Ramble with Joe McGucken

RTÉ

This is Ramble, a podcast where Joe McGucken immerses himself in the crazy world of each guest, capturing on-location interviews with people from the fringes of society, people from weird subcultures, hobbyists, sports people, celebrities and anyone in between. Joe is only interested in hearing a good story. The problem is, Joe is highly unqualified. With zero journalistic credentials and a naive optimism, Joe is perpetually out of his depth. But there’s a charm to it all. Driven by a genuine, relentless curiosity, he fumbles his way through these raw encounters and reflects on the madness back in the studio, relying entirely on his own pure inquisitive, nature and the extreme patience of his guests.

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Today · 46 min
Ramble to Lisdoonvarna: Love Sold Separately
A group of Americans have signed up for a package holiday to find love in Lisdoonvarna. Flights, a seven-course dinner and a minivan are all included. Love is not guaranteed, but it is very much implied, and the package costs over three thousand dollars per person. The group have never met each other. They arrive with hope in their hearts and a very low bar. They are following Mary Timby, an American who came to the Lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival on a whim last year, fell for a local and went viral. This year she’s organized a trip for this group of Americans to hopefully follow in her footsteps. Every September around 80,000 singles descend on this Clare town of about 1,000 people, and the group is hoping lightning will strike twice. Of course, Joe tags along to watch. Like a safari in the Savannah, Joe observes as the Americans go hunting for love. Instead they’re faced with “handsy farmers” and over-eager young men sweating it out on the Matchmaker pub dancefloor. It comes as no surprise to Joe but, it wasn’t the PS I Love You experience they might have been expecting. By the final morning they are heading home with great memories but no matches, and Joe is left wondering: Is love something that you can sell? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Friday · 38 min
Ramble with Ireland’s Newest Citizens
5,600 people packed into the Convention Centre in Dublin recently to officially declare their fidelity to the Irish nation, a massive bureaucratic event that highlights the evolving identity of the island. Joe decided to wander into the ceremony to figure out exactly what these new citizens were signing up for, only to promptly plunge himself into a mild existential crisis about his own national identity. From interviewing a newly minted Brazilian-Irish woman and a Sri Lankan man who has seemingly adopted a Wexford accent, to stumbling through a satirical, fake citizenship ceremony at the National Gallery orchestrated by the artist Asbestos, Joe earnestly attempts to pin down a neat dictionary definition of Irishness. Naturally, our intrepid host discovers that trying to categorize a culture defined by both a complex history and a complete refusal to take anything too seriously is a near-impossible task. After a slightly desperate phone call to his poet friend Emmet O’Brien in search of philosophical clarity, Joe ultimately realizes that defining a nation is a messy business, and perhaps a sociological exercise just a bit above his pay grade. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 30 · 26 min
Ramble On: The Government’s Guide to the End of the World!
Is the apocalypse coming? Joe has questions. After the government sends 2.2 million households a 17-page Be Emergency Ready booklet, Joe starts wondering what exactly we're supposed to be preparing for. Nuclear fallout? Cyber attacks? A massive blackout? The Russians blowing up the internet? Or just a very inconvenient few days without the card machine? In this episode of Ramble On, Joe digs into Ireland's history of preparing for disaster, from Cold War nuclear fears and the infamous 1965 Bás Beatha booklet to the distribution of potassium iodite tablets during fears surrounding Sellafield. He considers what happens when the electricity, phones, internet, banking and water all stop working. And how quickly civilisation might descend into chaos when the neighbours noodles start looking particularly tempting. There are also bunkers, billionaires, radioactive satellites, the Rapture, what happens to your pets when everyone gets taken to heaven, and the rather obvious possibility that Joe would be absolutely useless in the apocalypse. So stock up on water, tins of tuna and noodles, get yourself a wind-up radio, and have a listen to Joe Ramble On about the Government’s Guide To The End Of The World. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 24 · 33 min
Ramble with The Irish Houdini
On the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini's passing, Ireland's only escapologist is preparing to contact the legendary illusionist's spirit from an old shoe shop in Limerick. This week Joe takes a Ramble down south to meet Steve Spade, the Irish Houdini. The conversation starts with card tricks at weddings and dodgy hypnotists and ends with a plan to contact the dead. Steve's built a career on escaping things that could kill him. The kind of stunts that have genuinely ended other magicians' lives. He talks Joe through how he got into it, the injuries along the way, and the unwritten code escape artists live by. There's also a wedding proposal at a magic awards ceremony, a Houdini pair of handcuffs treated like a family heirloom, and a seance planned in an old Limerick shoe shop to mark 100 years since Houdini died. Joe, for his part, remains deeply unconvinced by magic in general and is still trying to figure out how his uncle took off his finger. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 22 · 16 min
Ramble On Matilda and Child Stardom
Joe took the boys to see Matilda at the Bord Gáis. The lead got sick, the safety curtain came down, and an eight year old understudy walked out in front of a sold out house and stole the show. That sets Joe off on a Ramble through the strange world of child stardom. A chance encounter with the original Matilda talking about intimacy at a variety show in New York. The militant casting rules for a Matilda, and its fleeting nature for the child actors. West End wages of sixty quid a show. The Oliver orphans doing ten o'clock finishes for twenty pounds, and three Billy Elliots sharing one Tony Award. Also: a Jobsbridge internship, a TV station that ceased to exist before the course finished, and a considered assessment of the McGucken boys prospects after Star Camp. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 18 · 42 min
Ramble With A Truck Pulling Amputee
Shane McLoughlin holds eight world records for pulling incredibly heavy vehicles, and he does it all while missing a leg. After a freak accident involving a heifer leaving him with gangrene, Shane endured 78 operations over a period of 10 years before finally telling his surgeons to just take the leg off. Instead of going easy on himself, he became a paralympian and eventually pivoted his focus to pulling trucks and other heavy vehicles like a 1000 tonne passenger Ship. Shane is currently on a mission to get amputee truck pulling recognized at the upcoming Paralympics. Joe can barely muster the energy to walk to the bathroom without losing breath, so trying to wrap his head around a man who trains by casually dragging parked lorries off the side of the road left him feeling more than a little out of his depth. Joe sits down in Shane’s home in Monaghan to discuss his unbelievable threshold for pain, his upcoming attempt to pull the actual Polar Express train in New York, and his ongoing beef with the Guinness Book of Records. It is a fascinating look at pure, stubborn defiance and what happens when you completely refuse to let anyone tell you what your limits are. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 15 · 24 min
Ramble On: The Golfing Nazis of Kildare
During World War II, Nazi and Allied soldiers played golf together in Kildare. In this episode of Ramble On, Joe takes us through the back nine of a surreal moment in Irish wartime history. What starts as Joe's disdain for the sport of golf somehow evolves into a fascinating narrative about Nazi soldiers who crash landed in Ireland, were given daily parole to attend local dances, visit the cinema, and play a few rounds at the Royal Curragh. Naturally, Joe finds himself in the rough along the way. Casually crediting the construction of the Ballymun flats to Nazi compensation for accidentally bombing the Five Lamps. But his enthusiasm for the sheer absurdity of it all is infectious. He uncovers a strangely polite chapter of history, exploring everything from foiled escape attempts involving ladders smuggled inside golf bags to Axis and Allied troops casually exchanging holiday gifts. It is a captivating look at how some stranded soldiers managed to turn international conflict into an extended countryside holiday. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 10 · 44 min
Ramble with Thomas Carty
IIn front of 82,000 roaring fans on the most historic night in Irish boxing history, heavyweight contender Thomas Carty took an illegal punch to the back of the head and fell headfirst out of the ring in Croke Park. Before any of that happened, Joe spend the day with Thomas, having secured exclusive behind-the-scenes access to shadow him on the biggest day of his professional career. Expecting a tense, high-stakes cinematic experience, our host is instead bewildered to find the elite athlete casually strolling around the south side of Dublin in his sliders and killing time by playing Fortnite. Joe somehow manages to turn a ringside media pass into an excuse to flee the stadium early after getting panicked by the medical response and trapped in a holding pen with Westlife. But while Joe was retreating to the safety of a lift home from his wife, the internet was busy spinning a wild narrative that Carty had intentionally thrown himself over through the ropes to avoid his 280 pound opponent. Sitting down in the aftermath of the freak accident, Carty sets the record straight. He opens up about the frightening reality of his terrifying fall, the utter absurdity of the online rumors, and how he manages to remain surprisingly zen about a night that ended in a hospital. It is a fascinating look at the unwavering grit of a professional gladiator. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 8 · 15 min
Ramble On: Muhammad Ali in Croke Park
In 1972, a former circus strongman who pulled buses with his teeth managed to bring the greatest boxer on the planet to Croke Park. After Katie Taylor’s historic walk to the squared ring in Croke Park over the weekend, Joe takes a look back at the last boxing match in Croker. Muhammad Ali's legendary and utterly chaotic visit to Dublin. From forgetting Ali's boxing gloves and borrowing a local club's boxing ring, to a dapper con-man taking off with seven grand in programme money, the event was a masterclass in mismanagement. Joe struggles to wrap his head around the sheer madness of the 1970s, but exploring how Ali rubbed shoulders with everyone from Taoiseach Jack Lynch to local civil rights leaders is a fever dream worth dipping into. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 3 · 41 min
Ramble with An Ultra Marathon Man
This week, Joe takes a Ramble into the grueling world of ultra-running. Joe somehow wrangles an interview with an actual superhuman, Seán Clifford, who is in the middle of a punishing 25-day Challenge to run every single street in Dublin. All 4,402 of them, while sleeping rough to raise awareness and funds for homeless charities. Joe ventures out into torrential rain to meet Seán and his endlessly patient crew partner, Alicja to speak about the logistics, mentality and realities of undertaking such a challenge. If you’re expecting Joe to bring back a triumphant, uplifting tale of the human spirit… You might be disappointed. Instead, Joe mostly marvels at Seán's misery, complains about the weather, and questions whether tearing your body apart for charity is actually worth it. It’s a sobering look at extreme endurance expeditions, all filtered through the lens of a man who fundamentally believes running is just a bit too boring to bother with. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 1 · 12 min
Ramble On: Birthday Disasters
In this week's bonus episode, Joe tries to record while a Bon Jovi concert shakes the walls of his studio. After some predictable grumbling about stadium rock and The Weeknd's spelling choices, Joe quickly sets his sights on Electric Picnic. He takes immense comfort in missing the mud this year, thoroughly roasting anyone who willingly subjects themselves to that biblical festival weather as if it were a survivalist cult. Of course, Joe's own weekend wasn't much better. To celebrate his birthday, he managed to endure a dinner on a canal barge that barely left the dock. This triggers a traumatic memory of his 30th birthday in Croatia, where he somehow turned a romantic, Michelin-starred island dinner into a harrowing, near-death emergency. Tune in to hear someone entirely unqualified for both luxury and basic social outings try to make sense of it all. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 27 · 39 min
Ramble with A Haunted Hoarder
On this week’s Ramble, Joe wanders into Dublin's Museum of Curiosities to speak with the curator Paul about his collection of… weird things. Joe reflects on his own failed collections, like the fact that he threw away his million dollar Pokémon cards, and comes face-to-face with a literal room of nightmare fuel. Think mummified cats, a two-headed cow, and a 19th-century witch's conjuring box. Naturally, he gets easily spooked by a supposedly haunted clown shaped sleeping bag named Buttons, and ultimately runs away from a creaking cupboard. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 25 · 15 min
Ramble On: The Titanic Slide
Joe is finally back at Ramble HQ after four weeks of filming up in Donegal, and naturally, he immediately fell down a rabbit hole of absolute madness. In this episode, he dives into the bizarre world of turning absolute historical tragedies into children’s entertainment. From a viral English fruit farm with a Titanic slide on the back of a lorry to the fever dream that is Europa-Park's "Ireland" section. Complete with questionable history, kilted barstools, and the infamous "Titanic" lifeboat ride. Plus, Titanic dinner theatre disasters in Australia, selfie sticks in Pompeii, and how much time actually needs to pass before something horrific just becomes a novelty gift shop. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 18 · 16 min
Ramble On: Amazing Grace Country
In this episode of Ramble On, Joe has somehow convinced himself he is a maritime historian. This week our intrepid host attempts to connect the dots between modern Inishowen road signs and the origins of Amazing Grace. The Iconic Hymn. What follows is Joe’s slightly unhinged, deep dive into the chaotic life of John Newton featuring 18th-century teenage melodrama, disastrous career choices, near-fatal North Atlantic storms, and Newton's eventual pivot from slave ship captain to abolitionist. Listen to Joe Ramble On through two centuries of history, miraculously managing not to lose the plot entirely, and explains why a shipwreck off the coast of Buncrana gave us one of the world's most famous hymns. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 16 · 1 min
Ramble Update | Back Next Week
This is just a quick update to let listeners know the podcast is taking a short break this week. Normal programming will resume next week with a bonus episode on Tuesday and full regular episode as scheduled on Thursday. Thank you for listening, and we will be back next week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 11 · 12 min
Ramble On: The Top Of Ireland
In this bonus episode of Ramble On, recorded straight from the driver's seat, Joe broadcasts from the stunning backdrop of Donegal while on location filming. Taking a quick breather from the trad music echoing from the house, he reflects on a brilliant, whirlwind weekend taking in the very best of the country. From soaking up the breathtaking landscapes on a mountain walk with alpacas (and fending off his son’s determined attempts to buy one) to stopping in for a quiet pint at Ireland’s most northerly pub. The adventure continues with a visit to the fascinating Doagh Famine Village, complete with local lore, traditional “cures”, and a taste of authentic local spirit. Captivated by the incredible warmth, hospitality, and vibrant local culture. From the country music energy at the Clonmaney Festival to the genuine friendliness of the people, this episode is a funny, heartfelt celebration of Donegal’s unique charm. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 6 · 35 min
Ramble with Jay the Furry
Ever wondered what actually goes on inside Ireland’s underground furry community? Well Joe did. So he sat down with Jay, a chemistry PhD student by day and a yellow furry by night. Joe tries to make sense of a world he knows absolutely nothing about. But before getting into the mystery, Joe kicks off the episode reflecting on his childhood obsession with dogs in the flat, dodging neighborhood pack attacks, and the weird reality of modern pet culture. Once he finally tracks Jay down after being shut out of private meetups, the chat quickly spirals into fursonas, anthropomorphism, non-profit conventions, adult play, cartoon crushes, and Joe reluctantly trying on a leather pup hood while wondering how on earth he ended up here. Pup hoods, cartoon rides, secret meetups, and a Dog Batman side quest. All in this episode of Ramble. Explicit.. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 30 · 38 min
Ramble with an Irish Cowboy
Joe heads for the Wild West in search of an Irish cowboy and grapples with his fear of horses, the smell of slurry and getting stuck behind a tractor on the way. He makes it as far as Laois where he meets Mick LaCumbre of Fossey Mountain Springs Ranch in the hills of Timahoe. Mick tells him about the special gift he has with horses and his profound respect for them. Mick’s career began as a 12 year old when he left school and started working with racehorses, breaking them in and ending up in a training programme at Goodwood Racecourse. He wanted to become a jockey and even tried to stunt his growth by sleeping in a box and also slept in stables with horses out of necessity and to learn. Now Mick’s son Cody is a barrel racer, who shares his father’s passion for horses and competes at a high level in Western riding. When Joe hears how Mick makes people’s dreams come true on the ranch by helping them learn to ride, he begins to see the magic of the cowboy way of life. Land healers, mountain springs, cowboy dreams and a Yellowstone side quest. All in this episode of Ramble. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 28 · 14 min
Ramble On: Typhoid Mary
Joe called the D-doc about an earache, and when he was asked a question about Covid this somehow sent him down a rabbit hole about a woman dubbed Typhoid Mary. Mary Mallon was an Irish teenager who emigrated to New York in the late 1800s. She worked her way up through the ranks to become a top cook for wealthy families. She then unknowingly started making people sick wherever she went and she found herself spending most of her life locked away on a tiny island. There's a sanitary engineer playing detective, a meat cleaver chase through a kitchen, five police officers needed to restrain one Irish woman, and a life sentence of isolation on a tiny island in the East River, all without a single criminal conviction. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 24 · 42 min
Ramble with Magic Mushrooms
In the middle of nowhere down the Irish countryside, there’s a woman who holds magic mushroom retreats out of her house, and Joe went down to meet her. She lives as off-the-grid as you can get and runs illegal psychedelic weekends to heal people living with trauma. For the sake of anonymity we'll call her Liberty. Joe opens up a little bit about his experience dealing with his mental health in the past. But after hitting a brick wall with traditional therapy, and one of his councillors literally falling asleep during one of their sessions, Joe sits down with Liberty to talk about how her retreats actually work, while opening up about his own personal journey with grief, guilt, and the surprisingly profound trip that helped him find a bit of peace. But knowing Joe, he'll probably still find something to complain about. Fermented cucumbers, white sage, cosmic energy, and a quick lesson on how to see through walls. All in this episode of Ramble. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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