60 acast.com The Tools at Hand with Harrison Gardner https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/harrisongardner en harrisongardner personal development, self-improvement, problem solving, resilience, community, innovation, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, leadership, creativity, life skills, human potential, building, learning, practical wisdom harrisongardner Using what we have, to build what we need. We live in a complex world. And navigating it as the complex, hopeful, emotional, ambitious human beings that we are takes a very real set of tools. The Tools at Hand is a podcast about people who have done the work of finding and developing those tools. People who saw a problem, or felt one, and instead of waiting for someone else to fix it, started figuring it out for themselves. In their community, their discipline, their craft, or their own inner life. Each episode in conversation with one guest who gives an honest account of what it actually took to build something real. The question underneath every conversation is: what did you have to learn to build this?



The Tools at Hand podcast is brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy. 



New episodes drop every Thursday.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> We live in a complex world. And navigating it as the complex, hopeful, emotional, ambitious human beings that we are takes a very real set of tools. The Tools at Hand is a podcast about people who have done the work of finding and developing those tools. People who saw a problem, or felt one, and instead of waiting for someone else to fix it, started figuring it out for themselves. In their community, their discipline, their craft, or their own inner life. Each episode in conversation with one guest who gives an honest account of what it actually took to build something real. The question underneath every conversation is: what did you have to learn to build this?



The Tools at Hand podcast is brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy. 



New episodes drop every Thursday.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> false harrisongardner info+69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74@mg-eu.acast.com 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner https://anchor.fm/s/10f0b5954/podcast/rss episodic https://assets.pippa.io/shows/69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74/1775819070862-6aab0f84-5ae5-44c7-a3fb-bec76a8c9b85.jpeg https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/harrisongardner The Tools at Hand with Harrison Gardner https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1877157848. <![CDATA[Paul Noonan & Brian Crosby: From Bell X1 to Pilgrims, Music Therapy & Breathwork ]]> Thu, 03 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT 56:48 6a968f0a7549a55dcb644b5f false https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/paul-noonan-brian-crosby-from-bell-x1-to-pilgrims-music-ther 6a968f0a7549a55dcb644b5f 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 paul-noonan-brian-crosby-from-bell-x1-to-pilgrims-music-ther full 2 4 Paul Noonan and Brian Crosby have been making music together, in one form or another, for decades.

From Juniper and Bell X1, through 16 years of separate creative journeys, they eventually found their way back into a room together. What started with Brian’s solo piano record Imbrium and a voice note from Paul during COVID became Pilgrims — a new project built from everything they had learned and experienced in the years apart.


In this conversation, we talk about what it means to return to a creative partnership after so much time, the vulnerability of making something new with someone you have a long history with, and how Pilgrims grew from remote recordings into a live project.

We also get into the very different paths they took along the way. Brian talks about leaving Bell X1, moving to Berlin, composing for film, building recording studios from scratch, and training in holotropic breathwork. Paul talks about his work as a music therapist, working with people with dementia, brain injuries and children, and what music can make possible in those settings.

And underneath all of it is a bigger question about creativity: what happens when we stop trying to be perfect, become willing to be vulnerable, and allow other people to change what we're making?


This is a conversation about music, collaboration, fear, connection, and finding your way back to making things.


Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/HarrisonGardner


Connect with Harrison:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_harrisongardner

Website: https://www.harrisongardner.net/

Books: https://www.harrisongardner.net/bookstore-1


Pre-order my new book HEAT-SHELTER-WATER-FOOD

https://www.harrisongardner.net/heat-shelter-water-food


Explore Pilgrims and their music:

https://www.pilgrims.music/ 


Chapters

00:00 – Teaser

00:51 – Intro: Creating Something People Are Ready to Receive

03:50 – From Bell X1 to Pilgrims

05:42 – The Voice Note That Sparked Pilgrims

07:31 – Finding a New Musical Voice

08:17 – Two Very Different Journeys

09:17 – Why Brian Left Bell X1

16:40 – Building a Creative Scene in Berlin

19:28 – What Is Holotropic Breathwork?

23:45 – Fear, Self-Doubt & Creativity

30:55 – Paul Noonan on Music Therapy

32:00 – Music & Brain Injury

32:45 – Creating a Safe Space

34:20 – From Performer to Facilitator

40:55 – Building the Wicklow Studio

45:00 – Why Small Venues Matter

52:34 – What's Next for Pilgrims?

55:37 – Outro


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Paul Noonan and Brian Crosby have been making music together, in one form or another, for decades.

From Juniper and Bell X1, through 16 years of separate creative journeys, they eventually found their way back into a room together. What started with Brian’s solo piano record Imbrium and a voice note from Paul during COVID became Pilgrims — a new project built from everything they had learned and experienced in the years apart.


In this conversation, we talk about what it means to return to a creative partnership after so much time, the vulnerability of making something new with someone you have a long history with, and how Pilgrims grew from remote recordings into a live project.

We also get into the very different paths they took along the way. Brian talks about leaving Bell X1, moving to Berlin, composing for film, building recording studios from scratch, and training in holotropic breathwork. Paul talks about his work as a music therapist, working with people with dementia, brain injuries and children, and what music can make possible in those settings.

And underneath all of it is a bigger question about creativity: what happens when we stop trying to be perfect, become willing to be vulnerable, and allow other people to change what we're making?


This is a conversation about music, collaboration, fear, connection, and finding your way back to making things.


Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/HarrisonGardner


Connect with Harrison:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_harrisongardner

Website: https://www.harrisongardner.net/

Books: https://www.harrisongardner.net/bookstore-1


Pre-order my new book HEAT-SHELTER-WATER-FOOD

https://www.harrisongardner.net/heat-shelter-water-food


Explore Pilgrims and their music:

https://www.pilgrims.music/ 


Chapters

00:00 – Teaser

00:51 – Intro: Creating Something People Are Ready to Receive

03:50 – From Bell X1 to Pilgrims

05:42 – The Voice Note That Sparked Pilgrims

07:31 – Finding a New Musical Voice

08:17 – Two Very Different Journeys

09:17 – Why Brian Left Bell X1

16:40 – Building a Creative Scene in Berlin

19:28 – What Is Holotropic Breathwork?

23:45 – Fear, Self-Doubt & Creativity

30:55 – Paul Noonan on Music Therapy

32:00 – Music & Brain Injury

32:45 – Creating a Safe Space

34:20 – From Performer to Facilitator

40:55 – Building the Wicklow Studio

45:00 – Why Small Venues Matter

52:34 – What's Next for Pilgrims?

55:37 – Outro


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Why Education Keeps Preparing Kids for the Wrong Future | Owen Losse Why Education Keeps Preparing Kids for the Wrong Future | Owen Losse Thu, 27 Aug 2026 19:00:00 GMT 1:08:20 6a8ededed8ffec4c41d6e1f7 false https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/why-education-keeps-preparing-kids-for-the-wrong-future-owen 6a8ededed8ffec4c41d6e1f7 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 why-education-keeps-preparing-kids-for-the-wrong-future-owen full 2 3 What if we're preparing young people for a future that will never exist?


After more than 15 years working across education systems and helping schools improve outcomes for students, Owen Losse has reached a surprising conclusion: we spend too much time trying to predict the future, and not enough time understanding how people actually learn.

In this conversation, Owen draws on his experience as an education leader to explore one of the biggest questions facing education today:

How do we prepare people for a future we can't predict?

From AI and the surprising history of the chalkboard to confidence, practical skills, and why learning has to be hard, this conversation challenges many of our assumptions about education, technology, and what it really means to prepare people for an unknowable future.

Whether you're an educator, parent, leader, builder, or lifelong learner, you'll walk away with a different perspective on learning—and why the most important skills may be the ones that never go out of date.


Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/HarrisonGardner


Connect with Harrison:


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_harrisongardner

Website: https://www.harrisongardner.net/

Books: https://www.harrisongardner.net/bookstore-1


Pre-order my new book HEAT-SHELTER-WATER-FOOD

https://www.harrisongardner.net/heat-shelter-water-food


Connect with Owen:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenlosse/


Chapters


00:00 Learning Has to Be Hard

02:45 Owen's Journey Through Education

09:06 Why Education Doesn't Work the Same Everywhere

12:20 What Should Schools Actually Teach?

15:45 Why Schools Keep Chasing the Future

24:50 Why Schools Are Always Behind

27:33 The AI Education Debate Happened 100 Years Ago

34:35 How Build School Teaches People to Learn

39:30 How Schools Can Stop Chasing Society

50:15 What 15-Year-Olds Really Think About Home

58:00 Is Confidence a Skill?

59:20 What Cooking 100 Chickens Teaches Us About Learning

01:03:20 Learning From Failure

01:05:05 What a Good Learning Environment Looks Like

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> What if we're preparing young people for a future that will never exist?


After more than 15 years working across education systems and helping schools improve outcomes for students, Owen Losse has reached a surprising conclusion: we spend too much time trying to predict the future, and not enough time understanding how people actually learn.

In this conversation, Owen draws on his experience as an education leader to explore one of the biggest questions facing education today:

How do we prepare people for a future we can't predict?

From AI and the surprising history of the chalkboard to confidence, practical skills, and why learning has to be hard, this conversation challenges many of our assumptions about education, technology, and what it really means to prepare people for an unknowable future.

Whether you're an educator, parent, leader, builder, or lifelong learner, you'll walk away with a different perspective on learning—and why the most important skills may be the ones that never go out of date.


Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/HarrisonGardner


Connect with Harrison:


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_harrisongardner

Website: https://www.harrisongardner.net/

Books: https://www.harrisongardner.net/bookstore-1


Pre-order my new book HEAT-SHELTER-WATER-FOOD

https://www.harrisongardner.net/heat-shelter-water-food


Connect with Owen:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenlosse/


Chapters


00:00 Learning Has to Be Hard

02:45 Owen's Journey Through Education

09:06 Why Education Doesn't Work the Same Everywhere

12:20 What Should Schools Actually Teach?

15:45 Why Schools Keep Chasing the Future

24:50 Why Schools Are Always Behind

27:33 The AI Education Debate Happened 100 Years Ago

34:35 How Build School Teaches People to Learn

39:30 How Schools Can Stop Chasing Society

50:15 What 15-Year-Olds Really Think About Home

58:00 Is Confidence a Skill?

59:20 What Cooking 100 Chickens Teaches Us About Learning

01:03:20 Learning From Failure

01:05:05 What a Good Learning Environment Looks Like

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Earthships: Houses From Cans and Tires Without Utility Bills | Mike Reynolds Earthships: Houses From Cans and Tires Without Utility Bills | Mike Reynolds Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:00:00 GMT 52:20 6a856b5b8b730c47c12e08dc false https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/earthships-houses-from-cans-and-tires-without-utility-bills 6a856b5b8b730c47c12e08dc 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 earthships-houses-from-cans-and-tires-without-utility-bills full 2 2 What if your home could produce its own water, energy, food, and comfort?

For more than 50 years, Michael Reynolds has challenged conventional architecture by building off-grid, self-sustaining homes from materials most people consider trash. As the creator of the Earthship movement, he believes our homes should take care of us, not the other way around.

But this conversation isn't really about architecture.

It's about independence.

It's about questioning the systems we've come to depend on and asking a simple question:

What if the resources we need are already all around us?

In this episode, Mike shares why he built homes from tires, beer cans, and bottles and why he believes autonomous off-grid housing is the future.

We explore Earthships, off-grid living, self-reliance, and sustainable architecture, while asking whether waste could become one of our most valuable resources.

Whether you're interested in alternative building or simply learning to think differently, this conversation will challenge the way you think about home, freedom, and resilience.


Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/HarrisonGardner


CONNECT WITH ME

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_harrisongardner

Website: https://www.harrisongardner.net/

Bookstore: https://www.harrisongardner.net/bookstore-1 


Pre-order my new book HEAT-SHELTER-WATER-FOOD

https://www.harrisongardner.net/heat-shelter-water-food


Earthship Biotecture: 

https://earthship.com/

Earthship Academy & Training:

https://earthship.com/learn


00:00 Building a House From Beer Cans

01:04 The Colombia Story

03:40 Why Mike Started Building Earthships

08:10 The 60-Year Fight Against the System

12:00 Why Autonomous Off-Grid Housing Matters

14:09 Ad Break: Supporting The Tools at Hand

15:57 Unbuilding the Way We Think About Homes

20:30 The Six Things Every Human Needs

25:30 Why Everything Has Become an Industry

29:05 The Knowledge Mike Wants to Spread

38:03 What COVID Taught Mike About Self-Reliance

43:21 Why a House Should Be a Machine

48:25 How Earthships Changed Harrison's Life

49:45 The Garbage Warrior & Harrison's New Book

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> What if your home could produce its own water, energy, food, and comfort?

For more than 50 years, Michael Reynolds has challenged conventional architecture by building off-grid, self-sustaining homes from materials most people consider trash. As the creator of the Earthship movement, he believes our homes should take care of us, not the other way around.

But this conversation isn't really about architecture.

It's about independence.

It's about questioning the systems we've come to depend on and asking a simple question:

What if the resources we need are already all around us?

In this episode, Mike shares why he built homes from tires, beer cans, and bottles and why he believes autonomous off-grid housing is the future.

We explore Earthships, off-grid living, self-reliance, and sustainable architecture, while asking whether waste could become one of our most valuable resources.

Whether you're interested in alternative building or simply learning to think differently, this conversation will challenge the way you think about home, freedom, and resilience.


Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/HarrisonGardner


CONNECT WITH ME

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_harrisongardner

Website: https://www.harrisongardner.net/

Bookstore: https://www.harrisongardner.net/bookstore-1 


Pre-order my new book HEAT-SHELTER-WATER-FOOD

https://www.harrisongardner.net/heat-shelter-water-food


Earthship Biotecture: 

https://earthship.com/

Earthship Academy & Training:

https://earthship.com/learn


00:00 Building a House From Beer Cans

01:04 The Colombia Story

03:40 Why Mike Started Building Earthships

08:10 The 60-Year Fight Against the System

12:00 Why Autonomous Off-Grid Housing Matters

14:09 Ad Break: Supporting The Tools at Hand

15:57 Unbuilding the Way We Think About Homes

20:30 The Six Things Every Human Needs

25:30 Why Everything Has Become an Industry

29:05 The Knowledge Mike Wants to Spread

38:03 What COVID Taught Mike About Self-Reliance

43:21 Why a House Should Be a Machine

48:25 How Earthships Changed Harrison's Life

49:45 The Garbage Warrior & Harrison's New Book

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[The Question I've Been Trying to Answer for 20 Years ]]> Thu, 13 Aug 2026 19:00:00 GMT 57:59 6a7c707dbaea6e03b0020b3f false https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/the-question-ive-been-trying-to-answer-for-20-years 6a7c707dbaea6e03b0020b3f 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 the-question-ive-been-trying-to-answer-for-20-years full 2 1 When I was 19, I went to Kenya because I wanted to make myself useful in the world. Instead, I found myself caught in the middle of the 2007–08 post-election violence and came home with a feeling of helplessness and a question that has stayed with me for almost 20 years: why do some people keep believing their actions matter while others eventually stop trying?


Years later, I went back to the journal I kept during that time and started looking at the experience differently. In this episode, I explore Martin Seligman’s famous dog experiment and the psychology of learned helplessness, and how our sense of agency is shaped by repeated experience.

I also look at where I see the same pattern today, from Irish farmers dealing with wool that has almost no economic value to a generation growing up with every global crisis in their pockets. And I ask what it might take to unlearn helplessness and start finding the levers that still work.


Pre-order my new book HEAT-SHELTER-WATER-FOOD

https://www.harrisongardner.net/heat-shelter-water-food


Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/HarrisonGardner


CONNECT WITH ME

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_harrisongardner

Website: https://www.harrisongardner.net/


Chapters

00:00 Intro: Kenya and Helplessness

01:03 Welcome Back

01:40 Why I Went to Kenya

04:10 Kenya's 2007 Election Crisis

13:03 Reading My Diary From Kenya

24:04 Martin Seligman's Dog Experiment

26:30 Learned Helplessness and Agency

28:00 Why I Thought I Could Change the World

31:20 Finding the Same Pattern Everywhere

33:42 The Irish Wool Problem

38:10 What Today's Generation Is Learning

42:30 What Really Happened in Kenya?

48:20 The Work That Actually Matters

52:50 Looking Back Twenty Years Later

55:40 Finding the Levers Around Us

56:50 My New Book: Heat, Shelter, Water, Food

57:35 Credits



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> When I was 19, I went to Kenya because I wanted to make myself useful in the world. Instead, I found myself caught in the middle of the 2007–08 post-election violence and came home with a feeling of helplessness and a question that has stayed with me for almost 20 years: why do some people keep believing their actions matter while others eventually stop trying?


Years later, I went back to the journal I kept during that time and started looking at the experience differently. In this episode, I explore Martin Seligman’s famous dog experiment and the psychology of learned helplessness, and how our sense of agency is shaped by repeated experience.

I also look at where I see the same pattern today, from Irish farmers dealing with wool that has almost no economic value to a generation growing up with every global crisis in their pockets. And I ask what it might take to unlearn helplessness and start finding the levers that still work.


Pre-order my new book HEAT-SHELTER-WATER-FOOD

https://www.harrisongardner.net/heat-shelter-water-food


Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/HarrisonGardner


CONNECT WITH ME

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_harrisongardner

Website: https://www.harrisongardner.net/


Chapters

00:00 Intro: Kenya and Helplessness

01:03 Welcome Back

01:40 Why I Went to Kenya

04:10 Kenya's 2007 Election Crisis

13:03 Reading My Diary From Kenya

24:04 Martin Seligman's Dog Experiment

26:30 Learned Helplessness and Agency

28:00 Why I Thought I Could Change the World

31:20 Finding the Same Pattern Everywhere

33:42 The Irish Wool Problem

38:10 What Today's Generation Is Learning

42:30 What Really Happened in Kenya?

48:20 The Work That Actually Matters

52:50 Looking Back Twenty Years Later

55:40 Finding the Levers Around Us

56:50 My New Book: Heat, Shelter, Water, Food

57:35 Credits



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Alan Wyley: The Answer Was Already There Alan Wyley: The Answer Was Already There Wed, 17 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT 52:52 6a1590b583dd9b6e11a66298 false https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/alan-wyley-the-answer-was-already-there 6a1590b583dd9b6e11a66298 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 alan-wyley-the-answer-was-already-there full 1 10 Ireland wastes over a million euro of renewable energy every day while over half a million households can't afford to heat their homes. Alan Wyley is the CEO of Energycloud and has a €500 device that connects those two factors. He and Harrison talk about elegant solutions, stubborn optimism, and what it takes to bring an end to energy poverty.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Ireland wastes over a million euro of renewable energy every day while over half a million households can't afford to heat their homes. Alan Wyley is the CEO of Energycloud and has a €500 device that connects those two factors. He and Harrison talk about elegant solutions, stubborn optimism, and what it takes to bring an end to energy poverty.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Clare Noone: Understanding the System We're In]]> Wed, 10 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT 45:58 6a146d6f8ff41815a80d0fa8 true https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/clare-noone-understanding-the-system-were-in 6a146d6f8ff41815a80d0fa8 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 clare-noone-understanding-the-system-were-in full 1 9 Dr Clare Noone has sat in the rooms where the world tries to agree on its future. As a climate scientist who attended the most recent COP summit in Brazil, she has seen up close the gap between what the science says and what actually gets decided. She and Harrison talk about turning research into action, what it costs to keep communicating clearly when the stakes are this high, and what the rest of us can actually do with that information.


Contains strong language.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Dr Clare Noone has sat in the rooms where the world tries to agree on its future. As a climate scientist who attended the most recent COP summit in Brazil, she has seen up close the gap between what the science says and what actually gets decided. She and Harrison talk about turning research into action, what it costs to keep communicating clearly when the stakes are this high, and what the rest of us can actually do with that information.


Contains strong language.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Ankur Delight: Conflict as a Place to Build From Ankur Delight: Conflict as a Place to Build From Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT 1:07:23 6a0ef14380978431da94bc0c true https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/ankur-delight 6a0ef14380978431da94bc0c 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 ankur-delight full 1 8 Ankur Delight is a conflict mediator, farmer, mathematician, and one of Harrison's oldest friends. They met at the Gandhi Ashram and in this conversation they explore why conflict might actually be a gift, what really happens in a mediation room, and what it means to build community and connection in a world that keeps pulling itself apart.


Contains strong language.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Ankur Delight is a conflict mediator, farmer, mathematician, and one of Harrison's oldest friends. They met at the Gandhi Ashram and in this conversation they explore why conflict might actually be a gift, what really happens in a mediation room, and what it means to build community and connection in a world that keeps pulling itself apart.


Contains strong language.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Ainle Ó Cairealláin: Language as Infrastructure Ainle Ó Cairealláin: Language as Infrastructure Wed, 27 May 2026 23:00:00 GMT 57:44 69f8d490836b4ec718774bc4 false https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/ainle-o-caireallain-language-as-infrastructure 69f8d490836b4ec718774bc4 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 ainle-o-caireallain-language-as-infrastructure full 1 7 Ainle Ó Cairealláin has just returned from Cuba, where he travelled as part of the Nuestra América Convoy's humanitarian mission. He's also one of the most compelling voices in Ireland on the relationship between language, community, and identity. He and Harrison talk about language as a form of infrastructure, what it means to hold a culture together from the inside out, and why the communities with the least are often the ones who know most about resilience.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Ainle Ó Cairealláin has just returned from Cuba, where he travelled as part of the Nuestra América Convoy's humanitarian mission. He's also one of the most compelling voices in Ireland on the relationship between language, community, and identity. He and Harrison talk about language as a form of infrastructure, what it means to hold a culture together from the inside out, and why the communities with the least are often the ones who know most about resilience.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Clare Dunne: Making the Thing You Need Clare Dunne: Making the Thing You Need Wed, 20 May 2026 23:00:00 GMT 59:39 69e8ebf707ecece42a6ae483 true https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/clare-dunne-making-the-thing-you-need 69e8ebf707ecece42a6ae483 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 clare-dunne-making-the-thing-you-need full 1 6 IFTA award winning actor and writer Clare Dunne joins Harrison in the studio. Clare's performance as Amanda Kinsella in Kin has made her a household name, but what Harrison really wanted to talk about was Herself, Clare's film about a woman who builds her own home when the system fails her. She and Harrison talk about craft, identity, and the courage it takes to make the thing you need when nobody else will make it for you.


Contains strong language.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> IFTA award winning actor and writer Clare Dunne joins Harrison in the studio. Clare's performance as Amanda Kinsella in Kin has made her a household name, but what Harrison really wanted to talk about was Herself, Clare's film about a woman who builds her own home when the system fails her. She and Harrison talk about craft, identity, and the courage it takes to make the thing you need when nobody else will make it for you.


Contains strong language.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Matt Smith: Planting for the Long Game Matt Smith: Planting for the Long Game Wed, 13 May 2026 23:00:00 GMT 55:25 69e8eac8eefc66ef2b717ae2 true https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/matt-smith-planting-for-the-long-game 69e8eac8eefc66ef2b717ae2 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 matt-smith-planting-for-the-long-game full 1 5 After years on the ocean, and then years growing vegetables, Matt Smith co-founded the charity Hometree to restore native woodland across Ireland. He and Harrison talk about ecological restoration, long-term thinking, and what it takes to build something with results you may never see.


Contains strong language.


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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> After years on the ocean, and then years growing vegetables, Matt Smith co-founded the charity Hometree to restore native woodland across Ireland. He and Harrison talk about ecological restoration, long-term thinking, and what it takes to build something with results you may never see.


Contains strong language.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Aoife Dunne: Building a Life That Makes You Laugh Aoife Dunne: Building a Life That Makes You Laugh Wed, 06 May 2026 23:00:00 GMT 48:13 69e0e2830b4baf3bf2cb7009 true https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/aoife-dunne-building-a-life-that-makes-you-laugh 69e0e2830b4baf3bf2cb7009 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 aoife-dunne-building-a-life-that-makes-you-laugh full 1 4 Aoife Dunne is repeatedly selling out her hit comedy show GOOD GRIEF across Ireland and lucky for us, she found a moment in the middle of it all, to join us in the studio. In this episode, she and Harrison talk about what it actually takes to build a creative life, trust your own voice, and use comedy to process the harder parts of being alive with some honesty.


Contains strong language.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Aoife Dunne is repeatedly selling out her hit comedy show GOOD GRIEF across Ireland and lucky for us, she found a moment in the middle of it all, to join us in the studio. In this episode, she and Harrison talk about what it actually takes to build a creative life, trust your own voice, and use comedy to process the harder parts of being alive with some honesty.


Contains strong language.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Seán McCabe: Owning the Future Together Seán McCabe: Owning the Future Together Wed, 29 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT 56:15 69e750b9289eeb2c7b426c7e false https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/sean-mccabe-owning-the-future-together 69e750b9289eeb2c7b426c7e 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 sean-mccabe-owning-the-future-together full 1 3 Most climate action starts with a government or a corporation. Seán McCabe started with a community football club. As the Head of Climate Justice & Sustainability at the Bohemian Climate Cooperative, he and his community are using cooperative ownership to fund renewable energy and retrofit homes from the ground up. He and Harrison talk about what it really means to give people a stake in something, and why that changes everything.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Most climate action starts with a government or a corporation. Seán McCabe started with a community football club. As the Head of Climate Justice & Sustainability at the Bohemian Climate Cooperative, he and his community are using cooperative ownership to fund renewable energy and retrofit homes from the ground up. He and Harrison talk about what it really means to give people a stake in something, and why that changes everything.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Iseult Ward: Rescuing Food, Building Systems Iseult Ward: Rescuing Food, Building Systems Wed, 22 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT 48:38 69e0bd1ea0cdd3989c303d95 false https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/iseult-ward-rescuing-food-building-systems 69e0bd1ea0cdd3989c303d95 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 iseult-ward-rescuing-food-building-systems full 1 2 Every day in Ireland, good food is thrown away while families go without. Iseult Ward co-founded FoodCloud to close that gap and has built one of Europe's most effective food redistribution systems. She and Harrison talk about what it takes to turn a good idea into real infrastructure, and why food is rarely just about food.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Every day in Ireland, good food is thrown away while families go without. Iseult Ward co-founded FoodCloud to close that gap and has built one of Europe's most effective food redistribution systems. She and Harrison talk about what it takes to turn a good idea into real infrastructure, and why food is rarely just about food.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Using What You Have to Create What You Need Using What You Have to Create What You Need Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT 1:04:38 69d90556d3f0dd7747cc1df3 false https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/using-what-you-have-to-create-what-you-need 69d90556d3f0dd7747cc1df3 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 using-what-you-have-to-create-what-you-need full 1 1 Before the guests arrive, Harrison sets out the idea at the heart of this podcast. From a slum in Ahmedabad to Gandhi's salt march, a piece of American legislation that affected everyone… but that nobody read, and a damp stone cottage on the west coast of Ireland, this is the episode that explains why the show exists and what it is for.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Before the guests arrive, Harrison sets out the idea at the heart of this podcast. From a slum in Ahmedabad to Gandhi's salt march, a piece of American legislation that affected everyone… but that nobody read, and a damp stone cottage on the west coast of Ireland, this is the episode that explains why the show exists and what it is for.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Tools at Hand Podcast The Tools at Hand Podcast Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:00:00 GMT 1:08 69d9095e00eb02bda118f4ed false https://shows.acast.com/the-tools-at-hand-with-harrison-gardner/episodes/the-tools-at-hand-podcast 69d9095e00eb02bda118f4ed 69d15ad5d2e95f5131644e74 the-tools-at-hand-podcast trailer 1 Ten conversations. Ten people who stopped waiting and started building. The Tools at Hand podcast. First episode drops this Thursday, and then every Thursday after that.


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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Ten conversations. Ten people who stopped waiting and started building. The Tools at Hand podcast. First episode drops this Thursday, and then every Thursday after that.


Brought to you by Bord Gáis Energy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]>