You hear a worried Paul O’Mahony.  His cat is not himself.  A very bad, disturbing thought crossed Paul’s mind 

You hear Paul O’Mahony talking while driving his new car from the ‘showroom’ to home.  It’s an electric one. #Audio365

Introducing the Irish Tea Ceremony to the wider world - contrasting it with the Japanese Tea Ceremony, which Paul O’Mahony experienced in April 2025.  You hear a tiny interruption by Puma. 

You hear Paul O’Mahony waxing lyrical after opening his curtains 

Bombing. Invasion.  Kidnapping  - Paul O’Mahony is taken aback.  Paul has no love for the EU call for “restraint” by USA. 

Time to go back

You hear higgledy-piggledy talk by Paul O'Mahony to himself.  Inspired by a teabag in a mug, an easy-pealer, damp sheet, and a one third eaten pineapple.  In other words, the speaker is all over the place this morning. 

If you listen to all this inadequate adventure path,  you too may become disappointed with your result.  The illusive certainty that seems to dwell on this side of the bridge.
From where comes the faint sensation that the recording over cereal has mattered? Might matter some day to come?  Even though it matters now.
Amen. 

2025

Early morning:  New Year’s Eve: You hear Paul O’Mahony talking about his leak & his friend’s trouble #DecPodPoMo 

You hear Paul O’Mahony talking about a book he got from Audible -  Paul’s at least 5 hours into listening to it.  #DecPodPoMo 

Paul O’Mahony does His best to remember what he did on 28th December 2025 #DecPodPoMo 

You hear Paul O’Mahony talking to himself as he goes shopping for coffee, bananas, and exotic tea -  you also hear Paul asking for directions- plus chat at the checkout- also the danger of crossing the shopping centre car  park#DecPodPoMo 

You hear Paul O’Mahony introducing how difficult yesterday was.  How he felt lousy from morning to night, tetchy & grumpy.  
Everyone is entitled to have a bad day, and to be stuck in it.  No point making it worse. There are better ways to be.  #DecPodPoMo

At the launch of  "The Irish Revolution Diplomacy and reactions, 1919-1923"
Edited by Dermot Keogh, Owen McGee and Mervyn O’Driscoll

Paul O'Mahony was hoping to meet up with Hilary Beirne from the TangibleIreland network.  Instead he admired Micheal Martin (Taoiseach) speaking in praise of the academic who supervised his Master's Thesis:  Dermot Keogh.

Unfortunately for Paul, there wasn't enough humour or light-heartedness in the speeches.  #DecPodPoMo. 

Do not use laundered money.  That's not a good habit.  Instead follow the method recommended by Paul O'Mahony - and the Hyundai dealer. 
Paul is going to buy a new car - in January.  #DecPodPoMo 

Unless you're in good health and good mood, this may be a particularly tough time of the year for you (and the others who are in poor emotional health)..
Paul O'Mahony recorded this while driving to join the mental health walking group on Little Island in Cork.  #DecPodPoMo. 

After watering the cat - Headlines from Ireland - found in The Irish Times weekend edition.  Not particularly satisfying, Paul thinks.  #DecPodPoMo 

You hear Paul O'Mahony's cup of tea going down - and an apology for his "bad mannered yawn".  Epigrams are quoted - and Paul even speculates that he might write some.  The idea of composing a poem entirely from epigrams ...
In the end the unmade soups is introduced.  The image is the soup after it was made. #DecPodPoMo  

Recorded on 9th December 2025.  So many people have been having significant work on their teeth this year. Paul O'Mahony's friends for example.  What about you and your friends.
This topic is a distraction from the serious business of hunkering down befor Storm Bram(stoker) hits Ireland. RED ALERT.  Aa if there wasn't enough going on in Paul's life.#DecPodPoMo  

In the background you hear a persistent sound.  You probably won't recognise it - but it may remind you of something unpleasant.  However,  there is anxiety-relieving news to relish.  Plus Paul's resolution to "Be Not Tired While Driving" - maybe even "Drink More Coffee Before Driving in low light".
The doctor said you don't become unconscious during a TIA - and if you had a stroke, the crash wouldn't have woken you up."  Plus he gave Paul a battery of tests.
#DecPodPoMo

On the Tuesday after the crash on Thursday, the Claims Assessor from AVIVA car insurance called to the house - to take a statement - by appointment at 10am.   It was to take no more than 40 minutes.
He left at 11.20am.  You hear the signed statement read by Paul.  What you don't hear is all the chat which had nothing to do with the accident.  Chat about coffee, morning rituals, dogs and the total number of claims so far this year.  
I was almost sorry to see him go. 
#recommending_aviva.(If you have to have a crash, b...

You hear Paul O’Mahony delighted with the amazing service he’s receiving from his car insurance company AVIVA.  Julie phoned Paul.  Paul will be recommending AVIVA.  #DecPodPoMo 

You hear the voice of a man who’s all over the place - as he wakes up in his brother’s house, stretches, and greets the cat.  Tea-making & “Composing himself”.  
Not long after the awful event on Thursday evening.  #DecPodPoMo 

GREAT NEWS - expert roofers on board.  Shoddy work done 10 years ago.  The leak will be fixed by tomorrow.  You hear Paul O'Mahony talking about the problem and the solution.  You hear hammering. 
As an appendix, Paul reads the testimonial sent to Anthony Roofer by an extremely satisfied customer.

Correction: whenever you hear "Ukranian". substitute "Polish".  Paul's memory isn't the best.  Contribution to #DecPodPoMo podcasting challenge for December.  

You hear Paul O’Mahony struggling unsuccessfully against Alexa - in this 7th episode of #DecPodPoMo.  Bothered by past experience of Spotify deleting an episode which contained music that was alleged to be copyrighted 

You hear Paul O’Mahony satisfied after a meal that’s filled him up and put him in improved humour. 
Washed down with red wine from south eastern Australia, vintage 2023, a fairly mellow little number that claims to have notes of chocolate. The next couple of days will be every bit is important as the last couple of days. #DecPodPoMo 

Image by ChatGPT. #DecPodPoMo 

First Saturday morning in December.  I can’t even remember the cat’s name. You hear Paul talking just after he’s got out of bed. You follow him into the kitchen. You hear him making a cup of tea - so far so good.
You’ll be shocked by what comes next as Paul introduces the story of what happened on Friday evening on the main street of Buttevant Co. Cork #DecPodPoMo.  Another episode coming very soon.

You hear, Paul O’Mahony  talking about his early morning while walking his dog Louis. Vignettes include the discovery that 14th of December is world Choral  day - a couple of things about Toastmasters, being stood up, and the big birthday of my young brother #DecPodPoMo -  I almost forgot the weather in Cork today is cold,dry, and sunny

Paul O’Mahony is troubled because Louis has been barking incessantly at the dogminder’s home - where he has the company of several dogs & their minder - for the last three months.
Paul has to do something but he can’t decide the best course of action.
It was a shock when he got the news today.
He is very fond of Louis. #DedPodPoMo 

Continuing the example shown by #NaPodPoMo - Paul O’Mahony vows to carry on - regardless of the dangers, risks, and monsters on the path.  
You can hear Paul swallowing the medicine - bolstering the courage that will be needed to succeed with #DecPodPoMo 2025 

With ginormous thanks to Jennifer Navarette - this is the final episode of #NaPodPoMo
You hear Paul O’Mahony read his new poem “Thanks to Sean (Dwan)”
————
Thanks to Sean
A smile is a weapon of mass destruction 

No no no no …

A smile is a weapon of mass seduction 

Phew 

I remember the man who gave me that line. Sean Dwan will be turning in his grave 

no no no no

Sean will be stumbling on his stave.

This blooming life
This creating li...

You hear Paul O’Mahony introduce TS Eliot reading “The Hollow Men”
——————-
THE HOLLOW MEN 

A penny for the Old Guy                               I 
We are the hollow men  
We are the stuffed men  
Leaning together 
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas! 
Our dried voices, when  
We whisper together  
Are quiet and meaningless 
As wind in dry grass  
Or rats’ feet over broken glass 
In our dry cellar 

Shape without form, shade without colour.  
Paralysed force, gesture without motion; 

Those who have crossed 
With direct eyes, to death’s other Kingdom  Duration: 00:10:04

You hear Louis McNiece reading his poem aloud - and Paul O’Mahony reading it twice. 
————-

Prayer before Birth

By Louis MacNeice

I am not yet born; O hear me.
Let not the bloodsucking bat or the rat or the stoat or the
club-footed ghoul come near me.
 
 I am not yet born, console me.
 I fear that the human race may with tall walls wall me,
 with strong drugs dope me, with wise lies lure me,
 on black racks rack me, in blood-baths roll me.
 
 I...

You hear Langston Hughes (1901 - 1967) perform his very short & influential poem ‘Harlem’.  You also hear Paul O'Mahony read the poem - twice. (The second reading is a much better listen.) 

The poem is to be found In his book of 91 poems “Montage of a dream deferred”.
_________________________
Harlem
What happens to a dream deferred?

      Does it dry up
      like a raisin in the sun?
      Or fester like a sore—
      And then run?
      Does it stink like rotten meat?
      Or crust and sugar over—
      like a syrupy sweet?

      Maybe it just sags
 ...

You hear Elizabeth Bishop reading her poem ‘At the Fishhouses” - introduced by Paul O’Mahony.  You also hear Paul doing his best to do it justice. #NaPodPoMo
——————
At the Fishhouses
Although it is a cold evening,
down by one of the fishhouses
an old man sits netting,
his net, in the gloaming almost invisible,
a dark purple-brown,
and his shuttle worn and polished.
The air smells so strong of codfish
it makes one’s nose run and one’s eyes water.
The five fishhouses have steeply peaked roofs
and narrow, cleated...

Paul O’Mahony introduces Jackie Kay’s  “Darling”.  Jackie was born in Edinburgh in 1961 - her mother Scottish, her father Nigerian.
You hear Jackie Kay reading her poem.  You also hear Paul having a go at reading it #NaPodPoMo
—————-
DARLING

You might forget the exact sound of her voice or how her face looked when sleeping. You might forget the sound of her quiet weeping curled into the shape of a half moon, when smaller than her self, she seemed already to be leaving before she left, when the blossom was on the trees and the sun was out...

You hear the American poet Sylvia Plath read her poem “Tulips”.  She wrote it while in hospital in 1961 after having her appendix removed.  A friend sent her get-well flowers.
You also hear Paul O'Mahony's reading - contributed to #NaPodPoMo  (the podcasting challenge led by   jennifer navarrete
————-
TULIPS
The tulips are too excitable, it is winter here.
Look how white everything is, how quiet, how snowed-in.   
I am learning peacefulness, lying by myself quietly
As the light lies on these white walls, this bed, these hands.   
I am nobody; I have nothing to do with explosions...

Poem in honour of CongRegation - the unconference. Paul O’Mahony wrote this on Monday morning 24th November 2025 - after reading an email from Eoin Kennedy & replying. #NaPodPoMo 22/30
———-
Listen to the full series at https://napodpomo.org/napodpomo-2025-mega-feed/ 
Follow me on Spotify, Audioboom, and Apple Podcasts

You hear Theo Dorgan read his poem “Ithaca” dedicated to Leonard Cohen (with whom he shares a birthday). Paul O’Mahony also reads the poem twice. #NaPodPoMo
————-
Ithaca
for Leonard Cohen

When you set out from Ithaca again,
let it be autumn, early, the plane leaves falling as you go,
for spring would shake you with its quickening,
its whispers of youth.

You will have earned the road down to the harbour,
duty discharged, your toll of labour paid,
the house four-square, your son in the full of fatherhood...

Day 20 of #NaPodPoMo Paul O'Mahony introduces Derek Mahon  -  he reads his poem Derigibles   Paul reads Derek’s  poem.
Today I learned:  It's never too late to come across a word that opens a window.

DERIGIBLES
We who used to drift
     superbly in mid-air,
each a giant airship
     before ‘the last war’,
shrink to a soft buzz
     about financial centres
surprising visitors,
     hackers and bean counters
in cloud-flown highrises.
     Cloud-slow, we snoop for hours
on open-plan offices
     and cloudy cocktail bars.
Amnesia and mystique
     have cast into oblivi...

From Trinity College to Anne’s Street South.  Walking up Grafton Street - stopping by buskers - passing shops - capturing a few voices on the street. #NaPodPoMo

Day 18 of #NaPodPoMo Paul O'Mahony introduces Jenny Joseph  -  she reads her poem Warning.  Paul reads Jenny’s  poem.
Today I learned: I
Jenny Joseph’s reading performance is magnificent - almost as good as the poem itself.  Read with vivacity.
————-
WARNING 
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement whe...

Day 17 of #NaPodPoMo Paul O'Mahony introduces Amanda Gorman -  she reads her poem The Hill We Climb. The recording was made at the inauguration of President Joe Biden in January 2021. Paul reads Amanda's poem.
Today I learned: It's a magnificent poem, performed with strength by an extraordinary woman.
Listen to the full series at https://napodpomo.org/napodpomo-2025-mega-feed/ 
Follow me on Spotify, Audioboom, and Apple Podcasts

You hear Paul O'Mahony reading his poem "Adoration" - twice.  

Recorded by Paul O'Mahony on the morning of 17th

you hear Paula Meehan reading her .  You hear Paul O’Mahony reading it twice.
“The ghost of my mother comforts me.

Do not fear daughter
when they lift their sticks, their stones,
when they hiss beneath their breaths
fallen woman, adulteress
breaker of marriage vows
made before a holy priest to an honourable man
for you daughter; there is no blame,
for you no portion of guilt,
for you’re made in my likeness.
You can take the crucifixion from your voice.
I will stroke your forehead till yo...

You hear Eavan Boland reading her poem "Quarantine" - plus Paul O'Mahony reading it twice. Thursday at about 6pm. 

Quarantine

In the worst hour of the worst season

You hear Auden read his poem twice.  Paul O'Mahony reads it 1.3 times (including a few slips of his tongue.

IN MEMORY OF W B YEATS 
"He disappeared in the dead of winter:
The brooks were frozen, the airports almost deserted,
And snow disfigured the public statues;
The mercury sank in the mouth of the dying day.
O all the instruments agree
The day of his death was a dark cold day.

Far from his illness
The wolves ran on through the evergreen forests,
The peasant river was untempted by...

You hear poet Mary Oliver reading her poem “The Journey”.  Paul O’Mahony reads the poem twice for #napodpomo. 

Paul O’Mahony talks about his satisfactions during Days 1 - 7 of #Napodpomo 

You hear the poet, William Carlos Williams reciting his most famous poem, 

“The red wheelbarrow

so much depends
upon

a red wheel 
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens”
____________
You also hear Paul O’Mahony try unsuccessfully to recite the poem from memory. Paul recovers and reads the poem three times.

You hear John Masefield reading his poem 
“Sea Fever
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be...

You hear Robert Frost reading his poem “Stopping by Woods on a snowy evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.   
His house is in the village though;   
He will not see me stopping here   
To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   
To stop without a farmhouse near   
Between the woods and frozen lake   
The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   
To ask if there is some mistake.   
The only other sound’s the sweep
...

By Phillip Larkin 
Spoken by the poet. Spoken by Paul O’Mahony (3 times) 
“THIS BE THE VERSE
They fuck you up, your mum and dad.   
    They may not mean to, but they do.   
They fill you with the faults they had
    And add some extra, just for you.

But they were fucked up in their turn
    By fools in old-style hats and coats,   
Who half the time were soppy-stern
    And half at one another’s throats.

Man hands on misery to man.
    It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get o...

You hear Seamus Heaney reading his poem "Digging" three times.  You hear Paul O'Mahony reading the poem twice. 
Digging
Between my finger and my thumb   
The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.

Under my window, a clean rasping sound   
When the spade sinks into gravelly ground:   
My father, digging. I look down

Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds   
Bends low, comes up twenty years away   
Stooping in rhythm through potato drills   
Where he was digging.

The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft   
Against the...

You hear a recording of Mary Oliver reading her poem Wild Geese. You hear Paul O’Mahony reading her poem, twice.
This is the poem: 
“

Wild geese

You hear a recording of  W B Yeats reading his most popular poem.
You hear Paul O’Mahony reading the poem twice.

“I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer...

This was recorded during the last hour of the 31st day of October 2025.  This is my contribution to today’s 29, 30, and 31 of #octaver25

Apology:  the prompt for day 26 was “what are the elements of a good lullaby?”
I’ve deviated off course.  
This is my contribution to #octaver25 Days 24 & 26

Recorded on Friday 31st of October 2025.  This is my contribution to #octaver25 Days 23, 25, 27, and 28 

This was recorded on the early evening of Thursday 30th of October 2025. It includes a little bit of summer holiday Music for #Octaver25.
Takes me back to 1963

This was recorded on the afternoon of Thursday 30th of October 2025.  It’s my contribution to #octaver25 
You hear “ hard day’s night” & “ the lake Isle of Innisfree”.

This was recorded on the afternoon of Thursday 30th of October 2025, a very wet day in Cork. 

Recorded on the afternoon of Thursday, the 30th of October 2025.  My contribution to  #octaver25 Day 20

This was recorded after midnight on Wednesday 29th of October 2025

Recorded just before midnight on Tuesday 28th of October 2025

Recognise the group?  Where they performed on 1st May 1978?
Who was with me at the concert?  #Octaver25 - my contribution 

This was recorded on the evening of Thursday 23rd of October 2025. My contribution to #octaver25

Recorded at midday on Thursday 23rd October 2025. My contribution to #Octaver25 Day 13

This is one of the first times I’ve discovered a new pop song I love now. 
Recorded on the morning of 19th October 2025.  My contribution to #octaver25

This was recorded on the morning of Friday 17 October 2025 - as my contribution to Day 11 of the music festival #octaver25

This is a speech given by Paul O'Mahony at OneCountryOneWorld (online) Toastmasters Club on Sunday 12th October 2025.  On the day after the round-Ireland awareness-raising campaign (5th-11th October). 

Recorded on the afternoon of Wednesday 15th of October 2025. My contribution to #octaver25

Recorded on the afternoon of Tuesday 14th of October 2025.  I was driving. I was walking. You could even say I was working out.  My contribution to. #octaver25

This was recorded shortly after midnight on Thursday ninth of October. #octaver25 

The last time I listened to at least three songs by the same artist, and where and when was that? #Octaver25 

This was recorded partly during the day and partly at midnight on the 6th of October 2025. Specially for #Octaver25 Day 6 

This was recorded on the 5th of October 2025, Day 5 of #octaver25

“ What’s your second favourite genre of music?”
Recorded late at night for #Octaver25  Day 4.

This was recorded on Saturday, the 4th of October.  It’s my third contribution to #octaver25 

This was recorded on second of October 2025. Day two of #octaver25

Day 1 of Music Month #octaver25  “ Teddy bears picnic” & “ PETER and the Wolf” & “ Ghost riders in the sky” & “ Slattery’s mounted fut” & Chopin “Etudes”-  these are my earliest musical memories

#octaver25  Octaver began in October 2012.  As 31 musical audios in 31 days, it continued for several years during the month of October.  This is the 2012 introduction:

"To help us connect with each other under the banner of "Music"- #octaver is the hashtag (courtesy of Slandi).
Here is a suggested structure of topics for each day:
Day 1: "Music I like now..." Day 2: "The earliest music I remember liking ..." Day 3: "Music with a story..." Day 4: "Musicians I've known or loved..." Day 5: "Music that reminds me of a place..." Day 6: "Music to go with go with food..." Day 7: "Music I hop...

This was recorded during the afternoon of the 28th of September 2025

This was recorded around midday in the south court hotel just before meeting up with a group of classmates. 

This was recorded at midday on Thursday 25th of September 2025. It’s my contribution to #seppodpomo

This was recorded on 24th of September 2025 shortly after the dressing was changed by the nurse. A doctor said that there had been good progress.

This was recorded early on the morning of Tuesday 23rd of September 2025.  Shortly after I got a message from Audible. The new book by Brené Brown is out.