Loremen Podcast

Jenny Collier returns! After last year's Welsh Valentine's hilarity (pimp out of pimp across the board) we brought our favourite Welsh comedian back into the studio to give us the lowdown on an actual epic. We cover book two of The Mabinogion (Mabinogion 2: The Legend of Curly's Gold). The Mabinogion is a 12th Century text recounting ancient Welsh myths and legends. As you can imagine, it scores highly in Naming. Content Warnings: Two non-Welsh people doing their "best" Welsh accents, horse mutilation, references to Love Island.    @loremenpod www.instagram.com/loremenpod www.facebook.com/loremenpod @JamesShakeshaft | @MisterABK | @JenJenCollier Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alasdair brings an "account" of how to open your third eye. And it's squirm-inducing stuff! Meanwhile, James can't get over the fact that Tibetan lama sounds a lot like Tibetan llama. For a whole episode. There's also a man whose name is Tuesday Lobsang Rampa. Really what more could you want... A portentous owl? You got it. A  Yeti cameo? You got that too. A cat with a surname? You got that three. That's one per eye. We, like the ambassador who hosted that reception that time, are really spoiling you. Enjoy! @loremenpod www.instagram.com/loremenpod www.facebook.com/loremenpod @JamesShakeshaft | @MisterABK   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a spooky one! Get a toasty body warmer on because your spine is about to be chilled. You'll need a gilet at least. We'd love to hear your 'Cuthbert Shields' names! When you've listened to the episode, leave your new name as a comment on iTunes and we'll read out our favourites on the show. Did you ever make a time capsule? What on earth did you put in it? Tell us on Twitter and we will judge you accordingly! @loremenpod www.instagram.com/loremenpod www.facebook.com/loremenpod @JamesShakeshaft | @MisterABK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who starts flame wars wherever he goes? Who clearly has a problem with male midwives? Who won't let it lie? Even beyond the grave, with his own son, no less. Thicknesse. You're damn right. We delve deep into the peculiar life of Captain Thicknesse, 1719-1792, an English author, eccentric and piece of work. The Thicknesse first showed up in series 2 episode 10 The London Monster. @loremenpod www.instagram.com/loremenpod www.facebook.com/loremenpod @JamesShakeshaft | @MisterABK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A triptych of stories about an actual thing in a church this week. Be it the work of human, faerie or (as usual) the devil? Thanks to listener Simon Martin for suggesting these nuggets of Surrey lore. @loremenpod www.instagram.com/loremenpod www.facebook.com/loremenpod @JamesShakeshaft | @MisterABK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is very much a Strong Five. Alasdair takes us back to Victorian London where phoney doctors (faux-sicians) sold cures for all known ills... and plenty of unknown ones too. @loremenpod www.instagram.com/loremenpod www.facebook.com/loremenpod @JamesShakeshaft | @MisterABK   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ho, ho, etcetera! A very special festive edition of Loremen featuring exclusively Xmas-themed lore. What BEES do of a Christmas eve?How can YOU use a sheep to find your way home?ARE mummers plays definitely racist?All these questions and more* will be answered in this Christmas Loremen. *Only one more answer, actually. About why an old gag is actually quite funny. Actually. @loremenpod www.instagram.com/loremenpod www.facebook.com/loremenpod @JamesShakeshaft | @MisterABK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pierre Novellie, a comedian from the Isle of Man, joins to share the island's quirks and its most whimsical legend, Gef the Talking Mongoose. They delve into bizarre incidents involving Gef, questioning belief and media influence on folklore. The discussion also touches on the Isle's rich tapestry of superstitions, including playful anecdotes about household spirits. With a blend of humor and intrigue, Pierre paints a vivid picture of his home, making listeners laugh while exploring the oddities that define Manx culture.

In this final episode of series two we come bang up to date (to the 1970s) with a North Eastern tale of Celtic effigies. Then we narrowly avoid Royal slander to chat about the incomparably named "Mickleton Hooter". In a way, this episode ties a lot of threads together - Parcy Reed (S1 E1) gets a shout out, the Screetonizer (S2 E6) shows up again, there's a Dun Cow (S1 E6) and even the Mickleton Hooter lurks in the shadow of Meon Hill (S2 E7). We are terribly sorry there is no mention of Chekhov's Gun in this episode. It's like we referred to it early on in the series but then it never paid off. Sorry Chekhov. The Loremen shall return! @loremenpod www.instagram.com/loremenpod www.facebook.com/loremenpod @JamesShakeshaft | @MisterABK   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian Athena Kugblenu joins the Loremen with a fable about a Ghanaian trickster. Meanwhile, James takes Alasdair boggart-bowling in historic Lancashire.  Featured image: A garden spider, shown in the centre of its web. Chromolithograph, 1870. Credit: Wellcome Collection. (CC BY 4.0) @loremenpod www.instagram.com/loremenpod www.facebook.com/loremenpod @JamesShakeshaft | @MisterABK  | @athenakugblenu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices