The Recluse’s Cookbook is a monthly podcast where I, your humble recluse, engage in one-on-one conversations with persons of substance. People who may not get the column inches in the media but their work or lives events are remarkable.
Episodes
Friday Sep 29, 2023
Friday Sep 29, 2023
Welcome to episode 2!
My next guest is Aine Ryan.
Aine is a playwright, actor and film maker. Her play's "Kitty in the Lane" and "Paddy goes to Petra" have enraptured audiences around the world. She also co-authored "From out the land" with Jack Reardon which was presented at the Clonmel Junction festival. At the time of publishing this episode she has been nominated at the London Pub Theatre Awards. The nominations include Best Actor & Best Solo Show for "Kitty in the Lane" and Best Writing for "Paddy goes to Petra". Both productions have also secured nominations for Best Actor for Brendan Dunlea for "Paddy goes to Petra" and Outstanding production values for "Kitty in the lane".
In this episode Aine discusses writing, inspiration and the realities of being an independent theatre producer today.
To find out more about Aine's upcoming and past projects you can go to the links below.
Official website: Studio perform
Instagram: Studio perform
Facebook: Studio perform
Please like and share the podcast with anyone who may find this episode of interest.
Thanks
V
Friday Sep 22, 2023
Friday Sep 22, 2023
Welcome back to Series 2 of The Recluse's Cookbook!
Have you ever wondered what to do in a survival situation? Have you ever dreamt of how you might cope? There are many answers that could be given in that event.
My first guest has the answers for that very occasion. Rob Faughnan runs Survivalist Ireland. Survivalist Ireland is Ireland's premier survival training company based in Leinster. People from all over the world come to them to see if they have what it takes to survive in the most extreme conditions.
In this episode Rob tells us the basics of what to look out for when you are hiking and in other extreme situations. Hypothermia and dehydration are common factors in any survival situation and Rob tells us the signs and symptoms. He also discusses the pros and cons of working together in a group and how it may be possible to overcome potential disaster in that scenario.
For more information on Survivalist Ireland you can go to the links below.
Website: Survivalist Ireland
Facebook: Survivalist Ireland
Please like and share the podcast with anyone who may find this episode of interest.
Thanks
V
Friday Dec 31, 2021
Friday Dec 31, 2021
Eoghan Farren A.K.A Not that we know is a dance music producer and DJ from Inishowen in Co. Donegal. Back in 2012 he began writing and producing his own dance music but it wasn't until 2020 and the arrival of the lockdown that he began releasing his material to the public. Since then in August 2021 he released his first E.P. "Not that we know". Eoghan joins me on the podcast to discuss his beginnings as a DJ, his ultimate goals and favorite venues.
Eoghan's official website can be found here
You can purchase the E.P. "Not that we know" here
This episode marks the end of Series 1 of The Recluse's Cookbook". A big thank you to all our listeners. We will return again sometime in the 2022. Until then stay safe and look out for yourselves!!
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Barry Curran A.K.A Bar Dracul is a musician and filmmaker from Dublin. Our paths first crossed when he released his lauded web series "Head Shop Men". His musical alter ego Bar Dracul I have found very interesting from his first release "T-Shirt" back in 2016 which was co-written and performed with musical co-conspirator Luke Seery.
Since then he has created a web series around Bar Dracul's exploits called Vampire V Empire and released two EP.s, "Is love over?" & "Draconian Measures" both of which have been warmly received. The unique blend of industrial rock and gothic opera has created an aural soundscape that is unique. You can sample the delights for yourself at the link below.
You can listen to his ep's "Is love over?" & "Draconian Measures" on Soundcloud here.
Sunday Oct 31, 2021
Sunday Oct 31, 2021
Kevin Toolis is an BAFTA award winning & EMMY nominated writer and film maker. Born in Edinburgh the son of two Irish immigrants from Achill Island, he studied English and Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh before becoming a journalist. Over the past three decades he has contributed to the Guardian, New York times and the Daily Mirror.
He is also the author of several novels, the most recent being "Nine rules to conquer death" released in 2020. His first book "Rebel Hearts - Journey's within the I.R.A's soul was released in 1995 & was a bold departure from the norm. In it Kevin sought to gain an understanding as to why young men and women become embroiled in radical terrorist organizations such as the Provisional I.R.A. To this day Rebel Hearts is considered to be the finest factual book ever written on the conflict in Northern Ireland.
These day’s Kevin resides on Achill Island, off the west coast of Ireland. There he conducts walking tours of Edward Nangles Colony and produces bardic poems on the themes of the Irish wake and death and its relevance for us all. You can find out more here.
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Some would say Dave Byrne is a legend, however more would say he is an icon in the Irish independent film making scene. In the 12 years since he started the Underground Film Festival, he has created a space for film makers to have their work screened that otherwise may not have been shown.
He kindly came on to the show to chat about the Underground film festival and what it means to the independent directors, writers, producers, actors and many more of Ireland. He gives the background to it's conception and elaborates on the major changes that the industry has faced in the the intervening years. To find out more about the Underground Film Festival click here.
Tuesday Aug 31, 2021
Tuesday Aug 31, 2021
In April of 2021, inspired by the vacuum created by the lockdown, musician and metal advocate Darragh O'Connor founded the All Ireland Metal Project. The aim was to create and release a compilation album called Aiséirí with the proceeds going to Barnardos Ireland. The album itself features the best of Ireland's heavy metal music community forming bands, writing and recording songs for the album. As soon as I heard about this project I got so excited I just had to have Darragh on the show to tell me all about it!!!
If you enjoy this episode and want to help out Darragh and his hard working crew out in aid of Barnardos Ireland you can do so at the following links below.
Linktree here
You can preorder the album and merchandise on bandcamp here
You can find out all the craic with project and how it progresses on their facebook page here
Follow the group on twitter here
Saturday Jul 31, 2021
Saturday Jul 31, 2021
Aideen McQueen is the best kept secret in Irish comedy. Already a veteran of the English comedy circuit, she is an experienced comic whose work ethic is both admirable and enviable in equal measures. After building a solid reputation as a stand up in Ireland after only a few short years, she made the decision to move to London and start from scratch, climbing the comedy ladder by starting again as an open mic to grow gradually where she is today as an opener. In addition to her live comedy she has also published on-line comedy content in the form of sketches and a webs series among was "Lockdown", all set written and filmed during the lockdown. You can view more of Aideen's work here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZYThqumpacnHjROJ42zBgg
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
Episode 6 of the Recluse’s Cookbook and that means we are halfway through the first series. In this conversation I am joined by producer Victor McGowan and Actor Abe Smyth who are currently promoting their short film “Pogonophobia” which was recently longlisted for the IFTA award for Best Irish Short Film.
Victor McGowan is the man behind Constant Motion Pictures and is responsible for some of Irelands acclaimed independent movies of the last decade, such as Zoe Kavanagh’s “Demon Hunter” and Thomas Andrew Quain’s “I’m talking to you”.
Abe Smyth is a London based thespian, originally hailing from Northern Ireland. He starred in several RTE Productions inkling “Finding Joy” and” Can’t cope won’t cope”. In Pogonophobia he plays Cyril a very self-contained man with an intense fear of beards.
You can find out more about Pogonophobia here: http://www.constantmotion.ie/
Monday May 31, 2021
Monday May 31, 2021
Second City and Toronto's finest John Dawson is a writer, story consultant, script editor, dramaturge and improv teacher. In this episode we talk about, Jonathan Swift's gift to the Irish people, the benefits of watching MacGyver in the pub and the importance of applying "Yes, and" but not "No but" to life. You can find out more about John here www.johndawsonwrites.com