Love podcasts? Dublin’s first ever PODCAST CLUB launched last night

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“Hello and welcome to the first ever gathering of the IMAGE.ie PodClub! We couldn’t be more delighted that you’ve joined us here in our gorgeous little clubhouse, so without further adieu, let’s get on with the podcast powow!”

Last night marked the inaugural gathering of the first ever image.ie PodClub, a concept that we here at image.ie have been secretly working on over the last couple of months. The invite-only event took place in the PodClub’s official “clubhouse”; up in the gorgeous, ivy-adorned, secret top level of The Jar bar on Camden Street, and we – WAIT. Wait.

Before we go into the details of it all, let’s first establish what a “PodClub” is, exactly.

PodClub

The whole idea for the IMAGE PodClub came from a realisation that the world has become totally obsessed with podcasts, with people devouring shows and episodes with as much delight as they would their all-time favourite book. And yet, whilst every Susan, Sinead and Shania is now running their own book club, there is nowhere for podcast enthusiasts to come together. Or at least, not in an organised setting (and as we all know, organised fun is the best kind of fun).

We wanted to create a space where podcast lovers could come together to chat about their favourite shows, explore the issues raised, and generally enjoy the same fun of a book club, but for podcasts. Thankfully, that’s exactly what we got.

The event

In keeping with the boozy inclination of book clubs, our personal barman treated us to pink G&Ts upon arrival, which was followed by plates and plates and plates of sizzling pizzas (seriously, there was enough to feed a small army). Once we had our fill, we powered on with the task at hand.

We played a snippet from The Spill which, if you haven’t heard of (have you been living under a rock?), is image.ie’s very first podcast.  The Spill is hosted by our very own self-proclaimed agony aunts Sophie White and Rhona McAuliffe.  With a mix of discussion on current affairs, arts and culture and some healthy advice to our listeners, it’s the best place to unwind and deliberate the issues affecting Irish women today.

The snippet we played from The Spill was a special preview of next week’s upcoming episode, in which our hosts Sophie White and Rhona McAuliffe interview the wonderful Caroline Foran. In the clip, the trio discussed the issue of anxiety and work-related stress, and the effects that this can have on our wellbeing.

Afterwards, we gathered round to unpack the issues raised and share our own interpretations and perspectives on the various subjects. Chats were had, alongside many laughs and some unexpected insights. 

Stay tuned

This was an evening of women coming together to enjoy some quality podcast-listening and engage in open discussions, topped off with incredible pizzas and delicious drinks. Call us biased, but the dreamy alliteration of pizzas, podcasts and pink G&Ts makes for a perfect way to wind down after a long day at work. This event was invite only, but keep an eye out for our next PodClub event, they’ll be happening monthly in our beloved clubhouse up in The Jar!

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