Hardware Matters

Hardware Matters

Hardware Matters - New insights and trends in a changing marketplace.

Episodes

July 27, 2025 12 mins

In this summer special we take a look back at some of the highlights from the first ever series of Hardware Matters. H is for homes; A is for Amazon; R is for Retrofit… Enjoy!

PRESENTER/RESEARCHER: Roisin Murphy PRODUCER: Fergus Sweeney EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Paul Allen

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This is the first of our summer specials in which we take a look back over the highlights of the series so far. In this bonus podcast we’re reflecting on this year’s Hardware Conference. It’s held every 2 years and this year’s event took place in Killenard in Co Laois in April. We had a short report on the conference in episode 1, but in this longer report as well as hearing from economist Jim Power and...

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June 29, 2025 38 mins

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is the main driving force behind retrofit in Ireland. Roisin talks to Dr Ciaran Byrne who’s Director of National Retrofit with SEAI. Ciaran talks about the penalties Ireland may face for not reaching national targets, the difficulty in finding contractors to do the work, and some of the schemes that are available for homeowners – for instance the pilot ...

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June 15, 2025 42 mins

Former RTE reporter Fergal Keane has renovated an old stone farmhouse near Baltimore in West Cork. The building was vacant for two decades, the roof was falling in, the wood needed to be replaced and all the floors had to be dug out. Fergal tells Roisin about the particular issues he faced in undertaking such work and the huge sense of achievement in completing the job.

Tomm...

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June 1, 2025 39 mins

Horticulturalist and gardening guru, Paraic Horkan tells us how he and his family built a thriving business that started in Castlebar and is now countrywide. First opened in the 1930s the business has now grown to include 3 garden centres and 14 pet stores. We hear how the business went against customer advice and moved from a town centre location to a larger site outside Castlebar. Paraic talks about t...

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May 18, 2025 43 mins

Barry McCarron, the Managing Director of Kore Retrofit, tells us how to make our homes more energy efficient. Barry has five key principles when it comes to a quality retrofit. Floor, walls and roof need to be insulated to a high level. Secondly, where the floors, walls and roof join needs attention. The third principle involves windows. Air tightness is principle number four and finally he stresses the...

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May 4, 2025 27 mins

Ana Dolan and Anne Connolly are planning to set up the first Cohousing community in Ireland. It’s an idea which became popular in the 1970s in Denmark and then spread to other countries, including the USA. It involves buying into community living – where maybe you share dining facilities with neighbours, but otherwise you own your own apartment and live independently. Ana told us about her plans for a c...

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April 22, 2025 32 mins

Welcome to the Hardware Matters Podcast, brought to you by Hardware Association Ireland, the representative body for Irish hardware and DIY retailers, builders’ merchants, distributers, and manufacturers.  

In today’s episode, our host Roisin Murphy explores some intriguing insights and trends in a changing marketplace. Roisin will be speaking with Martin Markey, Chief Executive of Hardware Association Ireland, as he unveils the fi...

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