Best Shane Bergin Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 10 | Diane Learns to Swim 39:53

6+ y ago39:53

39:53

❝ In our final episode we meet educator Diane McSweeney from Trinity Access 21 as she learns to swim. We listen as her teacher Jennifer Murrin, a marine scientist and competitive sea swimmer, guides Diane’s first dip in the pool at University College Dublin. Jane and I reflect on the importance of trusting a teacher when diving in to scary new worl…

1
Episode 9 | Aoife Learns to Drum 44:06

6+ y ago44:06

44:06

❝ If you could learn something new, what would it be? One of the most common responses people give is a musical instrument. In episode 9, we tune our attention to learning how to play one. We meet geneticist Aoife McLysaght from Trinity College Dublin who’s learning djembe drums with Trinity bio-engineering student Charles Adebayo. Inspired by this…

1
Episode 8 | Lynn Learns to Code 30:22

6+ y ago30:22

30:22

❝ For many, the idea of learning to code conjures an image of a person working alone. Perhaps a mathematically inclined person who just ‘gets it’? In episode 8 we meet Lynn Scarff, Director of Science Gallery Dublin, who’s learning to code with Niamh Scanlon, EU Digital Girl of the Year, 2015. Sharing her experiences of learning in a community of o…

1
Episode 7 | Miriam Learns Graphic Design 51:11

6+ y ago51:11

51:11

❝ If you’ve ever tried to design something, you’ll know that learning is a slow process. It’s messy, and it takes time. In episode 7, we meet science communicator Miriam Harte and graphic designer Robert Farrelly—who guides Miriam through the brainstorming stage of the graphic design process, using the visual identity for this very podcast as a sta…

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Ep 13 - Peter Gallagher 42:14

7+ y ago42:14

42:14

Helen Shaw's guest in this edition of the The Family of Things podcast is Irish scientist and astro physicist Professor Peter Gallagher. Peter Gallagher leads solar physics and space weather research at Trinity College Dublin. Gallagher researches the Sun, in particular solar storms and their impact on Earth. He is Director of the Rosse Solar Terre…

1
Ep 12 - Vivienne DeCourcy 32:20

8+ y ago32:20

32:20

Vivienne DeCourcy, the writer and director of the new feature film Dare to be Wild is our guest in episode 12 of The Family of Things. Vivienne, a former lawyer, began writing scripts after surviving cancer and she talks about her instinctive relationship with the outdoors and nature from her childhood.…

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Ep 11 - Rory O'Neill 40:00

8+ y ago40:00

40:00

Helen Shaw's guest is performer and accidental activist Rory O'Neill AKA the Queen of Ireland Panti Bliss. Rory shares the highs and lows of the last two years since his celebrated speech on the stage of the Abbey Theatre and the fight for Marriage Equality in Ireland.By Athena Media Productions

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Ep 10 - Eleanor Fitzsimons 42:15

8+ y ago42:15

42:15

Author and researcher Eleanor Fitzsimons is our latest guest in The Family of Things. Wilde's Women - her acclaimed biography of Oscar Wilde from the perspective of the women in his life, opens new windows on both Wilde and his work. Eleanor beautifully written and carefully researched study was published in Ireland in Autumn 2015 and is being rele…

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Ep 9 - Noirin Hegarty 37:24

8+ y ago37:24

37:24

In this 9th episode of The Family of Things, Helen Shaw meets Noirin Hegarty, former Editor of the Sunday Tribune and now Operations Director with Lonely Planet, to discuss her passion for journalism, how it lead her on an unconventional career path but to her dream job, and how she balances these demanding roles with family life.…

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Shorts 10 - David McKeown 2:56

9y ago2:56

2:56

Bright Sparks: David McKeown - Rocket ScientistEngineering plays a significant role in science exploration and innovation. We had robot engineer Conor McGinn and now rocket scientist and engineer David McKeown. David is a research engineer working in University College Dublin, conducting research for the European Space Agency on contracts dealing w…

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Ep 8 - David Gillick 52:09

9y ago52:09

52:09

In Episode 8 of The FAMILY of THINGS, Helen Shaw's guest is a man known for his winning speed and more recently his winning food. It's champion sprinter and Celebrity Masterchef David Gillick. David Gillick, who is now retired from competitive running, still holds the Irish indoor and outdoor 400m records and he won two Gold European medals as well…

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Shorts 9 - Richard Roche 3:42

9y ago3:42

3:42

Richard Roche is a Lecturer in the Department of Psychology in Maynooth University specialising in the area of cognitive neuroscience. In this short clip, Richard talks about the brain and memory, and how context can be used in recall to update, distort or even remove a memory.By Athena Media Productions

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Shorts 8 - Michelle McKeon Bennett 2:06

9y ago2:06

2:06

Michelle McKeon Bennett is head of the Department of Applied Science in Limerick Institute of Technology as well as the principal investigator of the controlled environment laboratory for life sciences research group there. Yet, Michelle also holds another title.. since 2008 she is an official Astronaut Candidate for the European Space Agency. In t…

1
Shorts 7 - Peter Gallagher 2:12

9y ago2:12

2:12

Peter Gallagher is a solar physicist at Trinity College in Dublin where his research involves studying the sun and the effects it has on the Earth. He is obsessed with the sun and in this short clip Peter tells us what makes the sun, and closest star in our universe, so intriguing to him.By Athena Media Productions

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Shorts 6 - Peter Lynch 5:05

9y ago5:05

5:05

Mathematician and Emeritus Professor of Meterology Peter Lynch, like many other of our Bright Sparks, is driven by his fascination in discovering how things in the world work. In this short clip Peter Lynch talks to presenter Shane Bergin about Galileo, why he became a mathematician and why maths plays an integral part in understanding the world we…

1
Shorts 5 - Cindy Van Dover 3:28

9y ago3:28

3:28

Cindy Van Dover is a deep sea biologist and the director of the Marine Laboratory at Duke University. In this short clip, Cindy tells us of her intrigue to explore the deep sea and how studying the survival of life forms in such an extreme environment can inform what we think about our planet and the potential for life on other planets.…

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Shorts 4 - Conor McGinn 2:14

9y ago2:14

2:14

Conor McGinn is an assistant Professor in the Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering Department, Trinity College, Dublin. Conor is also a robot engineer, building many robots like Trinity's Robbie Robot to assist Cork teenager Joanne O'Riordan who is one of few in the world suffering from Total Amelia. In this short, Conor tells us of his passion for…

1
Shorts 3 - Valeria Nicolosi 5:01

9y ago5:01

5:01

Valeria Nicolosi is a nanotechnologist and professor in the schools of chemistry and physics at Trinity College Dublin and is also a principle investigator in the nanotechnology institute CRANN at TCD. She describes how nanotechnology surrounds us nowadays and how it will impact our lives in terms of new materials, wearable technology and energy st…

1
Shorts 2 - Aoife McLysaght 3:43

9y ago3:43

3:43

Aoife McLysaght is a Professor in Genetics in Trinity College Dublin. In this short clip Aoife describes how genetics, and more specially DNA, physically connects us all as humans, and how that realisation sparked her passion to uncover those links. She talks about her current research and the discovery of a human specific gene in her lab.…

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Shorts 1 - Emma Teeling 3:32

9y ago3:32

3:32

Emma Teeling is a Professor in the School of Biology and Environmental Science in UCD, or also known as Ireland's Bat Lady, spends most of her time studying the evolution and ecology of bats. In this short clip, Emma tells Dr Shane Bergin about the unique qualities of the bat as a mammal, and what we can stand to learn about ourselves as humans by …

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Ep 8 - Space, The Final Frontier 52:26

9y ago52:26

52:26

What contributions has Irish science made to unraveling the mysteries of the universe through space exploration and astronomy? Prof. Shane Bergin learns the history of the observatory in Birr, where he finds out the importance of studying the heavens, and meets the Irish scientists working in the orbit of Earth, Mars and even The Sun. From astronau…

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Ep 7 - Climate Change 52:07

9y ago52:07

52:07

How can Ireland help turn the tide against climate change? Prof. Shane Bergin learns the difference between climate and weather, how to reap the benefits of wind and wave energy in Ireland, and how we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels through the use of biogas. It poses the question should scientists get involved in the political debate aroun…

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Ep 6 - Food and Water 52:12

9y ago52:12

52:12

Resources - How can Irish research help us utilise and protect our most precious resource; our food and water? Prof. Shane Bergin takes a tour down our waterways learning how we keep them safe from bacteria and disease. From the rivers and the lakes to the sea, Shane discovers the wealth of life and information that can be found within the deep blu…

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Ep 7 - Linda Buckley 43:30

9y ago43:30

43:30

Helen Shaw's guest this episode is Cork born composer Linda Buckley who writes contemporary music drawing inspiration from the world around her, from the soundscape of her childhood growing up on a diary farm overlooking the Old Head of Kinsale to other places close to her heart including Iceland. Buckley's work has been performed by Crash Ensemble…

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Ep 5 - Super Bodies 52:12

9y ago52:12

52:12

How do we make our bodies stronger or rebuild the parts that don’t work? Prof. Shane Bergin meets the researchers around the country who are trying to enhance and augment our bodies, to cure ailments and fight disease. Shane learns about potential of stem cells in medicine, but when rejuvenation within our own bodies is no longer an option, it’s ro…

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Ep 4 - Nanoscience 52:00

9y ago52:00

52:00

Theres plenty of room at the bottom - What impact is Irish technology having on our lives and what are the tangible results of Irish research? Prof. Shane Bergin guides us through the field of nanotechnology which is shaping our modern world and where Irish research, at centres like CRANN in Trinity College Dublin, is leading. Shane looks at the sc…

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Ep 3 - Combatting Disease 52:08

9y ago52:08

52:08

How are Irish researchers helping the global battle against diseases like cancer and Motor Neurone Disease. Prof. Shane Bergin talks to scientists committed to switching off diseases from immunologists to microbiologists.By Athena Media Productions

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Ep 2 - The New Darwinians 52:08

9y ago52:08

52:08

Where did life come from? Prof. Shane Bergin learns about the origins of life on Earth and how Darwins “Tree of Life” might actually be a “Web of Life” and about unlocking the evolutionary secrets behind animals like bats, dogs and fruit flies. Shane explores the genetic line that connects us physically, to our ancestors and in an economic environm…

1
Ep 1 - How We Learn 52:02

9y ago52:02

52:02

Geneticist Emma Teeling opens the conversation on what makes you a scientist with a lovely description of the thirst for knowledge which drives science and scientists to discover. What happens when you enable bright people to follow their curiosity and solve the world’s problems? Bright Sparks, an exploration of ideas innovation and discovery is an…

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Ep 6 - Mark O'Halloran 53:43

9+ y ago53:43

53:43

Helen Shaw meets actor and writer Mark O'Halloran the creative force behind the darkly comic films Adam and Paul and Garage. Mark talks about growing up in a big family in Ennis and his journey to become a writer and performer. He describes how limiting Ireland was as a young gay man and how a year spent in Amsterdam liberated him. He found a creat…

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Ep 5 - Iarla Ó Lionáird 51:33

9+ y ago51:33

51:33

Sean nós singer and songwriter Iarla Ó'Lionáird is Helen Shaw's guest in this edition of The Family of Things. Iarla is the voice of the acclaimed Irish ensemble The Gloaming whose album by the same name has received multiple award nominations. Iarla grew up in Cúil Aodha in Co Cork in an Irish speaking community in what he calls ' a hive of song' …

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Ep 4 - Hans Zomer 40:32

9+ y ago40:32

40:32

Helen Shaw's guest is Hans Zomer, Director of Dóchas, a development network, and lead organisation on the European Year of Development in Ireland. Hans talks about being shaped by his Dutch presbyterian roots, his family's experience of World War 2 and his childhood growing up in Cameroon. He speaks five languages but says he now feels Irish and dr…

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Ep 3 - Dr. Shane Bergin 49:13

9+ y ago49:13

49:13

A podcast series of interviews about ideas, life and how we live, presented by Helen Shaw. In Episode 3 of our podcast series The Family of Things presenter Helen Shaw talks to Trinity based physicist Dr. Shane Bergin. Shane says people often think science is ugly but necessary, while he thinks it is beautiful and essential. Shane talks of his pass…

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Ep 2 - Denise Deegan 39:59

9+ y ago39:59

39:59

A podcast series of interviews about ideas, life and how we live, presented by Helen Shaw. In this second episode the guest is author Denise Deegan.By Athena Media Productions

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Ep 1 - Nessa O'Mahony 44:39

9+ y ago44:39

44:39

A podcast series of interviews about ideas, life and how we live, presented by Helen Shaw. First guest is poet Nessa O'Mahony.By Athena Media Productions

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Shane Bergin Podcasts

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