Hi everyone. Great news! A new series of The Comfortable Spot podcast is coming soon but in the meantime, have a listen to a recent episode of my latest podcast production called Two half Pints. I'm joined by my friend Brian Milne as we we untangle the heart of politics, society, and human behaviour with thoughtful one-on-one discussions, exploring…

Today my guest is photographer Steven Xiao. Steven is based in San Francisco and picked up photography during the pandemic as a way of getting some fresh air. Steven was a finalist for fine art at the Creative Awards at the Siena International Photo Awards, in the professional category. His work has been published in Dodho Magazine, a professional …

Today my guest is singer songwriter Phil BroiKos. Phil is currently working on a very unusual project called A Day in Music. Over the course of two decades Phil is planning to release twenty-four hours of music productions of one hour per year. Each hour of music is inspired by events that happened within a corresponding hour of the day. So far, Ph…

Today my guest is musician Stella Bass. I've known Stella for over ten years and have always admired her professional approach to producing music and her new album, Look for the Silver Lining is no exception. The album is a collection of timeless jazz standards. Stella collaborates with The Johnny Taylor Trio to bring you a heady mix of delightful …

Today my guest is author and political scientist Dr. Tobias Endler. With over 20 years in academia, Tobias has published numerous books and articles on US politics, transatlantic relations, as well as democracy, media, populism, and current progressive movements. I have known Tobias for many years now and we often catch up online and in person to d…

Rock Vocal Mastery: Graham Bonnett on Shaping a Music Legend Today my guest is rock music vocalist Graham Bonnett. Since his early teens, Graham has become synonymous with his powerful voice which has been heard in many songs over the decades. Graham has recorded with some of the best rock acts in the world including Rainbow and Alcatrazz. Graham i…

Today my guest is graphic designer Simon Roche. Simon is a Product Design Director who builds products and design systems in education and tech. Simon has worked in many fields in the last 20+ years as a designer, and produced work for international clients from Denmark to Australia, as well as for many Irish businesses through cultural work, brand…

Today my guest is journalist and writer Ken Foxe. With over 30 years' experience in media, Ken has been at the forefront of investigative reporting and was the leading author of a long-running series of articles in 2009 regarding politicians' expenses that led to major changes in the way they were reimbursed. Ken is also a co-director of Right to K…

Everything is on schedule The Comfortable Spot podcast season six in early February.I’ve got some amazing guests and great conversations and as always, some ofthem you will know, some maybe not but I know you’ll find all of them intriguing. In the meantime, here is a bonus mini episode featuringmore from my recent chat with graphic designer Malcolm…

Today my guest is Mary Ward. Mary is my aunt and has lived in Dublin all of her life. As a family, we have often discussed the idea of documenting our history and as part of that, I thought it would be a great opportunity to sit down with Mary and chat about her memories of living in Dublin over the last 70 years. From her childhood playing all day…

Today my guest is author and rugby historian James Stafford. A self confessed rugby fanatic, James is the founder of cult rugby website The East Terrace, and has written on rugby for publications such as The Daily Telegraph, Irish Independent, Metro, ESPN Scrum.com, and Rugby World. In 2017 his collection of short comics, The Sorrowful Putto of Pra…

Today my guest is podcaster and historian Ian Sanders. Ian is the host and producer of the Cold War Conversations podcast. Since childhood, Ian has been fascinated with the Cold War which was an era in recent history that focused on the post war threat of conflict between the Warsaw Pact countries and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Ian sta…

Today my guest is graphic designer Malcom Garrett. For over forty years Malcom has been at the forefront of graphic design and has created iconic images for musicians and bands around the world. From the Rio album by Duran Duran to becoming a founder member of the 5D World Builders at 5D Institute at USC in California, Malcolm is noted for his coll…

Today my guest is Kaila Gabriel. Kaila is a first year Masters student at Queens University, Ontario, Canada, studying Immunology and Cancer Therapeutics. In her spare time, Kalia is a contributing writer for The Average Scientist project whose goal it is to make science accessible to all. I invited Kaila to join me a guest to chat about her passio…

Today my guest is musician and actor Flo McSweeney. Flo first came to prominence as a versatile vocalist on the Irish rock scene with stand out performances with acts such as Moving Hearts and Toy with Rhythm before embarking on a solo career alongside acting roles in theatres across Ireland. In 2018, Flo realised her debut solo album, Picture in a…

Today my guest is author and historian Joseph Dragovich. Joe has recently published Hawkhurst: Murder, Corruption and Britian's Most Notorious Smuggling Gang. The story of the Hawkhurst Gang is an account of one of the first modern crime syndicates and provides the perfect opportunity to explore 1740s Britain, a time of profound political, economic…

Today my guest is Counselling Psychologist Niamh Delmar. Specialising in mental health and psychological distress, Niamh is involved with assessment, treatment and relapse prevention. She has over ten years' experience as a training consultant for major organisational settings and provides mental health talks and workshops. Niamh is also a freelanc…

Today my guest is writer, broadcaster and DJ Dave Haslam. Author of a number of influential books, Dave was a DJ at Manchester's Haçienda nightclub, and in 1999 he published a book about the Manchester music scene and, subsequently, books about superstar DJs called Adventures on the Wheels of Steel and Life After Dark; A History of British Nightclu…

Today my guest is contemporary artist Claire Murray. Based in West Yorkshire, Claire is internationally renowned for her wide range of artworks which evoke multiple reactions. Her concepts deal with light and colour as an open window and allow the viewer to draw their own conclusions while appreciating the simplicity of beauty. What drew me to Clai…

Today my guest is author Mark Henry. Mark has spent a lifetime analysing trends, understanding what drives them, and explaining their implications. With a wealth of experience in market research and in applying psychology data to the world of business, Mark led the research and strategy function for Irish technology companies before turning to do t…

Today my guest is author John Erickson. John is a journalist with over thirty years' experience working at daily newspapers in Illinois and Ohio. A prominent reporter in local news, John led the coverage in three stories that earned him a nomination for a Pulitzer Prize, including a series that won a Pulitzer for National Reporting in 1998. His rec…

Today my guest is environmentalist and sustainability expert Kaj Embren. With over 25 years’ leadership and consultancy experience, Kaj has a track record of promoting sustainable solutions in fields such as industry, governance and civil society. Kaj firmly believes that we already have the tools to obtain sustainability and prosperity, but we sti…

Today my guest is author and historian Dr. Margaret Weitekamp. Margaret is chair of the Space History department at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum where she curates the Social and Cultural History of Spaceflight Collection encompassing some 5,000 pieces of space memorabilia and science fiction objects. She is also the a…

Today my guest is award winning author and journalist Clodagh Finn. Clodagh has worked for various Irish newspapers, including the Irish Examiner and the Irish Independent and she is known for her insightful writing on social issues, culture, and current affairs. Clodagh has recently written Through Her Eyes - A New History of Ireland in 21 Women w…

Today my guest is Alivia Brown. Alivia graduated from UCLA in 2022 with a major in Anthropology and a minor in Evolutionary Medicine. During her time at UCLA, Alivia's research led her to find a passion for education and cross-cultural knowledge. In addition to her academic achievement, Alivia also has her own YouTube channel devoted to Anthropolog…

Today my guest is producer and musical director Simon Ellis. With over thirty years in the music business, Simon has worked with an incredible amount of artists including Britney Spears, Spice Girls and S Club 7. When he is not writing and producing music, Simon is on tour not only as a musician but also as a musical director. I first got to know S…

Today my guest is naturalist Donald Hobern. Donald is a lifelong naturalist with strong interests in Lepidoptera, DNA barcoding and metabarcoding, insect photography, and automation of species detection. I met Donald via the Mastodon platform as I was looking for someone with experience in Entomology which is the study of insects and their relation…

Today my guest is author and historian Turtle Bunbury. Turtle has published a number of books such as the Vanishing Ireland series, Easter Dawn - The 1916 Rising, and The Glorious Madness. Described by the BBC History Magazine as "a skilled storyteller", Turtle has also produced a wonderful array of podcast series that focus on Irish history and pr…

Today my guest is racing driver and entrepreneur Shannon Tobin. At 18, Shannon and her sister set up Equissentials which specialises in importing Equestrian goods into the Irish market. As well as starting her own business, Shannon is one-third of Team Valkyrie Racing which is an all-female racing team creating a safe space for diversity and suppor…

Today I'm joined by the legendary guitarist Gerry Leonard. With a career spanning almost forty years, Gerry has been the go to guitarist for numerous rock artists, including being a member of David Bowie's band for almost ten years, and as a musical partner to Suzanne Vega. Gerry also has incredible solo work under the guise Spooky Ghost with two a…

Today my guest is broadcaster David Goldstrom. Over the past twenty years David's commentary and voiceover work has embraced Ski Sunday, the Commonwealth Games and numerous Summer and Winter Olympics, including Tokyo 2021 and Beijing 2022, David is presently a Senior Commentator for Discovery/Eurosport focusing on the Winter World Cup Ski and Ski J…

Today my guest is broadcasting journalist Méabh McMahon. With almost twenty years experience, Méabh is currently one of the anchors at Euronews - a pan-European media broadcaster. I was interested in chatting with Méabh about her career which has mostly been based in Europe and about some of the highlights of her time in broadcasting journalism, so…

Today I'm joined by Justin Middleton. Justin has had a deep love of rugby since his childhood, but unlike many he chose a different path to playing and moved into the world of commentating. With years of experience commentating on rugby games in South Africa, Justin is now based in Ireland and is a regular voiceover for many national and internatio…

Today my guest is Daniel Whiteson. Daniel is a Physics professor at UC Irvine, and a fellow of the American Physical Society. He does research using the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and together with his co-host Jorge Cham, he is also behind the popular science podcast Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe. Daniel is a wonderfully engaging guest a…

Today I'm joined by academic and author Professor Jennie Batchelor. Jennie has written and edited several books on women's writing, 18th century dress and early women's magazines, so I thought Jennie would be a wonderful guest to discover more about how women were perceived in 18th century media and fashion, so I hope you are sitting comfortably an…

Today my guest is Robert (Bo) Jacobs. Robert is a historian of Science and Technology at the Hiroshima Peace Institute and Graduate School of Peace Studies at Hiroshima City University. He has published widely on the interface of nuclear technologies with human beings and communities. His book Nuclear Bodies: The Global Hibakusha was published by Y…

Today my guest is journalist Cristina Maza. Cristina has reported from countries such as Cambodia, India, Serbia and Turkey. Currently based in Washington DC, Cristina writes frequently about foreign policy, international affairs, national security and politics. I've always had a deep interest in the unique sphere of US politics and was delighted t…

Today my guest is author and broadcaster Clare Mulley. Clare's work primarily focuses on female experience during the Second World War and in this episode, we chat about two of Clare's books, The Women Who Flew for Hitler, which tells the story of Nazi Germany’s only two female test pilots, Hanna Reitsch and Melitta von Stauffenberg, and The Spy Wh…

Today my guest is motoring journalist Bob Flavin. Bob has a real passion for cars and with over 13 million viewers on his YouTube channel, Bob is one of the most popular motoring journalists in Ireland. I have a great passion for automobiles and was looking forward to chatting with Bob, so I hope you are sitting comfortably and happy to stay with u…

Today my guest is Professor Pat O'Connor. Professor O'Connor is Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Limerick and Visiting Professor, Geary Institute, at the University College Dublin. She is an expert in gender studies and women's rights, which has made her a leading commentator on women's issues and society in ge…

Today my guest is producer and presenter Martin Quibell. Martin presents Pods Like Us in which he chats with fellow independent podcasters about their shows. Having been a fan of podcasts for over a decade, Martin decided to produce his own series and blog that helps to promote podcasts that he not only likes, but thinks need valuable promotion. Ma…

Today my guest is author Becky Holmes. Becky is an influencer who works tirelessly to expose online perpetrators of romance fraud. Romance fraud is when somebody uses the ruse of a relationship to extort money. Through social media Becky publishes her interactions with the perpetrators and exposes their false identities in an effort to raise awaren…

Today my guest is Lieutenant Commander Grace Fanning. Grace is a member of The Irish Naval Service which is one of the three branches of the Irish Defence Forces. Originally from County Carlow, Grace has spent the last twenty-two years in the Irish Navy and has recently finished her post as Commanding Officer of the L.É. Róisín. I came across Grace…

Today my guest is Benjamin Chesterton. Benjamin is film director and producer with over twenty years experience in visual arts. Benjamin is currently one of the people behind Duckrabbit which is a film production and training company that specialises in heartfelt stories in film for commercial, charity and broadcast clients. Ben is also a strong ad…

Today my guest is Suswati Basu. Suswati is an award-winning journalist, editor and podcast host, with ten years experience in working with various prestigious online and print media organisations, as well as with a number of publications. Suswati is also a strong advocate for women's and disabled rights and has been involved in this filed via work …

Today my guest is professional racing driver Richard Jones. This is a recording I made last year as a pilot episode for a motor racing podcast series. The series didn’t come to fruition, but it did result in some excellent episodes including this one with Richard. Richard specialised in sportscar racing, in particular the Group C category which was…

Today I'm joined by author Nicola Pierce. A native of Dublin, Nicola has built up a reputation for high quality historical fiction. Since her first novel Spirit of the Titanic was published, Nicola has managed to create tales that blend beautifully between fact and fiction while keeping a firm eye on historical accuracy. Her most recent novel Chasi…

Today I'm joined by Michael Palmer. Originally from Newtownards in Northern Ireland, Michael is a liberally minded Unionist and a member of the LGBT community. Michael is also an active member of the Ulster Unionist Party. I came across Michael on Twitter and admired his courage in standing up against the many ultra conservative factions in Norther…

Today I'm joined by historian Nadia Dobrianska. Originally from Ukraine, Nadia arrived in Ireland following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces in February 2022. Nadia and her immediate family are now settled in East Cork, but this is not the first time Nadia has travelled to the island of Ireland, as she completed her history studies at Quee…

Today I'm joined by author Kevin Meagher. Kevin is a commentator on Irish and British politics and has published books on Northern Ireland and the Irish unity question. His writing offers a frank opening point on the relationship between Ireland and the United Kingdom and their future as neighbours. Kevin is a strong proponent of Irish unity and in…