24 Stories Podcast 24 Stories

We have another season special for you and this time Stephen sat down with producer Elaine who is usually behind the scenes to look back at season two and reflect on some of the amazing stories we heard from our guests, from their career highs, to career lows, from overcoming obstacles and the valuable advice gained from their experiences. Once again we would like to take the time to thank our guests for gracing the studios and to the listeners for always tuning in. That's not all from the 24 Stories Podcast, we'll be back with special episodes and a brand new season - so stay tuned and watch this space!
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To finish season 2, we've brought a special episode to highlight some off the essential skills our guests think are necessary in their industries to succeed. There were some reoccurring themes throughout the season, so we've round up some of the ones that hit the nail on the head. There's certainly great learning from our guest. Thanks again to this season's sponsor Skillsbase.
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We finish the second series series of the podcast with music promoter Joe Kelly from The Good Room. Stephen talks to Joe about his extensive career in the music scene in Cork which began in the early 90s at the iconic Sir Henry's, to today hosting the much loved Live at St.Luke's.
Joe is a self-professed 'blow-in' from Galway who came to Cork in the late 80s to study at UCC, and he has never left. He started his career as a DJ at venues across Cork that led to him organising his own successful club nights with Denis O'Mullane including the very popular Mór Disco in Zoe’s and Telefunkin in Metropole Hotel. 
Those nights kickstarted a vibrant career in music promotion which has seen him either run or co own infamous Cork venue's such as the Bodega, The Savoy, The Pavillion & others that no longer exist today. Joe talks about the highs of booking some of the worlds greatest acts but also the lows when the businesses had to close like the Pavillion did in 2014. 
Joe has played a vital part in the music & culture scene in Cork and today he keeps doing it alongside Ed Callahan at the Good Room. Today they are the maestro's behind Live at St.Lukes, one of Cork's most unique music experience as well as the It Takes a Village Festival and several others that are too long to mention. 
They are also the team behind the Cork Podcast Festival - one of the first festivals of its kind in Ireland that makes a triumphant return this year. We have a lot of entertaining nights in Cork to thank Joe for over the years.

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President of Cork Business Association & co-owner of Herlihy Centra Group Kevin Herlihy is this weeks guest who looks back on the family business when his mother & father opened one of the first Centra's in Ireland to now owning 7 stores across Cork. The Herlihy Centra brand was started in 1980 by Kevin's parents who opened their first store in Bishopstown which is still in the heart of the community today.
Kevin's career started in hospitality industry having studied it in college, however while working abroad in France he received the call, it was time to come back, give a hand & buy into the family business. From there, the family opened a further 6 stores across Cork & expanded to introduce Herlihy Foods - which is in partnership with Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland. Today Kevin & his brother run the business operating 7 stores, employing over 300 people & aspire to open to a further 3 in the near future.
One innovative idea Kevin discusses is his introduction of a staff housing rental scheme in which staff moving to Cork who were without a home, would rent from Kevin via a letting agency. He began to work with Labrynth Recruitment in Croatia, to encourage employees to come & work in Ireland & who would be guaranteed a home during the course of their work. It's definitely something more businesses could consider to implement & to encourage the Government to assist in the process. As President of the Cork Business Association, it's something Kevin is very passionate about, to ensure business booms in Cork but that good staff are at the helm of these businesses.

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It's not everyday you can say you've created an artwork for a world renowned musician - but our guest Dr. E. Alana James can who was the creator behind the Zappa quilt! An artist & academic at heart, Alana has built a career combining both much to her success. Alana grew up in Colorado in the US in an academic household. However, it was an art teacher in high school who ignited her creativity & inspired Alana to pursue art, from there she continued into college to study fine art.
She always believed she wanted to be a famous, successful artist, yet her first taste of that success made her realise, that fame & being in the public eye was not for her. That fame came when she was introduced to Frank Zappa through a friend during a tour in which one of his stage requests were that of female underwear being thrown on stage to be made into a quilt. It was then Alana knew she was fit for the job & was commissioned after approaching Frank Zappa. The final artwork was Frank portrayed as the King Of Spade, created by the woven underwear of his fans, its popularity amongst fans was immense. Having received letters from fans & being approached on the street, Alana decided fame in the artworld was not for her.
She took a detour from art & went into the world of academia, earning a doctorate in Educational Leadership where she began to work with teens, homeless families, people in violence & drug abuse prevention through art. A move to Cork arose from a holiday in Ireland, when she landed she felt at home & 18 years later, the rest is history.
Since the move she set up her own business Doctoral Net creating webinars for Masters & Doctorate students which are distributed to universities throughout the United States - an innovative way of learning, introduced well before our days of zoom. Yet her love of art is still prominent in her life & she continues to create artwork & exhibit. It's our first insight to the interesting world of fine art & the business behind it all.

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With music comes great power are the wise words of Cork Opera House CEO Eibhlín Gleeson who gives a behind the scenes insight to the intricate, creative world of entertainment programming. The Cork Opera House is an iconic landmark Leeside with over 160 years in operation, Eileen & the creative crew are planning a bigger & better programme to celebrate another milestone.
Eileen comes from a very creative background, coming from a family of musicians & being a musician herself, knew a career in music was a must. She started her creative journey studying music in UCC where during her role in the Students Union she got her first taste of production & music programming when she established the first music week on campus showcasing the talented array of musicians in the university. That early role paved the way for a career in music & entertainment programming.
Her first role in the industry began with the INEC in Killarney working in marketing, the box office & gaining experience into the business of entertainment programming. This led to other succession to working in Edinburgh on the famous Fringe Festival amongst others, directing & programming entertainment from music to comedy & theatre. A return home however led to a role as CEO of the Chamber Choir of Ireland using valuable lessons from previous roles.
However one of the most exciting stories we hear about Eibhlín's career path was a year spent in Washington DC working at the infamous Kennedy Center on a fellowship programme working with a $200 million budget. One of the highlights of the experience was having the opportunity to bring the Chamber Choir of Ireland to the White where they sang for the Obama's on St.Patrick's Day.
After a year Eibhlín returned to Ireland to use her skills from the US to set up her own company supporting artists. The Opera House happened to be one of her clients &when a job opportunity opened, she took a role as general manager before becoming CEO where she remains today. It's an exciting insight to the entertainment industry, the tough work that goes on behind the scenes to bring an array of entertainment to audiences.

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