In the last few weeks, Beat launched “My Beat Diary” which is an innovative radio training programme, part-funded by Comisiún na Meán.
The regional station has recruited ten participants from across the five counties of the Southeast to take part in this ‘fly on the wall’ type weekly short feature.
All ten people took part in two days of intensive training at the Broadcast Centre in Waterford city where they learned about idea generation, voice recording, audio editing and story production.
Using their newly learned skills, each participant has to record elements of their life across one week and then they have to edit the audio, summarising their life into a fifteen-minute feature.
This will be executively produced in house by Beat’s production team and will then be broadcast as part of The Sunday Grill each week for the next ten weeks.
Week 10 - Cyan's Life
This week's we have our final episode My Beat Diary, it features 20-year-old Cyan Doyle from Wexford. Cyan shares how her early interest in drama and acting grew into a career.
Cyan began attending drama school at the age of three and has carried it on throughout her life, she was in a drama school until she was 18 but it’s a massive part of her life that she has never been without it.
Cyan tells us “There’s something almost freeing being able to dress up in silly little costumes or in princess dresses and be able to go the stage and be a different person. It really helped with my confidence when I was growing up.”
Her mother recalls, "Cyan loved to sing and dance and was very confident from a young age, so it made sense to enroll her in drama school to explore acting and everything the field entails."
“Drama has also empowered Cyan; she is one of the few people I know who can stand out in a crowd and has no problem speaking or debating in front of hundreds or even thousands of people!”
Cyan also tells us about her college experience, she is currently in her final year of her first-degree studying English and Music as she hopes to become a secondary school teacher.
We asked Cyan what her experience of My Beat Diary was like:
"When I first got introduced to My Beat Diaries, I loved the concept of young people being able to share their experiences with the public!
I was handed an amazing opportunity to show people a glimpse into what is important to me. At first, I was overwhelmed at how I would phrase or structure everything, but as soon as I started talking it started to come together.
My Beat Diary made me reflect on how drama shaped me into the person I am today and showed me that nothing is unimportant if you are passionate about it."
The Final Episode of this series is available here.
Week 9 - Mindulee's Life
This week’s Beat Diary features 22-year-old Mindulee Seneviratne, Mindulee is originally from Sri Lanka, but her parents moved to Ireland for better opportunities for Mindulee and her younger brother.
Mindulee has successfully embraced her cultural heritage while adapting to life in Ireland. She has shown her parents that their decision to move was worthwhile by becoming the head girl at her school, attending college, receiving an offer to study medicine, and being crowned Miss Wexford.
Mindulee shares her journey, highlighting her achievement of becoming the first head girl at her school who was not of Irish nationality. She continued her success by achieving high scores in her Leaving Cert and completing a four-year degree in Biomedical Sciences at Maynooth University.
Mindulee will continue her studies, having recently received an offer to study medicine at the University of Limerick for the next few years.
Outside her academic pursuits, Mindulee was crowned Miss Wexford and went on to place in the top 9 in the Miss Ireland competition.
We asked Mindulee what her experience of My Beat Diary was like:
My experience of being part of My Beat Diary was filled with so many different emotions! At first, I really didn’t have a clue about what I would talk about and what made me different to everyone else that people would want to listen to.
I realised I had my own journey to reflect on from growing up trying to balance 2 cultures to being able to embrace Sri Lankan Culture into my Irish culture with all the achievements I have accomplished.
Doing the My Beat Diary allowed me and all my family I suppose to reflect on all our life journeys and hearing all these stories together is truly magical and I am delighted to have been able to experience this!
Episode Nine of this ten-part series is available to listen here.
Week 8 - Paraic's Life
This week’s Beat Diary features West Waterford's 25-year-old Paraic Fearon. Paraic shares his life story, as he highlights his experiences with racism, while navigating his dual cultural heritage.
Paraic was introduced to a world at a young age that many of us might not have understood until much later in life.
His mother, originally from Galway, relocated to Derby, while his father's family moved from Jamaica to London before eventually settling in Derby.
Paraic was born in the summer of 1999 and his culture has always been a big part of his life not only as an individual but to the world around him.
Paraic tells us that “I lived in the much whiter suburbs; I was badly bullied and there was a lot of racist language thrown out at me, I always felt like an outcast and an absolute reject. Worst still my mother was Irish so when my mother was called into the school despite being white, they didn't listen to her or respect her”.
Paraic returns to his mother’s homeland, continuing his education, finding the love of his life, and discussing the path that lies ahead for him.
We asked what Paraic’s experience of the ‘My Beat Diary’ was like for him:
I enjoyed being part of My Radio Diaries and putting this project together. I found it a great opportunity for myself as a young person to gain experience in radio productions.
I enjoyed meeting the other participants and hearing their stories. It was great to hear other people saying things that I had thought previously I was the only one experiencing. They were all lovely people and I’m glad I met them.
I also enjoyed taking full advantage of the opportunity to reflect about where I am at. Even now at the end of the project - I stand by the positivity of the piece. It was a lovely opportunity to share this moment of my life with others.
Episode Eight of this ten-part series is available to listen here.
Week 7 - Sophie and Shona's Life
This week's Beat Diary features the inspiring journey of two best friends Sophie Phelan from Waterford and Shona Nugent from Wicklow. The duo met during their work experience at Beat, their bond has only strengthened since then, despite living in different counties and facing various personal challenges.
Sophie tells us about her diagnosis of Tinnitus just over a year ago and how she faced many obstacles since she was first diagnosed. Her friendships, education and mental health were all affected by her diagnosis.
She tells us ‘I believe I became quite hard to be around, I know I started to push friends away, I was becoming annoying to be around, and I was constantly angry and agitated. I became angrier especially with myself that I had this ringing in my ear for no reason.’
Shona discusses the difficulties she encountered while preparing for the Leaving Certificate this year. ‘It’s hard to find that balance, between work, school, study and having a social life.
One of the main things is trying to maintain a social life, even just taking a break to eat you feel guilty for not studying during that time. There's that constant worry that you are never doing enough no matter what you do.’
Despite these challenges, Sophie and Shona's friendship has remained a source of strength and support for them both. Their story is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of having a solid support system during tough times.
We asked Sophie and Shona what their experience of the ‘My Beat Diary’ was like for them:
Sophie told us ‘I enjoyed working with beat and personally loved doing the radio diary, I really liked the concept of the project and felt it was a great way for young people to have a voice!’
Shona described ‘My experience has been lovely, everyone at beat we’ve met has been amazing, the opportunity to be on the radio and to talk about something we feel so passionate about is truly a wonderful experience.’
Episode Seven of this ten-part series is available to listen here.
Week 6 - Mia's Life
This week’s Beat Diary comes from Wexford's 17-year-old Mia Dunne.
Mia talks to us about her late diagnosis of Tourette's Syndrome. We see how she deals with daily tasks while also coping with Tourette’s.
She talks to her sister Abbie as they both share their feelings towards her ticks. Abbie discusses the dangers of Mia’s condition and how she has adapted to her new lifestyle.
Mia tells us that, ‘I used to be so excited to get my driver's license, specifically my motorcycle license, I love motorcycles. I also love the idea of having the freedom to drive and go where I wanted and not having to rely on anyone.'
‘Late last year I was told I couldn't get my bike or my car license as I pass out too many times a week. The only way I could get that opportunity back was if I didn't pass out a certain number of times, which seems impossible.’
Mia has learned to not take every opportunity that she already retains in her life for granted.
Mia shared her thoughts and experiences of ‘My Beat Diary’:
‘I found the best experience with the ‘My Beat Radio Diary’. I had the opportunity to meet wonderful people and got to spread awareness about Tourette Syndrome.’
Episode Six of this ten-part series is available to listen here.
Week 5 - Arthur's Life
This week’s Beat Diary comes from 21-year-old Arthur Pushkin.
Arthur talks to us about when he came out as gay to his Mum and how he came to terms with who he is.
Coming out as gay can be a deeply personal and transformative experience. Arthur's story, like many others, is a unique journey of self-discovery, acceptance, and courage.
He discusses how he felt when his Mum first found out about him being gay back in 2017 as he said, ‘my unplanned coming out, turned our lives upside down, proving that even the best made plans could be completely derailed.’
‘My mum was scared for me and the world that I would face, and we were both caught up in a storm of fear and confusion.’
It has been 7 years since Arthur came out and tells us it was a ‘big shock’ while also feeling that ‘it was the last time he ever stepped back into his home feeling like a child', as he felt he had nothing to hide from his Mum anymore.
Arthur tells us about his journey through the arguments he had with his mum, his own acceptance of himself and his past relationships as he believes he is still learning and adapting to the way he is as an individual today.
Arthur has shared his thoughts on his ‘My Beat Diary’ experience:
Participating in this radio diary for Beat 102-103 has been deeply meaningful to me. It’s an opportunity to share a very personal and transformative journey that my mum and I have experienced together.
Coming out is often portrayed in the media as a singular, dramatic moment, but for many of us, it’s a complex and ongoing process that involves not just the individual, but their entire family.
My mum's support and love have been instrumental in my journey towards self-acceptance, and I believe our story can resonate with and perhaps even help others who are going through similar experiences. It’s about shedding light on the reality of coming out, the growth that comes from difficult conversations, and the strength found in family bonds.
I’m proud to share our story and hope it inspires others to embrace their true selves and foster deeper connections with their loved ones, thanks Beat 102-103 for making this possible.
Episode Five of this ten-part series is available to listen here.
Week 4 - Aoibhinn's Life
This week’s Beat Diary comes from West Waterford's 18-year-old Aoibhinn Keith.
Aoibhinn lost her mum to cancer over 3 years ago at the age of 14. Looking back on a life she once had, she finds herself back at her childhood home.
She makes a reference to the song ‘A Chomaraigh Aoibhinn Ó,’ as it translates to the ‘Sweet Comeragh's’ which is the place in which she grew up.
We learn the difficulties she has faced since her mum died when talking to her brother Cian about their shared loss of their mum. They also share the love for the Irish Language as they regularly have conversations ‘As Gaeilge.’
Aoibhinn states how ‘my mum sent us to Irish speaking schools, and I am forever grateful for that.'
Throughout the diary we gain an insight into the life that Aoibhinn had to deal with since losing her mum as she talks to her dad and granny about the type of person her mum was.
Aoibhinn shares her experience of ‘My Beat Diary’:
'Being a part of My Beat Diary has been a brilliant and insightful experience. I got the privilege of meeting other young people with a story to tell.
This experience has taught me so much about radio media production, which I am grateful to have.
It was a privilege to be able to share my story with grief and I am grateful to Beat for facilitating stories like mine and the powerful stories of my peers.'
Episode Four of this ten-part series is available to listen here.
Week 3 - Jack's Life.
This week's Beat Diary comes from Wexford’s 25-year-old Jack Ryan. Jack is an aspiring musician who dreams of achieving success in the music industry.
Jack regularly plays gigs with his sister Jen while having the support from their dad.
Jack talks about his sacrifices as he says, ‘when you pursue anything in life to a tenacious extent and you want to be good at it, there will be sacrifices.’
‘As a full- time gigging musician I often sacrifice a lot of my weekends, I miss meeting up with my friends or maybe just a party and I can't go to it because I booked a gig. It’s not like there's a certain entrapment to the lifestyle, it's by choice.’
Jack shares his thoughts on participating in 'My Beat Diary':
I have found my radio diary to be a unique and eye-opening experience. A challenge I faced right off the bat was sitting down and trying to summarise my life, not an everyday task you find yourself doing often!
After I got into the swing of it, it became fun & intriguing to see where the project took me while describing my life as a musician.
I feel like a lot of us go around in life with lots of different pieces & feelings that we aren't quite aware of or pay attention to, so we keep ourselves going.
It's like we have all these balloons on a string, each one representing a different facet of our everyday life. So, to try and pull a few of these balloons down & place them in an order that made sense was a challenging, but hugely rewarding experience.
My diary allowed me to sit down and witness how far I've come, not just as a musician, but also as a person & I can't help but feel proud of myself & and what I've accomplished along the way.
Also want to give my thanks to Orla for giving me ideas on where my story could go and to Lily for helping me edit and curate my diary. Thanks for all the help!
Episode Three of this ten-part series is available to listen here.
Week 2 - Ava's Life
This week's Beat Diary features 16-year-old Ava Walsh from Waterford, who courageously shares her journey through the stages of grief after losing her father at a young age.
Ava is an inspirational young girl who chooses to look on the brighter side of things. She takes us through how she has managed the process of losing her dad over the last few years.
She reflects on her memories with her dad, while chatting to her friend Robyn who also lost a family member.
Ava poignantly describes her grief: as "When I'm not grieving, I'm just pretending it didn't happen. If I was to sit here and come to terms with it, I would be upset the whole time, so pretending is better for me, pretending it didn't happen and I just pretend he has gone on holidays."
She fondly remembers her father as she states, "My dad was like my best friend; I talk about him like a star, a vibrant yellow colour, he was a yellow person, he was just so beautiful."
Ava shares her thoughts on participating in 'My Beat Diary': "An experience that I really enjoyed. I’ve learned a lot and met a lot of people I relate to and who have gone through stuff I have gone through. I’m so happy that I had this opportunity."
Episode Two of this ten-part series is available to listen here.
Week 1 - Mark's Life
Mark is going into his second year at Ballyfermot College of Further Education for Radio Production and has been working in radio since he was 16.
Mark talks about his journey towards his goals in the media industry as he says, ‘I think for me at this stage it is more about the destination than the journey.
I feel like when you’re chasing a dream you are just in a state of euphoria, and you just take the bad and tell yourself it isn't bad enough to stop me.’
Mark attended boarding school for 6 years so is used to his structured life being divided into sections as he works in four different station's part time, while also travelling to college in Dublin during the week.
Mark claims that one of the greatest pieces of advice he got on work ethic was, ‘Whatever you want to be doing in five years to start now.’ Mark has consistently aimed to enhance his skills and progress towards his five-year goal, all while considering his work in the media industry.
Radio has always had a strong presence in Mark’s life, he listened to it before going to school, while doing homework and in many car rides but never considered it as a career path until much later in life.
Mark talks about his struggles as he said ‘I started YouTube at a really hard time in my life, and it was able to act as an outlet for my creativity. I had just got my mum back when I thought I lost her.’
Mark has described his ‘My Beat Diary’ as nothing short of an amazing experience for me. It's been great to look back on where I came from and where I am now.
Being in the station itself was an awesome experience, I got to meet the kind of professionals I admire and want to be in the future. It's not often you can tell your story, for that I'm grateful.
I hope it inspires other young beat listeners to follow their dreams and never let their age be a deterrent in media.
Episode One of this ten-part series is available to listen here.
This initiative has been co-funded by Comisiún na Meán.
