The most difficult thing for Kathy Ryan when she was diagnosed with Younger Onset Alzheimers Disease was the scary and sad reality that at some stage in the future, she will look at her two boys Andrew and Matt, and not know who they are. Over 5 years ago In January 2014, Kathy was diagnosed with with the terminal illness, and in this week’s episode of Grief Encounters, she speaks to Sasha and Venetia about grieving herself - a topic that is yet to appear on the podcast. Kathy has experienced di...
Mar 05, 2019•30 min•Ep. 13
On the podcast so far, we have mentioned many benefits the internet can have if you find yourself in grief. From meeting other members of “the club”, to finding practical tips or advice, there is a lot of material available online that can be helpful. That said - the web is also rife with misinformation about all aspects relating to loss and much of this content is often rampantly shared around the web in the forms memes, pictures, articles and videos, which has created many false perceptions ab...
Feb 26, 2019•39 min•Ep. 12
Navigating the various procedures around a funeral can be difficult for everyone involved. Ireland has an extremely unusual and and strange relationship with death, and how we deal with loss, and this is even more evident in the “tradition” of the Irish funeral. That is not to say we do it badly. No, in fact a case can be made to say that it is something we excel in. There is often a huge community involvement when someone dies here. From waking the dead, right through to the burial, funerals te...
Feb 19, 2019•28 min•Ep. 11
Jane Mckenna is the founder of Ireland's only children's hospice, and The LauraLynn Foundation, both named after her two children, Laura and Lynn. Sadly, her vision to create a national children’s hospice spawned from utter tragedy. Jane joined Sasha & Venetia for an incredibly moving episode of Grief Encounters, where she speaks about how her family's journey through unthinkable loss, made her determined to give back in her own grief - leaving an incredible legacy for her two children. Jane...
Feb 12, 2019•57 min•Ep. 10
When a child experiences the death of a parent, the emotional trauma can be devastating. On this week’s episode of Grief Encounters, Sasha & Venetia look at this extremely personal issue, and what effect that it can have in later life. The episode takes an extremely rounded look at the theme at hand, as it discovers it from a psychological perspective and a personal perspective over the course of two compelling interviews, with experts in their own rights. Owen Connolly is a consultant psych...
Feb 05, 2019•35 min•Ep. 8
To Post or Not To Post, that is the question - that many of us are faced with when overcome with grief, after a loved one dies. For many, social media is where we go to express the majority of our our feelings and emotions, but should this still extend to speaking about our own grief and despair? Are some things too personal for the web? In this special episode of Grief Encounters, Sasha and Venetia speak to two writers about their own opinions around grief in the digital age. Kiran Sidhu is a L...
Jan 29, 2019•30 min•Ep. 8
In early 2014 Gerry Collins’ moving words carried across the nation. This was due to his central role in the ads for the HSE’s QUIT campaign, which sought to convince people to give up smoking. The nation saw a brave man warning others, trying to save people from making the same mistake that he made. But Gerry was also a family man. A father. For Lisa Collins, her dad had always been ‘her person’. She simply couldn’t imagine a future without him. Today on Grief Encounters, Lisa guides us through...
Jan 22, 2019•28 min•Ep. 7
This week’s edition of Grief Encounters tackles its most universally relatable topic so far - Cancer. Paul Harrington’s music has been a part of Irish cultural life since winning The Eurovision Song Contest with Charlie McGettigan for their song Rock & Roll Kids in 1994. Hailing from a large family of eight, Paul’s first encounter with grief came on St Stephen’s Day 1999 when his father passed away, naturally at the age of 81. Although terribly sad, he felt a level of acceptance at the passi...
Jan 15, 2019•33 min•Ep. 6
On a summer evening in August 2007 while eating dinner with his wife Jackie, Benji Bennett found himself smiling with joy, as he watched his three children Harry, Adam and Robbie playing with each other in the distance. Soon after, Adam complained to his parents of a headache, and was taken ill. Three days later, on Benji’s birthday, Adam died suddenly from an undiagnosed vascular brain tumour, leaving the Bennett family completely lost. Episode 5 of Grief Encounters focuses on the theme of taki...
Jan 08, 2019•24 min•Ep. 5
Following a tragic road accident ten years ago, Colette Byrne lost her her husband Peter at the young age of 32. Left raising a their three year old daughter alone, her world would never be the same from that moment on. In the weeks and months after Peter’s death, Colette began to scour the internet in search of information for new widows, and during this period noticed a huge lack of resources available online. On episode four of Grief Encounters, Sasha & Venetia speak to Colette about her ...
Jan 01, 2019•28 min•Ep. 4
In July 2013, Kathleen Chada got unthinkable news that no parent should ever receive. Her two sons, Ruari and Owen were found dead in the boot of a car, that had crashed into a wall near Westport Co Mayo. It later emerged that Kathleen’s Husband had strangled the children and attempted to take his own life. Kathleen is an incredible woman, who’s bravery, strength and positivity have to be heard to be believed. In this episode, she opens up to Sasha & Venetia about trying to continue to live ...
Dec 17, 2018•37 min•Ep. 3
On the morning of October 11th, Ireland woke to the devastating news that one of its brightest stars, Stephen Gately had passed away in his sleep. In Episode Two of Grief Encounters, Sasha & Venetia meet Stephen's friend and Boyzone band-mate Mikey Graham, in an incredibly interesting and insightful interview with the singer. Mikey opens the interview with a truly honest account of Stephens personality, and what he meant to the band and the country as a whole. As the talk progresses, the con...
Dec 17, 2018•35 min•Ep. 2
Christmas can be a difficult time for anyone who has experienced loss in the past, and feelings of grief can be greatly amplified in these busy few weeks. In Episode One of Grief Encounters, Sasha & Venetia meet Dr Colman Noctor an Adolescent Psychotherapist with St Patrick's Mental Health Services in Dublin. Christmas is a time built on traditions for many people, and Colman discusses the positives and negatives of building new traditions after a loss, in particular for families. He also gi...
Dec 17, 2018•23 min•Ep. 1
Grief Encounters is a weekly podcast series that looks at an issue that affects us all and yet remains so difficult to talk about: grief. Hosted by Venetia Quick and Sasha Hamrogue, the pair are hoping to open up the conversation around loss and create a modern platform for people to share their own experiences, and start open dialogue around the subject of death and all that comes with it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 12, 2018•44 sec
