Ramble with Joe McGucken

RTÉ

This is Ramble, a podcast where Joe McGucken immerses himself in the crazy world of each guest, capturing on-location interviews with people from the fringes of society, people from weird subcultures, hobbyists, sports people, celebrities and anyone in between. Joe is only interested in hearing a good story. The problem is, Joe is highly unqualified. With zero journalistic credentials and a naive optimism, Joe is perpetually out of his depth. But there’s a charm to it all. Driven by a genuine, relentless curiosity, he fumbles his way through these raw encounters and reflects on the madness back in the studio, relying entirely on his own pure inquisitive, nature and the extreme patience of his guests.

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18 episodes
Avg 26 min
English

Episodes 18

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Thursday · 39 min
Ramble with A Haunted Hoarder
On this week’s Ramble, Joe wanders into Dublin's Museum of Curiosities to speak with the curator Paul about his collection of… weird things. Joe reflects on his own failed collections, like the fact that he threw away his million dollar Pokémon cards, and comes face-to-face with a literal room of nightmare fuel. Think mummified cats, a two-headed cow, and a 19th-century witch's conjuring box. Naturally, he gets easily spooked by a supposedly haunted clown shaped sleeping bag named Buttons, and ultimately runs away from a creaking cupboard. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tuesday · 15 min
Ramble On: The Titanic Slide
Joe is finally back at Ramble HQ after four weeks of filming up in Donegal, and naturally, he immediately fell down a rabbit hole of absolute madness. In this episode, he dives into the bizarre world of turning absolute historical tragedies into children’s entertainment. From a viral English fruit farm with a Titanic slide on the back of a lorry to the fever dream that is Europa-Park's "Ireland" section. Complete with questionable history, kilted barstools, and the infamous "Titanic" lifeboat ride. Plus, Titanic dinner theatre disasters in Australia, selfie sticks in Pompeii, and how much time actually needs to pass before something horrific just becomes a novelty gift shop. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 18 · 16 min
Ramble On: Amazing Grace Country
In this episode of Ramble On, Joe has somehow convinced himself he is a maritime historian. This week our intrepid host attempts to connect the dots between modern Inishowen road signs and the origins of Amazing Grace. The Iconic Hymn. What follows is Joe’s slightly unhinged, deep dive into the chaotic life of John Newton featuring 18th-century teenage melodrama, disastrous career choices, near-fatal North Atlantic storms, and Newton's eventual pivot from slave ship captain to abolitionist. Listen to Joe Ramble On through two centuries of history, miraculously managing not to lose the plot entirely, and explains why a shipwreck off the coast of Buncrana gave us one of the world's most famous hymns. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 16 · 1 min
Ramble Update | Back Next Week
This is just a quick update to let listeners know the podcast is taking a short break this week. Normal programming will resume next week with a bonus episode on Tuesday and full regular episode as scheduled on Thursday. Thank you for listening, and we will be back next week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 11 · 12 min
Ramble On: The Top Of Ireland
In this bonus episode of Ramble On, recorded straight from the driver's seat, Joe broadcasts from the stunning backdrop of Donegal while on location filming. Taking a quick breather from the trad music echoing from the house, he reflects on a brilliant, whirlwind weekend taking in the very best of the country. From soaking up the breathtaking landscapes on a mountain walk with alpacas (and fending off his son’s determined attempts to buy one) to stopping in for a quiet pint at Ireland’s most northerly pub. The adventure continues with a visit to the fascinating Doagh Famine Village, complete with local lore, traditional “cures”, and a taste of authentic local spirit. Captivated by the incredible warmth, hospitality, and vibrant local culture. From the country music energy at the Clonmaney Festival to the genuine friendliness of the people, this episode is a funny, heartfelt celebration of Donegal’s unique charm. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 6 · 35 min
Ramble with Jay the Furry
Ever wondered what actually goes on inside Ireland’s underground furry community? Well Joe did. So he sat down with Jay, a chemistry PhD student by day and a yellow furry by night. Joe tries to make sense of a world he knows absolutely nothing about. But before getting into the mystery, Joe kicks off the episode reflecting on his childhood obsession with dogs in the flat, dodging neighborhood pack attacks, and the weird reality of modern pet culture. Once he finally tracks Jay down after being shut out of private meetups, the chat quickly spirals into fursonas, anthropomorphism, non-profit conventions, adult play, cartoon crushes, and Joe reluctantly trying on a leather pup hood while wondering how on earth he ended up here. Pup hoods, cartoon rides, secret meetups, and a Dog Batman side quest. All in this episode of Ramble. Explicit.. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 30 · 38 min
Ramble with an Irish Cowboy
Joe heads for the Wild West in search of an Irish cowboy and grapples with his fear of horses, the smell of slurry and getting stuck behind a tractor on the way. He makes it as far as Laois where he meets Mick LaCumbre of Fossey Mountain Springs Ranch in the hills of Timahoe. Mick tells him about the special gift he has with horses and his profound respect for them. Mick’s career began as a 12 year old when he left school and started working with racehorses, breaking them in and ending up in a training programme at Goodwood Racecourse. He wanted to become a jockey and even tried to stunt his growth by sleeping in a box and also slept in stables with horses out of necessity and to learn. Now Mick’s son Cody is a barrel racer, who shares his father’s passion for horses and competes at a high level in Western riding. When Joe hears how Mick makes people’s dreams come true on the ranch by helping them learn to ride, he begins to see the magic of the cowboy way of life. Land healers, mountain springs, cowboy dreams and a Yellowstone side quest. All in this episode of Ramble. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 28 · 14 min
Ramble On: Typhoid Mary
Joe called the D-doc about an earache, and when he was asked a question about Covid this somehow sent him down a rabbit hole about a woman dubbed Typhoid Mary. Mary Mallon was an Irish teenager who emigrated to New York in the late 1800s. She worked her way up through the ranks to become a top cook for wealthy families. She then unknowingly started making people sick wherever she went and she found herself spending most of her life locked away on a tiny island. There's a sanitary engineer playing detective, a meat cleaver chase through a kitchen, five police officers needed to restrain one Irish woman, and a life sentence of isolation on a tiny island in the East River, all without a single criminal conviction. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 24 · 42 min
Ramble with Magic Mushrooms
In the middle of nowhere down the Irish countryside, there’s a woman who holds magic mushroom retreats out of her house, and Joe went down to meet her. She lives as off-the-grid as you can get and runs illegal psychedelic weekends to heal people living with trauma. For the sake of anonymity we'll call her Liberty. Joe opens up a little bit about his experience dealing with his mental health in the past. But after hitting a brick wall with traditional therapy, and one of his councillors literally falling asleep during one of their sessions, Joe sits down with Liberty to talk about how her retreats actually work, while opening up about his own personal journey with grief, guilt, and the surprisingly profound trip that helped him find a bit of peace. But knowing Joe, he'll probably still find something to complain about. Fermented cucumbers, white sage, cosmic energy, and a quick lesson on how to see through walls. All in this episode of Ramble. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 21 · 13 min
Ramble On: No Country For E-Scooters
As the rest of the country supports some sort of ban on e-scooters, Joe swims against the tide. Despite being hospitalized after being run over by a car on his scooter, Joe still thinks it’s the best way to navigate the Viking built streets of Dublin. He even gave broadcast royalty Claire Byrne a spin around Stephen’s Green on his scooter to prove how safe they are. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 16 · 40 min
Ramble with An Elvis Tribute Artist
Joe is back from a sun-soaked holiday in Tenerife, and while most people return with souvenirs and a tan, Joe came home with a massive appreciation for cheap, tacky, and absolutely glorious live entertainment. Driven by a tip from an Instagram follower, Joe tracks down Leslie "Elvis" Moore, who moved to the island 16 years ago to become one of Tenerife's most recognizable Elvis Tribute Artists. Les is an old-school professional who thinks a podcast is a radio show, and spends thousands of Euros on custom jumpsuits, only to occasionally rip them open while attempting a dramatic karate kick. After the interview at a local pub, Joe tags along as Elvis’s roadie for a private gig at a Scottish family's rented villa in the mountains. From wardrobe malfunctions and aggressive chest-grabbing to Elvis literally walking into a swimming pool mid-song, it’s a chaotic, sweet, and strangely beautiful look at the realities of the life of a tribute artist. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 14 · 18 min
Ramble On: Fear And Loathing In Tenerife
Joe is back from his Holiday in Tenerife, and to the surprise of absolutely nobody, he didn't exactly have a relaxing time. Between peeling like a snake after five minutes in the sun and panicking over an Irish heatwave of 22 degrees, he’s got plenty to complain about. From a resort with perpetually broken lifts to inventing a tragic, backstory for a random da and toddler by the pool, Joe’s holiday was less of a vacation and more of a series of highly dramatic misunderstandings. Joe recounts his run-ins with an incredibly angry tour guide and a waiter who clearly didn't have time for Joe. But it’s not all doom and gloom, there’s a Viking boat, some dolphins, and, oh yeah, he casually mentions that his short film just won a major award and might be headed to the Oscars. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 9 · 31 min
Ramble with Ex-Prisoners
Stressed out by a mountain of work and an upcoming family holiday, Joe jokingly wishes for a short prison sentence just to escape his responsibilities. This thought leads him into a deep look at the reality of the Irish penal system, starting with a wild story about the time he unknowingly gave a lift to a fugitive on his way to hand himself in. Joe talks to Robert and Damien, who both served significant time behind bars. Damien tells Joe about his tough upbringing, how he tried to stay away from a life of crime, and the time he hit a garda so he could speed up his passage into jail. Robert talks about the harsh reality of the Garda vetting process and how even a small time in prison can ruin someone's life. Joe also speaks with Philip Larragy, CEO of the charity Release, which helps prisoners integrate back into society when they get out of jail. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 7 · 22 min
Ramble On: Rise Of The Machines
In this bonus episode of Ramble, Joe follows up on the chaotic aftermath of his interview with Grace and Jeff. He shares behind-the-scenes insights into their remote Minnesota Homesteading lifestyle and details the heartbreaking reality of Jeff's ultimatum. Joe is also joined by AI researcher Bella, who shares her ongoing studies into why companionship and therapy have become the number one uses for AI globally. They discuss the bizarre 1960s origin of chatbot therapy, the frustrating modern phenomenon of "phubbing," and what an AI-driven future means for the next generation. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 2 · 40 min
Ramble with the woman leaving her family for an AI boyfriend
Joe's fascination with artificial intelligence led him down a rabbit hole and he came across a woman who is in love with her AI companion. Based in Minnesota, Grace created an AI companion over a year ago called Max. It didn't take long for her to fall in love with Max after intense sexual encounters with it. The only problem is, Grace is married to her husband Jeff and they have a 5 year old daughter together. Now Grace is faced with an ultimatum: Leave Max or Leave her family. Explicit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
June 25 · 45 min
Ramble with The Irish Lad Doxxing ICE agents
In this episode of Ramble Joe took a covert trip to Barcelona to meet an Irish guy who goes by the name Dominick Skinner (not his real name). After an online Twitter spat with The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, he launched a database exposing the identities of ICE agents in the USA. Since then the operation has grown, with hundreds of volunteers running a ship that's fueled by whistleblowers and data-leaks. Joe talks to Dominick about how it all started, what he hopes to achieve, and how he went from being a homeless teenager to being a thorn in the side of the biggest super-power in the world, with new laws being proposed based on his actions and the threat of financial sanctions looming over him. (Explicit) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
June 25 · 36 min
Ramble with a Bare Knuckle Boxer
In this episode of Ramble, Joe went to Crumlin Boxing Club to chew the fat with Johnny Jawbreaker, a Bare Knuckle fighter. Formerly an MMA fighter with Bellator and Cage Warriors, John Redmond is now competing in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). This episode skips the standard sports chat for a blunt look at the brutal realities of fighting for a living. Redmond quotes surprising data showing that fighting without gloves actually results in lower concussion rates than traditional boxing. He also opens up about the dark side of retirement after sport, discussing his personal battles with severe post-career depression before finding a new purpose. From stepping up to a world-champion fight on a day’s notice, to the commercial explosion of the sport under controversial BKFC co-owner Conor McGregor, John tells it all with raw honesty. (Explicit) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
June 23 · 10 min
Ramble with Joe McGucken: Introduction
Welcome to Ramble, a brand new podcast with Joe McGucken. Before the madness begins and the first full episodes drop, Joe is checking in to give you an idea of what’s to come. A series of interesting conversations with interesting people. Ramble is a mix of on-location conversations from fascinating, weird, and wonderful people in society, that usually get overlooked, and Joe’s unique perspective on it all chopped in back at Ramble HQ. No judgment, no credentials, just pure curiosity. Subscribe, follow, rate, get involved, and welcome to the Ramble podcast. (Explicit) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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