Ruthless Imagery

28/10/2026

292/365 - Wes Pollington, Roscommon.

From a high flying, well paid job in Australia, to running a campsite in Ballaghderreen while recording albums in a yurt. Life can come at you fast sometimes and take you in directions you never imagined.

Wes is settling into a different kind of life than he once pictured, his days are spent using his engineering skills to build glamping pods and fix yurts in a very rural part of Ireland. He’s striving to bring a little bit more life and creativity to the town. He and his wife, Tuesday (who you’ll hear from tomorrow) have been putting on gigs, hosting arts/crafts workshops, movie nights and just generally being a bit legendary!

You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.com
Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, go to SinScealEile.com for more information.

If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee (I’m “ruthlessimagery” on both accounts, or click the link on our website)

xR

28/10/2026

291/365 - Chris Ball, Co. Roscommon.

Chris is extremely passionate about his work, native trees, and sustainability. Thankfully his new job involves lots of trees in very sustainable ways! Chris took a risk, quit a long standing job and joined a rapidly growing company in Roscommon. 

They build sustainable, timber, modular homes from their massive factory. They've figured how to quickly supply safe and cosy buildings, such as schools, in record time. Maybe this will finally herald the end of freezing cold prefabs!

At weekends, you can find Chris and the other ‘Rhodo Rangers’ in the depths of Connemara, pulling out invasive Rhododendrons with their bare hands!

You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.com
Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, go to SinScealEile.com for more information.

If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee (I’m “ruthlessimagery” on both accounts, or click the link on our website)

xR

26/10/2026

290/365 - Tracy Martin, Monaghan.

If you were to watch a movie based on Tracy’s story, you would say it’s too far-fetched to be realistic. Tracy is an author, who published a work of fiction that was loosely based on her own life called “So Not Me”. She once drove to Madrid on a whim and started teaching English. She’s feisty and opinionated, but she’s had to be that way, to advocate for her own needs. 

Tracy didn’t have an ordinary childhood as such, even though she was greatly loved and supported by her siblings, she was made an orphan tragically young.

When the leaving cert rolled around and Tracy was just a week away from her 18th birthday, herself and her boyfriend were in a terrible car crash. Her boyfriend died and Tracy was left paralysed from the chest down. She spent the following 9 months in hospital. Not only was she grieving the loss of her boyfriend, but she also lost the baby she was carrying. 

You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.com
Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, go to SinScealEile.com for more information.

If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee (I’m “ruthlessimagery” on both accounts, or click the link on our website)

xR

26/10/2026

289/365 - Caroline Quinn, Co. Monaghan. 

You can’t help but feel instantly happy when you visit Caroline’s world in rural Monaghan. She and her husband, Peter, moved back to Monaghan from Dublin 6 years ago when they purchased an old school. They renovated it, and are putting their own unique style all over it. 

Caroline is optimism personified. She lives life in full colour and that’s reflected in what surrounds her at home. Quirky, circus-goth imagery, giant stuffed animals, a taxidermied peacock, and lots, and lots, of cats. Peter on the other hand prefers a more minimalist style and is apparently a lot more introverted. So it’s really interesting to hear how two vastly different people have made such a loving home together. 

You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.com
Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, go to SinScealEile.com for more information.

If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee (I’m “ruthlessimagery” on both accounts, or click the link on our website)

xR

24/10/2026

288/365 - Gary McKenna, Glaslough, Co Monaghan. 

Gary is friendly and chatty but I can tell, also a little bit nervous about talking to me today. He welcomed us to his beautiful big home which he recently bought (a huge accomplishment for a single man in his 30s in a housing crisis!). 

He starts by saying that he’s been approached before to tell his story as part of a documentary, but didn’t feel totally ready. I’m so glad he contacted me now to share his wonderful story with you all. 

Apart from having wonderful taste in decor, and a sound head on his shoulders, Gary has two cures. They were passed down to him (and his brother) when he was just 11. An old lady in a neighbouring village specifically requested to see Gary and his brother when she was in a nursing home. His family knew her, they had used her for cures before, and she knew that she wanted to pass along her gift before her time came. 

 

Gary has grappled with having this responsibility throughout his teens and young adult life, but has come to realise that it’s such an honour to be part of this centuries old lineage, and while it might not make sense to a lot of people, it’s still hugely important to respect those who have come before him. 

Gary is also a clinical psychologist. So while on one hand, he can cure people using very traditional means, he has also equipped himself on how to help people in other ways too. 

You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.com
Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, go to SinScealEile.com for more information.

If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee (I’m “ruthlessimagery” on both accounts, or click the link on our website)

xR

24/10/2026

287/365 - Eoin Sanford, Dublin. 

Eoin started his career on a whim, following a twitter hashtag. He found himself in London working a very fast paced and highly pressurised marketing job. Like most young men, he went for it, without really acknowledging the damage the job was doing to his mental health. His mental health soon affected his physical health and landed him in hospital with some very concerning and confusing symptoms. 

You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.com
Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, go to SinScealEile.com for more information.

If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee (I’m “ruthlessimagery” on both accounts, or click the link on our website)

xR

23/10/2026

22/10/2026

286/365 Jenny Huston, Dublin City.

Precious metals chat anyone? Ever wondered why you should buy literal gold bars? Think that lab grown diamonds are infinitely better for the world than mined? I chatted with jewellery designer (and DJ) Jenny about her range of banging jewellery, Edge Only, and we got nice and nerdy about the ins and outs of gold and silver!

You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.com
Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, go to SinScealEile.com for more information.

If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee (I’m “ruthlessimagery” on both accounts, or click the link on our website)

xR

21/10/2026

285/365 - Sabrina O’Reilly, Fatima, Dublin. 

I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there, in cosy wee homes, who regard Sabrina as a literal angel. She’s worked in various parts of the housing sector throughout her career (even as a mortgage broker) but what she has always dreamed of doing was setting up her own housing charity. After years of applications, forms and miles of red tape, she finally launched Bridge Housing. 

What they do, with their small but mighty team, is unbelievable. They provide housing and support to people from all walks of life, whether someone is aging out of the care system, escaping a bad situation at home, living in emergency accommodation or recovering from addiction. What Sabrina’s team does is not just provide them with a roof over their heads, but also a network and support system that they can lean on while they settle in. 

You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.com
Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, go to SinScealEile.com for more information.

If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee (I’m “ruthlessimagery” on both accounts, or click the link on our website)

xR

20/10/2026

284/365 - Sinéad Hall, Achill, Co Mayo.

Sinéad's story is one I wish I didn’t have to tell. It's one that no one should experience. It's cruel and incredibly traumatic.

Sinéad's 4 week old baby boy, Ruadhán, died from SIDS. 

The family had gone to a Christmas market. Baby Ruadhán fell asleep in his carrier and when they arrived home, he wouldn't wake up. The events that immediately followed were horrifying. His big brother desperately tried to administer CPR, and the ambulance took, what felt like, forever to arrive. Ruadhán passed away 11 days later in hospital.

The family have kept Ruadhán's memory alive in many ways, including starting Teach Ruadh (Rua’s House) a respite home on Achill Island for families to use after child loss.

-------

You can have a little listen to our full chat, just search for Sin Scéal Eile wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify etc) or at our website, SinScealEile.com
Come back tomorrow for another podcast/story/portrait. We’re interviewing and photographing people from all over Ireland, collecting their stories and sharing them daily. You can be a part of it too, go to SinScealEile.com for more information.

If you love this series and you appreciate that it takes a lot of time, passion and funding to bring it to you every day, consider becoming a sponsor. You can subscribe for exclusive content on Patreon, or make a once off donation on BuyMeACoffee (I’m “ruthlessimagery” on both accounts, or click the link on our website)

xR