From Cork to New York

Jim Brule

"From Cork to New York" acts as a cross-cultural Story Bridge, stitching together the rich narrative traditions of Ireland and the United States while welcoming guests from a vast array of cultures around the world. By gathering these diverse international voices to share their unique crafts, the show creates a rich space where global perspectives meet, mingle, and find common ground. At its heart, the podcast explores the concept of transformational storytelling, delving into how narratives - both ancient and modern - can foster community healing and personal growth across the globe. It serves as a vital digital thread connecting distant shores, using the deep-rooted ties between Cork and New York as a foundation for a truly global conversation.

  1. 1d ago

    When the Veil Thins: Creation, Stolen Skulls, and the Spirits of Samhain

    What happens when sacred bones are scattered, ancestral vows are forgotten, or a soul drifts for centuries across the primordial deep? As autumn blazes across upstate New York and winter rains sweep County Cork, Máire and Jim cross the threshold into Samhain: the Celtic dream-time of going to seed and quiet rebirth. From a sky maiden who leaves the heavens only to shape the earth with her toes, to an irreverent young Aran islander confronted by the spirit of his own great-granduncle, this episode explores why reverence and memory remain our greatest healing arts. Featured StoriesThe Maiden of the Air and the 700-Year Pregnancy - Finnish mythology / The Kalevala (Rune 1) - Jim Brulé Sean and the Gravedigger’s Skull - Traditional Irish folklore / Dúchas National Folklore Collection - Máire (Maria) Gillen The Gathering: A Tale of Two Cities & The Story RoadIn this special episode following Jim’s three-week journey across Ireland and north to the Arctic Circle in Tromsø, Maria and Jim reunite across the Atlantic to reflect on their recent travels: from Cobh, Gougane Barra, and Blarney to the 300-year-old storytelling hearth of Sheehan's Cottage in Listowel. Carrying forward their Story Bridges project with Omar Belhaj, the hosts mark the arrival of Samhain: the ancient Celtic turning of the Wheel where the veil thins, memory deepens, and the living converse with the ancestral dead. Episode Chapters[00:00] Welcome to Cork and New York: Maria and Jim celebrate Jim and Jill’s recent in-person visit to Ireland, recapping adventures through Cobh, Gougane Barra, and Blarney.[01:24] Listowel & The Living Storytelling Tradition: Memories from Sheehan’s Storytelling Cottage (300 years of stories in the walls), meeting Billy Keane, and experiencing the Kerry Writers’ Museum and the Listowel Storytelling Festival.[03:57] Dublin Lore & The Leprechaun Museum: Looking ahead to the Federation of European Storytellers (FEST) in Dublin and Tom O'Rahilly’s treasury of rare books.[04:54] Crossing into Samhain: Autumn foliage in Central New York versus the stripping winds of Cork; Maria’s woodworking memories of her father and her new Samhain workbook, Back into the Wild Again.[07:49] The Maiden of the Air (The Kalevala): Jim tells the opening rune of the Finnish epic: Ilmatar’s longing for companionship, her 700-year gestation on the open sea, the golden duck’s cosmic eggs, and the birth of Väinämöinen.[16:07] The Sung Runes & Epic Cadence: Maria and Jim reflect on the ancient practice of singing epic runes to drumbeats, from Sámi traditions to the chants of the Irish seanchaí.[17:37] The Schools' Scheme & The Stolen Skulls of Inishmaan: Maria shares the true history of 19th-century skull-hunting, the theft of Aran Island ancestors from an iron church strongbox, and the decade-long battle to repatriate them from Trinity College Dublin.[25:08] The Tale of Sean & The Gravedigger: A careless young islander digging a grave carelessly strikes an ancestral skull with a spade, drawing an uncanny nighttime visitor who demands five years of sacred penance.[34:03] Rebirth in the Dream Time: Reflections on the thinning of the veil, Moroccan fossil beds, Finland’s 30-foot skeleton horse, and Samhain as the essential seed-time before spring.[37:26] Safe Travels on the Story Road: Anticipating their next reunion in Marrakech and looking ahead to October 2027. Key TakeawaysSamhain as the Dream-Time of Rebirth: In Celtic cosmology, winter’s arrival is not an ending of despair, but the necessary "dream time" of going to seed: a quiet death that prepares new life.Living Folklore Outlasts Official Erasure: When language and written records are suppressed, oral memory preserves identity; collections like Dúchas contain the enduring truth of a people.Sacred Stewardship of the Ancestors: Whether through the repatriation of stolen island remains or the tender care of a village gravedigger, honoring the dead restores moral balance to the living.Cosmic Gestation Takes Time: Ilmatar’s centuries-long drifting reminds us that meaningful creation often requires enduring long periods of uncertainty before new worlds can be birthed. Host Resources & LinksExplore the transformative power of folktales and discover how to befriend the monsters and mysteries within. Subscribe to Jim Brulé’s Healing Monsters Substack for weekly mythic medicine, storytelling workshops, and archetypal deep-dives: healingmonsters.substack.com. Visit Maria Gillen at storyfromseeds.com to explore her Samhain workbook, Back into the Wild Again.

    When the Veil Thins: Creation, Stolen Skulls, and the Spirits of Samhain

  2. Oct 26

    Demons, Trails, and Laughter

    The Stories"The Path to the Tree of Life" — Narragansett tradition, told by Hears Crow"Finnegas McFartpants and Billy the Bully" — Contemporary childhood tall tale (co-crafted with Ryan Keane), told by Máire (Maria) Gillen"Miriam and the Lantukh" — Slavic/Jewish household folklore, told by Jim Brulé The GuestHears Crow, Nootauau Kaukontuoh, “she hears it from him, the crow”, is a woman of the Eastern Woodlands. She lives her life in the tradition of the Nanhigganêuck, the people known today as the Narragansett. She is a Storyteller of Longhouse Tales told in the oral tradition. She has twice been awarded publishing contracts for her book of poetry and is currently completing a Native children's novel. She brings to life the oral tradition at museums, schools, community centers, Indigenous gatherings, and wherever the stories lead her. Hears Crow is also an educator, published poet, and workshop leader. As a 'kuhkootomwehteâen' (one who shares knowledge), thirty-five plus years of telling in these different styles, she brings forth the culture of the Longhouse People, through their stories. Learn more at https://storyteller.eenantowash.org/ The HookWhat happens when old rituals slip away, grief clouds our vision, or childhood fears threaten to alienate us? In this luminous cross-cultural circle, Máire, Jim, and returning guest Hears Crow reveal how ancestral memory, restorative kindness, and belly laughs become the ultimate antidotes to modern fragmentation. Even when the prayer words are forgotten, the act of telling the story is always enough to bring the rain. The Chapters[00:00] Welcome![00:24] Returning to the Forest Circle: Máire and Jim welcome back Narragansett elder Hears Crow to celebrate kinship under the canopy of trees.[02:50] The Living Trail to the Tree of Life: Hears Crow shares a multi-generational legend about drought, remembrance, and the enduring power of sacred journeys.[21:05] The Digestive Pace of the Bean Feasa: The hosts reflect on oral cadence, ancient parallel motifs, and the physical nourishment of spacious pauses.[25:06] The Mischief of Finnegas McFartpants: Máire channels the vivid imagination of her five-year-old grandnephew to recount an exuberant Cork schoolyard lesson on empathy.[36:20] Bloodlines Across Screens and Oceans: The circle explores how oral history anchors young minds across digital divides and pandemic isolation.[38:38] Miriam and the Household Lantukh: Jim uncovers a tale from the Healing Monsters project about how unseen household terrors transform into gestures of quiet comfort.[47:33] Buried Saints and Weather Charms: Máire and Jim swap folk practices—from inverted statues of St. Joseph to the Child of Prague beneath Irish hedges.[52:12] Safe Travels on The Story Road: The trio exchanges gratitude across tribal and Celtic roots, bidding listeners farewell until the next crossing. Key TakeawaysThe Story Is Always Enough: When sacred formulas or ritual words fade across generations, preserving the memory and spirit of the journey restores communal balance.Reframing the "Monster": Destructive spirits and heavy grief often mask a desperate need for order, domestic nourishment, and quiet care.Laughter as Restorative Medicine: Whimsical stories passed from child to elder disarm schoolyard cruelty and bridge multi-generational divides with pure joy.Everyday Folk Magic as Relational Anchor: Small, eccentric domestic rituals ground communities in ancestral faith, turning anxiety into active hope. Closing Call to ActionExplore the transformative power of folktales and discover how to befriend the monsters within. Subscribe to Jim Brulé's Healing Monsters Substack for weekly mythic medicine, storytelling workshops, and archetypal deep-dives: healingmonsters.substack.com.

    Demons, Trails, and Laughter

  3. Oct 12

    The Waters of Truth

    The Waters of Truth: Hoarded Wells, Sacred Rivers, and the Magic of Spoken WordsWhat happens when sacred water is hoarded by power, or unleashed through supreme sacrifice? From the sun-baked plains of Yorubaland to the ancient limestone springs of Cork, Máire and Jim sit by the hearth fire to explore how rivers mirror human longing, how myth preserves real history, and why our spoken words still hold the ancient magic of spells. The StoriesThe Legend of the River Olu (Yoruba Folklore, Nigeria) — Told by Jim, gifted to him by Nigerian storyteller Titi Ogunnaike. A story of drought, maternal sacrifice, and a transformative river whose waters bestow the power of inescapable, world-shaping truth.The Formation of the Lough of Cork (Cork Folklore, Ireland) — Told by Máire (Maria). An ancient Irish tale of an arrogant king, a hoarded healing well, a salty feast, and the princess Fíor-Uisce whose fall beneath the water reclaimed life and joy for an entire community.The River Olu - on YouTube, as told by the Priest of the River: https://youtu.be/GJSVlyIA8Oc The Chapters[00:00] The Intimacy of the Hearth Máire and Jim welcome listeners into a cozy, two-host conversation, reflecting on the spaciousness of sitting together around the metaphorical hearth fire to trace the threads of folklore. [01:08] The Transcriber’s Dream: Meeting Titi Ogunnaike Jim recounts how an early podcast led him to connect with Nigerian transcriber Titi Ogunnaike, whose yearning to preserve her grandmother’s vanishing Yoruba folklore launched a cross-continental storytelling journey. [03:26] The Legend of the River Olu: Sacrifice in the Drought Jim narrates the woman’s version of the River Olu myth: a desperate mother who, after days of fruitlessly searching for water to save her dying children, shatters her empty calabash against the earth in holy grief, transforming her body into a living, healing river. [08:00] The Gift of Truth & Descendants of the Stream Exploring the sacred law of River Olu: those who drink its first drop can speak only truth, and whatever they speak becomes real. Jim explains how water is still bottled and sent across the globe for newborn Children of the River. [09:00] River Goddesses and Shared Soils Máire draws vibrant parallels to Ireland’s female river spirits (such as the River Bandon / Bandia) and the diaspora tradition of carrying sacred earth across oceans to root new generations. [10:30] The Two Halves of the River: Male and Female Tellings Jim reveals what happened when Titi traveled with filmmakers to meet the King and Chief Priest at River Olu: uncovering a contrasting men’s version featuring a transformed father and a cursed calabash. [16:05] The King of Cork and the Hoarded Healing Well Máire introduces the story of the Lough of Cork (Teach Rí), where a wealthy clan leader walled up a communal healing well (Tobar Leighis) to keep the suffering townspeople from partaking in its life-giving waters. [21:26] Spiced Beef, Salty Feasts, and Princess Fíor-Uisce The King hosts a thirsty young suitor prince with salty chips and Cork spiced beef, sending his daughter Fíor-Uisce ("Pure Water") into the moonlit courtyard with an oversized crystal pitcher to draw from the fortified well. [25:33] The Flooding Lough and the Submerged Feast Overbalanced by the weight of the pitcher and the high walls, the young lovers tumble into the deep spring. The water erupts over the castle turrets, restoring water to the singing people and creating Cork’s legendary lake, where an eternal banquet still whispers beneath the surface. [27:56] Chipper Chips, Salt & Vinegar, and Cultural Memory A lighthearted, warm interlude on Canadian vs. Irish foodways, exploring salt, vinegar, chipper chips, and how simple sensory memories tie communities together. [30:05] The Architecture of Magic: Words as Spells Máire recalls her grandmother’s revelation about the root of "spelling" as casting spells. Jim bridges the thought to the ancient Hebrew concept of D'var: a word that is simultaneously a thing, bringing reality into being through utterance. [33:23] Living Without 'Yes' and 'No': The Action of the Irish Tongue Máire explores the linguistic wonder of the Irish language (Gaeilge), which historically lacked standalone words for "yes" and "no," grounding all truth in direct, embodied action rather than abstract absolutes. [34:46] Blessings on The Story Road Jim and Máire bid their warm farewells from New York and Cork, sending listeners back out onto the path until the hearth fire is stoked once again. Key Takeaways (Transformational Insights)Water Cannot Be Owned; It Can Only Be Shared Both Yoruba and Cork traditions remind us that hoarding essential life - whether literal water, communal joy, or healing - inevitably brings calamity. Life belongs to the commons; attempts to lock it behind high stone walls will only invite the flood. The Duality of Myth: Honor Both Halves of the Story The divergent male and female accounts of the River Olu teach us that folklore is not a rigid monolith, but an ecosystem. When we hold multiple versions of a myth without forcing them into sterile conformity, we honor the multi-layered truth of the community that birthed them. Language as an Incantation (D'var) To speak is to alter reality. From the Children of the River who refuse disparaging words because they manifest as truth, to the ancient root connecting spelling with spells, our spoken words build or destroy worlds. Storytellers carry the ethical weight of what their tongues bring into being. Speech Rooted in Action The Irish language’s rejection of passive "yes" and "no" reminds us to anchor our convictions in active verbs. We do not merely agree or disagree in the abstract; we choose to go or not go, to act or refrain, declaring presence through living deeds. Closing & Community Call-to-ActionEvery myth carries a forgotten medicine for modern disquiet. To delve deeper into the archetypes, seasonal rituals, and psychological beasts that shape our personal journeys, subscribe to our companion newsletter, the Healing Monsters Substack. Until next time, travel safely on The Story Road.

    The Waters of Truth

  4. Sep 28

    The Hare, the Hive, and the Star Dancer

    What happens when stories refuse to stay penned within physical or political borders? In this luminous gathering, guest storyteller and musician Colin Urwin joins Maria and Jim to trace the migratory magic of folktales - from the wind-scoured cliffs of Antrim to the Gaeltacht of Ballyvourney and the star-strewn gardens of Armenia. Through shape-shifting grandmothers, protective swarms of bees, and a blossom that demands love rather than force, this episode explores the art of boundary-keeping and what it truly means to attain immortality. The Stories"The Hunting Party and the Hare" - A Rathlin Island folktale from the Tommy Cecil Archive, told by Colin Urwin."St. Gobnait and the Nine White Deer" - A West Cork legend of dreams, bees, and sacred boundaries, told by Maria Gillen (Seanchaí Chorcaí)."The Anahakan Rose" - An Armenian teaching tale of tyrannical longing and cosmic stewardship, told by Jim Brulé."The Hare's Lament" ("The Hare's Dream") - Traditional Ulster hunting ballad sung unaccompanied by Colin Urwin. Guest: Colin UrwinColin Urwin is Seanchaí to the Chief of the Antrim McDonnells Randal, 15th Earl of Antrim at Glenarm Castle. He is also a folksinger, songwriter, storyteller, author and workshop facilitator. For over 25 years, he has been the caller and singer in the award-winning 'Haste to the Wedding' ceilidh band. He serves on the committee of the Storytellers of Ireland and the Glens of Antrim Historical Society, and is the Storyteller-in-Residence at The Courthouse, Shared Space and Creative Hub, Bushmills. Steeped for a lifetime in the language, folklore and traditions of his beloved Glens of Antrim, Colin has long been influenced by traditional Irish and Scottish music, song and story. He is inspired by the people and places, the history and legends, and the sheer, rugged romance of the northeast coast of Ireland. From these, he conjures up many of his beautiful ballads, magical rhyming monologues and delicately woven tales of wonder. Links:Website: https://colinurwin.com Ceilidh Band: http://hastetothewedding.com/ The Chapters[00:00] Welcome to The Story Road Maria and Jim open the hearth from Cork to New York and warmly welcome Antrim storyteller, author, and musician Colin Urwin.[01:03] The Glens of Antrim & The Coast of the Gael Colin unpacks the porous, ancient relationship between Northeast Ireland and Argyll, Scotland - a threshold land shaped by Gaels, Scots, and Norse settlers.[03:45] Tales with Legs: The Migrating Fairy Midwife The trio explores how folktales travel along merchant routes and traveling communities, noting identical fairy midwife motifs appearing across Ireland, Scotland, Northumberland, and North America.[06:01] Dakar to Dublin: Polygenesis & The Price of Magic Jim introduces the Senegalese counterpart to the fairy midwife tale, contrasting Western narratives of punishment with African motifs of reward, trade routes, and spiritual boundary-keeping.[08:22] The Celtic Heart: Honoring Everyday Belfast Colin reflects on his hit Waterfront Hall stage production, The Celtic Heart, exploring working-class resilience, ancestral grief, and uplifting redemption in post-conflict Northern Ireland.[13:06] Story: The Hunting Party and the Hare Colin Urwin shares a classic Rathlin Island tale of a haughty landlord, a silver half-crown, an outsmarted pack of hounds, and a grandmother whose hearthside scratches reveal a clever secret.[25:26] Lúnasa, Hares, and Shape-Shifting Sovereignty The hosts reflect on the Irish hare’s folkloric association with women's autonomy, harvest season magic, and shared Celtic variations from Wales to Kerry.[27:26] Story: St. Gobnait and the Nine White Deer Maria Gillen recounts the journey of an Inishmaan girl led by prophetic dreams and her woven hive across Galway and Limerick to Baile Mhúirne, where healing honey and gentle strength turn back cattle raiders.[36:03] Apples, Stings, and Two Kinds of Sweetness Inspired by Gobnait’s bees, Jim connects the healing sting to Rosh Hashanah traditions - differentiating between surface sweetness and the profound sweetness won through enduring pain.[38:08] Story: The Anahakan Rose Jim Brulé shares an Armenian tale of a grasping king, doomed gardeners, and a young caretaker named Samvel whose patient lullabies and dancing awaken a dying bush and unlock cosmic eternity.[47:30] Storytelling as Communal Medicine The circle discusses how bringing ancient archetypes into shared presence fosters deep kinship, healing, and cultural cross-pollination.[48:35] Song: The Hare's Lament Colin sings a moving, unaccompanied traditional Ulster ballad voiced by the hunted hare herself, followed by reflections on rhythmic songs, rowboats, and shapeshifters.[54:36] Safe Travels on The Story Road Maria and Jim close the episode with traditional blessings until the next threshold crossing. Key Takeaways: Transformational InsightsStories Are Living Migrants, Not Static Relics Folklore does not belong to single geographic points; it moves through human trade routes, sea-crossings, and traveling communities. Whether in Cork, Antrim, Wales, or Senegal, tales naturally adapt their outward scenery while preserving their core emotional medicine.The Underdog’s Art of Shape-Shifting From the Rathlin grandmother slipping the bounds of an oppressive landlord to the hare voicing her own plea against the hounds, folklore grants the marginalized the ultimate weapon: cunning, agility, and kinship with the wild.True Sweetness Must Acknowledge the Sting Just as St. Gobnait’s honey cures wounds while her bees defend the community's boundaries, the deepest sweetness in life cannot be separated from the pain that birthed it. Healing demands both tenderness and the fierceness of protection.Immunity vs. Immortality: Love Outlasts Dominion In "The Anahakan Rose," the king seeks immortality as a trophy of possession and ends in bitter decay. Samvel achieves timelessness through relationship, devotion, and song. The garden does not belong to the ruler who claims it, but to the soul who tends it and dances with its mystery. Closing & CommunitiesThank you for traveling with us along the winding borderlands of memory and myth. Subscribe to the Newsletter: For essays on navigating modern shadows through ancient myth, subscribe to Jim Brulé’s Healing Monsters Substack.Join the Hearth: Connect with fellow tellers, listeners, and mythic travelers inside the Healing Monsters Community on Facebook.

    The Hare, the Hive, and the Star Dancer

  5. Sep 14

    The Tree of Seasons & Greenwood Medicine

    What happens when we step out of four-walled consultation rooms and let ancient woods, rushing rivers, and mythic memory do the heavy lifting of healing? In this rich, sunlit gathering across the Atlantic, Maria, Jim, and guest Shane Ibbs explore how bushcraft, folklore, and conflict-free tales re-tune human hearts to natural reciprocity, selfless giving, and the courage to say the unsayable. Our Guest - Shane Ibbs (Therapist, Bushcraft Leader & Storyteller)Born in Suffolk, England, Shane, the oldest of six children, grew up with oral stories around the hearth. In the early 90s, Shane began to use 'applied storytelling' and trained as a Social Worker. Visiting Canada in 1997, through a connection, Shane was invitated to attend a gathering of the indigenous Metis people. Part of the day was a healing story circle. Shane was so moved by this that he retrained as a Counseling Therapist and increased his use of 'applied storytelling'. In 2012, Shane trained at the International School of Storytelling, never dreaming, after sharing a personal story in Canada, that he would end up telling stories to audiences in the Netherlands, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Ireland, and all around the UK. Visit Shane on his socials! https://www.shaneibbsstoryteller.comInstagram: @ibbsshaneLinkedIn: Shane Ibbs The Stories in This Episode"The Tree of Four Seasons" – Told by Shane Ibbs (A Buddhist teaching tale on perspective, seasonal rhythm, and wholeness)"The Lemonade River and the Corn Dolly" – Told by Máire (A co-created ecological myth from the 2026 Festival at the Edge on reciprocity and returning water to the source)"The Story of Wali Dad" – Told by Jim (A Punjabi folktale on the boundless ripple effect of pure, non-transactional generosity)"The Silver Butterfly" – Referenced by Shane Ibbs (A Duncan Williamson traveller tale about reshaping currency into acceptable wonder)"The Curing Fox" – Told by Shane Ibbs (A Cree healing tale that allows listeners to speak the unspeakable and hold grief) Episode Chapters[00:00] Welcome from Harbor Winds to Upstate Sun Maria and Jim welcome listeners from Cork Harbor and Fayetteville, New York, joined by UK storyteller Shane Ibbs to celebrate rare festival weather and the shared current between their lands.[02:11] Leaving the Clinic for the Canopy Shane recounts his mid-career transition from traditional social work and psychotherapy into the woods, discovering how green spaces and bushcraft break through to at-risk youth and weary adults in ways indoor rooms never could.[07:56] The Medicine of Green Spaces & Hospital Sanctuaries The trio explores clinical and spiritual evidence behind nature therapy - from prison and hospital studies to Jim’s chaplaincy work designing rooftop hospital gardens that serve as living chapels.[10:12] Parallel Paths: Old-Growth Woods & Indigenous Kinship Jim reflects on his own journey from family therapy into spiritual storytelling, walking the nearby old-growth forest daily, and learning deep relational stewardship alongside local indigenous elders.[13:35] Shane’s Tale: The Tree of the Four Seasons Shane shares a nuanced Buddhist tale of a wise king whose four daughters visit the very same tree in spring blossoms (pearls), summer canopy (emeralds), autumn harvest (amethysts), and winter frost (diamonds) - learning that reality is larger than any single vantage point.[19:30] Attuning to the Seasons & The Dose of Medicine Shane describes guiding neurodivergent youth through all four seasons in the forest, while Maria shares ancestral folk wisdom from West Cork on edible plants, dosage, and knowing the fine line between medicine and poison.[22:15] Maria’s Tale: The Lemonade River & The Corn Dolly Maria tells a newly co-created tale of a village whose magical rose-colored water disappears, requiring the dance of a golden straw dolly and the collective return of rain to the mountain's deepest chasm.[28:45] The Rare Power of Conflict-Free Storytelling Jim and Shane reflect on the unique emotional architecture of tales devoid of villains or battle, where tension dissolves into wonder, communal rhythm, and organic narrative threading.[31:00] Jim’s Tale: The Generosity of Wali Dad Jim narrates the Punjabi classic of a simple reed cutter whose single surplus coin sparks a wild, escalating chain of anonymous royal gifts between an unsuspecting prince and princess.[46:10] Non-Transactional Giving & The Vanishing Palace A discussion on the true meaning of abundance: why Wali Dad belongs in his simple hut, the multiple endings of folklore, and how authentic gifting frees us from the trap of accumulation.[49:05] The Fairy Crib & The Silver Butterfly Shane reflects on Duncan Williamson’s traveler lore, showing how a silver coin - unfit as a gift for a fairy infant - is lovingly transformed over a fire into a delicate silver butterfly.[52:15] Meitheal, Indigenous Kinship, and Shared Bounty From Native American communal borrowing traditions to the Irish Meitheal and the shared chipped tea-cups and Donegal lace of 19th-century Cork slums, the hosts celebrate cultures where survival means holding wealth in common.[56:05] The Curing Fox: Stories That Say the Unsayable Shane shares a moving Cree story of mutual healing between a dying child and an injured fox, recounting a tender encounter with an Irish father whose silent grief was finally unlocked by the tale.[58:50] The Crossroads on The Story Road Closing reflections on how myth creates safe harbor for human vulnerability, with warm blessings until the next crossing from Cork to New York. Key TakeawaysThe Forest as Mirror and Medicine: Nature is not merely scenery; it is an active therapeutic container that regulates human nervous systems, dissolves defensiveness, and reflects our inner states back to us.Perspective Requires All Four Seasons: As revealed in the tale of the jewel-hung tree, judging a person, an ecosystem, or a situation by a single season gives an incomplete truth. Full understanding requires patience across time.Transaction vs. True Abundance: Real generosity is rooted in circulation rather than accumulation. When gifts are offered without expectation of return - like Wali Dad’s coin or the communal Meitheal - wealth becomes a shared river rather than a private reservoir.Reshaping the Coin into a Butterfly: When an offering is rejected or awkward, true art lies in shape-shifting its form - refining a crude transaction into an offering of beauty that honors the recipient's dignity.Myth as a Vessel for Unspoken Grief: A story gives voice to "the unsayable." By witnessing a child healed by a wild creature in myth, listeners find the safety to touch their own unhealed losses and begin the journey toward wholeness. Closing & CommunityStep deeper into the mythic thicket with our weekly newsletter at Healing Monsters on Substack.

    The Tree of Seasons & Greenwood Medicine

  6. Aug 31

    Screaming Squirrels, Sacred Scars, and the Secret Lives of Mothers

    The "Hook"What happens when our bravest adventures are interrupted by the absurd, our greatest resentments are softened by unexpected love, and our deepest grief reveals the secret heroic lives of those we've lost? In this soul-stirring and laughter-filled gathering, Maria and Jim welcome storyteller Rachel Smith to explore how first-person vulnerability, ancient folk wisdom, and legacy tales help us tell our scars instead of our wounds. Our Guest - Rachel SmithRachel Smith was the producer of Hong Kong Stories, a locally based, community storytelling group in Hong Kong for 12 years. Recently returned to her birthplace of Canada, she travels the world with her stories, telling and hosting workshops wherever she goes. Rachel is always keen to develop opportunities to hear and share stories and share her love of storytelling with the community. When not involved in storytelling, Rachel is a multi-disciplinary artist. Website: https://www.senselessart.net/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/senselessart/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-smith-75632b346/ The Stories Featured in This Episode"Battle of Wills at Hadrian’s Wall" — Told by Rachel Smith A 40th-birthday midlife crisis walk along Hadrian’s Wall turns into a humbling, hilarious midnight showdown between a solo hiker in a bivy sack and a relentless, pinecone-throwing English squirrel."The Miser and the Angel of Death" — Told by Jim An oral teaching tale from the Maggid tradition (via Daniel Lev) about a wealthy miser who tries to use a broken public vow to rid himself of his wife—only to discover that pretending to love someone can accidentally soften even the hardest heart."Annie Gillen’s Friday Nights" — Told by Maria A deeply moving personal story born out of grief in Cork City, where a stranger reveals the clandestine acts of grace, chocolate bars, and comic-book storytelling Maria’s late mother used to bring light into a home shadowed by darkness. Episode Chapters[00:00] Welcome to the Story Road Jim and Maria open the hearth from Fayetteville and Cork to introduce guest storyteller Rachel Smith, founder of Hong Kong Stories.[01:14] The Art of Doing Stupid Stuff Rachel discusses why true first-person storytelling relies on human imperfection and why surviving our own blunders creates the best tales.[02:25] Rachel’s Tale: The Wall, the Bivy Sack, and the Squirrel Rachel recounts her 84-mile solo trek across northern England, the pursuit of midlife independence, and the territorial woodland creature that forced her to redefine bravery.[12:30] Redefining Success & Wild Camping in Ireland The hosts reflect on the courage to change one's mind, walking the Ring of Kerry, sleeping under picnic tables, and the generous kindness of rural strangers.[22:45] Traveling the World in Ontario A whimsical detour through shared place names, how homesick Europeans mapped nostalgia across Canada and Upstate New York, and passport stamps from neighboring towns.[25:35] Jim’s Tale: The Miser’s Vow and the Hardened Heart Jim shares an oral Jewish folk story about a bitter miser seeking a loophole with the Angel of Death, discovering that practicing kindness transforms reality.[33:10] The Maggid Lineage & Shaggy Dog Wisdom Jim and Maria unpack the lineage of oral teaching tales passed down from teacher to student and how simple parables carry heavy truths.[36:20] Legacy Voices and Emotional Truth Maria reflects on experiencing Jim’s transformative "Legacy Stories" workshop in Marrakech, learning how witnessing specific virtues unearths buried memories.[39:00] Maria’s Tale: Cadbury Chocolate and Comic Books Walking through Cork in fresh grief, Maria encounters a stranger who unveils the secret Legion of Mary visits her mother made to protect and uplift a struggling family.[47:05] Tell Your Scars, Not Your Wounds Rachel, Maria, and Jim explore the vital boundary between authentic vulnerability and unhealed trauma dumping, emphasizing the healing power of storytelling from a place of resilience.[53:15] Giving the Listener Permission to Feel Why great stories never announce their moral: allowing the audience to take what they need and find their own mirrors in the teller’s truth.[57:30] Marrakech, 27 Languages, and the Crossroads Ahead Reflecting on the international storytelling gathering at Jemaa el-Fnaa and looking ahead to the next crossroads on the Story Road. Key Takeaways: Transformational InsightsTell Your Scars, Not Your Open Wounds: Authentic personal storytelling is therapeutic, but it is not therapy. Sharing from our scars allows us to transmit hard-won resilience and wisdom, whereas performing from an open wound can lead to overwhelming trauma dumping that diminishes both teller and listener.Redefining Bravery & Success: Wisdom often lies in knowing when to surrender stubborness. Choosing to pack up your bivy sack and walk two kilometers away from an aggressive squirrel is not a defeat; it is the grace to be a strong, independent person somewhere else.The Subversive Power of Covert Kindness: Maria’s mother demonstrated that real grace does not demand an audience or applause. By bringing ten chocolate bars, old comics, and a fearless presence into a fractured household every Friday night, she built a sanctuary of dignity that echoed across generations.Stories Don't Need Prescribed Morals: When a story is crafted with honesty and specificity, the teller does not need to dictate the lesson. Thirty listeners will walk away with thirty distinct insights based entirely on what their souls needed to hear. Closing & Community Call-to-ActionThank you for walking with us from Cork to New York and across the global hearth. Join the Conversation on Substack: Subscribe to the Healing Monsters Substack for deeper mythic reflections, personal essays, and behind-the-scenes audio dispatches. Be safe on the Story Road until we meet again.

    Screaming Squirrels, Sacred Scars, and the Secret Lives of Mothers

  7. Aug 17

    Mirror Worlds, Midnight Trains, and the Silent Hand of Grace

    The Stories"The Singer and the Valley of Paradise" (Kabyle Folktale from North Africa) — Told by Jim"Midnight Mariah" (Personal Ancestral Narrative) — Told by Denise Paige"Nancy of the Notions" (Cork City Heritage Story) — Told by Maria The HookStorytelling carries us across physical borders and generational divides, revealing that our lived experiences—no matter how distinct—are bound by a shared human thread. In this deeply moving episode, guest storyteller Denise Paige joins Jim and Maria to explore ancestral resilience, multidimensional memory, and the subtle ways communities wrap each other in unspoken grace during times of trial. The Chapters[00:00] Welcome & Story RoadsJim and Maria welcome guest storyteller Denise Paige and reflect on how stories travel across geography, linking Northern Finland, Dakar, Cork, and North Africa. [02:34] Jim’s Story: The Singer & The Valley of ParadiseJim shares a Kabyle tale from North Africa about a gifted metalsmith and singer who journeys through rugged mountains to prove the existence of a paradise, only to uncover a deep truth about illusion, identity, and the choices we make. [11:25] Unpacking Time and MemoryDenise, Maria, and Jim discuss multidimensional time, Irish concepts of circular time, and how ancient symbols like triple spirals reflect the continuous life-death-life cycle. [13:30] Denise’s Story: Midnight MariahDenise Paige shares her signature launch story: her mother Dorothy’s memory of childhood loss in 1920s Connecticut, the comforting rumble of a midnight train, and a transformative moment in a former family home that preserved her dignity and determination. [35:43] Carrying the Ancestral SteelThe hosts examine why hard family histories are often held back until the next generation develops the "steel spine" required to understand and carry them without bitterness. [41:47] Maria’s Story: Nancy of the NotionsMaria tells a Cork City story set during "The Emergency" (World War II), following Nancy: a talented seamstress who faces sudden heartbreak and isolation, only to be embraced by her neighborhood's quiet, protective solidarity. [01:01:00] The Silent Hand & Shared HumanityThe trio reflects on non-transactional community support, the Jewish wisdom surrounding preserving a neighbor's dignity, and how story shifts shame into enduring ancestral pride. [01:06:11] Closing & Invitation to the Story RoadFinal farewells from Cork and New York, with an invitation for listeners to share their own ancestral tales with the community. Key TakeawaysStories as Sacred Vessels: Ancestral truths are often guarded by elders until descendants possess the internal "steel spine" needed to hold the weight of historical trauma without being consumed by it.The Silent Hand of Community: True communal care operates discreetly, preserving individual dignity and shielding neighbors from humiliation through quiet acts of non-transactional support.Beyond the Illusion of Circumstance: Life's true path is not defined by external hardship or societal marginalization, but by choosing the journey that connects us to where we truly belong.The Sacred Duty of Discretion: Uplifting others requires protecting them from shame, honoring the deep cultural truth that public exposure harms the soul of a community. ClosingJoin the conversation and explore deeper mythological breakdowns on the Healing Monsters Substack: https://healingmonsters.substack.com/Have an ancestral story that shaped your life? Leave a comment or reach out directly: we read every single message from The Story Road. Our Guest: Denise PageDenise Manning Keyes Page is founder of Ubuntu Storytellers, an ensemble of story artists of Black and Brown ancestry. They tell personal narrative stories of “being in the skin they are in” as well as stories of “simply being – the shared experiences of being human.” Her passion is giving voice to and hearing the voices of the traditionally unheard. Her newest work is a trilogy, “Legacy of A Wealthy Slave”. The title is a paraphrase (and oxymoron) taken from a headline from the New York Times obituary of her great- great grandfather, Alfred C. Manning. Learn more at her sites: www.denisekeyestells.comwww.ubuntustorytellers.com

    Mirror Worlds, Midnight Trains, and the Silent Hand of Grace

  8. Aug 3

    World Storytelling Cafe

    From Cork to New York in Marrakech: Stories at the World Storytelling Cafe Jim Brulé hosts a special “From Cork to New York” podcast episode from the street-side World Storytelling Cafe in Marrakech, Morocco, noting that background city sounds are part of the setting and that the transcript is less precise than usual; Maria is absent. Resident storyteller Omar Belaarej joins, along with local guests Nawal, Haniya, Maya, Yusra, and Shema. Jim tells a Jewish tale, “The Reincarnated Maggid,” then Omar shares a Marrakech story about Mohammed the water seller whose sweet raisin drink and proverb lead to success and expose a scheming vizier. Jim follows with an Afghan story about a contented poor man whose faith outsmarts a king, and Shema tells a humorous personal story about sharing a taxi with a “business” chicken. They discuss storytelling’s power to connect across differences, including therapeutic benefits, and Omar promotes the Cafe and Marrakech International Storytelling Festival, including a Guinness record for over 80 hours of continuous storytelling and broader workshops and school visits. 00:00 Bonus - World Storytelling Cafe 03:21 Being a Maggid 03:53 The Reincarnated Maggid 12:04 The Guests Arrive 18:38 The Tale of the Water Seller 38:36 The King and the Shoemaker 46:12 The Chicken Taxi Story 49:13 The Power and Purpose of Storytelling 56:43 Bridging Differences: The Brothers Three 01:00:16 The World Storytelling Cafe & Festival 01:08:24 Closing Thoughts and Thanks

    World Storytelling Cafe
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About

"From Cork to New York" acts as a cross-cultural Story Bridge, stitching together the rich narrative traditions of Ireland and the United States while welcoming guests from a vast array of cultures around the world. By gathering these diverse international voices to share their unique crafts, the show creates a rich space where global perspectives meet, mingle, and find common ground. At its heart, the podcast explores the concept of transformational storytelling, delving into how narratives - both ancient and modern - can foster community healing and personal growth across the globe. It serves as a vital digital thread connecting distant shores, using the deep-rooted ties between Cork and New York as a foundation for a truly global conversation.

Information

  • Creator
    Jim Brule
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Jim Brule
  • Show Website
    From Cork to New York