Music

Body & Soul 2020: Irish Times Woodlands Stage takeover returns

Catherine Cleary, Kathy Sheridan and Hugh Linehan to host talks and podcast specials

Leo Varadkar at Body&Soul, speaking at the Irish Times Stage as part of the The Women’s Podcast. Photograph: Allen Kiely Photography

Thu Mar 12 2020 - 10:01

The Irish Times is to take over the Woodlands Stage at Body & Soul again for the 2020 festival, which takes place between June 19th and 21st at Ballinlough Castle, in Co Westmeath.

The stage’s programme will be closely tied to this year’s festival theme, purpose, with a series of talks on the Saturday of the event.

That day starts with Catherine Cleary, the Irish Times restaurant critic, and climate activist, leading a panel, Food for Good: A Conversation about How Great Food Can Benefit Everyone. Her guests will include the My Goodness Cafe owner Virginia O’Gara and the An Ghrian Glas food producer and farmer Kate Egan.

Panelists for the programme’s various talks include, from left to right: An Ghrian Glas food producer Kate Egan; human rights lawyer Simone George; academic Maeve O’Rourke; Irish Times religious affairs correspondent Patsy McGarry and comedian Julie Jay.

The Women’s Podcast will talk about how to create a more inclusive feminist movement alongside the best in new Irish music. Its presenter, the Irish Times journalist Kathy Sheridan, will host a panel of the author Naoise Dolan, the human-rights lawyer Simone George, the hip-hop artist Denise Chaila and the comedian Julie Jay.

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Later in the afternoon, the Inside Politics podcast will take the stage to discuss whether it is time to separate church and state. The Iona Institute director David Quinn, Irish Times religious-affairs correspondent Patsy McGarry, researcher and academic Maeve O’Rourke and Fine Gael TD Josepha Madigan will debate the merits of the church’s relationship with the State and if it is time for both parties to cut ties. It will be hosted by Hugh Linehan of The Irish Times.

That evening he will also welcome special guests to The Conversation with Hugh Linehan, before handing over to the spoken-word artist and rapper Denise Chaila, who will close the day.

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