New podcast giving a voice to the people of Kilbeggan

Despite only recently launching, Kilbeggan Podcast is quickly becoming a staunch favourite with people from the area and far beyond.

The brainchild of long-time Kilbeggan resident Fergal Fox, the podcast went live a few weeks ago, and its founder and host has been “pleasantly surprised” by its popularity to date.

Having already published three episodes, including the debut podcast interview with Joe Ryan - a town native who is Head of Athletics and Lead Endurance Coach at Dublin City University (DCU) - Fergal said initial nervousness about launching the project quickly subsided on the back of strong interviews from his guests and subsequent reaction from the general public.

“I have been living and volunteering in Kilbeggan for over 20 years and have developed a strong bond with the area. The idea for a podcast was a recurring thought and I felt Kilbeggan and its people had a great story to tell,” Fergal said.

With some experience of podcasting through his employment with the Health Service Executive, Fergal was keen to “give the town's people a voice”.

“Kilbeggan, like most other towns, has changed a lot in recent years and now has a very diverse community. I thought it important for Kilbeggan people to be seen and heard. The idea is not to just look back at Kilbeggan's past, but instead to tell the stories of Kilbeggan people who are at different stages and different ages,” he said.

“At first, the guests might have been wary of it, I don't know. But they have all been brilliant and told their stories exceptionally well. I thank them for their contributions because they have dictated how well the podcast has done. I've been pleasantly surprised by how popular it is. We have listeners of all different ages from Kilbeggan but just as importantly, many Kilbeggan people living and working abroad are tuning in, too. And that's fantastic for the podcast, to be reaching people all across the world,” Fergal added.

The opening interview with Joe Ryan was followed by interesting discussions with Seoidin Rochford, of the Kilbeggan Players Drama Society, and with Pat Lynagh, a well-known figure in Westmeath GAA who also discussed his time working at the former St Loman's Hospital in Mullingar.

Fergal also spent some time working alongside Pat through their involvement with Kilbeggan Shamrocks GAA Club, while Fergal – originally from Mayo - has also been involved with the local soccer club.

He said that he wants to interview people from all sectors of Kilbeggan to provide “a wide ranging mix of what's going on in the town”.

“It's fascinating to see many middle-aged and more elderly people listening,” he said.

“One man told me he put the podcast on YouTube for his mother, and she had never previously listened to anything like that before, and that she really enjoyed the show. So, things like that are very rewarding to hear. I really enjoy listening to people from our community and it looks like others share that feeling, too,” he added.

With work and family commitments, Fergal can't currently commit to a weekly show, particularly when taking into account the time that goes into editing the shows. However, he has committed to a show every fortnight and soon expects to air interviews with some younger guests, including a local musician, he said.

He said that local people and listeners have been great in offering ideas and suggestions for future interviews, and encouraged people to never hesitate in contacting him about the podcast.

“The more ideas you have, and the more people that get involved, the better,” he said.

“I am really enjoying it. You set out with an idea and are unsure how it will go. But to see it going from strength to strength is brilliant and long may it continue,” Fergal added.

The Kilbeggan Podcast can be listened to via YouTube and Spotify, and is also available through the podcast's official Facebook page.