It was Book Week in Spain, and we had quite the literary seven days. Starting with a roundtable discussion on Monday, we read a magical Irish tale on Friday before manning a stall at the Moratalaz Book Fair. We sold a few books, made some interesting contacts and had a grand old time. Photo Credit: Pepe Añón Music Credit: Got To Get Funky, by Juqbo…

Anthony Piovesan is a journalist who hails from Australia but now calls Spain his home. A passionate writer, he tells us about his love of Spanish culture, what it's like being a freelancer, and what makes a good journalist. Photo Credit: Anthony Piovesan Music Credit: Music Credit: Night Owl by Broke for Free, Free Music Archive, CC BY and Look In…

Dani joins us on the podcast to tell us about why she moved to Spain, how she helps other foreigners adapt and about her writing career. Check out her super useful blog and learn more about Spain. And you can read her novella Grandad here. We talk about the book it comes from a lot in the episode, a wonderful collection of short stories. Photo Cred…

We interview successful Scottish writer Joan Fallon, who now calls southern Spain her home. She has written many fiction books, including the famous crime series around detective Jacaranda Dunne, and she gives some wonderful insights into what motivates her writing and the historical backdrop in her books. Check out her website, where you can buy h…

This epic book of a few hundred pages deals with a lot of themes. And at its heart, is the enduring connection between Ireland and Spain. You can buy the book from our website or from Amazon. Photo Credit: Ybernia Music Credit: Music Credit: Night Owl by Broke for Free, Free Music Archive, CC BY and Look Inside by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive, CC BY…

**This episode is in Spanish** Entrevistamos a Marta Espinós, directora adjunta de la Fundación Cultura en Vena, que tiene como objetivo mejorar la vida de las personas en entornos aislados a través de la cultura. Hablamos de su extraordinaria labor en los hospitales con pacientes, familiares y personal sanitario, y especialmente de sus proyectos l…

Maria Reid, President of the Spanish Irish Business Network, joins us on the pod to talk about the important work that her organization does in developing business in Ireland and Spain. We also chat about the forthcoming St. Patrick's Day celebrations. As one of the organizers, she offers great insight into the exciting events that are planned. Don…

Christer Strömholm was born 1918. As a youth, he joined the Nordic Nazi Youth where he carried the Swastika. As an adult his political attitude changed, and he gravitated towards the arts, experimental photography and documenting people on the margins of society. We popped along to see his pictures of French graffiti, atmospheric snow and a post-Ci…

Katharine Cannings is a bilingual family coach and educational consultant with an amazing trajectory in Spain and beyond. She tells us about the original activities she has developed through the years, her experience teaching English in popular children's TV channel Clan and Roadmap to your bilingual home, one of her latest projects. Katharine is a…

Padraic Ryan has lived many lives, from charity shop manager to man in Madrid, via stints as a musician. How did he end up in the Spanish capital? Why was he mistaken for a robber? What's the best thing about Spain and the worst thing about Ireland? Find out in this scintillating episode. Photo Credit: Padraic Ryan. Music Credit: Night Owl by Broke…

Amy has been in Madrid for 19 years. In that time, she has forged a brilliant music career. With Amy Jo Doherty and the Spangles, she plays punk, while as a solo artist, she likes to play more comedic songs. She performs as part of the Shakey Doodle Time through her music education project. She has played across Europe and has appeared on Radio 3 a…

Entrevistamos a la periodista Maribel Orgaz, creadora de multitud de iniciativas culturales en Madrid en torno a la literatura. Hablamos de sus múltiples libros y de su interés por la naturaleza, y analizamos los factores decisivos para que un club de lectura tenga éxito. ¡No os perdáis esta clase magistral sobre la difusión de la literatura! Aquí …

Colin Murphy tells us about his time in Madrid, playing rugby with some Irish greats, and his thriving beard oil business. Find his website here, and he's also on social media. Read an interview we did with him a while back. Photo Credit: Colin Murphy. Music Credit: Timeless by Pianochocolate, Archive, CC BY.…

Nobody is from Madrid. Photo Credit: Charry Jin @ Pexels. Music Credit: Night Owl by Broke For Free, Free Music Archive, CC BYBy An Ybernia Podcast

Life in cities is not a spring but a river ... it progresses like a novel. - Patrick Kavanagh Barry hails from Limerick and has travelled the world, from the rites of passage that were the J1 in the USA and Erasmus in France, to dragons in the Balkans and the Trans-Siberian railway. Why does he have so much wanderlust? What makes him devour travel …

¡Un nuevo episodio en español de The People Will Talk Podcast! Tras su presentación física en la librería La Independiente de Madrid, hablamos del primer libro de la editorial Ybernia en español, La vida en el cráter, una reflexión ligera llena de humor y filosofía donde la historia y la imaginación se unen para celebrar los éxitos, las coincidenci…

Art O'Donnell has written a wonderful book about birds, taking in the travails of moving country, being sick in a foreign land, the weight of the past, what it means to be a teacher and the karma that can befall a person who takes shortcuts on El Camino. Praised for its humour and insight, we are proud that this is one of our first publications. Bu…

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them - Ernest Hemingway. Joe Rossiter hails from Wexford, where is now teaching. He joins us on the pod to talk about experiencing Madrid in the 1990s, being on the Olympic B Development Squad, running into Seamus Heaney and …

** This episode is in Spanish. You can find a subtitled English version here ** Hablamos con el periodista Fede Cardelús, presentador de Callejeros Viajeros y La aventura del saber entre otros. Charlamos con él de lo que significa ser reportero de viajes, de su premiado documental Kalipay, de sus fuentes de inspiración literarias y de sus proyectos…

We discovered that the great Cary Grant was in a movie that shared its name with our podcast. With that flimsy premise, we went on a voyage of discovery, encountering German theatre, McCarthyism, flops, LSD and a romantic comedy that still holds up today. Oh, and one of us mentions that Grant was in Guns of Navarone. In fact, it was Gregory Peck! P…

We tried out an AI software that converts your PDF into an audiobook. The voice is completely synthetic and... surprisingly good. The software in question comes from a company called Quares. Check out this bonus episode of the pod to hear for yourself. Photo Credit: JJ Jordan @ Pexels. Music Credit: Flute Street by Poddington Bear & Circles Around …

Alejandra Espinosa joins us on the pod, talking about the rich tradition of storytelling in Colombia, which is both oral and literary. Why is Gabriel García Márquez so popular around the world? Who are the best female authors in Colombia? What's it like opening up a town's first bookshop? And how did she end up working with Disney on the smash hit …

Roy hails from Sleepy Hollow, and he now calls Madrid home after a stint living in Manhattan. He is a keen reader and writer, with a book to his name as well as a successful blog and a huge following on Goodreads. We talk about modern-day mummies, philosophy, culture, and eating sand! Read his excellent blog and find his book on Amazon. Photo Credi…

***This episode is in Spanish, check our YouTube channel for a version with English subtitles*** Eugenio Monesma is an award-winning ethnographic cinema producer and director with 40 years of experience recording the traditional trades, food, festivals and customs of the Iberian Peninsula. Through them, he's amassed an archive of over 3000 document…

This podcast was recorded at the fantastic Secret Kingdoms bookshop, as part of our bookshop/podcast series. We got our chat on with Carlos, who gave us insights into a coach's winning mentality and the ethos underpinning his basketball teams. Off the court, he is a budding journalist who shared his thoughts on Tik Tok and press freedom. Check out …

Yes, yes, we jumped on the bandwagon and did what everybody else is doing. We asked Chat GPT to give us three ideas for a podcast, and it was duly delivered. So, we are talking about the future, hidden stories, and architecture. As a result, we get to talk about wickedly bad design, war, and the inevitable end of our species. As an antidote to cold…

Abel joins us on the pod today to talk about canines. He is a celebrated dog trainer with many titles to his name. We hear about travelling the world, the best dogs, and the powerful effects of dog therapy. Music: Flute Fleet by Poddington Bear and Hope by Life Saturation. Photo Credit: Abel Hounkara.…

Recorded in a park. Which one? As we discover, it doesn't really matter. Or does it? We bring you a meditation on a new museum, Moroccan colours, and soundscapes. These range from white and green noises to aural symphonies that take in populated streets, babbling brooks, and plane engines. Who are they for? What do they do? Let's find out. And than…

The story of those who fled. The story of those finding a home in Spain. Music: Passion by Borrtex.By An Ybernia Podcast

Originally from England, she moved to Spain at a young age. Amy told us about discovering interesting corners of the country, working in a 'mini UN', being from two cultural backgrounds, and so much more. Listen to Amy's wonderful shows here. Photo credit: The towers of Radio Exterior, courtesy of RTVE. Music: Flute Street by Poddington Bear & Circ…

We look at an interesting documentary where a woman tells a big lie, and we cast our gazes at the uneven, ultimately more than the sum of its parts, The Wonder. As always, enjoy! Photo credit: The Wonder (2022), Element Pictures and Screen Ireland. Music: Pictures of the Floating World & Someday by Sergey Cheremisinov.…

Lara Wong is an award-winning Canadian flautist who masterfully combines the bansuri, the traditional Indian flute, with flamenco music. We talk about her musical journey, her experiences working with Spanish musicians and her amazing achievements in the world of flamenco, including being the first foreigner to win in any category of the festival C…

INAD (Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy) is a devastating ultra-rare condition that affects children from a very early age. Rebecca Skeates tells us about her family's experience with the condition, search for a cure and her deep involvement in INADCURE Spain. Their campaign aims to raise 7 million dollars/euros to fund a new gene therapy clinical tr…

Anita Haas is an award-winning Canadian writer and English teacher based in Madrid. We speak to her about her experiences living in Spain, her inspiration for her short stories and poems, and her latest venture, a children's book which she has written and illustrated herself. She also tells us what is like to live, work and write with achromatopsia…

Alice in Wonderland has inspired artists endlessly since it was published. But what is down the rabbit hole? We visit Fundación Canal exhibition "Alicia en el País de las Maravillas", showcasing the story's influence in Dalí, Ernst, Laurencin and Tenniel, all of whom illustrated different versions of the book, as well as their influence in our unde…

This autumn is seeing the anticipated release of the English version of El Infinito en un junco (Irene Vallejo, 2019) under the name Papyrus. The invention of books in the ancient world. We have had the tremendous pleasure to interview the two women that have made it happen, Irene Vallejo (author and Essay of the Year recipient) and Charlotte Mae W…

Madrid & Darracott is not just about the wine. It's also about the experience. This Anglo-Spanish duo that opened shop in the centre of Madrid are tremendously passionate about wine and about having fun, and it is impossible not to be infected by their enthusiasm. They tell us about their perception of Spanish wine in Spain, about their tastings an…

Álvaro is a very creative and well-read individual. Over the course of our chat, we discuss his many writing influences, the Irish language, the joys and headaches associated with launching his own zine series, and as always, so much more. Check out his Sadwrn website, where you can see and buy his wonderful zines. Incidentally, 'sadwrn' is Welsh f…

María José Rodríguez Becedas is a Spanish lawyer who is helping these women make their way to Spain, and once here, build a new life. She tells us about the many challenges faced by these refugees, as well as the inspiring work being done by her and her organization. To find out more, visit mas-democracia.org. Music: Skyline Horizon by Rho and Some…

David Price is the proud owner of The Secret Kingdoms bookshop in Madrid's Barrio de las Letras, a natural storyteller and an aspiring novelist himself. In this podcast episode, he unveils the secret of his success opening a full English bookshop in Madrid and gives us some insights into the book business, as well as some general life tips. Enjoy! …

Madrid's wonderful Secret Kingdoms bookshop hosted our conversation with Dr Chris Naunton, who is an author, TV personality and Egyptologist extraordinaire. With our illustrious guest, we spoke about inspiring future generations, colonialism, how to use a trowel, and so much more. We also get María's insight into the event, as she was the one askin…

Delving into the world of ancient inspiration, sustainable living, and our very own photographic exhibition. For more info, read this, and see the photos here. To see María's book, follow this little link! Music: Pictures of the Floating World by Pale Tussuck, Crowander by Celtic, and Someday by Sergey Cheremisinov. Photo Credit: María Correas.…

This restaurant can be seen in the Fundación Pablo VI, which is hosting an exhibition about other lives, featuring photos about Africa, Pakistan, China, and Bolivia. It is a wonderful opportunity to see the experiences of ordinary people around the globe, with bustling markets, thronging streets, lonely churches, and mud-brick houses. Also in this …

What's in a look, a moment? What is it about the quiet slices of introspection; the spark in a group; the crackle in a duo; or the wild, exaggerated - yet compelling - performance of one actor? The answer, tied to so many variables and factors, from all decades of cinema, across big screens and small, is quixotically and brilliantly subjective. Sit…

Paul was so kind and generous with his time, and he discussed his musical pursuits, humanism, the meaning of things and finding identity through language. We also delved into his poetry and collaborations with luminaries such as Iris Murdoch. For a snapshot of all the incredible things he's done, check out his Wikipedia page. Enjoy! Facebook: El Ar…

We were lucky enough to chat with him and hear about his time photographing The National and famous Hollywood actors. Graham also gave us insight into American life and regaled us with a great story about travelling to Ireland a few years ago. As a passionate campaigner and advocate for social justice, his work has been featured in major internatio…

Believe it or not, Beti Jai is the Basque for 'never stop partying', and it's also the name of the frontón court that has reopened in Madrid. It is an old sport and the stadium is a wonderful wooden edifice, acting as a link to the past and a testament to how Madrid is bursting with a wide mix of culture. And a drunk guy crashed bumper to bumper...…

Roy was so generous with his time and a pleasure to have on the podcast! We spoke about rubbing shoulders with some of Ireland's great balladeers, emigration, social issues, Irish chart success, a Grammy nomination, and even a little bit about Garth Brooks. Listen to Roy's wonderful music on YouTube and Spotify. You can also find him on social medi…

We walked it just for you, capturing the sights, the sounds, and the vibe of a building that has stood in the heart of Madrid for many years. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, we consider how the Spanish capital is changing, characters from Cervantes, and as always, much, much more. Apart from some sirens at the very start, it's easy listening…

We ponder mindbending mirrors, cider-heads, feathers, Pisa, reality, psychology, neuroscience and the meaning (or lack of) behind the mystery of the Magritte Machine. And before you go, read our blog post about Lana del Rey and Ireland. Facebook: El Arpa Instagram: El_Arpa_ Twitter: Elarpa1 Books: Fake News and Verano del 69. Music: Triple and Full…