When Celtic Studies professor Pa Sheehan arrived in Toronto, he soon discovered the city’s vibrant Irish community and found that there were endless stories to tell.
Recognizing that many people would likely be interested in hearing – and sharing – these stories, he created a podcast called Irish in Toronto, a modern taken on the classic Irish oral tradition, with a focus on the experiences of Irish people living in Canada’s largest city.
New episodes of the podcast are posted every other Thursday, and topics range from the arts and sports through to academics and, of course, the immigrant experience.
“I asked myself what I would enjoy hearing about the Irish living abroad and went from there,” says Sheehan, who was born in Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, and came to St. Mike’s to teach in 2020 after spending a year at Memorial University of Newfoundland as the Ireland Canada University Foundation Scholar. “I want to hear why they came, what made them stay, what they miss about home and whether their future will be in Canada or in Ireland.”
While the podcast’s name links it to Toronto, the subject focus will sometimes take a wider view. Recently, for example, Sheehan chatted with John Boylan, who is Deputy Head of Mission at the Irish Embassy in Ottawa.
The audience potential is as broad as the possible subject matter. Ireland is a country of about 5-million, with another 3.5-million Irish citizens living abroad, Sheehan notes, and Canadian census statistics indicate that more than 4.6-million Canadians claim full or partial Irish ancestry, with many feeling a special bond with the land of their ancestors.
And, of course, the experience of diaspora is not unique to the Irish, and so many people new to Toronto will find some common ground in Irish in Toronto, no matter who far from Ireland their homelands might be.
The current podcast grew out of an Irish language podcast Sheehan had launched in 2020, with a particular emphasis on sports and he says he hopes it will offer some information and familiarity to the Irish new to Toronto.
Sheehan, whose course offerings this year includes Introduction to the Irish Language, The Celts in the Modern World, Sport in Ireland, Traditional Music in Ireland and Scotland, and The Blasket Island Writings, says he would like to see is some of his students become involved in the podcast. He credits St. Mike’s employee and alumna Natalie Barbuzzi with creating his logo.
“I knew it had to have the CN Tower in it,” he laughs.
And Sheehan is quick to point out that he’s keen on ensuring an engaging experience, focusing on issues such as sound quality and offering a range of topics. He’s open to advice and keen to hear what people say about his project.
“I have friends giving me feedback,” he says. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised.”
Irish in Toronto is available via various digital service platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.