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We discuss with historical fiction author Susan Lanigan how history has a tendency to repeat itself, her writing process and love for history, the challenges of being an author, censorship along with her latest book.

In the final part of our Estate Agents Series we chat to Andy Donoghue from Hodnett Forde Property Services about his path into property, the skills needed to be a good estate agent, the cyclical nature of the property market and dealing with that, the emotive nature of what he does and having a thick skin.

Martin from Martin Kelleher Property Services in Clonakilty chats to us about how a nice car inspired his career choice, the pros and cons of being an independent operator, the importance of realistically portraying a property to its best potential along with the highs and lows of his job.

In the first part of our Estate Agents Series, we talk to Majella Galvin from DNG Galvin in Bandon. We discuss her path into auctioneering, the importance of marketing, networking and being part of business groups and organisations, trends in the property market, the importance of supporting and educating clients on their property  journey and the multi-faceted skills required of a modern chartered estate agent. 

We are joined by musician Alan Tobin, aka ADT to chat about his electronic folk music, the wider music scene and industry, the things & people that inspire him, working with other creative people, his new album & being a lighthouse enthusiast.

Cork Creative: the journey so far Cork Creative is approaching its two year anniversary. We have had over 25 guests on the podcast from artists to authors, distillers to declutters and many more interesting characters who  have chatted to us about the highs and lows of their journeys to now.  With that in mind, we felt it was important for the two hosts of the show, myself Geraldine Hennessy & Patrick Kiely to share our experience of creating this podcast . So we discuss the background of Cork Creative, why we do it, what we learn from it and where we hope to go with it.

In this episode we are joined by muralist and artist Martina Flanagan. We discuss her path to now-through colleges and jobs & her moment of enlightenment. We speak about her superheroes in woman empowerment, her process, the impact of social media and she shares some sage advice for wannabe artists.

We are joined by vintage & antique guru Rita Holding of RH vintage Interiors. We discuss the evolution of her hobbyist passion to a business, the great partnership she has with her husband Ian, having a good business head & the wonders and evocative nature of vintage & antique pieces.

In this episode we are joined by East Cork artist Nicola Geary whose work ranges from clay faces to brightly coloured canvas. A lover of texture and colours, her work is constantly evolving. We chat about her journey from artist to chef and back again, the surge in creativity she has experienced, the importance of her mother, family, creative collaborations & supports, learning to embrace the online realm & the value of being true to yourself.

In this episode, we chat to Maura O’Connell from West Cork Casting Studio. She explains her journey from Social Science Graduate to life-casting & producer of memorial jewellery, the highly emotive element of her work, the touching stories that make her work so special,  overcoming her periods of procrastination & self-doubt & learning to take it easy on herself.

We chat to professional declutterer Anne Marie Kingston from White Sage Decluttering about how her early life forged her path into decluttering, the lightbulb moment that initiated her business, the multifaceted layers of decluttering, her tips, challenges and future plans.

We speak to interior designer Maura Mackey about turning her part-time hobby into her full-time career, her passion for biophilic design, the importance of function, her design process, the benefits of challenges and how every day is a school day.

In this episode, we are joined by photographer Anna Groniecka. We discuss Anna’s creative roots, taking the leap into full time photography, the intense nature of her work and going with the flow. Anna also shares some good advice for people starting out in business.

In the fourth part of our Business Supports Series we speak to Arran O’Driscoll , Chair at Clonakilty Credit Union. We chat about the differences between credit unions and banks, the importance to the credit union of building relationships with members and welcoming them in, how credit unions can help business to manage their day to day finances and how they adapt their strategy in line with the needs of their members.

In this episode we speak to Peter Walsh , Chairman of Brookpark Business Centre in Dunmanway. Brookpark is an advanced technology business centre featuring Conference, Training, Board Room, Offices, Co-Working and Hot Desk facilities. Peter tells us the story of how Brookpark came about, what Brookpark can offer local businesses, the importance of community to the centre and how Brookpark hopes to serve as a blue print for other businesses to become more sustainable.

In the second part of our Business Supports series, we chat to Fiona Ryan, the Start Up & Entrepreneurship Manager in the Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen about her insights for post covid trends for business, how the Ludgate is shaping its own path from those trends and how it facilitates and supports local business and the  wider community across the generations.

Kevin Curran from the Local Enterprise Office joins us to tell us why the LEO should be the first port of call for any new business and any business that wants to expand. He simplifies business plans, shares what he believes are the biggest mistakes business’ make and discusses the importance of having an online presence-all with a few interesting stories thrown in!

In the fourth part of our Craft Brewers & Distillers Series, husband & wife team Daniel Emerson from Stonewell Cider & Géraldine Javoy from Nohoval Apple Wines educate us on all things apple, the perpetual motion of research & design, maintaining a strong profile, collaboration, sustainability & growing their businesses post-pandemic.

Louise Kingston, founder of Inchydoney Candles joins us to discuss the strong coastal influence on her products and brand, a mother’s influence, unexpected sales boosts and a positive development born out of the pandemic.

In the third part of our Craft Brewers & Distillers series, Séamus Ó Drisceoil from Cape Clear Island Distillery chats to us about their goal to have a high quality distinctive gin that reflects Cape Clear Island, the community endeavour that is central to the distillery, the importance of safeguarding the distillery environs & their plans for the year ahead.