Armagh I Podcast

Intergalactic craic with Heather and Courtney – the final frontier for Armagh Planetarium

Heather Alexander and Courtney Allison are Education Officers at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP), and their knowledge and enthusiasm for the job is infectious.
Imparting that knowledge and encouraging children to pursue a career in science and space exploration is part of their job, and it’s one that the pair are very good at.
The AOP has been in existence since 1790 as an observatory before it expanded to become a planetarium in 1968.
Heather explains the history behind its origins and the work that goes on at the AOP, which has had a complete upheaval during lockdown, with a brand new sensory room, a brand new theatre experience and an interactive exhibition – which is both Heather and Courtney’s favourite place to play.
Heather is the history buff, keenly aware of the historical achievements in the AOP – not least the third director Thomas Romney Robinson who invented the Cup Anemometer in 1846 – a device that measures wind speeds which was used all over the world.
Courtney is tasked with telling the weird and wonderful stories of our universe – including that of Black Holes, Strange Matter, Strangelets and Quarks – which ultimately – without any warning - could destroy the earth forever in a matter of hours.
There’s no point in worrying about that though – they both agree.
Saturn is Courtney’s favourite planet, Heather’s is Mars - while we all feel sorry for Pluto which was demoted to a dwarf star in 2006.
Interstellar and Star Trek give a fairly accurate depiction of space – while Armageddon does not – ‘you never blow up things in space.’
We talk about all of the above and a whole lot more, as Heather and Courtney delight in welcoming the public back to the planetarium, which has relaunched and opened its doors for a summer of fun.

Podcast: Armagh author Stuart Neville talks crime noir thrillers and gigging at Glasto!

Stuart Neville’s novels have come a long way from his native Armagh to bookshelves across the globe, but his stories remain very much rooted in home.
His stellar career began with a manuscript at a John Connolly book reading in Dublin, handed to the established author by the aspiring crime writer, who had a publishing deal, but no readership as yet.
That would soon change.
“One of the finest thriller debuts of the last ten years,” Connolly wrote on the flyleaf of Neville’s finished product after it was published in 2009.
‘The Ghosts of Belfast’ was the original title. Perfect for an American audience.
It became ‘The Twelve’ for the home crowd – something that doesn’t sit well with Stuart – but more on that anon.
The plaudits continued, with the book winning the Los Angeles Times, Mystery/Thriller category Book Prize, and a host of other awards. It was named top crime novel of the year in the New York Times and the LA Times and received glowing reviews in numerous other publications, from the Boston Globe and The Irish Times, The Guardian – to name but a few.
“The best first novel I’ve read in years. It grabs you by the throat,” wrote James Ellroy on the back cover.
Nine successful novels followed, with Stuart’s unique post-troubles take on Northern Ireland as the backdrop for most of his stories.
Gerry Fegan, Jack Lennon, DCI Serena Flanagan became household names. The landscape he paints is unapologetically true to the character and personality of the land.
The inhabitants – from the seedy, the downtrodden, the opportunists, the evil and the innocents - get on with life as best they can.
Ghosts roam the pages. Stuart’s novels are often bleak.
Desperation, domestic violence and gruesome murders are the subject matter of his gritty crime noir tales.
The ghosts both metaphorical, real or imagined are always there, but at the core of his stories are people trying to survive in whatever world they inhabit.
‘The Traveller and other stories’, containing 12, often harrowing, short stories and a novella revisiting characters from the past, is a perfect example of this.
His latest novel ‘The House of Ashes’ is already receiving five-star ratings, with one reviewer saying it may well be his masterpiece.
Stuart isn’t just a writer. He has dabbled in film and he’s also a guitarist in a band that originally began as a laugh at a crime writer’s festival in New Orleans called, ‘Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers’. Their tagline -‘Murdering songs for fun.’
For this week’s podcast, Stuart tells Armagh I about his writing style and roots. He talks about his books, his influences, why he feels the arts are neglected in Northern Ireland and how his band ended up playing at Glastonbury in 2019.

Re-Gen's Joseph Doherty on origins of the family business and re-imagining a greener planet

For this week’s podcast, Armagh I spoke to Joseph Doherty about the evolution of Re-Gen and the different components of the business. He speaks about ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’ when it comes to the human aspect of recycling; what it’s like working closely with his family, and the expertise and drive within the entire team that makes for a successful business. He talks about new innovations in the pipeline and what’s next for Re-Gen.

Night at the museum with the Paravent crew…and 'friends'!

It’s probably fair to say that ghost hunting isn’t usually high on the agenda for most people on a Friday night.
And I’d count myself amongst that number.
Last weekend however - after declaring on our recent podcast with Sharon Moen, that I’d join Paravent for their next excursion - I put my money where my mouth was and headed down the motorway towards the Irish Military War Museum in Collon.
There I met up with the Paravent crew – Sharon, Elaine, Eddie, Anthony, Fra and Harry, who were getting their ghost hunting equipment ready ahead of our night in the museum.

London calling for Armagh man Niall McCart who made scooters his business

From going halfsies on his very first scooter to breathing new life into vintage models by developing electric conversion kits.
The metropolis of London is far from Niall McCart's upbringing in Armagh but that is where he has called home for over 30 years.
For this episode of Armagh I’s podcast, we caught up with Niall ,who could have been seen ‘raking about’ on scooters in his home city during the 80s and has  now developed a kits which convert vintage Vespas and Lambrettas to electric.
A self-confessed home-bird who flew the nest back in 1989 to work in construction, initially believing he would be out for a year or two and then return, however, 30 years on and Niall is still in the English capital.
His love of scooters dates back to the mod culture of the 80s, although he commented that he would later consider himself a scooterist.
Niall recalls his first ever scooter, which he part owned, this was mainly used to get too and from the Blackwatertown underage disco.
"One weekend he would drive out and I would be the passenger, I would have a bottle of Old English Cider...then it was 50p into the disco and it was 50p in petrol there and back".
Niall admitted that he never thought he would leave Armagh, but he found a new home in London.
Shortly after getting tired of the construction trade, he picked up a job as a dispatch courier on a scooter.
Through this, Niall learned to look after his scooter which led him to work in working in a garage before going out on his own and setting up Retrospective scooters around the turn of the millennium.
The Armagh man also took on many scooter tours throughout the UK and abroad, but nothing prepared him for "rough" rule-less roads of India.
In September 2017, Niall teamed up with John Chubb, retired Royal Navy commander with degrees in electrical engineering and rocket science, to work on the electric conversion of vintage scooters.
They would then go on to unveil their creation at the Vespa World Days the following year, which was to be held in Belfast.
However, Niall did take the opportunity to ride his electrified machine around the Mall and the town whilst he was back.
There has been some negative views from what Niall describes as "motor heads" but he believes he has saved many of these older models from the scrap heap.
According to Niall, the kits could be fitted by anyone which a "basic" grasp of mechanics and sales in particular in America have rose through the last year.

Erosion of hope and services leaves Armagh mum with autistic adult sons at wits' end

As lockdown restrictions lift, most of us have emerged from our homes to mingle, shop, eat out and enjoy the everyday freedoms of life.
Not so for some however, as the past year has had a devastating effect on people with learning disabilities, whose services have been decimated.
Kathryn Taylor never intended to be a spokesperson for such families, but the situation has become so difficult for her family, that she’s been left with little choice.
While the rest of us are out and about, not much has changed for Kathryn, who is still walking the roads with her sons.
Kathryn and her husband Tommy have four children - Sophie, Nathan, Levi and Sam.
Nathan (25) and Levi (20) have autism with severe learning disabilities.
It’s been a constant battle to obtain the help that they need over the years, and Kathryn says it’s getting worse rather than better – as Southern Trust services continue to shut down, with little thought for children moving to adult services.
She believes the pandemic only served to speed up the erosion of services that was already happening.
Day opportunities stopped with the pandemic, and because of the two-metre rule, the Trust has not reopened them and Kathryn can’t envision a time that they will.
As Kathryn spoke to Armagh I for this week’s podcast, she emotionally recalled the wonderful day opportunity Nathan enjoyed at St Luke’s Rec Room, pre-pandemic.
Since lockdown began Levi, whose schooling ended abruptly last year, has been at home, joined at the hip with his mother.
Print It on the Mall has been the only support Kathyrn has had. They are not run by the Trust. She’s enormously grateful to Print It, who checked in with the family regularly during lockdown, and both boys get to spend some time there now.
Levi also has behavioural problems, so finding day opportunities for him was tough enough as it was, but now he has settled into a routine at home and has regressed over the past year - He hides his mothers shoes to keep her in the house with him.
Kathryn isn’t looking for respite - although she worries for those that do. She just wants an outlet for her children to socialise, grow and develop to the best of their abilities, in a like-minded community where they are understood and their needs can be met.
Kathryn also desperately needs some space of her own – just like anyone does – for her own mental health and that of the other family members.

Long Meadow Cider blossoming with Amazon deal

They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and that’s certainly the case with Long Meadow Cider.
The McKeever family has run their farm for over 50 years - spanning three generations. But innovation is key in any business and Pat, Catherine and their son Peter have been hugely successful at that, since diversifying to produce naturally crafted cider in 2014.
Pat’s father, Peter, used traditional methods growing the Bramley apples that Long Meadow Cider still use for their products in the main, but over the years the family has introduced different apple varieties and methods of growing, as farming has evolved.
While nobody could predict the pandemic, the McKeever family has adapted superbly.
Restaurants and pubs are a huge part of their sales and when they shut down the business took a big hit.
That forced Long Meadow Cider to move a lot of their sales online and they recently secured a massive shot in the arm with Amazon advertising their products. This opens the Portadown business up to a much wider market.
The McKeevers run every aspect of the business from pruning, right through to harvesting, pressing, fermenting storing and bottling their all-natural, ciders, juices and apple cider vinegar.
Names like Berry Blast, Blossom Burst and Rhubarb and Honey make the mouth water – not to mention the limited edition Oak Aged cider - and the beautiful packaging is the finishing touch.
The proof is mostly in the taste though. Long Meadow Cider has receives a resounding vote of confidence from both critics and customers alike.
They have won numerous awards and their products are flying off the shelves, reflecting the appetite out there for quality craft cider.
Covid -19 had other setbacks, with both Pat and Catherine hospitalised with the virus.
Thankfully they are fully recovered now and the three family members spoke to Armagh I for this week’s podcast.
We took a stroll through the orchard and had an interesting chat about the growing process and the popularity of craft and locally produced products. Nature plays a big part in the yearly crop and Peter explains how some frosty nights may prove costly.
They told me how it all began and the hard work it takes to run the farm.
But they all agree that it’s a labour of love and it certainly seems like they wouldn’t have it any otherway.

Oisín McConville on post-pandemic rise in gambling and Armagh GAA predictions

The pandemic as taken its toll on everyone in one way or another but some of the problems caused have yet to materialise.
The statistics for gambling addiction are frightening, with a 60% increase since the pandemic began, and Oisín McConville says the lockdown has exasperated the issue and kept it hidden behind closed doors more than ever before.
If anyone can give advice on problem gambling it’s the former Armagh County star.
He doesn’t flinch when he talks about his own well-documented gambling addiction, which began at the tender age of 14, until he sought help 16 years ago when he was 30. And while he urges anyone with a problem to speak to someone, be it a friend, family member, or a professional, he stresses that he chose to speak out, but gamblers anonymous also works for a lot of people.
Oisín says it’s not just an issue associated with men anymore – with the prevalence of mobile phones and every source of social media, making it easier than ever to gamble anywhere and everywhere. And it’s often children, seemingly younger and younger, finding themselves sucked into a spiralling addiction that ruins lives.