In this fascinating, mythic, and surprisingly tender episode, Susanna talks with Seamus McGoldrick — surfer, musician, and author — about ancient goddesses, the sacred feminine, and what it means to wake up stories that have been buried for thousands of years. Known in Irish surfing circles as "Shambles," Seamus is a three-time Irish National Bodyboarding Champion and the author of Waking Maeve, a book born from his lifelong fascination with the Neolithic monuments of his native Sligo and the legendary warrior queen said to be buried beneath them.
Susanna and Seamus trace the layered history of Queen Maeve, from ancient goddess of sovereignty to Iron Age warrior queen. Together they explore how her story echoes the very journey this podcast is built around: women claiming their voice, their agency, and their place as the main character of their own lives. Seamus reflects on the matriarchal threads woven through Celtic mythology, the shift that came with the Norman invasion, and why he believes reconnecting with these old stories could help restore a balance the modern world has lost. Equal parts history lesson and heart-to-heart, this conversation is a reminder that some of the oldest stories we have may hold exactly what we need right now.
Episode Highlights
00:49 – Introducing Seamus McGoldrick: surfer, musician, author, and three-time Irish National Bodyboarding Champion
05:00 – Seamus discusses where he grew up, the ancient monument atop Knocknarea, and the legend that Queen Maeve is buried beneath it.
07:09 – Seamus helps unpack who Queen Maeve really was — goddess, warrior queen, or both?
11:00 – Susanna and Seamus explore the triple goddess: the maiden, the warrior queen, and the Cailleach, and what they reveal about how ancient Celtic culture honored women.
30:20 – Why Seamus named his book Waking Maeve and what the "archetype of Queen Maeve" means for women today.
44:37 – Seamus shares his closing message and what he wants the audience to take away from his talk with Susanna: embrace mythology with two arms.
Get To Know Seamus McGoldrick
Seamus McGoldrick, known in Irish surfing circles as "Shambles," is a writer, musician, surf coach, and owner of Sligo Surf Experience. A three-time Irish National Bodyboarding Champion, Seamus once studied physics at Trinity College Dublin before falling in love with surfing and competing for Ireland on the world stage — eventually taking on Hawaii's legendary Pipeline after recovering from a near career-ending accident.
Raised in the village of Strandhill beneath Knocknarea, home to the ancient monument said to hold the grave of Queen Maeve, Seamus has spent years delving into the folklore and mythology of his native Sligo. That lifelong fascination became his book, Waking Maeve, now in its second printing, which explores the layered history of Queen Maeve alongside the ancient megaliths and passage tombs of Ireland's northwest.
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