In this episode of Ramble On, Joe has somehow convinced himself he is a maritime historian. 

This week our intrepid host attempts to connect the dots between modern Inishowen road signs and the origins of Amazing Grace. The Iconic Hymn. What follows is Joe’s slightly unhinged, deep dive into the chaotic life of John Newton featuring 18th-century teenage melodrama, disastrous career choices, near-fatal North Atlantic storms, and Newton's eventual pivot from slave ship captain to abolitionist. 

Listen to Joe Ramble On through two centuries of history, miraculously managing not to lose the plot entirely, and explains why a shipwreck off the coast of Buncrana gave us one of the world's most famous hymns. Explicit.

In this episode of Ramble On, Joe has somehow convinced himself he is a maritime historian.&nbsp;This week our intrepid host attempts to connect the dots between modern Inishowen road signs and the origins of Amazing Grace. The Iconic Hymn. What follows is Joe’s slightly unhinged, deep dive into the chaotic life of John Newton featuring 18th-century teenage melodrama, disastrous career choices, near-fatal North Atlantic storms, and Newton's eventual pivot from slave ship captain to abolitionist.&nbsp;Listen to Joe Ramble On through two centuries of history, miraculously managing not to lose the plot entirely, and explains why a shipwreck off the coast of Buncrana gave us one of the world's most famous hymns. Explicit.

This is Ramble, a podcast where Joe McGucken immerses himself in the crazy world of  each guest, capturing on-location interviews with people from the fringes of society, people from weird subcultures, hobbyists, sports people, celebrities and anyone in between.  Joe is only interested in hearing a good story. The problem is, Joe is highly unqualified. With  zero journalistic credentials and a naive optimism, Joe is perpetually out of his depth. But  there’s a charm to it all. Driven by a genuine, relentless curiosity, he fumbles his way through  these raw encounters and reflects on the madness back in the studio, relying entirely on his  own pure inquisitive, nature and the extreme patience of his guests.

This is Ramble, a podcast where Joe McGucken immerses himself in the crazy world of each guest, capturing on-location interviews with people from the fringes of society, people from weird subcultures, hobbyists, sports people, celebrities and anyone in between. Joe is only interested in hearing a good story. The problem is, Joe is highly unqualified. With zero journalistic credentials and a naive optimism, Joe is perpetually out of his depth. But there’s a charm to it all. Driven by a genuine, relentless curiosity, he fumbles his way through these raw encounters and reflects on the madness back in the studio, relying entirely on his own pure inquisitive, nature and the extreme patience of his guests.

Ramble with Joe McGucken

Ramble On: Amazing Grace Country

This week, Joe takes a Ramble into the grueling world of ultra-running. Joe somehow wrangles an interview with an actual superhuman, Seán Clifford, who is in the middle of a punishing 25-day Challenge to run every single street in Dublin. All 4,402 of them, while sleeping rough to raise awareness and funds for homeless charities.



Joe ventures out into torrential rain to meet Seán and his endlessly patient crew partner, Alicja to speak about the logistics, mentality and realities of undertaking such a challenge.   If you’re expecting Joe to bring back a triumphant, uplifting tale of the human spirit… You might be disappointed. Instead, Joe mostly marvels at Seán's misery, complains about the weather, and questions whether tearing your body apart for charity is actually worth it.



It’s a sobering look at extreme endurance expeditions, all filtered through the lens of a man who fundamentally believes running is just a bit too boring to bother with. Explicit.

This week, Joe takes a Ramble into the grueling world of ultra-running. Joe somehow wrangles an interview with an actual superhuman, Seán Clifford, who is in the middle of a punishing 25-day Challenge to run every single street in Dublin. All 4,402 of them, while sleeping rough to raise awareness and funds for homeless charities. Joe ventures out into torrential rain to meet Seán and his endlessly patient crew partner, Alicja to speak about the logistics, mentality and realities of undertaking such a challenge. If you’re expecting Joe to bring back a triumphant, uplifting tale of the human spirit… You might be disappointed. Instead, Joe mostly marvels at Seán's misery, complains about the weather, and questions whether tearing your body apart for charity is actually worth it. It’s a sobering look at extreme endurance expeditions, all filtered through the lens of a man who fundamentally believes running is just a bit too boring to bother with. Explicit.

Ramble with An Ultra Marathon Man

In this week's bonus episode, Joe tries to record while a Bon Jovi concert shakes the walls of his studio. After some predictable grumbling about stadium rock and The Weeknd's spelling choices, Joe quickly sets his sights on Electric Picnic. He takes immense comfort in missing the mud this year, thoroughly roasting anyone who willingly subjects themselves to that biblical festival weather as if it were a survivalist cult.



Of course, Joe's own weekend wasn't much better. To celebrate his birthday, he managed to endure a dinner on a canal barge that barely left the dock. This triggers a traumatic memory of his 30th birthday in Croatia, where he somehow turned a romantic, Michelin-starred island dinner into a harrowing, near-death emergency. Tune in to hear someone entirely unqualified for both luxury and basic social outings try to make sense of it all. Explicit. 

In this week's bonus episode, Joe tries to record while a Bon Jovi concert shakes the walls of his studio. After some predictable grumbling about stadium rock and The Weeknd's spelling choices, Joe quickly sets his sights on Electric Picnic. He takes immense comfort in missing the mud this year, thoroughly roasting anyone who willingly subjects themselves to that biblical festival weather as if it were a survivalist cult. Of course, Joe's own weekend wasn't much better. To celebrate his birthday, he managed to endure a dinner on a canal barge that barely left the dock. This triggers a traumatic memory of his 30th birthday in Croatia, where he somehow turned a romantic, Michelin-starred island dinner into a harrowing, near-death emergency. Tune in to hear someone entirely unqualified for both luxury and basic social outings try to make sense of it all. Explicit.&nbsp;

Ramble On: Birthday Disasters

On this week’s Ramble, Joe wanders into Dublin's Museum of Curiosities to speak with the curator Paul about his collection of… weird things. 

Joe reflects on his own failed collections, like the fact that he threw away his million dollar Pokémon cards, and comes face-to-face with a literal room of nightmare fuel. Think mummified cats, a two-headed cow, and a 19th-century witch's conjuring box. Naturally, he gets easily spooked by a supposedly haunted clown shaped sleeping bag named Buttons, and ultimately runs away from a creaking cupboard. Explicit.

On this week’s Ramble, Joe wanders into Dublin's Museum of Curiosities to speak with the curator Paul about his collection of… weird things. Joe reflects on his own failed collections, like the fact that he threw away his million dollar Pokémon cards, and comes face-to-face with a literal room of nightmare fuel. Think mummified cats, a two-headed cow, and a 19th-century witch's conjuring box. Naturally, he gets easily spooked by a supposedly haunted clown shaped sleeping bag named Buttons, and ultimately runs away from a creaking cupboard. Explicit.

Ramble On: Amazing Grace Country

Ramble with Joe McGucken

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips