She’s the patron saint of poets, healers, and blacksmiths. Her feast day marks the start of spring, but is St. Brigid of Ireland a Christian saint, a pagan goddess reborn, or a powerful symbol we’ve shaped over centuries? To help us unravel this mystery, we’re joined by historian Dr. Niamh Wycherley. We’ll dig into the earliest evidence, decode the famous legends, and ask what Brigid’s complex legacy tells us about Irish spirituality—past and present. This is an exploration of how one extraordinary figure can hold so many worlds within her story.

Dr Niamh Wycherley is Assistant Professor in Maynooth University. She hosts The Medieval Irish History Podcast and is the Principal Investigator of the Research project 'Power and Patronage in Medieval Ireland: Clonard from the sixth to twelfth centuries' and contributes regularly to RTÉ Brainstorm and television programmes such as the RTÉ 1 documentary Finding Brigid (with Siobhán McSweeney) and was historical consultant on RTÉ's Blindboy: the Land of Slaves and Scholars.

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Pull up a chair and pour a cup—it's time for a long-awaited catch-up. As 2025 draws to a close, Aidan in Vienna and Stephen in Carrownamaddy finally steal a moment to wrap up the year over coffee (watermelon-infused, of course).

In this soulful review, they hold a mirror to their hopes from last January. They talk about the goals they nailed—like Stephen's unforgettable festival-wedding and Aidan's dedication to learning German—and the ones that got away (we're looking at you, dental floss). More than a simple review, this is a raw and moving conversation about the hard trade-offs of a big year, the complex pull of home, and how to find your rhythm again when life throws you off pace.

With some big news at the end of this episdoe it's the perfect companion for your own year-end reflection. Settle in, and let's brew.

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Ever wondered what it truly feels like to live the dream of playing in an All-Ireland Senior Football Final?

This episode goes beyond the highlights with Donegal (dare I say) legend Martin McElhinney. We delve into the emotional landscape of that 2012 All Ireland win over Mayo and the 2014 final against Kerry. We talk about what it is like playing under the guidance of Jim McGuinness, the noise of walking out the Croke Park tunnel, and the feelings that surge when the final whistle blows on your childhood dream. Martin shares his story about playing in these finals and we discuss his career, his thoughts on the current team and a few segways about youth development and more.

If you would like to support the podcast, please Buy us a Coffee, share the episode on social media or drop us a message to purchase one of our Coffee Tumblrs.

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Email: soulbrewpodcast@gmail.com

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