Leon McCarron on Adventure, Iraq & The Garden of Eden

 

Meet Leon McCarron…

Leon McCarron is an award-winning writer, broadcaster, and explorer from Northern Ireland. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Geographical Society of Philadelphia's Explorer of the Year. He is known for his long-distance expeditions and immersive multimedia storytelling. In the past decade, he has traveled over 50,000 km by human power and is currently based in Iraq.

In today's episode, we talk about:

  • Growing up on the North Coast

  • How he ended up setting off on the adventure of a lifetime

  • Cycling across America in his early twenties

  • Why he moved to Iraq

  • The transition from "selfish adventures" to "purpose-driven adventures"

  • Stories from the rivers around where the Garden of Eden is thought to be

  • And the kindest thing someone has ever done for him

Check it out.

P.S. You can pick up a copy of Leon's latest book, Wounded Tigris: A River Journey Through the Cradle of Civilization here.

Today's episode is part of our collaboration with NI Connections where we catch up with someone incredible from Northern Ireland doing interesting things overseas on the last Monday of every month.

To discover more amazing diaspora stories, check out their website niconnections.com where you can also sign up for their free, monthly newsletter.

How To Listen

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Thanks again to Leon McCarron for taking the time to share his story with us.

See you next time.

— Matt

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Matthew Thompson