Honouring Seán Rocks | Sustainability, Strategy & Summer Connection
Seán Rocks Image: RTÉ
🕊 Remembering Seán Rocks
This week, I want to pay tribute to the late Seán Rocks — a voice many of us welcomed into our homes for years. His work on Arena was never just arts coverage. It was a consistent, intelligent, and generous celebration of Irish creativity.
As an interviewer, Seán had that rare combination of gentleness and precision. He gave his guests space, but he also guided conversations with quiet authority. He championed artists at every stage of their careers, treating the arts with both seriousness and warmth.
He will be sorely missed. My thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this time. I’ll miss his voice on my evening drives.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis
📍Reflections from Paris: Digital Sustainability & What It Means for Us
I’ve just returned from a week-long Erasmus course in Paris exploring the role of digital sustainability in education and communication. While much of the discussion focused on artificial intelligence tools, the real value for me came in reflecting on their environmental impact.
Digital tech, for all its potential, now contributes more to carbon emissions than the aviation industry. That’s a staggering stat—and one we can’t afford to ignore. But there’s hope, too. These same tools can be harnessed for more sustainable systems if we use them with intention and awareness.
I’m returning home with fresh insights, renewed clarity, and a sense of responsibility as I prepare for the second half of the year — in business, in broadcast, and in service of meaningful communications.
📣 Media Tip of the Week: Why Every Business Leader Needs a Media List
If you do one thing this summer for your visibility, let it be this: build your own targeted media list.
Too often, I see business owners rely on databases or scramble last-minute when an opportunity arises. A simple, well-researched list of 5–10 journalists or producers covering your space is gold.
It might include:
✔ A journalist who covers sustainability in your sector
✔ A local radio presenter with a regular business slot
✔ An editor at a relevant industry magazine
Take time to read their work, understand their interests, and build genuine relationships. Then, when the right story arises, your pitch will land with relevance and respect.
I’ve even created a free media contact list template to get you started.
PSA Ireland – August Online Event: Engage
August’s PSA event is going virtual — and it’s all about how we show up in online and hybrid spaces.
PSA Ireland: Engage – Keep the Connection Alive
📅 Saturday, August 17th | Online | 10:00 AM
We’ll explore how to:
✨ Hold attention in digital spaces
✨ Encourage meaningful participation
✨ Deepen relationships through interactive storytelling
Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or someone building confidence on camera, this one is for you. It’s relaxed, insightful, and a great way to stay connected over the summer.
🌱 Let’s Go Green | 28/07/25 – Innovation Beneath Our Feet (and on Our Shoulders)
This week’s Let’s Go Green is rooted in the Midlands — from deep under the earth to sustainable fashion runways.
I’m joined by:
🛠 Rory Dunphy, Geothermal Energy Association of Ireland – talking about a promising new study on the potential of geothermal energy in Tullamore.
🧶 Lynne Gallagher, Irish Heritage Knitwear Collective – sharing how alpaca wool, responsible farming, and heritage production could help transform the Midlands into a hub of sustainable fashion.
Let’s Go Green will continue throughout August with guest presenters while I take a short break. I’ll be back at the helm in September. Tune in live on Midlands 103, Monday at 7pm, or catch up with all episodes of the podcast on your preferred platform.
(Left-Right): Rory Dunphy of Geothermal Energy Association of Ireland and Lynne Gallagher of the Irish Heritage Knitwear Collective.
💬 Just One More Thing…
I’m pressing pause for August — there’ll be no new episodes of Cut Through The Noise or newsletters this month, as I take some time offline. While I’m away, Let’s Go Green will continue each week with guest presenters, and I’ll be back at the helm in September.
Thank you for being part of this space. I look forward to reconnecting next month with fresh reflections, practical tools, and ways to stay meaningfully visible.
Warm regards,
Aisling O’Rourke
The Communications Coach
