NI Connections

29-year-old writer, entrepreneur and self-confessed podcast junkie, Matthew Thompson started ‘Best of Belfast’ back in 2017.

Ironically, Matthew couldn’t get out of Northern Ireland quick enough at the age of 18. To cut a long story short, he returned from New York with a newfound love and appreciation for home.

(Spoiler alert: this a common theme through many of the episodes!)

It's now become the #1 interview podcast in the country, and if you tune in for more than two minutes, you’ll see why.

 

The Best of Belfast podcast shows off Northern Ireland in her best light – challenging negative narratives and championing the diverse mix of characters from our wee corner of the world.

From national icons like Mary Peters and Foy Vance, to lesser-known local legends with equally remarkable stories.

Honestly, we can’t quite get over how many incredible people call Northern Ireland home.

The first man to fly around the world in a gyrocopter? Yep, that would be Norman Surplus from Larne.

Oscar-winning director known for movies such as ‘Hotel Rwanda’ and ‘In the Name Of The Father?’ That’s Terry George from Belfast.

91-year-old runner and record-breaking member of the Ormeau Park Parkrun? Ladies, and gentlemen, meet Grace Chambers from Killyleagh.

You get the idea. There’s currently 374 episodes (and counting) so that gives you an episode every single day for more than a year – amazing!

We love everything about the Best of Belfast podcast and are proud to have sponsored a number of episodes over the years. You can check out the full library here.
 

For the purpose of this blog, we’ve cherry-picked 7 episodes that are close to the heart of Northern Irish Connections… Amazing people who have grown up here, moved abroad, and eventually returned (or in Lucy’s case, are planning to return) back to Northern Ireland to start a family, a business, a new chapter.
 

Let’s get into it…

Hannah & Shane

This Co. Down pair met at art college, moved to London and adventured around France and Norway, before returning home and starting a humble bread delivery service.

Fast forward a few years and they’ve set up shop in Hillsborough, where people now travel from far and wide every weekend to get their hands on Hannah and Shane’s super-sized sourdoughs and picture-perfect pastries.

What we love even more than the foodie chat, is hearing how their relationship with Northern Ireland has drastically changed in recent years.

In Shane’s words “I said I would never come home. Now I’m like… ‘I’m never leaving Dromore!”

Listen here and make sure to add Roundhouse bakery to your itinerary for your next trip. We can confirm that it’s worth the hype, and their bigger-than-your-head croissants are world-class. 
 

Rory King

Find out how Downpatrick man Rory King turned his lifelong love for travel into a ‘little Facebook group,’ which has since gone on to become a thriving travel club with 100,000 customers.

Rory’s Travel Club is a membership-based service that offers exclusive travel discounts and deals, and he’s all about saving local people money. I mean, who doesn’t want a bit of that?

(At just a tenner a year, we couldn’t get signed up quick enough!)

It's no surprise that Rory is a well-travelled guy, and has his sights set on visiting every country in the world. But in between flights, cruises and meeting members, Rory now calls Belfast home. If you’re planning a trip home in the near future, listen out for Rory’s recommendations for your next staycation.

(And yes, you can get a cheeky 15% discount with Rory’s Travel Club!) Check out the episode here.

 

Alan Mohan

“People are just sound. Salt of the earth people.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Alan.

Listen to how and how an unlucky situation in Nepal (or was it lucky?) led Alan Mohan from Scotland back to Belfast to found Brewgooder.

And no, Brewgooder is not just another craft beer for hipsters.

Although it is pretty cool, and the fact that it was the fastest fastest-growing independent UK beer brand in 2023 speaks volumes. But it’s also a certified B Corp that has provided over 150 million litres of clean water to communities spanning 15 countries. And they have massive goals for the future.

Tune in and be inspired by Alan’s story here.

Cathy Craig

This is one of the older episodes, but boy is it a goodie.

Cathy Craig grew up on a sheep farm in the 80s and went on to have a wildly successful academic career.

Not only that, but she went on to become the founder and CEO of INCISIV: a sports technology company that helps players make more match winning decisions.

We loved hearing about Cathy’s travels, how she’s worked with some of the top athletes in the world and how VR can be used to make our lives better. What we loved even more is how she described the Northern Ireland she returned to compared to the Northern Ireland she left:

“…full of optimism, full of hope and full of opportunity. That for me was what was really attractive.”

If you grew up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and have since moved to another part of the world, this could be the episode for you. Listen here.

Peter Hannan

What were you doing at 11 years old?

Playing sports with your mates? Rocking a questionable haircut? Experiencing the first signs of preteen angst? (Same here.)

At the tender age of 11, Peter Hannan was selling beef and lamb from his family’s farm in Co. Kildare. And he hasn’t really stopped since! At the age of 19, Peter moved to America to learn from the masters in the meat business.

He came home in 1989 and founded Hannan Meats in Moira, Co. Down, which has grown to become Northern Ireland’s largest supplier of gourmet meat to top restaurants, hotels and retailers in the UK and Ireland. Click here to hear about his fascinating story and what he regards as the number one most important thing in business.

Lucy Briggs

Lucy chats travelling the world, developing a ‘portfolio career’ and the uniqueness of Northern Ireland.

In her words, “when you go to such vast countries, you realise how small and unique Northern Ireland is. By the sea in a couple of minutes, and 40 minutes from the Mournes.”

Lucy spent time working and studying in the USA, China and Belgium and has been a part of loads of interesting projects spanning across Government, Academia and Royalty. She’s currently based in London but plans to return to Northern Ireland in the next few years. For now, Lucy stays connected with home through her work (and through Friday trad nights in her local bar!)

Warning: This one will make you want to start scrapbooking your life. Tune in here.

Anna & Carl Isaksson

This lovely pair met on a ski slope in Sweden, where NI gal Anna fell for her Swedish instructor Carl. It’s like something straight out of a rom-com.

Being big sea swimmers while living in Sweden, Anna and Carl always went for a sauna after a swim. They decided to bring that idea to Northern Ireland. And so Hot Box Sea Sauna was born – a gorgeous mobile sauna on Benone Strand in Portrush. With a second Hotbox now open in Drumagosker, Limavady, we think it’s fair to say things are going swimmingly for them. (Pun intended). 

On moving home, Anna says “when we moved back, we realised everything we want is here.” Find out why here and if you’re planning a trip home, make sure to pack your swimmers and get yourself booked in for a hot slot.

When are you coming back home?

The best thing about podcasts is you can listen anytime, anywhere. Next time you’re doing the dishes, walking the dog or travelling to work, pop on an episode that tickles your fancy.

We guarantee you’ll laugh, learn and be inspired by these stories. And if you’re living abroad, you’ll enjoy hearing the familiar accents, too.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on these episodes, and (as always) want to hear from you if you’re part of the Northern Irish diaspora. Where are you? What are you up to? What do you miss most about home?

And, we do have one more question, but we don’t want to be too bold…

Ah sure, we’re not known for being ‘behind the door’ in Northern Ireland, are we?

When are you coming back home?

Northern Ireland is class. We know it. You know it. Hannah, Shane, Rory, Alan, Cathy, Peter, Lucy, Alan and Carl know it.

So, if you’ve been looking for a sign to move home, this is it!