Topics covered : Hurling, diversity, inclusion, religion. In this episode I speak to Abood Al Jumaili who also goes by the name Bonnar O’Loinsigh. He lives in Dublin and his nickname is based on two hurling greats, the Bonnar Maher from Tipperary and former player Colin Lynch from Clare. He left his home in Baghdad when he was only 9 years old and came to Ireland with his family, five years after the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. When he arrived here, he had no English but soon developed th...
May 20, 2022•45 min
Topics covered : Drug trip, drug induced psychosis, suicidal thoughts, breakdown, mania, bi-polar disorder, shedding shame, early onset Alzheimer’s, grief, regrets, recovery, self care, power of movement, pole-dancing. In this episode I speak to writer and podcaster, Sophie White. She lives in Dublin with her husband Seb and their 3 sons who are 2, 5 and 8. She graduated from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin with a first class honours degree in sculpture, she’s been a chef and sh...
May 13, 2022•1 hr 6 min
Topics covered : Cancer, smear tests, holistic treatments, medical procedures, trauma, therapy, grief, healing, belief, trusting your gut instinct, health. In this episode I speak to the inspirational Lynsey Bennett. She lives in Longford with her daughters Zoë who’s 13 and Hailee who’s 8 and in 2019 she found out she was one of the women caught up in the cervical check scandal brought to public attention by Vicky Phelan. In this conversation, we talk about the powerful bond she had and still ha...
May 05, 2022•1 hr 27 min
Topics covered : Motherhood, career, ageing, menopause. In this episode I speak to actor, comedian, TV presenter and podcaster, the multi-talented Deirdre O’Kane. She lives in Dun Laoghaire in Dublin with her husband, writer and director Stephen Bradley and their teenage kids, Holly who’s 17 and Daniel who’s 13. She describes herself as an optimist who can be competitive and self-critical. And in this conversation we talk about motherhood, menopause, her fascinating career, the story behind the ...
Apr 22, 2022•53 min
Topics covered : Dancing with the Stars, her racing career, motherhood, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, fear of failure. In this episode I speak to retired jockey and Dancing with the Stars champion Nina Carberry. She’s regarded as one of the greatest amateur riders of all time and after an almost 17-year career in the saddle, she retired in 2018. She’s married to Ted and they have 2 daughters, Rosie who’s 5 next month and Hollie who’s 2.5. She is incredibly hard working, grounded and...
Apr 15, 2022•46 min
Topics covered : sex, porn, sexting, shedding shame, pushing boundaries, deepening understanding. In this episode I speak to pundit, podcaster and psychotherapist, Richie Sadlier. It's my second time sitting down to chat to Richie and as always he is such a brilliant guest. He’s married to Fiona and when we spoke in 2019, his autobiography ‘Recovering’ had just been released and in it he revealed he had been sexually abused when he was 14 by a physio he had been attending for back pain. 2.5 year...
Apr 11, 2022•59 min
Topics covered : Best foods to eat and when to eat them, genetics, blue zones, impact of Covid, exercise, sleep, sex, connections, engagement, laughter. Professor Rose Anne Kenny has 35 years of experience at the forefront of ageing medicine and in this conversation she shares some of the proven adjustments we can all make regardless of our age, to live longer and happier lives. Her book is ‘Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life’ and it’s a fascinating read. If you enj...
Apr 01, 2022•43 min
Topics covered : Alcoholism, fatal fetal abnormality, abortion, induced labour, birth trauma. In this bonus episode I speak to the incredible Amy Dunne. In 2007, a 16 year old Amy was pregnant with a baby girl who had a fatal fetal abnormality. At the time, Amy was in the care of the HSE, so she told a social worker about her plan to travel for a termination after finding out the devastating news. And although she was supported by her family and by the baby’s father, she was told by the HSE that...
Mar 28, 2022•55 min
Topics covered : motherhood, march for maternity, channeling, authenticity, acting, yoga, letting go, signs. This week I speak to actor and writer, Amy De Bhrún. She’s married to Seán and they have 2 kids, daughter Billie and baby son River. And in this conversation we speak about motherhood, her powerful March for Maternity speech, being authentic, TV show ‘Line of Duty’, her love of yoga and why ladybirds are important to her. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the pod wher...
Mar 25, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Topics covered : Imposter syndrome, over-thinking, being triggered, relationships, finding purpose, changing careers, accountability, acceptance, overwhelm, fear of rejection, time management, people pleasing. This is the second episode with life coach Mark Fennell, which we recorded about 5 months ago. It’s full of practical advice on a whole heap of topics and he also answers a selection of questions that were sent in on Instagram too. To contact Mark, go to… https://markfennell.ie/ If you lik...
Mar 18, 2022•1 hr 6 min
Topics covered : Mental health, homophobia, same-sex marriage referendum in Ireland, rejecting shame. This week I speak to bar owner, drag queen and activist, Rory O’Neill aka Panti Bliss. Originally from Ballinrobe in Mayo, Rory lives in Dublin city with his husband Anderson and their dog Penny. We spoke in late February and at times there is an eerie poignancy to our conversation as it happened as Covid restrictions were being lifted here in Ireland, but before the invasion of Ukraine. In this...
Mar 11, 2022•55 min
Topics covered : Sexual abuse, grooming, domestic violence, rape, incest, sexual assault, coercive control, manipulation, gaslighting, guilt, shame, recovery. Charlene Masterson was subjected to horrific sexual abuse at the hands of her father, David, for over 7.5 years. The abuse started at 18 and the details of which are truly shocking, but her ability to talk about what she went through, is remarkable. This summer, she made the brave decision to waive her right to anonymity in the hope of hel...
Oct 30, 2021•1 hr 22 min
Topics covered : Military training, vulnerability, self-belief, resilience, family life. Ray Goggins served in the Irish Army for 26 years, including 17 years in the Army Ranger Wing and now he spends a lot of his time working with corporate teams in his role as director of training and leadership company ‘Coreskills’ . Originally from Cork, he lives in Kildare with his wife Sinéad and their two kids, Dan who's 13 and Louisa who's 10. In this conversation we talk about his book ‘Ranger 22’ and t...
Oct 22, 2021•54 min
Topics covered : Miscarriage, guilt, twin pregnancy, the power of letting go. This month marks 2 years of the podcast and my second conversation with the wonderful Rosanna Davison. Rosie lives in Dublin with her husband Wes and their three kids, daughter Sophia and identical twin boys Hugo and Oscar. And this episode is a natural follow on from our first conversation as she shares some of the revelations in her new book ‘ When Dreams Come True’ including having another miscarriage in February 20...
Oct 16, 2021•55 min
Topics covered : Self-worth, empowerment, burn out, anxiety, fear, impact of the pandemic, mindset, career change, finding purpose. In this conversation, life coach Mark Fennell explains what life coaching is all about and he shares his back story which led him to pursue a career in coaching. He talks about the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset, managing anxiety, changing careers and lots more. Useful questions to ask yourself… * What am I afraid of? * If I wasn’t afraid, what woul...
Oct 08, 2021•51 min
Topics covered : Grief, regrets, health issues, fear of rejection, self-worth, religion, love, vulnerability, loneliness, self-sabotage, finding purpose. This week I speak to Rugby pundit, entrepreneur, mental health advocate and author Brent Pope. Brent has had a difficult few years, from the death of his father in 2019 and now his recent health issues he feels were brought about by a drug he was prescribed. In this conversation he’s reflective about his regrets in life and his hopes for the fu...
Oct 01, 2021•1 hr 23 min
Topics covered : The physical, mental and emotional impact of childbirth, hormones, baby blues, post-natal depression, intrusive thoughts, pelvic floor, anxiety/shame/guilt, some hospital bag essentials, body changes, hair loss, placenta encapsulation, sleep, breastfeeding/ bottle feeding/ combination feeding, new-born baby tips, SIDS. This is the fourth and final episode in my pregnancy miniseries and it’s all about postpartum. My guest is parenting and baby expert Claire Thompson who goes by t...
Sep 24, 2021•1 hr 8 min
This episode is all about labour and childbirth and my guest is midwife and childbirth educator, Avril Flynn. She lives in Dublin with her husband Garret, their 3 year old son Felix and their dog Finn! And in this conversation she takes us from that first contraction right through to that glorious cup of tea and slice toast after you give birth! We also share our own positive birth experiences making this a valuable listen especially for first timers. She’s honest and naturally funny and her adv...
Sep 17, 2021•1 hr 19 min
Topics covered : Pregnancy after loss, symptoms, journaling, nesting, affirmations, birth preparation, benefits of water during labour, stepping away from fear. In this episode we explore the third trimester of pregnancy as I speak to pregnancy and birth educator, Kitty Hackel who goes by the Instagram handle ‘Birth, Baby, Beyond’. In this conversation she offers practical, empowering advice on the third trimester, including preparing yourself as best you can for childbirth. Some useful resource...
Sep 10, 2021•1 hr 5 min
For the next 4 episodes I’ll be talking all things pregnancy with a different guest each week and today we’ll focus on the 1st and 2nd trimesters. In this episode I speak to Lucianne Hughes, also known as ‘The Sunshine Doula’. She’s married to Chris and they have 2 girls, Daisy who’s 4 and Poppy who’s 2. She takes us from the moment you find out you’re pregnant up to the end of the second trimester. We talk about the physical, mental and emotional symptoms of pregnancy, the importance of correct...
Sep 03, 2021•58 min
Topics covered : Miscarriage, pregnancy after loss, Covid positive during pregnancy, medically induced coma, hallucinations, drug withdrawals, dramatic birth experience, post-partum. Originally from Donaghmede in Dublin, Laura Curtis lives in Baldoyle with her boyfriend Robbie and their new-born daughter Demi. But the past year has been one she’ll never forget. Having been through a miscarriage she found herself pregnant again and was so looking forward to an uncomplicated pregnancy. But in Marc...
Aug 27, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Topics covered : Painful sex, sex toys and products, libido, menopause and sex, shame. This is second part of the conversation I had with Ireland’s only clinical sexologist, Emily Power Smith. In this episode, she answers a selection of your questions that were sent in on Instagram and it starts with advice on how best to speak to our kids and teenagers about their bodies and sex. I hope by listening to these episodes that you’ll feel a little less alone in your experience and that you find Emil...
Aug 20, 2021•35 min
Topics covered : The damage of shame, body confidence, libido, porn, sexual trauma. This week I speak to Ireland’s only clinical sexologist, Emily Power Smith. We spoke about so much that I’ve decided to split the chat in two as it’s such a huge topic to cover. In this episode, we discuss our relationship with sexuality here in Ireland, we talk about body confidence, sex drive, porn and we’ll also delve into a few of the questions that were sent in on Instagram which had a lot of common themes, ...
Aug 13, 2021•49 min
Topics covered : Tragic accident, trauma, grief. This week I speak to mother, wife and nurse Geraldine Mullan. Originally from Galway, Geraldine met John Mullan from Moville, Donegal in 2010. 2 years later they were married and lived a very happy life together with their two children Tomás and Amelia, until a devastating accident changed everything. On the 20th of August last year, a family day out ended in a nightmare when their car crashed into Lough Foyle. John (49), Tomás (14) and Amelia (6)...
Jul 29, 2021•58 min
Topics covered : Adoption, mental illness, self-worth. This week I speak to comedian and radio presenter, PJ Gallagher. PJ lives in Clontarf in Dublin with his two dogs, Wendy and Stella. He was born in the now infamous Bessborough Mother and Baby Home in Cork, in the 70’s and went on to be adopted and grew up with his mother, father and sister in Raheny in Dublin. When he was 27 he met his birth parents who went on to marry after he was born and also went on to have 4 more children (2 girls and...
Jul 23, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Topics covered : Tragic accident, trauma, child loss, grief. Eileen Loughlin is a wonderful person and someone I’ve wanted to speak to for a long time. She lives in Delvin in County Westmeath with her husband Enda and their two sons, Senan who’s 16 and TJ who’s almost 9. And over 2.5 years ago her life changed forever when their 3.5 year old daughter Annabel, died in a freak accident in their home. Now at 22 weeks pregnant she shares how profound the grieving process is, especially with a new ad...
Jul 16, 2021•1 hr 16 min
Topics covered : Long Covid, breathwork, freediving, mental illness, therapy, self-limiting beliefs, reinvention and overcoming. This week I speak to champion freediver Claire Walsh. Originally from Leixlip, she currently lives in Bray with her partner Boudy and she’s been freediving for 6 years now. She’s competitive and driven, but there’s also a beautiful gentleness about her that allows her to connect to her breath and to the water and achieve what she has already, which is incredible. She c...
Jul 09, 2021•1 hr 10 min
Topics covered : Pregnancy, wedding during Covid restrictions, meningitis, Pride celebrations. This week I speak to brother and sister, James Patrice and Vanessa Butler. James is a TV presenter, performer and social media sensation and Vanessa is a classically trained singer, music teacher and has grown her own following on Instagram in recent times too. Proudly from Malahide, they have always been close, and in this conversation we learn things like 'what their favourite food is', 'who the bigg...
Jul 02, 2021•1 hr 3 min
Topics covered : Suicide, grief. This week I speak to counsellor and psychotherapist Peter Mahony who gives us a deeper insight into therapy; what it is and how we can benefit from it. We talk about the impact the pandemic has had on us and how important it is to mind ourselves and others, as we recover from the past year. There’s a particular focus on teens and those in their early twenties in this episode. We also tap into self-worth, family dynamics, how friendships have changed during Covid ...
Jun 25, 2021•1 hr 17 min
Trigger warning : Fertility, miscarriage, cancer, hysterectomy, IVF, surrogacy. This week I speak to Dublin woman Audrey O’Hagan who’s married to Dave and their son Hugh is almost a year and a half. She’s in her thirties and works as a communications officer with Dublin Airport, a job she loves and in this episode, she lets us in on the past four years of her life that have had their fair share of ups and downs. And even though the conversation is deeply emotional and challenging at times, it’s ...
Jun 11, 2021•1 hr 21 min
