Tommy’s Outdoors – vlog #1 – I am discussing various sea angling safety topics.
Episode 22: County Wicklow Partnership with Bryan Fennell
My guest today, Bryan Fennell, is the Rural Recreation Officer for County Wicklow Partnership. He loves the adventures, and works to promote activities, in the wilds of Co. Wicklow. In this episode we talk about opportunities to experience the great outdoors in County Wicklow. Of course, I had to touch on the subject of the natural environment and the need to protect it. We also talk about deer stalking in the Wicklow Mountains and, on a separate note, the sometimes difficult relationship between sportsmen and ecologists.
Tommy’s Outdoors YouTube Channel
I am pleased to announce the launch of the Tommy’s Outdoors Youtube channel.
Episode 21: Adventure Expeditions with Paul Gleeson
My guest in this episode of the podcast is Paul Gleeson. I would describe Paul as a big-time adventurer. He cycled across Australia, crossed the Atlantic in a row boat and attempted to cross the infamous North West Passage in the Canadian High Arctic, on human power alone, in one season. And these are just some of Paul’s adventures. He is also a published author, TEDx speaker and performance coach who runs a consultancy firm for businesses. This is really a good one to listen to, especially if you’re into adventure stories!
Benefits of the outdoors
This article was posted earlier this year as a guest entry on the DigiGranBiz travel blog. Unfortunately the aforementioned blog no longer exists, so I decided to publish a slightly refreshed version of the original text here on Tommy’s Outdoors website.
Taking on outdoor activities is like a cure for the damaging, sedentary lifestyle that most of us are living. Our bodies are fundamentally built for movement. Prolonged hours in the same, often unnatural position, are damaging to our musculoskeletal system. Similarly our minds are built for a challenge, but not for the persistent stress that we receive in microdoses daily.
The solution is not simply a matter of going to the gym and exercising. For proper functioning our bodies and minds also need fresh air, the sounds of nature, and the light that comes from the central star known as the sun. While in nature we can disconnect from our own entangled thoughts. We can start paying attention to our surroundings and how they influence us. We will quickly notice that our minds stabilize and become relaxed. The tension in our muscles goes away. Our mood lifts.
Getting into nature also lets us leave behind most of the pollution generated by civilization. Fossil fuel fumes, chemicals, overwhelming noise, excess of the blue light generated by ubiquitous screens, and electrosmog. The harmful effects of most of these are well known and documented. The effects of others are still unknown.
Staying in a natural environment for a few days offers further benefits. The circadian rhythm, unnaturally distorted by ever-present artificial lighting, resets and begins to work in its natural way. Our eating habits begin to return to their normal pattern of around 15 hours of fasting and 9 hours of feeding.
Finally, our spiritual side gets an enormous boost. Connection with the natural environment that surrounds us, a mountain, the sea, or a forest, is very real and almost palpable. It forces us to ask the timeless questions about our own existence and place on this earth.
I hope that this short text encouraged you to spend more time in nature and to do so more consciously. The benefits are countless and the drawbacks are none. And if you feel like you are getting the bug, come back and visit this website more often and immerse yourself in the world of the outdoors. Also, subscribe to the podcast on the platform of your choice (Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, SoundCloud, TuneIn, Podbean and more). See you in the outdoors!
Episode 20: Irish Wildlife Trust with Pádraic Fogarty
This is a big one. Our guest, Pádraic Fogarty is the Campaign Officer at Irish Wildlife Trust and an ex-editor of the Irish Wildlife magazine. Protection and conservation of the natural world should be of the greatest importance for all outdoorsmen. For that reason, I was really excited when Pádraic accepted an invitation to the podcast. If you care about the environment, tune in and listen. We are talking not only about key conservation issues but also how to get involved and make a difference. This is not tree hugging stuff, this is a practical and down to earth discussion about the protection we all owe to Mother Nature. Also, check out Pádraic’s book “Whittled Away – Ireland’s Vanishing Nature”.
Episode 19: Irish Deer Commission with Damien Hannigan
This episode is a deer season opener special! The 1st of September is approaching fast and it marks the beginning of deer hunting season in Ireland. My guest on the podcast is the Public Relations Officer for Irish Deer Commission, Damien Hannigan. We discuss deer conservation in Ireland, the position of various stakeholders on deer management, wildlife crime and many other deer related issues. It is a must-listen for all deer hunters and stalkers. Also, don’t forget to email info@irishdeercommission.ie to book your place on the Rut Walk in Killarney National Park, taking place on the 14th of October. The event is free of charge but places are limited, so make sure to book early.
