Life and Depth with Ryan McDaid

Ryan McDaid
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Life & Depth with Ryan McDaid is a weekly self‑improvement and mental health podcast on YouTube where entrepreneur Ryan dives into long‑form conversations about life, business, spirituality, psychedelics and the natural world. If you’re burned out, stuck or searching for deeper meaning, these honest stories from founders, athletes, healers, scientists and everyday people will help you understand your mind, heal past wounds and build a grounded, resilient life you actually want to wake up to.

  1. #52 She Sees Medicine Where We See Weeds: Claire Thompson on Plants, Soil and Home Education

    6 DAYS AGO

    #52 She Sees Medicine Where We See Weeds: Claire Thompson on Plants, Soil and Home Education

    Welcome to Life & Depth with Ryan McDaid – the place where surface‑level conversations go to die. Most people walk past nettles, dandelions and docks and see nothing but *weeds* , herbalist, forager and soil advocate Claire Thompson sees *nutrition* , *medicine* and allies that can help us thrive. In this episode we explore how *wild plants* , living soil and a different approach to home and education can change our health, our farms and our sense of belonging. Claire is based in Malin Head, County Donegal, where she works to rebuild relationships between people, plants and living soil through wild food, *herbal medicine* and hands‑on community projects. She co‑directs KPM Soils with her husband Kevin, focusing on soil restoration, regenerative farming, composting and a four‑year European Innovation Partnership project on biologically inoculated slurry to cut nutrient runoff and rebuild soil life. We talk about why there is “no such thing as a weed,” how neat‑and‑tidy culture and patriarchy erased plant knowledge carried through the maternal line, and why wild plants often have far higher nutrient density than supermarket food. Claire explains how she and Kevin test soils under the microscope, grow biology in compost “mother piles,” and help farmers shift from simply sustaining broken systems to genuinely regenerating land, habitat and nutrient‑dense food. The conversation also touches on conflict and hope in the face of planetary boundaries, what overshoot day really means, and how raising and home‑educating their daughters inside this work has shaped their family’s idea of success. If you care about health, food, parenting, or just feel the pull to reconnect with the living landscape around you, this episode will give you practical ideas and a very different way of seeing the “weeds” at your feet. Timestamps 00:00 – She sees medicine where we see weeds 03:31 – Why we hate weeds and lost traditional plant wisdom 15:00 – Wild edible plants, nutrition and foraging for families 32:00 – From tidy lawns to wildflower allies and ethical foraging 48:00 – Planetary boundaries, climate overshoot and regeneration 1:05:00 – Soil health, compost “mother piles” and regenerative farming 1:25:20 – Raising wild kids, hope and living with the land

    1hr 42min
  2. #51 Ireland Before We Forgot: Eagles, Ancestors & the Stories Buried in the Land - Lorcan O Toole

    3 APR

    #51 Ireland Before We Forgot: Eagles, Ancestors & the Stories Buried in the Land - Lorcan O Toole

    What would the land say about how we live today? In this episode of Life & Depth, Ryan sits down with writer, ecologist and indigenous‑Irish thinker Lorcan to explore what our hills, rivers and old stories remember – and what we’ve tried to forget. Lorcan led the reintroduction of golden eagles to Glenveagh National Park and has spent decades at the intersection of wildlife, archaeology, myth and the Irish language. He talks about how the landscape is alive, how older beliefs were grounded in nature and being, and how much wisdom was lost when golden eagles, Gaelic manuscripts and indigenous ways were suppressed. They dive into questions like: How far back do humans on this island really go? What happens when you treat land as kin rather than property? How did ancestors understand oneness, water, food and other species long before modern science tried to dissect everything into separate parts? Along the way they discuss “pagan” baggage, St Patrick and literacy, the age of the Gaelic languages, Neolithic memory, and why we might need unvarnished truth more than comforting stories right now. If you’re curious about indigenous Ireland, land‑based spirituality, ecology, or just feel a pull back to something older and more honest, this conversation offers a grounded, poetic and challenging lens on who we are and where we come from. Welcome to Life & Depth with Ryan McDaid – the place where surface‑level conversations go to die. This is a space for deep dives into resilience, human experience, consciousness, and the lessons we learn the hard way. I sit down with people who have lived extraordinary lives – survivors, healers, entrepreneurs, scientists – to explore the "why" and the "how" behind their stories. **NEW SEASON 2026:** Nature & Seeds, Resilience & Breaking Barriers, and Consciousness & Community. Subscribe to join the conversation.

    1hr 34min
  3. #50 Perpetual Farm: Clive Bright on Habitat, Resilience & Rare Ruminair Beef

    27 MAR

    #50 Perpetual Farm: Clive Bright on Habitat, Resilience & Rare Ruminair Beef

    In this episode, Ryan sits down with regenerative farmer, artist and holistic management practitioner Clive Bright to explore what it really means to live “of nature” – not just on the land, but in how we think, farm, eat and make decisions. Clive runs a 120‑acre organic, 100% pasture‑fed beef farm in County Sligo, selling his meat directly through his Rare Ruminair beef boxes, and designing his landscape as a living habitat rather than a production line. He explains how holistic planned grazing, agroforestry and embracing “messy” diverse pastures create resilience to floods and droughts, healthier soil, and nutrient‑dense food – while actually reducing labour and inputs. You’ll hear how thinking in “tree time” (hundreds of years instead of one season), understanding simple cycles like water and photosynthesis, and focusing on habitat for wildlife, livestock and humans can change every decision on the farm and beyond. Clive and Ryan dig into tradition vs wisdom, breaking from family patterns without breaking respect, and why holistic management is less about following rules and more about learning to ask better questions. If you care about nature, food quality, climate resilience, or just want to see what a different future of farming and community could look like, this conversation will give you a grounded, hopeful and deeply practical lens on how we might get there. Key themes: Why humans need a “natural habitat” and what that looks like in modern life. Holistic planned grazing, litter layers and year‑round grazing without housing cattle. Diversity as resilience: plants, landscapes, farms, community and business models. Tradition vs innovation: honouring the wisdom, questioning the habits. Direct‑to‑consumer beef boxes, fair prices for farmers and premium nutrient‑dense food. 00:00 – Why humans need a natural habitat 00:18 – Meet Clive Bright & Rare Ruminair farm 00:52 – Holistic planned grazing and year‑round grass 02:51 – Natural cycles, health and thinking with nature 04:40 – Water cycles, floods and soil resilience 09:36 – Diversity vs simplification in farming systems 12:23 – Thinking in “tree time” and long‑term decisions 16:53 – Holistic management as a decision framework 19:19 – Inheriting the family farm and questioning tradition 21:17 – Shifting towards organic: curiosity and first steps 23:50 – Mentors, homesteads and closed nutrient loops 25:33 – Scaling regenerative ideas to 120 acres 28:19 – Culture, advice and learning to think for yourself 36:23 – Diversity as resilience in land, business and community 51:46 – From 80s dairy model to designing a perpetual farm

    1hr 7min
  4. #49 When Life Hits Too Hard: Grief, Perimenopause & Finding Resilience in Nature - Marie McLaughlin

    20 MAR

    #49 When Life Hits Too Hard: Grief, Perimenopause & Finding Resilience in Nature - Marie McLaughlin

    In this episode, Ryan sits down with learning and development consultant, author, and founder Marie McLaughlin to explore *what really happens in the body* when life becomes too much. Marie shares how her childhood on a small farm in Donegal shaped her resilience, work ethic and connection to nature, and how losing her 17‑year‑old brother overnight shattered the “perfect family life” she once knew. She opens up about navigating *perimenopause* while working in high‑pressure corporate finance, and why understanding *stress biology and physiology* completely changed how she lives, works, and parents. You’ll hear a grounded conversation about grief, nervous system regulation and what stress actually is – not just “in your head,” but in your sleep, irritability, and body signals you’ve probably been ignoring. Marie and Ryan talk about breathwork, movement, getting outside, and simple ways to create steadiness when your world has been turned upside down. ​*If you’re dealing with burnout, loss, hormonal changes, or you just feel like life is “too much,” this episode will help you* make sense of what’s happening inside your body – and show you how small daily practices can reconnect you to yourself, your community, and the natural world around you. Key themes in this episode: What really happens in your physiology when you’re stressed (beyond mindset and “positive thinking”). How sudden grief and trauma reshape identity in your 20s and beyond. Perimenopause, performance at work, and why so many women are silently struggling. Farm life, community, and how nature teaches emotional resilience from childhood. Breath, movement, and simple nervous system tools for regulating overwhelm. Subscribe to Life & Depth for weekly deep dives into the human experience: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9WhEGh7po2icenlEQ5sxaw?sub_confirmation=1 Welcome to Life & Depth Podcast with Ryan McDaid: https://ryanmcdaid.com/podcast/This is the place where surface-level conversations go to die. Timestamps: 0:00 – When life feels like too much 3:10 – What stress really is: physiology vs “in your head” 10:45 – Losing her brother at 17 and the shock of sudden grief 21:30 – Farm life, community and resilience in rural Ireland 32:00 – Perimenopause, corporate pressure and burning out quietly 44:15 – Breath, nature and movement as regulation tools 56:40 – Finding meaning after loss and coming home to yourself I started this channel because I was tired of the "highlight reel" version of life we see online. I wanted the raw, unfiltered truth. My mission is simple: to explore the extremes of the human experience through deep conversations, radical honesty, and resilient storytelling on my podcast. What You Can Expect: Based in the heart of the North West of Ireland, I sit down with people who have lived extraordinary lives, survivors, soldiers, fighters, healers, and entrepreneurs. We don't just talk about "what" they did, we dig into "why" they did it and "how" they survived it. Whether I'm talking to a man who spent years in prison during the conflict, a mother healing herself from chronic illness, or a CEO building a legacy, the goal remains the same: To find light in the darkest places.

    1hr 25min
  5. #48 The Beekeeper’s Warning: What Do Bees Know That We Don’t? - Mick Verspuij

    9 JAN

    #48 The Beekeeper’s Warning: What Do Bees Know That We Don’t? - Mick Verspuij

    Bees notice the changes in nature long before we do. In this episode, I sit down with Mick the Beekeeper, a lifelong keeper of native Irish bees, to explore what these animals reveal about the world around us. Mick shares how years of observing his bees taught him to slow down and see patterns most people overlook. His experiences with hive behavior and shifting seasons changed the way he understands the natural world. We talk about why bees react to things we barely notice, how nature communicates through behavior and timing, and what we lose when we disconnect. The conversation also explores memory, attention, and the value of taking time to really look. This is a reflective conversation about awareness, connection, and the quiet lessons nature is always trying to teach us. ============================ Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: The accident that changed everything 02:00 – A path nobody planned 04:10 – Seeing the world differently 07:40 – Searching for what remains 10:55 – Why something small matters 14:00 – A misunderstood substance 17:50 – Stepping back, not controlling 21:10 – When trust replaces armor 24:20 – When order starts to crack 27:00 – Decisions without leaders 30:10 – The ones that belong here 33:00 – When mixing goes wrong 36:10 – Lives measured in weeks 40:00 – A risk few mention 43:00 – Knowing when you don’t fit 46:10 – A knock at the window 49:10 – The quiet mind of trees 53:00 – What disappeared unnoticed 56:40 – The real cost of progress 01:00:40 – Messages beneath the ground 01:04:10 – How far we drifted 01:09:40 – When water remembers 01:14:20 – Starting again with kids 01:18:30 – Bees that came full circle 01:28:00 – Final thoughts and where to find Mick

    1hr 23min
  6. #47 How to Deal with Burnout: Finding Meaning, Purpose and Clarity Through Nature - John Duffy

    2 JAN

    #47 How to Deal with Burnout: Finding Meaning, Purpose and Clarity Through Nature - John Duffy

    Burnout can creep in long before you realise something is wrong. In this episode, I sit down with John Duffy, an engineer-turned-regenerative farmer, to explore why high achievement, constant pressure, and disconnect from nature silently push people toward physical and emotional collapse. He shares how years in the oil and gas industry, chronic stress cycles, and a life-altering moment in a woodland ecosystem forced him to rethink success, health, and what it means to feel grounded. We talk about why modern lifestyles make burnout so common, how the body signals imbalance long before burnout hits, and why reconnecting with nature, community, and purposeful work can reset your entire life. This is a grounded, honest conversation about clarity, resilience, and the turning points that guide you back to yourself when life becomes unsustainable. ============================ Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: How burnout led John to regenerative farming 04:38 – The moment that shifted his worldview 07:32 – Leaving oil and gas after years of stress 09:52 – Losing his father and rethinking purpose 12:13 – Learning regenerative agriculture around the world 15:19 – Holistic management explained simply 17:09 – Transforming poor land into healthy soil 20:24 – Water, nutrients, and why soil health matters 23:00 – Why conventional farming often leads to burnout 26:39 – How modern agriculture became fragile 28:22 – The grazing method that actually works 31:35 – Helping farmers transition without losing income 33:16 – Humans as part of nature, not separate from it 36:00 – Food quality, nutrition, and long-term health 41:56 – The comfort crisis and chronic stress 44:17 – Nature, recovery, and mental clarity 50:21 – What farming taught him about resilience 53:54 – Burnout, priorities, and mental bandwidth 59:26 – Rebuilding community and human connection 01:01:56 – Ancestral skills and reconnecting to the land 01:13:00 – Deer pressure and restoring native woodlands 01:17:00 – Why wild Irish venison is misunderstood 01:19:46 – Creating the Wild & Co protein bar 01:23:21 – Kickstarter launch and the future of Wild & Co 01:25:15 – Final thoughts and where to find John

    1hr 27min
  7. #46 Surviving Cancer, Meningitis and a Heart Scare. What It Taught Him About Life - Bosco Reid

    19/12/2025

    #46 Surviving Cancer, Meningitis and a Heart Scare. What It Taught Him About Life - Bosco Reid

    Being fit doesn’t always mean being healthy. In this episode, I sit down with Bosco Reid, an osteopath and lifelong athlete, to explore why serious health issues can develop even in active, disciplined people. Bosco shares how surviving meningitis, a prostate cancer diagnosis caught early through routine checks, and a later heart scare reshaped how he thinks about health, prevention, and longevity. We talk about why fitness alone can hide serious risks, how emotional health and social connection influence recovery, and why balance matters more than performance as you age. This is a reflective conversation about resilience, early detection, and the deeper lessons that emerge when life forces you to slow down and reassess what truly matters. ========================================= Chapters: 00:00 - Intro: Cancer news and why health can change instantly 01:08 - Bosco’s background and meningitis in 1983 03:49 - Being “very fit” but still getting seriously ill 10:14 - Why athletes can struggle when they stop winning 13:00 - Coaching, discipline, and sport as community 20:45 - Why overly competitive sport makes people quit 22:10 - Fitness imbalance and the hidden cost of skipping cardio 23:21 - The 2 biggest longevity predictors: grip strength and VO₂ max 23:49 - Parkrun: the simplest health habit Bosco recommends 28:44 - Prostate cancer story and the moment everything changed 39:28 - PSA testing: why early detection matters 45:05 - The weekly baseline: cardio + resistance training 48:34 - Sleep, REM, and emotional healing 53:10 - Cholesterol, statins, and Bosco’s 2019 heart event 01:00:07 - Cardio, diet, and preventative checks you should actually do 01:07:06 - Why sitting destroys your lower back 01:13:05 - Strength training basics and avoiding common mistakes 01:16:20 - “Japanese walking” (interval walking) for heart health 01:19:39 - Loneliness and cardiovascular risk 01:20:03 - Why CPR training should be taught in schools 01:24:13 - Final thoughts and where to find Bosco

    1hr 25min
  8. #45 Suspended GP Breaks Silence: Why I Risked Everything To Expose The Truth

    30/11/2025

    #45 Suspended GP Breaks Silence: Why I Risked Everything To Expose The Truth

    In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Anne McCloskey, a retired GP from Derry who has been suspended by the General Medical Council for challenging the official narrative regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Anne opens up about her transition from a respected physician to a whistleblower, detailing the alleged vaccine injuries she witnessed in her practice and the aggressive legal battles she has fought against regulatory bodies. We discuss the realities of her suspension, her imprisonment for refusing to pay fines, and her conviction that current global health policies are driven by financial interests rather than patient safety. This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about medical censorship, the ethics of healthcare, and the personal cost of standing against the establishment. ========================================= Timecodes: 00:00 - Suspension update & Introduction 00:43 - Medical background 03:23 - Early skepticism 06:40 - Midazolam protocols 09:30 - Returning to work 12:50 - Story of a teenage diabetic denied face-to-face care 15:40 - The "COVID Cult" 18:13 - The "financial scam" 21:53 - How GP contracts changed to prioritize pharmaceutical targets 26:56 - Patrick Walsh’s data on excess mortality in Ireland 31:26 - The specific video and patient cases that led to suspension 34:00 - The "Midnight Email" from the Chief Medical Officer 37:50 - The "Anti-Human" Agenda: Technocracy and control 42:30 - Fear in the medical community 45:40 - The decline of medical education and student debt slavery 50:40 - The end of the NHS and the push for digital health 56:34 - The legal battle 01:02:40 - Personal tragedy and the refusal to adjourn hearings 01:08:40 - Imprisonment 01:10:47 - Challenging the court jurisdiction: The "Strawman" argument 01:15:20 - Confronting "Naked Evil" and the spiritual battle

    1hr 20min
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About

Life & Depth with Ryan McDaid is a weekly self‑improvement and mental health podcast on YouTube where entrepreneur Ryan dives into long‑form conversations about life, business, spirituality, psychedelics and the natural world. If you’re burned out, stuck or searching for deeper meaning, these honest stories from founders, athletes, healers, scientists and everyday people will help you understand your mind, heal past wounds and build a grounded, resilient life you actually want to wake up to.

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