At just 20 years old, Cork native Lavie Olupona is no stranger to the spotlight. Through her work as a spoken word poet she has performed at Electric Picnic and Misléor.

Today, I met Lavie in her local park in Clonakilty, Cork, where she wanted to show me a very special bench. It’s a bench that is dedicated to her grandfather Michael Foley, commissioned by her Mam, aunty and grandmother. Lavie’s Mam, Mary, sadly passed away from cancer in February this year, but left Lavie with plenty to remind her of her presence.

“My mam was actually a poet as well. She left a journal with all that she wanted and letters to us. She had everything prepared. Every day I see little signs around me that let me know she’s here. I saw a feather on my way to meet you today, and she said she'd come back as a crow with a fag in her mouth. She had a very specific humour, very dark but hilarious.”

Lavie’s Mam was a proud Irish Traveller and instilled that sense of pride and heritage in her daughter. “I'm very honoured that my Nana passed down a lot of stories from her life to me and my Mam. I try to incorporate that in my poetry where possible. And my Mam was a very proud Traveller woman, so I try to carry the culture and history with me and honour her that way.”

While Lavie’s Mam is Irish, her Dad is Nigerian, which is a beautifully unique mix.

“A lot of people tell me it's really interesting or that it’s like I have two identities. But for me, I think it's one together, combined, that's just how I was raised.”

Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donncha is a dark horse. He’s been a dairy farmer all his life (as was his father, and his father’s father). He dotes on his herd and loves to see them so calm and curious and you can easily tell that they dote on him too, they crowd around him to take a photo together.

But Donncha is a man of many talents, not just milking. He’s tread the boards of local stages and even tried his hand at salsa dancing.

Like most farmers, Donncha works relentlessly on the farm, rarely taking holidays, worrying about diseases and never giving much thought to retirement (much to his wife, Teresa’s disappointment).

Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Valerie is a busy woman. She’s a single Mam to three kids from ages 28 down to four (one with additional needs), she works as a lecturer in TUS and is also studying for her PHD. Valerie is tasked with finding out what kids need in order to thrive in education. She recognises that not everyone learns in the same way, but that everyone deserves the chance to excel.

Sin Scéal Eile - That's Another Story was hosted and created by Ruth Medjber, with sound by Ronan Lally. The podcast is produced by Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio with original music by Elaine Mai.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.