Armagh I Podcast

Young entrepreneur Ellen Mooney talks fashion and her own approach to branding and marketing

Covid lockdowns had their downsides, there’s no denying it, but for twenty-five year old Banbridge designer Ellen Mooney the solitude inspired her to be creative and do something positive.
Ellen, who studied fashion design at University, dusted off her sewing machine and began creating her own brand of quirky hair scrunchies.
Demand grew rapidly and before long Ellen had progressed from scrunchies to sweaters and was growing her own streetwear brand ELN.
Functional, sustainable and extremely fashionable, Ellen tells us about the factors that are most important to her brand.
We talk fast fashion and influencer culture as Ellen explains the societal trends that shaped her vision, for not only the clothing line, but her own approach to branding and marketing.

The Bay writer Daragh Carville - first to know where the bodies are buried

An average of over seven million viewers are hooked on ITV crime drama The Bay, which first aired in 2019.
The show, set in the small seaside town of Morecambe in Lancaster, is on its third season, with a fourth in the works. And the man behind the critically acclaimed and hugely popular whodunnit was born and bred right here in Armagh.
Daragh Carville brought the complex characters and stories to life as writer and co-creator of The Bay and while it’s probably his best-known work, the screenwriter, playwright and university lecturer has produced plenty of fine work over the years.
The recipient of numerous awards from stage to screen, Daragh has more than proven that he is a true talent. His first feature film, Middletown, was nominated in nine categories at the Irish Film and Television Awards in 2007, including Best Film and Best Screenplay, with Irish actress Eva Birthistle winning Best Actress. And his second film, Cherrybomb’ starring Harry Potter’s  Rupert Grint, Love /Hate alumnus Robert Sheehan and our very own James Nesbitt, also picked up awards at the Berlin and Belfast Film Festival.
The theatre is where it all started for Daragh, but whatever the platform, his works have translated successfully on radio, and stage as well as on the big and small screen.
Daragh is a proud Armagh man, a place that he still calls home despite settling in Lancaster with his novelist wife Jo Baker and their two children. The family come back to Armagh regularly to visit and  it’s in Armagh where his career began.
He says writing was a vocation for him, with an innate love of film, music, books, comics and art pulling him in that direction. But it was a special and inspirational English teacher in St Pat’s Armagh, who encouraged Daragh to pursue his interests. That teacher nurtured his talents, and sent him on the path that led to the career that he loves.
And for this week’s podcast, Daragh tells us how it all happened and allows us a glimpse into the mind of a successful writer.
 
 
 
 
 

How twin entrepreneurs Aaron and Andrew have built themselves a business empire

Born together, business partners forever. Over the last nine years entrepreneurial Banbridge twins Aaron and Andrew Burns have built themselves a remarkable business empire, now based in the heart of Markethill.
This is Part Three in a four-part series of podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union.
Astute and ambitious, the twins recognised their own set of skills early on and kick-started their journey into self-employment by leaning into what they were most passionate about, sports and nutrition, and established a multi-sports coaching company, Burns Skills School, in 2013.
Fast forward nine years… the brothers now head up three thriving businesses, all housed under the one Old Barn roof.
Yes, they are hugely successful, but as Andrew confesses… It wasn't always fair weather. From long drives to recruit clients, creating an office from a spare bedroom to the hardships of decision making with a sibling - they have been through it all.
Not a pair to be easily defeated, they continued to ‘drive it on’ and, taking inspiration from their entrepreneurial father, Frank, they have now set sights on a new goal.

Dani Larkin takes the folk world by storm with mesmerising debut album

She grew up in Madden as Danielle Carragher, but since reaching back in time and taking her maternal great grandmother's long lost surname as her stage name, Dani Larkin was born.
And it’s not just the name that Dani has adopted from the past. The Armagh singer/songwriter and musician’s songs also transcend time, steeped in Irelands ancient landscape, mythologies and folklore.
Dani began writing at the age of 11 with a poem and since then years of working hard and performing , eventually saw her become the quintessential overnight success.
Her debut album, ‘Notes For A Maiden Warrior’ was released in to 2021 to rave reviews.
‘striking debut,’ ‘stunning,’ ‘otherworldly,’ ‘powerful,’ ‘you can feel the music in your bones,’ are just a few accolades from the critics.
A whirlwind year of touring home and abroad followed, amidst nominations  for ‘Best Album’ at this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize and ‘Best Emerging Artist’ at the RTE Folk Awards.
She opened for Snow Patrol at sold-out London Palladium Theatre and Belfast’s Waterfront, and after performing at SXSW festival in Austin Texas, it was off to Vancouver before coming home to tour with Declan O’Rourke.
Armagh I caught up with Dani, after she took a short breather in Galway, and she spoke about her life, her music and her philosophies on both.
While she’s inspired by where she comes from and the legacies of the land, Dani, who has a degree in history and sociology and a masters in international conflict and cooperation, has also used her music to unite, working in places as far afield as Palestine, Indonesia and Columbia.
It’s back on the road again closer to home in the coming months however, with Dani’s next tour kicking off on April 29 at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast, followed by a UK tour with Ye Vagabonds and some shows of her own.
Tickets available at www.danilarkin.com

Mountain man Glyn O’Brien still tearing up the tracks

Anyone who has even the slightest interest in mountain biking will know the name Glyn O’Brien. The Newry man is a legend in the sport, and  for good reason.
Glyn’s racing career spans the 90’s to the present day, and he’s crammed in plenty over the decades. He raced the UCI Downhill World Cup circuit from 1997 to 2006, and in 2009 came second I the World Masters Downhill Championships.
But in 2003 Glyn lost the plot altogether – taking himself off to Utah where he competed in the Red Bull Rampage – and finished an incredible third.
Legendary status confirmed, Glyn still went back for more the following year. Just in case you’re not clear exactly what this event consists of, Glyn describes it as ‘basically jumping of a cliff on a bike.’ And he’s not joking - check out the footage on YouTube.
When he’s not hurling himself off mountains Glyn is immersed in the business end of the sport, working with Vitus Bikes a s a Brand Ambassador and founder of the Vitus First Tracks team, coaching and, oh yeah – he’s also been a fireman for the past 14 years. In fact Glyn took gold at the World Police and Fire Games in Canada in 2011 and again at home in Northern Ireland in 2013.
Whenever he can though Glyn can be found riding the local trails in Bigwood or at the Mountain Bike Trail Centre in Kilbroney Park - which he was involved in setting up in 2013. Armagh I caught up with Glyn when he came down from a day’s work in Rostrevor, filming with the new range of Vitus bikes at the top of the mountain. The fit-as-a-fiddle athlete wasn’t even out of breath as he talked about his love of downhill biking and adventure. Glyn tells us all about that memorable day in Utah, touches on the tricky topic of the dangers posed by walkers on the bike trails in Kilbroney Park, and how he would love to see the area expanded.
There’s no sign of Glyn slowing down, as he gears up to compete in the first round of this year’s Irish Downhill Mountainbike Series , which takes place in Rostrevor next weekend, April 2 -3. The event is completely sold out, with mountain biking more popular than ever – and long may it last.

Atmosphere Immersive keeping Jake’s legacy alive and businesses ahead of the curve

An innovative media company is putting Portadown on the map with their 360-degree technology and high quality video content helping local businesses stay ahead of the curve.
Atmosphere Immersive Media was established by Gerda Visinskaite and her boyfriend Jake Bailey-Sloan.
Jake set up The Mill, the indoor combat centre on Bleary Road, when he was just a teenager, but sadly passed away in October, at the age of just 23.
This is Part Two in a four-part series of podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union.
Armagh I caught up with Gerda Visinskaite and videographer Jakub Cervenak to hear about the origins of the business and how they are working to keep Jake's legacy alive.
Gerda explained that Jake had hired Jakub, whilst he was still working as a pizza chef, to carry out some videography work at the Mill.
Impressed by the work, a few years later Jake approached Jakub with the idea for Atmosphere Immersive.
From the start they tried to set themselves apart from the rest, using 360° multi-lens camera technology to capture 8K photo and video content.
It was not an instant success, with Gerda and Jakub explaining there was a lot of free work to begin with building up a portfolio but after this businesses began contacting them impressed by the output.

Science student Matthew Sherry brings a little slice of Italy to Armagh City

Armagh may be quite some distances from Naples, but one young entrepreneur is bringing perhaps the region's most important invention to the Orchard county.
Matthew Sherry, a Co Monaghan native, set up shop (quite literally) in the city centre when he opened up his artisan pizza shop, Basil Lane, less than two months ago.
This is Part One in a serial of Armagh I podcasts featuring young entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Armagh Credit Union.
Matthew realised his dream of serving the woodfired delights whilst studying science at university in Dublin.
It took just one bite of an artisan pizza and he knew this is what he wanted to be doing.
The 26-year-old did finish his initial degree but then changed tact with a post grad in entrepreneurship, which helped with the basics.
Not only does Matthew own the business but he also will be your chef and server at Basil Lan, which he believes ensures quality.
So focused was he in making sure his pies where up to scratch, Matthew had his pizza oven shipped in from Italy, however, piecing it together proved a bit of a tougher task.
He admits that there were reservations to begin with but he has been blown away by the support of other businesses and customers.
Looking forward, Matthew does have dreams of growing the business with more premises but he wants to make sure that this would not be to the detriment of the quality of his pizzas.

Vincent Loughran: 50 years of confessions from an Armagh photographer

Vincent Loughran has been a photographer in Armagh for the best part of 50 years. He's been there, done it and, as the saying goes, got the t-shirt. He's had his near misses too...
Like life itself, it's been a rollercoaster; there has been the good the bad and, indeed, the very ugly. Fires, hijackings, bombings – The Troubles in general – have been juxtaposed against happier times. An avid Armagh GAA fan, Vincy was there for the All-Ireland triumph in 2002 and before that, the All-Ireland defeat to Dublin in the '77 final. The contrast he says was "unreal". 
Times have changed but memories last a lifetime. Here, Vincy details some of those memories as he exhibits some of the most striking images he has captured over the years at the Aonach Mhacha Culture centre on Lower English Street. That event runs for another few weeks...and just like those photos, our chat is well-worth listening to.