#18: Tomaí Ó Conghaile - Rembering who we are - The Irish Language Revival, Irish Identity, Celtic spirituality and Shamanism, Ancestral Healing, and The Soul of Irish Culture

This week I had the absolute honour of sitting down with Tommy Ó Conghaile – Irish language writer, translator, cultural organiser and someone whose work feels especially important in Ireland right now.Together, we journeyed into the revival of the Irish language, the role of plant medicine, and the deep connection between culture, healing, and spirituality.Tommy grew up in South Armagh during the Troubles. For him, discovering Gaeilge wasn’t just about learning a language, it was about reconnecting to identity, ancestry, and belonging. Over the years he has explored how language itself can be a form of medicine – a way to heal intergenerational wounds and rekindle the light within us that colonial history tried to dim.We spoke about:✨ How shame around our language and culture has disconnected us from our power✨ The revival of Irish and why it’s about so much more than words✨ Plant medicine, psychedelics, and ancestral healing✨ The spiritual essence carried in Irish words and sounds✨ What it means to take space, reclaim sovereignty, and reconnect to land and spiritThis is a conversation about identity, soul, and remembering who we are. Whether you grew up speaking Gaeilge or only know cúpla focal, this episode will inspire you to reflect on the deeper roots of our culture, and the gifts that come with reconnecting to them.More about TomaíTomaí Ó Conghaile is an Irish language writer, translator and organiser from outside Newry in South Armagh. He is the founder of culture magazine NÓS, has presented on the BBC and TG4, campaigned for language rights in the North of Ireland and worked for the European Union in Brussels.For almost 10 years he has been exploring the therapeutic capacity of language revitalisation and how plant medicine and spiritual practices can assist in personal and collective healing. He is currently writing his first book, a travel and healing memoir, titled ‘Ar Thóir na Gréine’ (In Search of the Sun).nos.iex.com/tomairuainstagram.com/tomairuaMore aboutDarraghwww.innerwork.iewww.inwardbound.nlInstagram @darraghstew