, boarded out, or those whose births were illegally registered. This includes Survivors living outside Ireland.

Jim, originally from Co. Waterford, has opened a new business in Marbella. His firm takes the work out of sourcing the perfct home on the Costa del Sol. It offers security in terms of finance, legalities and location.

Saint Declan’s Way is a pilgrim walking route linking Cashel in County Tipperary and Ardmore in County Waterford. It follows the route that Declan took when going to Cashel to meet Saint Patrick in the fifth century. Grainne tells us what we can expect as we make our way along the 115km route.

Colm and Rory have been making music together as REZO. It all began during the lockdowns of the Pandemic. Colm is Dublin-based and Rory is Malaga-based. Enjoy the sounds and the chat

The news of the death of Tommy Drennan has been greeted with sadness and has resulted in many people recalling stories of his life. Tommy was a true gentleman, a wonderful entertainer, a proud Limerick man and always a joy to encounter. Here some other greats chat to, and about, Tommy. Ar Dheis Dé go Raibh a Anam Dílis

"Music and Memories Boxes" is an initiative piloted since December 2023. It is the brainchild of Margaret O'Sullivan, Executive Librarian at the Rory Gallagher Music Library in Cork City and is supported by Cork County Council. It is designed to provoke memories "because people suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's have a problem staying in the present. The response has been so good there are now calls to roll this out across the country. Margaret tells Ger the story.

Peadar has written a book that tells the story of Ceoltóirí Chualann, a group of traditional musicians that was put together by his father Sean. Ceoltóiri Chualann has been called "the band that changed the course if Irish music"

John is the author of a fascinating book called "Spike Island" - The rebels, Residents and Crafty Criminals of Ireland's Historic Island. The book tells the story of the Cork Harbour island that is known as Ireland's Alcatraz and the many hugely important roles it has played in our history since the 18th Century.

Matt is the General Manager of Johnstown Castle, Estate, Museum and Gardens in Wexford and recently a historically significant stained glass window aged over 100 years old was unveiled at the castle.

Fugitive: The Michael Lynn Story is a thrilling journey into the mind of a reluctant fugitive brought down by his own insatiable greed. This is investigative journalism at its most compelling, placing the reader at the heart of the relentless global manhunt for fugitive Irish lawyer Michael Lynn and his stolen millions, and the trials that saw him finally brought to justice.

Padraic is the founder of Erin's Call, a recently established free service. Its aim is to assist members of the Irish diaspora in reconnecting with long lost family members worldwide. Given the mass emigration from Ireland over the years, many of our diaspora have lost contact with family members.

No Peace Until He's Dead is the title of Amanda's book. It's her story of child abuse at the hands of her stepfather, Davy Tweed and her journey to recovery. Tweed was a former Ireland and Ulster rugby player as well as being an elected DUP Councillor.

As a joke during rehearsing a particularly difficult piece someone suggested it would be "lovely to sing this in the Vatican".... and so it was! Helen tells Ger the story of the trip to Rome and Assisi.

University of Galway Professors Brendán Mac Suibhne and Daniel Carey talk to Ger about a digital repository of emigrant letters that is available to view online. Spanning a period of almost 400 years, the letters give detailed insights into the ways in which generations of Irish people struggled and succeeded in the new world. The material was gathered by American historian Kerby Miller, as part of research he conducted into the experiences of those who travelled to North America.

As he is about to release a new album and embark on a 12-gig tour of Ireland Ger caught up with Davie to chat about the album which has nine new tracks, his career in general and the tour which commences on April 5th in Wexford.

As St. Patrick's Day approaches Ger chats with the Irish Ambassador to Spain, Frank Smyth and Marketing Manager, Tourism Ireland Spain, Susan Bolger. Ambassador Smyth chats about the work of the Embassy and his role over "Semana de Irlanda" (Ireland Week) in Madrid while Susan talks us through the celebrations planned as well as marketing the island of Ireland to the Spanish market.

The Irish Countrywomen's Association is over 100 years old and is a very relevant part of life in Ireland of 2024. Mary D'Arcy has been elected President of the ICA. Her term starts in May of this year and ahead of that I spoke with Mary about the Association and her involvement in it to date.

As St. Patrick's Day 2024 is very much in our minds the authorities in Dublin, Ohio have dreamt up a unique promotion to attract Irish people to visit their city for the celebrations. Sara Blatnik is the Marketing Director for visitdublinohio.com and she outlines the details. (29th February 2024)

Pádraig is the author of" The Disappeared". It is the first book to reveal that "forced disappearances" have been part of the violent political conflicts on Ireland for more than 200 years. The book documents every person forcibly disappeared in Irish conflicts from 1916 until 1998, reframing our conception of the disappeared as a Troubles phenomenon.

Justin is the Vice President of the Southern Irish Studies Association (Asociacion de Estudios Irlandeses del Sur) in Argentina.

George Lee attended the launch of this significant book and spoke with some of those in attendance about it, and its importance. This collection of ten original essays edited by Seán William Gannon (Limerick City and County Library Service) and Brian Hughes (Department of History, Mary Immaculate College) explores the experience of Limerick’s Protestant communities during the Irish revolutionary period. 

Brigid's Way Celtic Pilgrimage is a 9-day walking pilgrimage. Those who honour Brigid, as a pre-Celtic Goddess or Christian Saint, walk in her footsteps as a way to find peace, connect with our ancestors and commune with the sacred land of Ireland. Dr. Karen Ward is co-instigator of the Way.

The 100 Million Trees Project is a national initiative developed by brothers, Richard and David Mulcahy, which aims to see the planting of 100 million native Irish trees across the island of Ireland over a 10 year period. It is a community-driven initiative designed to reverse the immense environmental damage caused by the reduction of forests worldwide and the loss of huge areas of biodiversity. (24th January 2024)

The National Library of Ireland recently acquired what is being described as the most complete visual record of Ireland, in map and print form, ever assembled by a private collector. The Bonar Law Collection, compiled by expert collector Andrew Bonar Law, comprises close to 10,000 maps and 9,000 prints, which include caricature prints and ballad sheets, going back to the 16th Century. Dr. Audrey Whitty, National Library of Library of Ireland Director tells me about it. (17th January 2024)

Ciaran was the Midlands Correspondent with Ireland's public service broadcaster, RTE for over two decades. Since his retirement he has been working to make a difference in the area around his midlands homes. He is just about to embark on a new role with Longford County Council relating to tourism in the area. In this conversation he discusses his career to date and his hopes for the future. (17th January 2024)

This is the story of extreme wellness turned sour!

Jacqueline was a Division One runner during her freshman year of college, but her season was cut short by a series of inexplicable neurological symptoms. What started with a cough, escalated to Alnes collapsing on the track and experiencing months of unremembered episodes that stole her ability to walk and speak. Her symptoms were first dismissed by her coach and her doctor. Two years after quitting the team to heal, Alnes's symptoms returned with a severity that left her using a wheelchair for a period of months. Desperate for answers, she turned to an online community centered around two wellness gurus who claimed, without any evidence, that a strict, all-fruit diet could cure conditions like depression, eating disorders, addiction, anxiety, and vision problems. (10th January 2024)

Judit is a native of Calatonia and has been in Belfast for the past two years. She is volunteering with a charity called Tools for Solidarity which gathers and repairs sewing machines, and more, for distribution in Africa.

Catherine spent years working as a journalist. IN 2020 she and her husband Liam decided that they would like to try something different. While Catherine is still writing occasionally for the Irish Times she has been, since 2020 building or growing a native woodland on land she and Liam purchased in Co. Roscommon.

The Strand Cinema in East Belfast is the oldest cinema in Northern Ireland and as it approaches it 90th birthday there is a plan in place to ensure its history is very much part of its future. Rosie Hickey is Heritage Officer at the Strand Arts Centre and she explains all in this episode.

A joint exhibition between An Post and the National Print Museum, that celebrates a century of postage stamps in Ireland, is underway at the National Print Museum. Stephen Ferguson is Curator of the exhibition.

Dedicated to the history, design and production of these miniature masterpieces and Irish cultural ambassadors, the exhibition displays not only a wide selection of Irish stamps but also original artwork, design proofs, printing plates and other treasures from the An Post Museum & Archive, some of which will be on public display for the first time. (27th December 2023)

It has become a nice tradition that I connect with the Irish Ambassador to Spain at Christmas and around St. Patrick's day. Recently Ambassador Frank Smyth and I had our Christmas chat. (20th December 2023)

Not many people get to have breakfast with Santa BUT only a handful get that opportunity AND to dine in a 15th century castle. I popped down to see what what happening for broadcast on Talk Radio Europe (20th December 2023)

Grainne tells me about a relatively new GAA club in the heart of the Basque Country. Located in Victoria Gasteiz St. Patrick's is trying to recruit members, find allies and get more games.

In recent times the relative newcomer to Ireland, the woodpecker, has been causing those who generate and distribute electicity across Ireland a bit of headache. Niall tells Ger all about it and gives us an insight to the woodpecker in general as well as the work of Birdwatch Ireland. (6th December 2023)

Patrick's book "Galway: Making a Capital of Culture" explores Galway's outsized position as a 'place of culture' over the past 100 years, and examines the tension between the creation of art and culture on the one hand, and the economic focus on 'the creative economy' on the other. (6th December 2023)

A video created by the Transition Year students at Finn Valley College in Stranorlar Co. Donegal has been chosen as one of 14 winners from across the world in a competition announced by Ed Sheeran. Tina Garry and Edel Temple tell Ger about this. (29th November 2023)

Recently, the death of one of Ireland’s best-known businesspeople and very colourful character was announced. Ben Dunne, the man who headed the Dunnes Stores empire from 1983, following his father’s death had a very full and colourful life. George Lee joins Ger to chat about the late Ben Dunne. (22nd November 2023)