Tipperary project seeks former Clonmel citizens who have made new lives around the world

The Clonmel Junction Arts Festival and  Tipperary Museum of Hidden History have announced a callout for nominations for a new podcast project ‘The Clonmel Exchanges Podcast Project’ for the 2026 festival.

Do you have a friend or family member originally from Clonmel who is living abroad? If so, The Clonmel Exchanges Podcast Project would love to hear from you. A partnership project with Clonmel Junction Arts Festival and the Tipperary Museum of Hidden History is looking for nominations for former Clonmel citizens who have made new lives around the world to be interviewed as part of a new podcast project for 2026 with renowned podcaster Siobhán McHugh.

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"Audio is a such an intimate, honest medium! I can’t wait to hear these deeply personal stories of loving – and leaving – Clonmel," said Siobhán, a seminal podcast studies scholar and multi-award-winning producer of narrative journalism podcasts, who has published widely on the affective power of audio storytelling and the impact of podcasting as a new medium.

Clonmel Junction Arts Festival and the Tipperary Museum of Hidden History are asking Clonmel residents to nominate a friend or family member to be part of the project by Friday 30th January 2026 at 5pm via a google form. Please ask your friend or family member’s permission before nominating them via: https://forms.gle/kKkSDqPCJqv9X55G6

Rebecca Lenehan, Artistic Director of Clonmel Junction Arts Festival, said: “We’re looking for nominations from Clonmel residents for friends or family members who are from Clonmel originally but have since left to make new lives abroad.

The theme for the festival is ‘Exchanges’ in 2026 and we’re interested to hear the stories of those who left Clonmel, exchanging a life in Ireland for one abroad. We’d really love to reach ex-pats around the world and hear their stories of what brought them to leave Clonmel, their memories of the town and the lives they’ve made abroad.”

The nominations are divided into five age categories (18-35, 36-45, 46-55, 56-65 and over 65s) to gather a broad range of stories from across the age groups.

Each selected nominee will be assigned a local writer for the podcast interview with the final decision resting with Clonmel Junction Arts Festival and the Tipperary Museum of Hidden History.

Under the expert guidance of Siobhán McHugh and local writer Eileen Acheson, the selected Tipperary writers will interview nominated former Clonmel citizens about making new lives around the world, weaving their stories into podcasts, gathering insights into their perspectives of their lives in Clonmel and abroad.

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Marie McMahon, Managing Curator of Tipperary Museum of Hidden History, said: “‘The Clonmel Exchanges Podcast Project’ is a wonderful opportunity for Tipperary Museum of Hidden History to work with Clonmel Junction Arts Festival, Siobhán McHugh and selected Tipperary writers to engage with our “Clonmellians” who moved away to live across the world. We are looking forward to speaking with our nominees and learning if they brought something significant with them to remind them of home!”
The podcasts will be launched at the Clonmel Junction Arts Festival in July 2026, leaving a significant oral history record and legacy about the people and places of Clonmel for future generations.

Closing date for nominations and applications for writers is Friday 30th January at 5pm.
Selection of nominees and writers by CJAF and TMHH in early February 2026 - all applicants will be notified by email by mid-February 2026

Tipperary writers will conduct the interviews with the nominees and submit a first edit of the podcast by mid-April 2026
Launch of podcasts as part of Clonmel Junction Arts Festival (3rd -12th July 2026)