Podcast Corner: Tale of Doonmore Hotel on Inishbofin makes for interesting Yarn
We've written about John Roche's podcast Yarn before, talking about the 2021 episode Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, a 90-minute documentary that gave listeners a look at what it's like to serve on a jury. There have only been seven episodes in the intervening years but the mantra is quality over quantity.
The Highest Cyclist in the World examined Chris Hoy's 2007 attempt to break the 1km time trial world record on the fastest track on earth. Escape from Madrid tells the story of how Turkish diplomats saved the lives of 1,000 refugees during the Spanish Civil War's longest siege.
Judy's Callers was a 10-minute episode released at the start of April to mark the 55th anniversary of the Samaritans' presence in Ireland. The latest episode, released on Thursday, May 1, is called Hotel on the Edge of Europe.
Roche and his family have been making an annual pilgrimage to the Doonmore, or Murray's as the locals call it, named after the family who have run it for over half a century, for years. But changes are afoot. Over winter, major renovations have been made, and Roche is among the first members of the general public to experience the revamp.
It's part travelogue, part history as we hear how the hotel came to be around the mid-20th century and the fear on the island at the time.
Andrew Murray, the hotel manager and previously frontman of trad band De Dannan, explains how there was no electricity and no running water when the hotel first started up - 'You might as well have been on the Antarctic.' Inhabitants at the time worried that they might face the same fate as those on Inishark, who were relocated by the government.
The award-winning Irish interior designer Róisín Lafferty is another frequent visitor and was tasked with the renovation of the hotel. She explains the charms of Inishbofin and the Doonmore: 'There's not that many places that feel like an actual escape. I love that there's no pretentiousness, there's no notions, it doesn't matter what you do, who you are.'
With archival soundbites intermingling with the buzz of reopening, and the whoosh of waves and blustery wind, the 70-minute episode is a treat. With so many podcasts nowadays aiming for weekly insipid banter, Yarn is a slow, soothing, and rewarding listen.
The Real Carrie Jade: A second bonus episode capper to last summer's six-part series from RTÉ Documentary on One about the fraudster Samantha Cookes came out last week.
The makers head to a Tralee courthouse in March 2025 as Cookes is to be sentenced for welfare fraud. It's only 10 minutes long but also acts as a tee-up to a two-part documentary about Cookes, entitled Bad Nanny, that debuts on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Monday, May 12.
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