Previously on Ones to Watch: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 2008, 2007.
Noah Halpin
Dena Walker
James Whatley
Sinéad Gleeson
Gavan Reilly
Eileen Ni Fhloinn
Brian Greene
Kathy D’Arcy
2018 was one hell of a year. The first half saw the country vote in a landslide for repeal. Will McInnes told me the story of being in an airport for work travel and these waves of young Irish people in Repeal sweatshirts coming from everywhere to board planes to Ireland to change the future of our country. And then in the second half of the year a large chunk of pissed off people voted for a racist who was given a platform by a media that wanted a Trump moment. All in all though 2018 let Irish women know they didn’t need to take it any more, they could change the world despite the patriarchy telling them how to campaign, how to behave, how to dress and they routed around system that really didn’t want any change if the gatekeepers weren’t paid. So it’ll be interesting to see what the below people do. No pressure.
So we begin…
Noah Halpin
Noah started popping up again and again in 2018 for me. That rule of three thing works for me, people mentioning someone or something three times and you start paying attention. I had seen Noah in my twitter timeline and then saw him pop up on Masc.Life. What he is doing via the This Is Me campaign for Transgender Health rights is really important. We’re good with words of support from the Government but from my slight interactions with the Irish health system it is not equipped for LGBT+ people at all outside of groups with specific remits.In the near future (if not already) a man is going to present to a hospital as being pregnant and I fear the hospital will have no idea what to do.
Dena Walker
She’s been on the list before but she’s reloaded and stuck on war paint now for the more interesting and violent sequel. Commadena. You know the idea of surrounding yourself with people smarter and better than you? This is Dena. And she does it in such a subtle humble way. I was watching the Long Kiss Goodnight while making this list. Dena is Charlie. We’ll be at a great loss when she moves on from this small town country.
James Whatley
I actually assumed I had added James to a previous ones to watch. I should have but now I have. Join his mailing list. James finished up his gig in a great job and now that he is looking after himself his big battery is going to be full recharged and off he’ll go. Big battery energy. James has matured so much over the short time I know him ajd is a person that makes you happy by just occupying the same space you’re in. Er, James isn’t dead and this isn’t his eulogy. If VCs invested in the futures of someone (and in a way that’s what they do) I’d become a VC and the people on this would be my bets.
Sinéad Gleeson
The way I do these lists is I watch to see patterns and how momentum starts to build around people. Well Sinéad has been bubbling away for years and that kettle is now starting to whistle. Some people get fame and success from natural ability and luck. Others work so very very hard, help so many others and push those up the ladder first. That’s Sinéad. She has now been given or created the space to show off her own talents. And while many books have been put together by Sinéad, her own big boss book is out in April. The dozens or maybe hundreds that she has given airtime and column inches to are going to throw you one hell of a ball for 2019.
Gavan Reilly
Maybe Gav should have been on the 2018 ones to watch list as 2018 has been pretty awesome for him,always on the TV and doing some radio slots too. A lot happened in Ireland in 2018 and Gavan was there to cover it. We probably need to start a GoFundMe for time off for him. But with such momentum and hard work, 2019 should be very interesting for him. We’ll see him chat to Ryan on a Friday night I guess? And he ended 2018 by going viral with his piano moves.
Eileen Ni Fhloinn
Irish Travellers were used by Peter Casey and the media to stir up controversy in a presidential campaign that obviously upset them for being so boring. Eileen went to bat tearing down their bullshit. If it was any other minority group in Ireland that racist bullshit would not have been allowed to be promoted. The travellers were left damaged while Casey got a gig on Newstalk. We need Eileen’s voice and those of her community to be heard and respected. We’re making great strides making our country better socially and yet we’re not fixing some of the longer term issues. I hope Eileen gets more airtime than failed presidential candidates.
Brian Greene
Radio.ie, Pirate.ie and the recent Pirate Radio archive. And all that academic stuff now too. Brian has been a sound man and my sound man for years and years and years.
Kathy D’Arcy
Kathy was on the list last year so let me be all smug. Well Repeal has influenced everything in 2018 and will influence everything for the near future. So many that worked in repeal deserve a break but someone of Kathy’s character will not just disappear. Hard work, integrity, creativity. That always gets noticed.
In fairness, these are obvious ones this time around.