S5E6: Doug Devaney - Plastic Podcaster

Irish Stew Podcast

Join us as we pick up the conversation with Doug Devaney who interviewed us last fall on The Plastic Podcasts.

A talented podcaster, Doug’s also an actor, writer, journalist, and self-proclaimed "songster, funster, punster, hamster." In this episode we delve into the core concept of The Plastic Podcasts, which centers around the notion that “we all come from somewhere else.”

Doug explores Irish diaspora narratives in England by engaging in lively discussions with actors, activists, artists, writers, academics, builders, and singers, while offering a platform to often overlooked people, including those with both African and Irish roots, as well as members of the Traveler community.

We explore why Doug believes that discussing Irishness necessitates addressing Britishness, how Irish Americans differ from the Irish in England, and why they use terms like London Irish or Birmingham Irish instead of Irish English or Irish British.

We delve into Doug's deep connection to his Irish identity despite growing up in England with an English mother, his County Clare roots, the instinctual bond among Irish people in England, the downplaying of Irish heritage in England during the 70s and 80s, his shift away from pursuing a career as a TV-inspired “verbose crime-busting lawyer” his ventures into playwriting, his commitment to preserving the stories of the Irish diaspora, and the backstories of his highly personal one-man plays.

Doug's talent for captivating storytelling, inventive writing, free-spirited performance, engaging conversational style, and mastery of the comic aside, make him a savory new ingredient for our Irish Stew.

But we never did find out about the hamster thing.

Links

The Plastic Podcasts

• Website
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Episodes:
  • Irish Stew on The Plastic Podcasts
  • Anthony Ekundayo Lennon

Doug’s Social Media

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook

Capitole

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. How Doug Is Doing (00:02:50)

3. Prospecting For The Hyphenated Irish (00:04:02)

4. Doug's Accent And Basso Profundo (00:08:04)

5. Hiding Irish Accents In England (00:10:01)

6. A Clare Migration Story (00:16:31)

7. Maidenhead Origin (00:19:15)

8. The Path From Maidenhead (00:23:28)

9. Losing Irish Identity in England (00:27:37)

10. Post Troubles Irishness in England (00:30:21)

11. Doug's Path To The Plastic Podcasts (00:35:26)

12. Anthony Ekundayo Lennon (00:46:57)

13. Irish Traveller Prejudice (00:50:44)

14. Doug's Plastic Pedestal (00:55:35)

15. Doug's Seamus Plug (01:00:22)

16. John And Martin's Recap (01:05:36)

17. Credits (01:07:59)