I’ll admit, this episode was a lot of laughs, but we didn’t stay on the topic of tattoos very well.

Today we have a chat with Bryan Chisholm aka BAM, a well known and widely recognised artist who’s art can be found on murals and in pubs all around Galway city.

BAM is originally from St. James Jamaica, and tells us about his early years growing up there. He tells us about growing up with keloid skin, and what that meant for his ability for self-expression, and he tells us about his polarised perspectives on snakes.

He gives us a bit of history about the cross overs between Jamaican and Irish culture. Mind-blowing if you ask me…

When we eventually get back to the subject of tattoos, we speculate on the first tattoos people would have gotten. We discuss scarifications, and how we would have done these things as kids.

We discuss all manner of strange concepts, like what earth is, what it is to be human, and how to interact with other humans.

I’ll be honest, we don’t do a great job in this episode of staying on topic. Tattoos take a back seat to other philosophical ramblings about trust, faith, and Jamaican culture.

We discuss the pros and cons of bartering for tattoos, and the different forms of trust. We talk about what constitutes a dirty fight, the importance of communication and why you should avoid fights at all costs, especially if you’re pretty.

For anyone looking to find BAM’s art or online services, go to:

Website: oddjobsgalway.com

Instagram: @bamartiste

Today we have Steven Kane on the show.

We start by talking about his early life being a Jack of all Trades, and his many inspirations that showed him that was the path for him.

He speaks about being a holiday rep, and how he was introduced to other cultures and their expressions of tattoos, as where he came from, only criminals and low life had tattoos.

Giada shares the philosophy behind her very first tattoo, which relates to Steven’s story about his friend having kids young and the freedoms lost when one decides to take such a path.

We take a tangent about dandelions and what an incredible plant it is, and the benefits of natural medicines.

We reminisce about the Salthouse, a beloved pub in Galway where Steven worked. Giada shares about her Jellyfish tattoo that is loosely tied to the Salthouse.

Steven finally starts talking about his tattoos. He starts with one that is similar to Giada’s first tattoo. He believes in the power of curiosity, open mindedness and asking questions, so he has a number of question marks.

He compares life and society to a cage, the bills and commitments that chain you down in life. His cage tattoo is about recognising your cage, building your cage, accepting your cage and choosing your cage.

Steven shares about one of his sillier tattoos he got on a whim. He goes on to explain his love of Urdu and Arabic script and the tattoos he has in that style. The privacy and beauty of it.

We divert into a few random tangents, all funny and interesting topics.

Who is Steven Kane?

Steven Kane is a dreamer at heart, he believes the adventures we have, the people we love, the dreams we chase, the laughter we generate, the lives we touch and the people we inspire is the true meaning of one’s life.

Steven’s own tattooed journey is symbolic of this, to permanently mark oneself with not only artistic expression, the visual beauty but meaning and best of all invoke questions. Steven feels that tattoos should at the very

least strike up good conversation but at their best make people question not only the tattoos meaning but how the tattoos engages with them.

Steven has never felt settled in any one job or position in his working career, the pursuit of contentment within the work place has always eluded him, from “delivery driver/ taxi driver/ night club security/ holiday rep/ bar

manager/ brewery & distillery manager/ brand ambassador/ barber and a few more to come. He once thought this to be a bad thing as a younger man but in his later years has seen it as a strength rather than a weakness. Forever moving, always evolving and finding depths to skill sets he never knew he possessed has kept him young of heart and mind and always hunger to learn more, to one day find away to bring all his skills together is

the ultimate goal. The pursuit of financial wealth is no longer the over all driving factor in his life. Steven now has a strong passion for self sustainability to one day have small holdings where health, growing food and personal development become his wealth. “Dreams never die”

Today we have our first guest! Joy Cassidy O’Keeffe is a bit of a celebrity around Galway. She is a Jazz singer, busker, and has a past life in interior decorating.

We begin our conversation with Joy’s inspiration of the alternative folk she met in her early travels, her journey into becoming “alternative” and how she wound up with a bald head.

We discuss walking the line between creative expression and being a professional, which leads us into tattoos.

Joy talks about the worst pain for a woman, how she commemorated it with her first tattoo and how knowing that pain gave her the courage to step into the world of busking.

I’ve known Joy a long time, and conversations like these can really remind you how there’s still so much you don’t know, even about your closest friends.

We lament together about the pain of calf tattoos. Spud shares his calf tattoo experience and its various meanings.

Joy talks about how her tattoos, while very meaningful to her, they are also very obvious. There’s not a lot of hidden meanings in her tattoos.

We take the opportunity to give a PSA about tattoo etiquette. The fundamentals of it are, DO NOT TOUCH people without their consent.

Joy shares about one of her best friends, Cat, who was in a coma for months, and how staying at Cat’s hospital beside for months ultimately brought her back to Galway after leaving for Waterford in 2020.

We discuss our chosen family bonds and Joy talks about resilience and her tipping point with her mental health and how she “bounces back” from negative circumstances and is able to reinvent herself through accountability and the radical ownership of her sh!t.

We discuss discernment, what it means to be a good friend, and what it means to have thick skin and be yourself unapologetically.