Podcast Archives - Page 9 of 20

The Voice of Truth and Anguish – Saying Farewell to Sinead O’Connor – Episode 115

In this episode, Dara takes his time to say goodbye to Sinead O'Connor and speaks of her relevance to him from the early days of her career right up to more recent times when life presented her with a terrible burden to bear. He includes a clip from Ep 34 of the show when he spoke about the death by suicide of her son in January 2022.

July Miscellany! Movies, Weddings, and Reading the Signs – Episode 114

In this episode Dara reviews some recently watched movies, including William Friedkin's To Live and Die in LA (1985), and Sidney Lumet's Prince of the City (1981), two much-lauded cop thrillers that each have their strengths and weaknesses and are very much products of their time.

The Importance of Orientation, or Why the Loss of Bearings is No Joke! – Episode 113

In this episode, Dara's aged cat has gone to the toilet in the wrong place, and the cause is not feline terrorism but dementia and disorientation. The loss of bearings is a very difficult thing to negotiate because it can result in dislocation. Dara argues that as fundamentally relational beings, we need landmarks and touchstones to position ourselves in the world.

Riding the Gere-Stick to the Worst Poem in History! – Episode 112

In this episode, Dara wrestles with the conundrum that is Richard Gere. Self-satisfied narcissus or instinctive, id-driven sex animal? Is he a good actor? Is he just a fantasy figure beloved of Generation X moviegoers? Is he forever the man who rescued Julia Roberts from the streets? Dara examines Gere's legacy through some of his most memorable performances and discusses in detail Breathless, the bizarre 1983 Hollywood remake of Godard's A Bout de Souffle with an uncontainable turn from Gere at his most overtly sexual.

Don’t Mind if I Do! Helping Oneself to Moral Failure – Episode 111

In this week's episode Dara is bothered by the current controversy in Ireland's national broadcaster, RTE. He is bothered, but not surprised by it, because it is simply another example of institutional corruption and moral complacency. He looks at why people continually fail to rein in their greed and dishonesty.

In Pod We Trust! Trying to Find Something to Depend On in Unreliable Times – Episode 110

In this week's episode, Dara is trying to work out who he should trust. After watching the current Arnold Schwarzenegger documentary on Netflix, he finds himself unsatisfied with the Austrian bodybuilder's account of past indiscretions, but what would satisfy him? A little more honesty and insight would be a good place to start.

Blips on the Grid – The Randomness of Human Interaction – Episode 109

In this episode, Dara considers the randomness and unpredictability of human interaction over a lifetime. He argues that we simply never know what is going on with another person when we encounter them, even if we have had a relationship with them for years. We never know what they're bringing to that particular moment, which means that if anything close to harmony or connection occurs, it is almost miraculous!

Survival, Transcendence, and the Myth of Whatever Doesn’t Kill You – Episode 108

In this episode, Dara talks about the affection for survival narratives and considers the respective legacies of the recently deceased singers and songwriters Tina Turner and Christy Dignam. He wonders whether we should be defined by what we've overcome in life. He also questions the value of legacy and argues for the need to be more concerned with our present-tense impact.

Retreat! The Places We Escape To, For Better or Worse – Episode 107

In this hazy episode, Dara seeks solace in mindful summer moments and solitary swims. He discusses the idea of retreat and running away to the places we find most comforting and tries to identify which ones might be better for us.

The Process Before The Prize: The Qualitative Approach to Life – Episode 106

In this episode, Dara shares the realisation that he is not goal-oriented. He is all about the process. It's not the destination, it's the journey, man! He argues for the stabilising properties of having a process in place and tries to understand why it is that stability appeals so much.

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Latest Episodes

The Voice of Truth and Anguish – Saying Farewell to Sinead O’Connor – Episode 115

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July Miscellany! Movies, Weddings, and Reading the Signs – Episode 114

Read More »

The Importance of Orientation, or Why the Loss of Bearings is No Joke! – Episode 113

Read More »

Riding the Gere-Stick to the Worst Poem in History! – Episode 112

Read More »

Don’t Mind if I Do! Helping Oneself to Moral Failure – Episode 111

Read More »

In Pod We Trust! Trying to Find Something to Depend On in Unreliable Times – Episode 110

Read More »

Blips on the Grid – The Randomness of Human Interaction – Episode 109

Read More »

Survival, Transcendence, and the Myth of Whatever Doesn’t Kill You – Episode 108

Read More »

Retreat! The Places We Escape To, For Better or Worse – Episode 107

Read More »

The Process Before The Prize: The Qualitative Approach to Life – Episode 106

Read More »

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