2020 is a year many people would rather forget, but for some, it's been an opportunity to start new projects including Martin Beanz Ward.
The first episode of the Haz Beanz Show launched on Spotify this week. It's the first podcast led by a member of the Traveller Community.
It covers a range of topics from current affairs, society, politics, entertainment, sports news and humanist stories.
The show is recorded in the back of Ward's campervan. Built by his Dad two years ago, he travels to meet his interviewees (restrictions permitting) with sound technician Chris Sture.
The whole point of it, according to Ward, is to invite settled people into a Traveller camper van and everyone who is interviewed will get a cup of tea (or a wine).
"There'll be a stove pottering away in the background; conversation is what it's all about," said Ward.
There's no doubt the comedian is a conversationalist but he feels the Travelling Community is underrepresented on mainstream media.
He views podcasting as the most accessible media for the most marginalised groups.
"We don't have travellers in the media or reporting or doing any kind of 'broadcast-ey' stuff. Conversation works better challenging big issues."
Ward said he wants to interview celebrities, sportspeople, politicians. "I'd actually love to do a podcast with politicians leading up to elections. We don't get a chance to talk to politicans and ask them questions".
He includes Peter Casey in that. Casey's 2018 campaign was dominated by his views on Travellers after he claimed that the State's recognition of the Travelling community as an ethnic minority was "a load of nonsense".
"I'd love to get Peter Casey on. I'd like to invite people who wouldn't normally sit down with a Traveller for a cup of tea in a caravan".
Racism is getting worse according to Ward and he believes it's his role to create balance because "things are being said by politicians and high profile people".
He believes racism towards the Traveller Community is seen as acceptable whereas "with black lives matters there are thousands on the streets".
On the Haz Beanz Podcast Ward will hear from experts in their fields to explore the Irish psyche and as a gay man, he said he will also speak about LGBT issues in the Traveller Community.
Other topics will include animal welfare, homophobia, violence and crime, which he said is "stuff that doesn't get spoken about unless it's in a reactionary way in mainstream media".
Ward said he has the capability of questioning the status quo from within.
His first podcast features a conversation with fellow Galway comedian Stevo Timothy.
"We talked about religion, disability, mental health, suicide, the state of affairs in Irish comedy, adversity in the disabled and traveller communities."
On the next episode, the Irish Fashion, Beauty and Art professional Tara Sillery who lived in the Middle East will talk about life there.
Ward is keen to discuss issues in the Middle East with someone who lived there and dig into pressures she experienced as an Irish woman living in a Muslim Country.
Ward acknowledged with a laugh that a pandemic isn't the best time to set up a travelling podcast but he said it's worth it to reclaim a space in the media which so far hasn't been forthcoming.
