Show Notes
In this first episode of The Tolka Podcast, hosts Madeline Arkins and Liam Harrison speak with Niamh Campbell about her piece Birth Story (published in Issue Seven of Tolka) and How They Met Themselves (from Issue Two).
We discuss shame, Beckett, a literary brat summer, and being poor in time but rich in sandwiches.
CW: This episode touches on themes of pregnancy and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised.
Music by Lemzly Dale
More from The Tolka Podcast
In this episode, we chat with Sara Baume about her piece "On Handkerchiefs" (Tolka, Issue Eleven), as well as her book, Opening Night (2026). We discuss friendships, grandmothers, and crafting as an anti-capitalist act.
In this episode, Wendy Erskine joins us to talk about her essay, 'Clobber' (published in Tolka Issue Ten). Wendy, a fashion icon, discusses the relationship between clothes, creativity and how stories get made, as well as her novel, The Benefactors (2025). Music by Lemzly Dale.
In this episode, we sit down with John Patrick McHugh, who reads an excerpt from his piece "Voice, voice, voice" (Tolka, Issue Ten).
In this episode, we chat with Caelainn Hogan to read her piece "House Share" (published in Tolka, Issue Nine).
In this episode, we sit down with Kimberly Campanello to read her piece Tachyphylaxis (published in Tolka, Issue Seven). We discuss bodybuilding, the influence of music and poetry on form, and the discipline and precision involved in being deliberately imprecise.