Yeah, But Where Are You Really From? is the new memoir from Irish-Zambian writer Marguerite Penrose. It’s a perfectly apt title for a book that explores the author’s experience of life, which began in St Patrick’s Mother and Baby Home in Dublin in 1974. In the book, Marguerite writes about coming to terms with the circumstances of her early childhood, about navigating the world with a disability and what it means to be both Black and Irish. In today’s episode of The Women’s Podcast, she tells Ro...
Jun 02, 2022•54 min
In today’s episode of the Women’s Podcast we are talking about abortion, exactly four years on from the referendum to repeal the Eighth. The anniversary falls at a time when abortion access is being restricted in many parts of the world and with the news that the US Supreme Court is planning to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. In Northern Ireland, access to abortion has been available since April 2020 after new laws came into force. However the UK Government was forced to intervene rece...
May 26, 2022•51 min
In 2007, aged just 17, Amy Dunne was forced to go to the High Court to fight for her right to travel for an abortion, after a scan revealed that the baby she was carrying had a lethal abnormality and would not survive. From then on Amy became known as ‘Miss D’ and found herself at the centre of Ireland’s bitter abortion debate. Now in her 30s, Amy has written a memoir I Am Amy Dunne , reflecting on the culture of shame that she and many other Irish women have lived through. She talks to Róisín a...
May 19, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Following the Taliban takeover in August 2021, life for women and girls in Afghanistan has never been the same. Under their rule, access to education is limited, women are forced to cover their faces in public and there is a ban on nearly all paid employment. In this episode, Kathy Sheridan is joined by a woman who has sat opposite the Taliban in negotiations, former Minister for Women’s Affairs Hasina Safi. She tells Kathy about her evacuation from the country last year and her previous experie...
May 12, 2022•41 min
Lessons in Chemistry by American author Bonnie Garmus was our latest pick for the podcast book club. In a rare turn of events, our book clubbers found themselves in agreement, collectively singing the praises of this debut novel. That’s why we’re delighted to be joined by the author today, as she tells Róisín Ingle about her long road to writing success, the excitement of her book becoming an instant bestseller and how her main character Elizabeth Zott came to her one evening after a bad day at ...
May 05, 2022•56 min
In 2018, while at home in her London apartment, journalist Sally Hayden received a Facebook message from a young African refugee, pleading for her help. He was one of thousands of migrants who had tried to reach Europe, only to end up trapped in a Libyan detention camp, with no way out. In her new book, My Fourth Time, We Drowned, Hayden pieces together the stories of these refugees and details the harsh conditions they are forced to live through. In today’s episode, she speaks to Kathy Sheridan...
Apr 28, 2022•58 min
In her brilliant debut novel, None of This is Serious, Catherine Prasifka writes about life in the era of social media. She talks to Róisín about the consequences of living online and in the real world. They also discuss her love of fantasy writing, the inevitable comparisons to her sister in-law Sally Rooney and her plans for her next book. Plus: Richie Sadlier on his book, Let's Talk, a modern guide to sex, porn, relationships, consent and intimacy, written especially for boys in secondary sch...
Apr 21, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Set in the early 1960’s, Lessons in Chemistry follows the life of Elizabeth Zott, a scientist whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a TV cooking show. In this episode, our book clubbers Bernice Harrison, Niamh Towey, Róisín and Ann Ingle share their thoughts on this vibrant and original story from debut author Bonnie Garmus.Keep an ear out for our upcoming interview with the author, which will be out in a couple of weeks. If you’d like to share your thoughts on the bo...
Apr 17, 2022•30 min
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition which affects millions of people around the world. It is often associated with hyperactive or disruptive children and as a result ADHD in women often goes undiagnosed. In today’s episode, Róisín Ingle speaks to two women who received a diagnosis of ADHD in their late twenties, broadcaster and journalist Brianna Parkins and barrister and coach Mairéad Deevy. Both were repeatedly misdiagnosed as they searched for answers to the...
Apr 14, 2022•34 min
In today’s episode, we’re delighted to reveal that Women’s Aid has been chosen as Twitter’s main charity partner for 2022. To speak about the initiative and how it will help women across the country, Róisín Ingle is joined by Managing Director of Twitter Ireland Sinead McSweeney and CEO of Women’s Aid, Sarah Benson join Róisín Ingle. Also, Eloise Head, aka Fitwaffle speaks to Róisín about her brand new book Baking It Easy. Filled with simple and delicious bakes, the book has already become a Sun...
Apr 07, 2022•47 min
What does it mean to be female? Mother, carer, the weaker sex? Think again. Lucy Cooke says a revolution has been brewing in zoology and evolutionary biology in the past few decades, demonstrating how the female of the species has been marginalised and misunderstood by the scientific patriarchy. In this episode, the zoologist and broadcaster joins Róisín and biologist, environmental consultant and broadcaster, Éanna Ní Lamhna, to discuss her brilliant new book BITCH: A Revolutionary Guide to Sex...
Mar 31, 2022•1 hr 2 min
In this week's episode, we're talking about matrescence. That's the word used to describe the physical, emotional, hormonal and social transition to becoming a mother. Everyone understands that adolescence is an awkward phase, but during matrescence mothers are expected to be deliriously happy, while simultaneously losing control over the way they look and feel. With Mother’s Day this weekend, we thought it would be the perfect time to find out more about this transformative time in many women’s...
Mar 24, 2022•43 min
Marian Keyes talks to Róisín about her latest ‘selling-like-hotcakes’ book, ‘Again, Rachel’, the sequel to her much-loved novel 'Rachel’s Holiday', which was published 25 years ago. For the day that’s in it, they also talk about what it means to be an Irish woman in 2022 and Marian tells us why she’s inspired by younger Irish women and their determination not to take any bulls**t. www.irishtimes.com/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 17, 2022•56 min
On Tuesday evening, The Women’s Podcast gathered together a group of women to take part in 'The Change', a special storytelling evening to mark International Women’s Day 2022. Hosted on Zoom by Róisín Ingle and Kathy Sheridan, our guests told their personal tales of transformation. The panel included Irish Times contributor and author Hilary Fannin, Miss Ireland Pamela Uba, activist Lavinia Kerwick, actor Philippa Dunne, journalist Brianna Parkins, recently arrived Ukrainian political researcher...
Mar 10, 2022•54 min
Kyiv native Nadia Dobrianska fled her hometown early last Thursday morning, as Russia launched their first attacks on Ukraine. The human rights worker and lawyer is now in hiding with her family in the Ukrainian countryside, a few hours outside of the city. In this episode, Dobrianska describes life in a time of war. She tells Róisín Ingle why she decided to evacuate immediately, how the family have prepared for the worst, and the outlook for the days ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...
Mar 03, 2022•53 min
In the first book club episode of 2022, Bernice Harrison, Niamh Towey, Róisín and Ann Ingle are discussing The Herd by Emily Edwards. The Herd tells the story of a parent grappling with the decision whether or not to vaccinate their child, but it’s also an exploration of the trials and tribulations of modern motherhood. So what did our book clubbers make of this very topical story and would they recommend the book? Our next pick is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and we'll be discussing it...
Feb 28, 2022•36 min
In the Summer of 1976, two young Irish women, Elizabeth Plunkett and Mary Duffy were abducted and murdered by Ireland’s first serial killers Geoffrey Evans and John Shaw. Having met in a UK prison a few years beforehand, the two men travelled to Ireland with a plan to rape and murder as many women as possible. In today’s episode, Irish Times Senior Features Writer Rosita Boland tells the story of the short lives and brutal murders of these two young women. Warning: this episode includes content ...
Feb 24, 2022•42 min
We Heart Worry is a brilliant podcast from Irish actors and writers Phillipa Dunne and Yasmine Akram. From worrying about the hidden meaning of a dream about Jared Leto, to fretting about accidentally putting your child’s birth cert in the clothes bank, Phillipa and Yasmine run the gamut of all our worries, niche to normal, in their podcast. They talk to Róisín about the show and the many worries that have gone into it. They also talk about Phillipa’s starring roles in Derry Girls and Motherland...
Feb 17, 2022•51 min
In a recent article in The Irish Times, Sacha Dekker described an incident during which she was mocked by strangers in a restaurant who found her disability funny. Sacha tells Róisín why, even though she is a warrior who has overcome enormous obstacles in her life, she was hurt by this experience and how writing about it helped her get past it. Róisín also talks to cosmetics guru, TV presenter and model Nadine Reid about the battle to end period poverty and how the supermarket Lidl is helping. T...
Feb 10, 2022•50 min
Last year, the Women of Honour (WOH) documentary by journalist Katie Hannon was broadcast on RTE, revealing allegations of sexual abuse, harassment and rape within the Irish Defence Forces. In this episode, Róisín Ingle meets two members of the WOH group, retired company quartermaster Sgt Karina Molloy and retired army captain Diane Byrne. They speak about their own experiences of bullying and abuse within the military and their disappointment with the independent review announced on Tuesday by ...
Feb 04, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Halfway through her term as Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland talks to Róisín about being only the 10th woman to hold the office and her ambitions while she’s there, including Brigit 2022: Dublin City Celebrating Women, a festival marking St Brigid’s Day this year. They also talk about feminism, her quest to make Dublin a safer city for everyone and her personal experience of sexual assault while going for a run when she lived in Spain. Presenter: Róisín Ingle Producers: Jennifer Ryan and S...
Jan 27, 2022•45 min
25 years ago a comprehensive government task-force report on violence against women was published. Since then, nearly 250 women have been murdered in Ireland, including Ashling Murphy, laid to rest this week by her family. In today’s podcast, Róisín talks to columnist with the Irish Examiner, Alison O’Connor, final year law student, Inny Ekeolu, professor of psychology at the University of Limerick, Orla Muldoon, and author of the 'An Fear Eile: Manhood in Ireland' research project, Finian Murph...
Jan 20, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Have you ever questioned the path you’ve found yourself on? Ever fantasised about quitting your job and making a career change? Or maybe life just intervened and forced you to change lanes. For many or us, the pandemic has had a huge impact on our attitudes to work. It’s been a time of soul searching and reflection on what makes us happy and keeps us motivated. Today we speak to two women about the art of pivoting and why everyone should be encouraged to tune in to their inner voice. Guests: Aid...
Jan 13, 2022•40 min•Ep. 538
Today, we celebrate Women’s Christmas or as it’s known in Ireland Nollaig na mBan. Traditionally this was the day when women got a day off after all the emotional and physical labour of making Christmas happen. But have we really moved on very much from the days when women did the majority of work in the home? And how much is this clear imbalance holding us back? In The Invisible Job: Parenting, Running a Home and Dividing Responsibility, Paula Fyans examines how this enduring inequality negativ...
Jan 06, 2022•54 min
In this episode presenters Kathy and Róisín are joined by producers Jennifer and Suzanne to look back at 2021. We share our favourite episodes, name our women of the year and talk about some of the highs and lows of the past 12 months. **This episode was recorded in mid-December 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 30, 2021•1 hr 13 min
Earlier this year, in the bleakness of lockdown three, Jan Brierton became a viral sensation with her pandemic poem What day is it? Who gives a f*ck. Sharing her thoughts on the monotony of lockdown life, her words resonated with many across the country and beyond. In today’s episode, the stylist turned poet tells Róisín Ingle how that poem changed the course of her life this year, leading to the release of her very first book. Brierton also speaks about embracing her creativity, getting out of ...
Dec 23, 2021•33 min
Feast your ears on this deliciously festive food episode with columnist, broadcaster and author Grace Dent. As restaurant critic for The Guardian and a regular face on Masterchef, Grace tells Róisín Ingle what tasty treats feature in her Christmas spread every year. The pair reminisce about Yuletide dinners through the decades, from the joy of the humble pud, to the homemade trifle lathered with Birds custard. This episode is a culinary walk down a very festive memory lane. Hosted on Acast. See ...
Dec 16, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 534
It has been another fantastic year for books: Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You, Megan Nolan’s Acts of Desperation, Catherine Ryan Howard’s 56 Days, Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout, Louise Nealon’s Snowflake, Fíona Scarlett’s Boys Don’t Cry, the list goes on and on. In this episode Róisín is joined by our book clubbers Niamh Towey, Ann Ingle and Bernice Harrison to share their favourite reads of the year (some old, some new) and the books they’ll be gifting this Christmas. Books ment...
Dec 09, 2021•38 min
For thousands of young people across Ireland, the impact of the pandemic has been catastrophic. This is especially true for children from disadvantaged communities, who may have grown up with gangland violence on their doorstep, or in a home with addiction, overcrowding or poverty. For many, the usual supports they relied on, like schooling and youth clubs were taken away overnight. In a new documentary series by The Irish Youth Foundation, musician and presenter Mary-Kate Geraghty (MayKay) trav...
Dec 02, 2021•50 min
The vast majority of violence against women and girls (and men and boys) is perpetrated by men. Why then is it viewed primarily as a women’s issue? On UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Róisín talks to two men who are activists in the area about why we urgently need to reframe the conversation and why more men need to speak out. Guests: Dr Jackson Katz, co-founder of the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program and Ryan Hart, domestic abuse advocate. Hosted o...
Nov 25, 2021•1 hr 2 min
