Looking Back to Move Forward: How 2025 Shaped a Bigger, Braver 2026 for The Big Bark

As I look back on 2025, I honestly don’t think I could have prepared myself for just how much this year would shape me, both personally and professionally. It has been a year of huge progress, proud moments, exhaustion, joy, grief, and reflection. A year that tested my resilience, a year that reminded me why I started The Big Bark Podcast in the first place, and reinforced just how powerful the bond between humans and dogs truly is.

Like every journey worth taking, 2025 came with incredible highs and heartbreaking lows.

The Highs: Growth, Milestones and Moments I’ll Never Forget

One of the standout moments of the year for me was attending Crufts. Being there, surrounded by people from all over the world who share the same passion for dogs, was both humbling and inspiring. It was a reminder that what we do at The Big Bark Podcast matters, and that there is space for Irish voices, Irish stories, and Irish welfare issues on an international stage.

2025 was also the year I made the decision to switch to video podcasts. This was a big step and not one taken lightly. It meant learning new skills, investing more time and resources, and pushing myself outside my comfort zone. I always said that I have a face for radio. But it was a brilliant decision that has completely changed how The Big Bark Podcast connects with its audience. Being able to see the conversations unfold, to capture emotion, body language, and authenticity, has added a whole new layer to the podcast and helped it grow in ways I’m incredibly proud of.

Another huge milestone came in October, when we recorded our first-ever live podcast episodes at Pet Expo. Standing there, microphones live, camera rolling, it was new and different. What started as an idea built on passion and persistence turned into live broadcasts in front of the very community the podcast was created for. Meeting listeners, supporters, rescues, and industry professionals face to face was one of the most rewarding experiences of the entire year.

One of the projects closest to my heart over the past 5 years but in particular in 2025 was the Irish Dog Calendar 2026. The latest edition took on the theme – Pawprints on the Heart. This calendar became so much more than a project. Working closely with animal rescues across Ireland, highlighting welfare issues, and giving dogs from across Ireland a platform to be seen and celebrated was incredibly important to me. The response was overwhelming. We ended the Irish Dog Calendar journey with our biggest edition ever, featuring 280 dogs, and successfully brought the project to a close on the highest possible note. Knowing that it helped raise awareness, support rescues, and bring people together is something I will always cherish. It also allowed me to remember and cherish my bond with a dog that had played such a massive

The Lowest Point: Losing Milly

For all the highs, 2025 also brought the deepest pain I have ever experienced.

Losing Milly, my beautiful girl, shattered me in ways I still struggle to put into words. She wasn’t “just a dog.” She was my constant, my comfort, my shadow, and my heart. Losing her absolutely crushed us all and left a hole in my heart that will never be filled.

Grief doesn’t arrive quietly. It changes how you think, how you feel, how you function. There were days when showing up felt impossible, yet Milly had already taught me something powerful — that love and loyalty deserve to be honoured, even in pain.

In a way only she could, Milly continued to guide me even after she was gone. Her life, her love, and the bond we shared became the inspiration behind the theme of the 2026 Irish Dog Calendar. “Pawprints on the Heart” exists because of her. Through that project, her legacy lives on — not just in photos or pages, but in the stories, emotions, and connections it created for so many others.

Looking Ahead to 2026: Purpose, Growth and Community

As I move into 2026, I do so with renewed purpose.

My focus is firmly on continuing to build The Big Bark Podcast, expanding its reach, strengthening its voice, and ensuring it remains a platform that genuinely serves the canine community in Ireland. I want to tell more stories, ask more difficult questions, and continue highlighting the incredible work being done by individuals, rescues, and organisations across the country.

Live events and more live broadcasts are very much part of that future. There is something special about bringing people together in real time, creating shared experiences, and having conversations that matter in front of the very community they impact. We’

2026 will also mark an important new chapter with the expansion of Big Bark News & Media. The aim is ambitious but clear: to build it into the leading source of canine news in Ireland, while also developing it as a dedicated media agency for the canine industry. This will include unique media features specifically designed for businesses working in the canine space, alongside tailored support and visibility for rescues and animal welfare organisations. More details on this will be announced in early 2026, and I cannot wait to share what’s coming next.

Big Bark After Dark: Where Dog People Meet

One of the ideas I’m most excited about bringing into 2026 is the launch of Big Bark After Dark — a series of dog friendly evening social events designed for dog lovers to meet, mingle, and get to know each other in a relaxed, fun setting. These nights are about bringing dog people together beyond daytime walks and online conversations, creating a space where shared love for dogs naturally sparks great chats, laughs, and maybe sometimes something more.

Yes, these are social events.
Yes, there’s a making friends element.
And yes — dogs are the ultimate icebreakers.

Big Bark After Dark will take place in carefully chosen venues, with a welcoming atmosphere, drinks, a few nibbles, conversation starters, and subtle prompts to get people talking. Whether attendees leave having made new friends, found their dog’s new walking buddy, or met someone to chat to on whatsapp with over a shared love of muddy paws and rescue stories, these events are about connection without pressure — just good people, good vibes, and dogs bringing humans together the way they always do best.

Gratitude

None of this — not the podcast, not the events, not the projects, and certainly not the strength to keep going — would be possible without the support of listeners, guests, partners, rescues, and the wider dog-loving community. Your messages, encouragement, and belief in what I’m building have meant more than you’ll ever know.

2025 changed me. It challenged me, broke me at times, and rebuilt me with a deeper sense of purpose. As I step into 2026, I carry everything I’ve learned — and I carry Milly with me in everything I do.

Thank you for being part of the journey.

—
Darragh
The Big Bark Podcast