Yarn | A Story Podcast

As an extra bonus here are 3 complete music tracks that our composer Drembot created for the episode "The Highest Cyclist in the World". Enjoy the tracks in full and uninterrupted.

You can get more of Drembot's music on Spotify here:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5PjdfdGAzsxgAX3GFuMWR4?si=uYMGzZWFQJyaF0YwwhlQxQ

[Audio drama collection]

We've released 25 and a bit stories for Yarn. To celebrate we're going to take a look back in this omnibus episode. Lately most of our episodes have been documentaries so I decided to dig out some of our fiction stories and pull them together into a neat bingable collection for your listening pleasure. I've selected 4 stories and recorded new introductions for each. Enjoy! 

New episodes coming soon.

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Comments and feedback very welcome!
Twitter: @YarnStoryPod

[Documentary]

"I had no contact with this man. All I ever said was hello to him. It's stalking. And it builds and builds."

These are the words of my mother, Eileen Byrne. She’s going to recount her ordeal with a stalker. 

I was just a kid at the time. I knew very little about it, until lately when she started talking about the incident. It was a recent Irish news story that triggered her memory. The murder of Aisling Murphy in broad daylight, sparked a national conversation not just about violence against women but also about the level of harassment and intimidation women are forced to endure on a daily basis. Aisling’s murder added fuel to a prominent campaign to make stalking a criminal offence in Ireland.

For more information about this campaign see Stalking.ie

Full episode transcript here:
https://mrjohnroche-42475.medium.com/yarn-25-the-stalker-3399f983ff0

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Yarn is produced and edited by John Roche

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Comments and feedback very welcome!
Twitter: @YarnStoryPod

[Documentary]

Inside stories from the jury room.

I wanted to see inside this secretive world and get a sense of what it feels like to serve.
I talked to 7 former jurors about their 7 separate trials.

I also talked to a practicing criminal law barrister for his thoughts on the jury system.
We’ll explore the selection process, the characters in the courtroom and the atmosphere in the deliberation room.

Then we'll do a deep dive into a few cases and hear them told from a juror's perspective in their own words.

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Thanks to Barrister Seamus Clarke SC

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Produced and edited by John Roche

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Comments and feedback very welcome!
Twitter: @YarnStoryPod

[Documentary]

We visit the Mezhyhirya estate in the Ukraine.

The vast estate covers over 340 acres. That’s just shy of the area of Monaco. The glamorous and opulent principality has a lot in common with Mezhyirya. Except Monaco is home to 38,000 people. Mezhyhirya was most recently home to just one family.

This is the story of the former president of Ukraine - Victor Yanukovych.

His mafia style cartel, nick named ‘the family’, his extravagant lifestyle and the construction of his monument to greed - The Mezhyhirya palace and estate. Now known as the world’s only 'Museum of Corruption'.

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Produced and edited by John Roche

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Comments and feedback very welcome!

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

Twitter: @YarnStoryPod

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Full transcript available here:

https://mrjohnroche-42475.medium.com/yarn-21-the-secret-palace-fb2440c68a01

[3-part documentary]

Episode 3 of 3 - Darkest before the dawn.   

1900s - 2000s   

In this new Yarn Miniseries I’m going to give you a rough history of Disability.   

In episode three things start with one of modern history's darkest ideas, Eugenics. We explore its prevalence, especially in America and some of its most famous proponents. Then we jump over to Post WW2 Britain and we uncover how wars not only created Disabled people but how post war periods also led to infrastructure and programmes that helped people with disabilities.   

We will confront the horrific conditions Disabled residents of institutions were forced to live in and see how the era of the big institution eventually came to an end. We'll intersect with the Civil Rights movement and see how it inspired the Parent's movement, which led to the Independent Living movement and the fight for Human Rights for people with Disabilities.   

Written and narrated by John Roche.   

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Full episode transcript available here:  https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475 

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Sources 

Short  history of disability By Dr Robert Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js2qgVhmH88  MN Department of Administration - Council on Development Disabilities https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels/index.html  World Bank https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability  Historic England https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/disability-history/  History Channel https://www.history.com/topics/germany/eugenics  PBS https://www.pbs.org/weta/throughdeafeyes/deaflife/bell_nad.html  United Nations Human Rights Office of High Commissioner https://www.ohchr.org/  Dr. William Bronston, Willowbrook Memorial Lecture https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels/five/5f/willowbrook-bronston-memorial.html  Welcome Collection https://wellcomecollection.org/works  IWM Archive https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices-of-the-first-world-war-shell-shock  RTE Archive https://www.rte.ie/archives/  The Times Archive https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ancient-walking-aids-5232vx5n9j0  Special Olympics https://www.specialolympics.org  JSTOR https://www.jstor.org/stable/3288457?seq=1  IPC https://www.paralympic.org/  Greek Gods info https://www.greek-gods.info/greek-gods/hephaestus/  YouTube

[3-part documentary]

Episode 2 of 3

Two Steps Forward. One Step Back.  

1500s - 1800s 

In this new Yarn Miniseries I’m going to give you a rough history of Disability. 

In episode two we will see how the aftermath of the Reformation effected people with disabilities.
We look at the Elizabethan Poor Laws and the Poor houses many Disabled people ended up in.
We enter the massive institutions that were created for people with disabilities, including the infamous Bedlam Asylum and we explore the age of Enlightenment and beyond, when philosophers and physicians attempted to understand, classify and cue mental and physical disability.     

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Full episode transcript available here: 

https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/disability-a-parallel-history-ad51c7673cdb  

Sources  

Short history of disability By Dr Robert Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js2qgVhmH88  MN Department of Administration - Council on Development Disabilities https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels/index.html  World Bank https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability  Historic England https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/disability-history/  History Channel https://www.history.com/topics/germany/eugenics  PBS https://www.pbs.org/weta/throughdeafeyes/deaflife/bell_nad.html  United Nations Human Rights Office of High Commissioner https://www.ohchr.org/  Dr. William Bronston, Willowbrook Memorial Lecture https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels/five/5f/willowbrook-bronston-memorial.html  Welcome Collection https://wellcomecollection.org/works  IWM Archive https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices-of-the-first-world-war-shell-shock  RTE Archive https://www.rte.ie/archives/  The Times Archive https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ancient-walking-aids-5232vx5n9j0  Special Olympics https://www.specialolympics.org  JSTOR https://www.jstor.org/stable/3288457?seq=1  IPC https://www.paralympic.org/  Greek Gods info https://www.greek-gods.info/greek-gods/hephaestus/  YouTube

[3-part documentary]

Episode 1 of 3 - Parallel Worlds. 

Prehistory - 1400s 

In this new Yarn Miniseries I’m going to give you a rough history of Disability. 

The story of Disability runs in parallel with the story of humanity itself and like the story of humanity, some of it isn’t pretty. It involves murder, neglect, segregation and sterilisation but it’s also a story of innovation, determination and love. 

In episode one I define what a disability is before diving into the past. I start with the Neanderthals, checking in with the Egyptians, the Celts, the Ancient Romans and I also highlight the effect organised Religion has on the perception of people with a disability. 

Written and narrated by John Roche. 

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Full episode transcript available here:
https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/disability-a-parallel-history-316bf348cfd2 

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Sources 

Short history of disability By Dr Robert Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js2qgVhmH88 MN Department of Administration - Council on Development Disabilities https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels/index.html World Bank https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability Historic England https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/disability-history/ History Channel https://www.history.com/topics/germany/eugenics PBS https://www.pbs.org/weta/throughdeafeyes/deaflife/bell_nad.html United Nations Human Rights Office of High Commissioner https://www.ohchr.org/ Dr. William Bronston, Willowbrook Memorial Lecture https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels/five/5f/willowbrook-bronston-memorial.html Welcome Collection https://wellcomecollection.org/works IWM Archive https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices-of-the-first-world-war-shell-shock RTE Archive https://www.rte.ie/archives/ The Times Archive https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ancient-walking-aids-5232vx5n9j0 Special Olympics https://www.specialolympics.org JSTOR https://www.jstor.org/stable/3288457?seq=1 IPC https://www.paralympic.org/ Greek Gods info https://www.greek-gods.info/greek-gods/hephaestus/ YouTube

[Two part Docu-drama] 

Episode 2 of 2
This is the true story of Hermann Goertz. The Nazi spy who landed in neutral Ireland during the Second World War, on a mission to meet the IRA and organise a German-led invasion of Northern Ireland. Goertz’s time in Ireland has become something of a legend. This story is based on his own written accounts and recently declassified British and Irish secret service files. The story is full of ridiculous plans, double crosses and colourful characters. Through Goertz’s eyes we learn about the attitudes of normal people towards the new Irish Free State, the uncomfortable truths people dealt with after a vicious civil war and how Dublin during the ‘Emergency’ became a centre of covert espionage. 

Start with episode 1 here: https://anchor.fm/yarnstorypod/episodes/Yarn-19--How-Not-to-be-a-Spy---Episode-1-eg3jgg/a-a2j9gkpProduced and edited by John Roche 

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Transcript here: https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/yarn-19-how-not-to-be-a-spy-part-ii-9f4d39f14c0a 

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Comments and feedback very welcome! 

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.
Twitter: @YarnStoryPod

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Written and narrated by John Roche With Liam Murphy as Goertz and the voices of Hazel Fahy, 
Dermot Tobin, Niall Ó Siadhail, 
Daithi Mac Suibhne, Mary Looby
, Alan Nuzum and Dermot Byrne Special thanks to Dermot Tobin, Lucy Nuzum and Ciaran Dunphy

[Two part Docu-drama] 

Episode 1 of 2 This is the true story of Hermann Goertz. The Nazi spy who landed in neutral Ireland during the Second World War, on a mission to meet the IRA and organise a German-led invasion of Northern Ireland. Goertz’s time in Ireland has become something of a legend. This story is based on his own written accounts and recently declassified British and Irish secret service files. The story is full of ridiculous plans, double crosses and colourful characters. Through Goertz’s eyes we learn about the attitudes of normal people towards the new Irish Free State, the uncomfortable truths people dealt with after a vicious civil war and how Dublin during the ‘Emergency’ became a centre of covert espionage. 

Continue to episode two here: https://anchor.fm/yarnstorypod/episodes/Yarn-19--How-Not-to-be-a-Spy---Episode-2-eg3jgb/a-a2j9gko

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Transcript here: https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/yarn-19-how-not-to-be-a-spy-a3b4fd48b17e 

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Comments and feedback very welcome! 

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com. 

Twitter: @YarnStoryPod

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Written and narrated by John Roche
With Liam Murphy as Goertz
and the voices of Hazel Fahy,

Dermot Tobin,
Niall Ó Siadhail, 

Daithi Mac Suibhne,
Mary Looby
,
Alan Nuzum
and Dermot Byrne. 

Special thanks to Dermot Tobin, Lucy Nuzum and Ciaran Dunphy

[Introduction] 

Whether we're spinning yarns or unraveling them, Yarn is what you could call- a storytelling playground. We’re in our 3rd year of bringing you original stories. In that time we’ve released over 20 episodes, we’ve been featured in the guardian, won a best podcast award, appeared on WPEZ radio in Chicago And been selected for the UK audio drama festival. Each of episodes is in a different style and genre . Documentaries… Short stories… Interviews… and dramas…. Our stories feature atmosheric sound design, great voice acting talent and original music scores. Dive in and see what you get.

[Documentary] 

My friend Dermot has a stammer. He’s had one as long as I’ve known him. Like most people I didn’t take much notice of it. After all, everyone stumbles over words sometimes don’t they? Whats the big deal? I certainly didn’t think about what was happening behind the stammer. The thoughts, the anxiety and all the tricks being employed under the surface of what most would consider a minor blip in someone's speech. In this documentary Dermot tells us about the secret war he waged every time he spoke. 

Produced and edited by John Roche 

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Comments and feedback very welcome! 

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

Twitter: @YarnStoryPod 

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[A behind the scenes documentary] 

Welcome to this Yarn Extra.
Our second special edition episode. I thought it might be nice to give you a look behind the scenes into what goes into composing and mixing the music that features on a lot of our episodes. I sat down with Yarn's composer - Drembot. Drembot’s music appears on several of our stories. 

In this episode he’ll take us through the work he's done for the following; Lefty - a story about an erratic left leg Brick Lane - an immersive walk down the famous London street Blak Bisnis - A true crime story about modern piracy And finally Chernobyl - a guided tour of the infamous exclusion zone So if you haven’t listened to any of those stories yet - I encourage you to scroll down in you podcast app and have a listen We’ll still be here when you get back. 

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Comments and feedback very welcome! 

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com. 

Twitter: @YarnStoryPod 

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Drembot on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5PjdfdGAzsxgAX3GFuMWR4?si=_l_Lf01eS2ep0dsyLkg_Zw 

Yarn's Thread Radio show: https://www.mixcloud.com/yarnpodcast/thread-radio-part-ii/

[A travel and history documentary] 

It’s October 2019 and we're visiting the Chernobyl exclusion zone in the Ukraine. We'll spend two days exploring the zone with a small group of tourists and a guide and we'll stay overnight inside the exclusion zone, in Chernobyl’s only functioning hotel. This year the exclusion zone has received a surge in visitors following the popular HBO TV drama series starring Jared Harris. That series took an in-depth look into what exactly happened the night of the disaster and the events in the immediate aftermath. 

In this podcast we will focus much more on the zone as it is today, its most intriguing sites and its recently declassified secret origin. So come with us as we explore what was once, the most dangerous place on earth. 

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Written and produced by John Roche. 

Music score and sound mixing by Drembot. 

Very special thanks to our tour guide* 

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Comments and feedback very welcome! 

*For information about the guide and tour company we used
contact us here: Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com. Twitter: @YarnStoryPod

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Also if you liked the music from this episode, our composer Drembot has a new album available now on 

Spotify: Adult Lessons by Drembot: https://open.spotify.com/album/2taNob1ckNSK1rVOYQMoGE?si=uDNAeyt8RwyaJj1oAphSow 

@iamdrembot 

Full transcript for this episode available here: https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/yarn-17-chernobyl-29f8616a8221

[Documentary] 

On patrol with a drug recognition expert. I went on a ride along with a police officer who's specialty is to determine if drivers are impaired by drugs. 

Thanks to The Ulster Town Police department. 

Website cover illustration by Stephen Morton.

[A true crime documentary] 

Modern piracy and the hijacking of the Petro Ranger. - You probably don’t think of pirates as wearing expensive suits and working in high rise office buildings. In the 90’s the biggest pirates of South East Asia were impossible to tell apart from high powered business people. It was hard to tell them apart because they could be both. This is the true story of one of the most sophisticated pirate syndicates in South East Asia and its mythic leader Mister Wong. 

The syndicate was run like a business. They had assets, employees, customers, lawyers and accountants but they operated outside the law and in secret with little regard for human life. Locals called their activity Blak Bisnis…

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Written by John Roche. 

Music score and mixing by Drembot. 

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Full transcript here: https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/yarn-15-blak-bisnis-682db21ef576 

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Bibliography: 

Books
The Brutal Seas: Organised Crime at Work. Stewart, Douglas. Piracy, Maritime Terrorism and Securing the Malacca Straits (Iias/Iseas Series on Maritime Issues and Piracy in Asia). Ong-Webb, Graham Gerard. Piracy in Southeast Asia (Cass Series: Naval Policy and History). Ted Biggs. Petro-pirates: The Hijacking of the Petro Ranger. Peter Corris with Ken Blyth. Pirates in Paradise: A Modern History of Southeast Asia’s Maritime Marauders. Stefan Eklöf. 

Articles
Dead men tell no tales www.economist.com Mr Wong: Pirate or law-abiding citizen www.andreasharsono.net The Most Dangerous Waters in the World time.com Pirates' Strategies and Countermeasures in the South China Sea www.theepochtimes.com 

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Comments and feedback very welcome! 

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

[A deep dive interview] 

"I treated it like it was my best friend but in fact it was my worst enemy". 

A sober alcoholic tells his son just what it was that made him drink the way he did. 

Produced by Dermot Tobin, John Roche and Pearse O'Caoimh. 

Music by Drembot. 

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Comments and feedback very welcome! 

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

[An historical audio drama]  

Based on a true story. Dublin, St. Patrick’s Day 1923. 

A bloody civil war has been raging in the city for almost two years. Brothers, sisters and friends have often found themselves on opposing sides. In an attempt to restore order the new state have started executing dissidences in high numbers. Opposing forces react by calling for a compulsory period of national morning. All public amusements are to be shut down. Anyone staging or attending a public event leave themselves open to terrorist attacks by the opposition. Sounds like the perfect time to stage a world championship boxing match in the city right? What could go wrong?  

Our story is told from the point of view of two characters you normally wouldn’t associate with civil war Ireland. 

The Battling Siki – The current light heavy-weight champion of the world. A Senegalese fighter, who’s faced racism and marginalisation his whole life. His last title fight in Paris was marred by a match fixing scandal. Ireland is the only country willing to stage his title defense. Siki isn’t afraid of anything but he has no interest in going to a war zone until one morning he wakes up hungover on a ship bound for Dublin.  

Lizzie has grown up in rural Ireland. Her family were heavily involved in the local struggle during the war of independence. Their home became the de facto area headquarters and safe house. She rejected the treaty after the war and found herself on the side opposing the newly formed Irish state during the civil war. She was rejected by her family and is now living in Dublin, where she carries out clandestine actions against state forces. She’s just been given her biggest task to date – to lay a bomb at the arena on the night of the fight.  

Written by John Roche  

Cover art design by Ricky Burgess  

Epilogue written by Dermot Tobin  

Voice actors: Laura Mary Byrne and Ibrahim Sorie Kabba  

Special thanks to Ciaran 'Drembot' Dunphy  

www.yarnpodcast.com  

Full transcript here: https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/yarn-13-the-bomber-and-the-boxer-51f41f6d2a43  -  

Comments and feedback very welcome!  

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

[A dramatic monologue]

Drinkin’, workin’, emigratin’ and boilin’ spuds in hot tar. The life of a chancer.

Performed by Lorcan Cranitch.

Spotify users can view a video version of this episode. It also contains a new soundtrack.

Full transcript here:
https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/yarn-12-chancin-me-arm-6b89c5154782

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Comments and feedback very welcome!  Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

[A dramatic monologue]  

Drinkin’, workin’, emigratin’ and boilin’ spuds in hot tar. The life of a chancer.  

Performed by Lorcan Cranitch.  

See a video version of this story here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN7OyCyXykE&feature=youtu.be  

Full transcript here:
https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/yarn-12-chancin-me-arm-6b89c5154782  

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Comments and feedback very welcome!  Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

[A behind the scenes documentary] 

A Yarn special - Live and with varying sound quality.
Our adventures at ITV Fest 2018 in Vermont, where we were nominated for the best podcast award. Come with us as we ramble around the festival.
Hear our interview with one of the festival judges and join us on the red carpet at the awards ceremony. Nah, it wasn't awkward at all... really. 

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Comments and feedback very welcome! 

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

[A beat poem] 

Walk with the narrator on a six minute stroll down one of London's most famous streets. You'll meet its inhabitants and visitors, all to a thumping music beat. 

Sound design: Drembot 

Illustration: Ricky Burgess 

Full transcript: https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/walk-with-the-narrator-on-a-six-minute-stroll-down-one-of-londons-most-famous-streets-c003a7a0b13b 

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Comments and feedback very welcome! 

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

[A mythic audio drama]  

The Irish legend of how the Giant’s Causeway 
came to be.

[An historical documentary]  

October 1962. A bold move on the Cold War chessboard makes America very nervous. Russia installs nuclear missiles in revolutionary Cuba and points them directly at the US. Life as we know it becomes increasingly precarious as communication between Moscow and Washington breaks down. Meanwhile, naval personnel on the Caribbean seas sense they have their finger on far more than a trigger. 

Yarn 09 is the story of the Cuban Missile Crisis. We explore the ideological and technological that created history's most dangerous moment and ask who the heroes really were?

[A true crime audio drama]  

"You met a murderer that night you know" 

A night out to the pub in rural Ireland leads to gossip and ends in murder.

[An emotional short story]  

A story about the effect divorce and shared custody has on children and parents.  

Full transcript here:
https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/yarn-07-every-second-saturday-54ad64d588bd

[A music and culture documentary] 

The melody of nations Respected and revered, the national anthem is a country's musical tribute to itself. But in a world so splintered, are songs invoking God, love of country and bloody slaughter the ones we need to be singing? Yarn 06 is melodic journey through some of the world's most famous national anthems. On the way, we get up close and personal with the triumphant tribalism at the heart of a nation's sense of self.

[An autobiographical short story] 

When you think one of 
your legs is possessed. I have cerebral palsy. It mainly affects my left leg. Lefty tries to disrupt my life whenever possible, especially in public or in sensitive situations. Eventually, enough is enough and my doctors come up with an unusual plan to pacify Lefty but he's not going to like it. 

Featured on the Third Coast International Audio Festival's podcast - Re:Sound 

Full transcript here: https://medium.com/@mrjohnroche_42475/yarn-05-lefty-281996a9b776 

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Comments and feedback very welcome! 

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

[An autobiographical and historical documentary] 

An accidental sounding of the Civil Defence Siren causes one concerned citizen to get a little too concerned. What results is a haphazard journey through childhood fears and the history of hysteria in a sleepy Irish town. Featuring medieval witchcraft, military history and Ireland's preparations for the end of all things.

[An autobiographical audio drama]  

Having access to a car when you’re a teenager has its upsides and its downsides.

[An autobiographical audio drama]  

When you think your housemate 
might be a fugitive. 

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 Comments and feedback very welcome!  

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.

[An autobiographical audio drama]  

Excuses from the world’s worst employee.  

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Full transcript:
https://mrjohnroche-42475.medium.com/yarn-01-the-absence-of-gary-683fa308b160

Comments and feedback very welcome!  

Email: yarnstorypodcast (at) gmail.com.