Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast IMAGE The Motherload

Karen Clince became a mum at just 21. Around the same time, she began building what would eventually become one of Ireland's largest childcare businesses.

More than two decades later, Tigers Childcare cares for thousands of children and employs hundreds of people, and this year Karen sold a majority stake in the business in a deal reported to be worth up to €75 million.

Behind that extraordinary business story is a deeply personal one.

In this episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Karen joins Dominique to talk about growing up with a father experiencing addiction and serious mental health difficulties, the mother who became the constant in her life, becoming a young mum herself, and raising two children while building a business from the ground up.

They talk about being underestimated, navigating misogyny in business, the reality of Ireland's childcare crisis and Karen's belief in the extraordinary difference one good adult can make in a child's life.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare

How do we raise children who can handle hard things, without leaving them to handle those things alone?

In this special live episode of IMAGE The Motherload, recorded at Avoca Rathcoole, Dominique is joined by psychotherapist and bestselling author Dr Joanna Fortune, play therapist Lisa Kennedy, and mums Rosanna Davison and Sinéad O'Moore for an honest and practical conversation about raising resilient children.

Together, they explore big emotions, worry and anxiety, bedtime, boundaries and consequences, knowing when to step in and when to step back, and what to do when all the good parenting advice disappears and we lose our temper.

And perhaps most importantly, they ask how much of raising resilient children actually begins with us: how we regulate ourselves, repair when we get things wrong and show our children that difficult feelings can be felt and hard moments can be survived.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

Hazel Chu has spent much of her public life breaking barriers. As the first Irish-born person of Chinese heritage to serve as Lord Mayor of Dublin and now deputy leader of the Green Party, she has faced racism, abuse and scrutiny while fighting for a more equal Ireland.

But in this deeply personal episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Hazel joins Dominique to talk about the experiences that have shaped her away from politics.

She speaks with extraordinary openness about her recent breast cancer diagnosis, the moment her then seven-year-old daughter Alex asked, “Mama, are you going to die?”, and the loneliness that can come with being seriously ill.

Hazel also looks back at a difficult pregnancy and her experience of postnatal depression, including the period when she struggled to feel love for herself or her new baby.

And in one of the most emotional moments of the conversation, Hazel talks about racism, how becoming a mother changed her relationship with it, and the pain of watching her daughter experience racism herself.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

In this week’s episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Mary Kennedy joins Dominique for a beautiful conversation about motherhood, ambition, loss, marriage and separation, ageing, grandmotherhood and the many times in life we get to begin again.

Mary Kennedy has spent decades on Irish television, but behind her remarkable broadcasting career is a life shaped by a willingness to keep beginning again.

In this warm and deeply personal conversation she talks about raising four children while building her career, navigating separation at a time when it carried a very different social weight in Ireland, being rejected twice before finally getting the opportunity to present Eurovision, and what all those experiences taught her about failure, persistence and putting yourself forward.

We hope you enjoy.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

Louise Cooney has shared her life online for more than a decade, but in this episode of IMAGE The Motherload, you will hear a side of her you may not have heard before.

Now mum to two-year-old Jude and pregnant with her second child, Louise joins Dominique at a fascinating moment in her life, as she prepares to become a mum of two.

Here, Louise opens up about how she is feeling during her second pregnancy, the bittersweet reality of knowing her chapter as a family of three is coming to an end, and the questions that come with wondering how you will divide your time and heart between two kids. 

She also reflects on when she became a mum the first time around, her changing identity, confidence, work and mum guilt, her relationship with husband Mark, sharing motherhood online and what she hopes to do differently when baby number two arrives.

And, of course, there’s plenty of fashion and beauty too.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

Broadcaster, documentary maker, podcaster and mum of two Síle Seoige joins Dominique for a beautifully open conversation about the experiences that have shaped her.

From pregnancy loss and thyroid cancer to anxiety, motherhood, marriage and a career spent in the public eye, Síle reflects on the highs and lows of her life with extraordinary perspective.

They talk about becoming a mum later in life, raising children in an increasingly anxious world, learning when to push yourself and when to protect yourself, why gratitude has become such an important part of how she moves through the world, and what hundreds of intimate conversations on her own podcast have taught her about being human.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

For Maria Walsh, motherhood didn't begin with a positive pregnancy test. It began with therapy, difficult decisions, IVF and choosing to build a family on her own terms.

In this deeply personal conversation, the Fine Gael MEP joins Dominique to discuss her journey to solo motherhood through IVF and sperm donation, and why she believes Ireland still has a long way to go in supporting modern families.

Maria speaks candidly about fertility treatment, public scrutiny, compassionate healthcare, the legal issues around donor conception, LGBTQ+ parenting and the importance of recognising the value of care.

She also reflects on ambition, equality, building a village around her child, and the kind of Ireland she hopes her daughter will grow up in.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

Writer, broadcaster, author, grandmother and now stand-up comedian, Barbara joins Dominique this week for a funny, wise and refreshingly honest conversation about why getting older might just be the greatest gift of all.

Together they discuss becoming a comedian at 60, the surprising freedom that comes after menopause, why women should stop apologising for their anger, and the joy of caring a little less about what other people think.

Barbara also reflects on becoming a mother in 1980s Ireland, raising three daughters, navigating modern motherhood, becoming a grandmother, and why loving your grandchildren doesn't necessarily mean becoming full-time childcare.

This is an episode about reinvention, perspective and remembering that life's best chapters may not have even happened yet.

Tickets and dates for Barbara's upcoming show, Because I'm Worth It, are available here : https://barbarascully.com/shows/

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

Lisa Wilkinson has spent almost three decades standing beside women. A barrister specialising in family law and coercive control, she has also been an entrepreneur, doula, yoga teacher, childcare provider and wellbeing pioneer. While those careers may seem worlds apart, they are all driven by one purpose: making women's lives safer, healthier and fairer.

In this powerful episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique and Lisa discuss coercive control, domestic abuse, family courts, birth rights, informed consent, childcare, motherhood and why so many of the systems women rely on continue to let them down. Lisa explains why abuse often escalates after separation, how coercive control can continue through legal processes, the warning signs every woman should know, and why listening to women's lived experiences has never been more important.

This is a difficult conversation in places, but an essential one.

If this episode raises concerns for you or someone you know, support is available through Women's Aid on 1800 341 900 or at womensaid.ie.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

This week on IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique sits down with one of the most influential figures in modern Irish history, Ailbhe Smyth.

As Ailbhe celebrates her 80th birthday, she reflects on a life spent challenging injustice, campaigning for equality, and helping to shape the Ireland we live in today.

Together they discuss motherhood in 1970s Ireland, surviving some of the darkest periods of her life, becoming a grandmother, coming out as a lesbian in a very different Ireland, and the social movements that transformed the country, including Marriage Equality and Repeal.

Ailbhe also shares her thoughts on modern motherhood, the invisible labour still carried by women, why progress should never be taken for granted, and what gives her hope for the generations to come.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

This week on IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique sits down with entrepreneur, beauty founder and mother-of-three Kim O'Sullivan.

Today, Kim is the founder of Brow Aid and The Dublin Makeup Academy, but her journey began as a young single mother determined to build a better future for her son.In this inspiring conversation, Kim reflects on the challenges of early motherhood, the leap of faith that saw her leave a secure job with Armani, and the mindset that helped her build two successful businesses from the ground up.

She shares why she credits motherhood with much of her success, the surprising role manifestation has played throughout her life, and how writing down her goals helped turn dreams into reality, from career milestones to meeting the man she would eventually marry.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

What happens when motherhood doesn't just change your life, but changes your nervous system?

This week, Dominique McMullan is joined by psychotherapist Michelle Flynn, who specialises in maternal mental health, perinatal anxiety, birth trauma and somatic therapy.

Together they explore matrescence, the profound identity shift that accompanies motherhood, and why so many women feel unprepared for the emotional and psychological transformation that follows having children.

Michelle shares both professional expertise and personal experience as they discuss perinatal anxiety, birth trauma, rage, resentment, burnout, perimenopause and the challenges of being constantly "on" as a mother.

Most importantly, they dive into the role of the nervous system and the growing field of somatic work, exploring how stress and trauma can become embodied and why healing often requires more than simply talking.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

This week on IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique is joined by Laura O’Connell, a familiar face to many as the creator behind the viral Irish midwife sketches on Instagram, and co-host of the podcast Oh Right, Yeah.

In this episode, Laura shares the story behind the humour. She opens up about growing up in a religious group, the loss of her mother at a young age, and how those early experiences shaped her sense of self.

She also speaks candidly about an unplanned pregnancy, postpartum depression, and her experience of anxiety, including a period in psychiatric care last year.

Together, Dominique and Laura explore the pressure many mothers feel to keep going, even when they are struggling, and the difficulty of slowing down in a world that rewards constant doing.

This is an honest, layered conversation about mental health, motherhood, identity and what it means to ask for help.

Listen now to IMAGE The Motherload, powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

Jen Healy’s story is not an easy one to hear, but it is an important one.

In this episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Jen shares her journey from a childhood shaped by violence, through addiction, abusive relationships and homelessness, to the life she has built today as a mother, business owner and advocate for women’s mental health.

This is a conversation about survival, but more importantly, it’s about what comes after survival. About healing, about the nervous system, about learning what safety feels like in your own body.

Jen speaks with honesty and clarity about the realities of addiction, the complexity of abusive relationships, and the long road back to self-worth. She also shares the tools she now uses to support other women who feel overwhelmed, dysregulated or disconnected.

It’s a story of resilience, yes. But it’s also a story of hope, of change, and of the quiet, powerful work it takes to rebuild a life.

***Trigger warning: this episode includes discussion of domestic abuse and addiction.

Listen now to IMAGE The Motherload, powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

This week on IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique  is joined by psychotherapist, bestselling author and parenting expert Dr Joanna Fortune for a powerful conversation about the realities of raising children today.

Together, they discuss the pressures modern parents are facing, from information overload and parental guilt to anxiety in children, screen time, emotional resilience and raising emotionally intelligent boys. Joanna also shares her “15 Minute Parenting” philosophy, explains the importance of “good enough parenting” and offers practical advice for parents trying to navigate family life while balancing work, stress and self-expectation.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advance and Tigers Childcare

This week on IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique is joined by Una Healy for a deeply honest conversation about the realities of modern motherhood.

Together, they explore what it means to raise teenagers, the evolving relationship between mother and child, and the importance of “the village”. 

Una opens up about her experience with anxiety, her Hashimoto’s diagnosis, and the turning point that came from truly understanding her body. They also discuss hormones, HRT, and the importance of paying attention when something doesn’t feel quite right.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advance and Tigers Childcare

This is not about telling you who to vote for. It is a conversation about motherhood in a place we rarely hear it spoken about.

This week on The Motherload, Dominique sits down with Holly Cairns, leader of the Social Democrats and TD for Cork South West.Holly gave birth to her daughter on polling day in November 2024 and has since returned to one of the most demanding roles in the country, leading her party while navigating early motherhood.In this episode, she shares the reality behind that experience, from birth and postnatal recovery to returning to work and trying to secure childcare in a system under so much pressure.

The conversation also explores the broader challenges facing families in Ireland, including the childcare crisis, women’s healthcare, education, disability supports, SNA’s and what it takes to keep mothers in the workforce.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare

Caroline Foran joins Dominique this week for an honest conversation about anxiety, motherhood and learning to let go.

A bestselling author, journalist and podcaster, Caroline has spent years helping people better understand anxiety through practical, grounded advice. In this episode, she opens up about her own experience, from debilitating panic attacks in her twenties to being anxiety free today. 

Caroline also shares her journey of raising her son Caelan, who has a PDA profile, and the emotional complexity that comes with parenting a child with individual needs. From school struggles to trusting your instincts as a mother, this is a chat filled with vulnerability, hard-won perspective and practical tools that actually help. 

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare

Standing in front of a jam-packed wardrobe… and still feeling like you have nothing to wear?

In this special live episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique is joined by stylist Courtney Smith, beauty columnist Triona McCarthy and artist Audrey Hamilton to unpack something so many of us have a tough time with… how to get dressed and feel bloody brilliant. 

From the “nothing feels right” phase to defaulting to the same safe outfits (see: leggings), this conversation explores how motherhood can shift your sense of identity at any stage, and why style is so much more than fluff.  

Listen now and don’t forget to follow us to ensure you get each new episode first. 

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare

Author, maternal mental health advocate and mum of three Tracy Holmes joins Dominique this week for a conversation about motherhood, diagnosis and real resilience.

Tracy is mum to three boys, including twins Harry and Freddie. Shortly after they were born, Freddie was diagnosed with Down syndrome. What followed was one of the most difficult periods of Tracy’s life. With one newborn at home and another still in hospital, she found herself pulled between two worlds, all while she was navigating the shock of diagnosis. The pressure resulted in the quiet collapse of her mental health. 

In this episode, Tracy speaks with the most extraordinary honesty about that year. The grief for the life she had imagined, the stigma around admitting struggle as a mother and the moment she realised she needed help. But she also speaks about the love that has grown since. About the bond between her boys, the joy Freddie brings to their lives and the way he has changed how their whole family sees the world.

She speaks about the power of language (Freddie has Down syndrome, he is not a Down syndrome child), and also about the gaps that still exist in Ireland for families raising children with individual needs. Something we both hope conversations like this might help change.

Tracy is extraordinarily strong. But what moved us most was her willingness to show the moments where she wasn’t. We are so grateful to her for sharing her story with us.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

Psychologist, author and mum of three Dr. Clodagh Campbell joins Dominique this week, for one of the most personal conversations of the season.

Dominique and Clodagh share powerful parallels in their lives. Both are adopted. Both lost their beloved fathers too early.

Together they explore how adoption can shape identity across a lifetime and why questions around belonging often become louder once we become parents ourselves.

Clodagh also opens up about her experience with postnatal depression. As a psychologist, she didn’t initially recognise the signs in herself. It arrived slowly and quietly, and by the time she realised what was happening she was already struggling.

The conversation also explores the nervous system, maternal exhaustion, the invisible cognitive load many parents carry and why small moments of awareness can make such a difference in our busy lives.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare

This week on IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique sits down with Coleen Rooney for a real conversation about family life. 

Coleen opens up about her childhood, the loss of her sister Rosie, her and Wayne’s experience of miscarriage, and occasionally shouting at the boys in McDonalds. She shares the brilliant chaos of raising four boys, the realities of parenting in the public eye, and why family is ultimately so important to her. 

This is Coleen Rooney in her own words.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare

This week on IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique is joined by Councillor Yemi Adenuga. Broadcaster, community organiser, mother of four and the first Black woman elected to public office in Ireland, 

Their conversation covers Yemi’s extraordinary childhood as one of 27 children in Nigeria, her journey to Ireland, the realities of motherhood while building a public life, and the strength it takes to remain open hearted in the face of serious racism.

This is a powerful conversation about identity, resilience, and Yemi’s deep belief that people can change the world around them.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare

This week on IMAGE The Motherload, beauty editor, content creator and mum of two Triona McCarthy joins Dominique for an honest and often very funny conversation about modern motherhood.

Triona opens up about her ADHD diagnosis and how that shows up in her day-to-day life, the reality of parenting tweens, managing the mental load when your nervous system is already busy, navigating public visibility, and the lasting impact of losing her sister at just 30.

Plus, because she is Triona McCarthy, she shares the beauty and tweakment advice every tired mum needs.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Avoca, Revive Active, Aptamil Advanced and Tigers Childcare.

In this deeply honest episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique McMullan speaks with award winning podcast host and coach Laura Guckian about the reality behind modern motherhood.

From her psychiatric hospital admission when her first baby was ten months old to her late diagnoses of autism and ADHD, Laura shares the moments that reshaped her life and her mission to support other mothers.

Together they unpack matrescence, maternal mental health, neurodivergent parenting and the practical tools every overwhelmed mum needs. 

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Revive Active, Avoca and Aptamil Advanced 

In this episode of IMAGE The Motherload, recorded live last November, Dominique McMullan is joined by Tara Rafter, Rosemary MacCabe, Daniella Moyles and Danielle Garner for a down to earth conversation about why so many mums feel depleted and overlooked in their own lives.

They talk honestly about guilt, identity, exhaustion and the pressure to keep going, as well as the small, realistic ways they try to protect their energy and themselves.

If you’ve ever felt like you can’t seem to keep yourself on the priority list, this episode is for you.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Revive Active, Avoca and Aptamil Advanced 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique McMullan is joined by Sonya Lennon for a conversation about what it really takes to create change for women and families in Ireland.

Together, they explore why issues like the childcare crisis and the gender pay gap cannot be solved by asking women to cope better, but by redesigning the systems that created the problems in the first place. As Sonya puts it, “We spend so much time reacting to the damage downstream. Real change comes when we throw the pebble further upstream.”

From workplace equity and flexible working to leadership, money and the invisible mental load carried by mothers, this episode invites listeners to look beyond individual struggle and towards collective responsibility. It’s a potent reminder that change is possible… when we ask better questions and build better systems.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Revive Active, Avoca and Aptamil Advanced 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live at IMAGE The Motherload’s final event before Christmas, this conversation with Miriam O’Callaghan didn’t go the way host Dominique McDermott expected.

Funny, disarmingly honest and deeply grounded, Miriam reflects on motherhood across decades, parenting adult children, grief, resilience, and what it really means to “just get on with life.” She speaks candidly about the collision of work and family, the importance of her village, and why having something that is just yours (for her, a lifelong career) is so essential for mothers.

This is a conversation about staying true to yourself, even through loss, pressure and change, and why honesty matters more than perfect answers.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Liffey Valley, Revive Active, Avoca and Aptamil Advanced 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosanna Davison’s journey to motherhood is a story of loss, love and the most extraordinary resilience. The former Miss World sits down with Dominique McMullan for one of the most emotional and honest conversations ever shared on IMAGE The Motherload.

Rosanna opens up about the heartbreak of fourteen miscarriages, the moment she watched her longed-for baby girl being born from another woman, and the shock and joy of welcoming twins. She also reflects on the strain it placed on her relationship, and for the first time, talks about helping her surrogate escape war and set up a new life in Ireland. 

With time has come perspective and healing. Today, Rosanna is a proud mum of three, with a home and career she loves, and a happiness that feels so richly deserved.

**A gentle note: this episode discusses baby loss. Please take care while listening, and skip this one if it’s not for you today.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Revive Active, its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley – thank you for helping us tell these stories.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this inspiring episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique sits down with Tammy Darcy, founder and CEO of The Shona Project. Tammy shares the powerful story behind her movement to empower the young women of Ireland, revealing how her relationship with her late sister, Shona, shaped her life's mission.

Tammy also opens up about the realities of creating The Shona Project while raising her own children, the key values she hopes to instill in them, and discusses the struggles faced by teenage girls today and how we can better connect with them. 

Join us as we work hard to lighten the load for the next generation.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Revive Active, its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley – thank you for helping us tell these stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please note: This episode contains a trigger warning for miscarriage

In this intimate episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique chats to Danielle Garner, the founder of Wildflower Hair Studio. Danielle's story is one of incredible resilience and reinvention.

She opens up about her journey, from living with an alcoholic parent, to navigating the grief of a second-trimester miscarriage during a time of global isolation. Danielle shares how these experiences have shaped her as a mother to her two beautiful boys and how she's channeled her resilience into her work and her life.

They also chat about Danielle’s distinctive, natural aesthetic, the beauty she finds in both her work and in nature, and how she's raising her sons to be compassionate and strong. This episode is an honest conversation about finding beauty… even in the hardest moments.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Revive Active, its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley – thank you for helping us tell these stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique is joined by artist and mother of three, Emma Flynn, for one of the most powerful conversations the podcast has ever hosted.

Together they talk about Emma’s years as a midwife, her experience of postpartum OCD and intrusive thoughts (TW), the role of medication and therapy in her healing, and the hope she’s found in creativity, faith, and community.

This is a conversation about darkness, yes, but also about love - the kind that transforms us and carries us through.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Revive Active, its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley - thank you for helping us to tell these stories.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Kane has built two successful businesses - reuzi and Pragmatica - but her story is about far more than entrepreneurship. A Brazilian-born, Dublin-based mum of two, Pat is also a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.

In this tender, powerful conversation, Pat opens up about her healing journey, how motherhood has shaped her perspective, and what it takes to raise open-hearted boys in today’s world.

Trigger warning: this episode touches on childhood sexual abuse. If that feels too much right now, we understand - feel free to come back when you’re ready.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Revive Active, its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley – thank you for helping us tell these stories.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique sits down with LGBTQI+ rights campaigner, speaker, CEO and proud mum-of-three, Ranae von Meding, for a powerful, moving, and deeply personal conversation.

Nearly a decade on from Ireland’s Marriage Equality referendum, Ranae reflects on the wins, the gaps that still remain, and the emotional toll of raising a family that isn’t yet fully recognised under the law. They talk about the joys of queer motherhood, the realities of burnout, the vulnerability of advocacy, and the hope that drives her forward.

With heart and honesty, Ranae reminds us that the most radical thing we can do is raise our voices… and our children… with love.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by its4women, Avoca, Revive Active and Liffey Valley

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlene Flanagan thought she had to do it all. She co-founded beauty brand Ella & Jo, raised two children and ran herself into burnout.

In this episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Charlene joins Dominique McMullan to talk about surviving that season, her mental health struggles and how they led her to redefine everything.

She shares why kindness and soundness are her business superpowers, how she’s building a workplace that supports mothers, and why success isn’t worth it if it costs you yourself.

This conversation is a reminder that you’re allowed to build your life differently.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by its4women, Avoca, Revive Active and Liffey Valley

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Doran became a mum at 18. At 30, she started a stand-up career. Now a mother of three and one of Ireland’s most loved comedic voices, she joins Dominique to talk about the journey in between.

Emma talks about what it was like to become a mum at 18, to sit the Leaving Cert pregnant, and to raise three children while building a career as one of Ireland’s most loved comedic voices.

Emma also opens up about using humour to reclaim her identity after years of putting her kids first, why maternal rage is so very real, and what she’s learned from parenting across two very different decades of her life.

This episode is honest in a way you don’t often see with Emma, and of course it’s laugh-out-loud funny too. 

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by its4women, Avoca, Revive Active and Liffey Valley

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s it really like raising triplets? Ali Deasy joins Dominique McMullan for an episode that’s as hilarious as it is heart-wrenching.

Ali talks about the shock of a triplet pregnancy, the chaos of raising four kids, surviving potty training three at once, and why asking for help as a mother still feels *so* hard.

This is a conversation about the beautiful mess of family life – and how to soften your inner critic when motherhood feels overwhelming.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by its4women, Avoca, Revive Active and Liffey Valley

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dominique is joined by renowned psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor to explore the impact of smartphones and technology on childhood, parenting and how we connect as humans.

Together, they unpack the mental health trends of the past decade, the loss of offline play, and the subtle shifts happening in how our children (and we) are developing emotionally and socially. But this isn’t about guilt. It’s about awareness.

From opportunity cost to dopamine traps, Colman gives us the tools to think critically, build resilience, and take back some control… without shame or scaremongering. 

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by Revive Active, its4women, Avoca, and Liffey Valley

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this emotional and deeply honest episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique is joined by content creator and mum of three, Jodie Wood. Jodie opens up about her road to baby Sadie - a journey marked by tertiary fertility challenges, moments of heartbreak, and a quiet but steady resilience. They talk about mum guilt, the pressure to look perfect after giving birth, and how to ask for help (and accept it). 

Jodie also shares what it’s like to be a mother in the public eye, how she kept going through uncertainty, and why she’s learning to hold space for both her public persona and her private self.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses fertility issues.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot and sponsored by its4women, Avoca, Revive Active and Liffey Valley

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live at Avoca Dunboyne, this special episode of IMAGE The Motherload dives into a theme every mum can relate to: how to find your spark again. That feeling of being lit up, connected to yourself, and full of purpose… even in the thick of motherhood.

Dominique is joined by three powerful women - fitness coach Emma Dowling, travel creator Siobhán McAuley, and sex educator Jenny Keane - for a meaningful conversation about burnout, identity, self-connection, joy and the tiny steps that help us feel like ourselves again.

This episode is a reminder that you’re not alone, and that your spark isn’t lost, it’s just waiting for a little oxygen. 

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by its4women, Avoca, Liffey Valley and Revive Active.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of IMAGE The Motherload is not an easy listen, but a tremendously important one.

A short while ago, Dominique sat down with Una Ennis – a mum in the midst of every parent’s worst nightmare. Her little boy Archie is seriously ill with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive disease that urgently needs prohibitively expensive treatment abroad. 

Over the course of this chat, with the most extraordinary bravery, Una speaks about the impact Archie’s diagnosis has had on their family, and the non-stop fundraising that has taken place since.  

Because of course, you would do anything - anything - to help your sick child. 

Her vulnerability is powerful, and we know that this conversation will stay with you like it has stayed with us.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by its4women, Avoca, and Liffey Valley.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

IMAGE The Motherload is BACK for Season Two. In this week’s episode of IMAGE The Motherload, Dominique McMullan is joined by someone she has long admired - her friend, businesswoman and jewellery designer Chupi Sweetman Pell.

Together they talk about balancing home life with ambition, the importance of sequins (very important obviously), what true equality in the home looks like and the secret to real leadership. They also touch on the importance of raising the next generation to do it all with more softness, more strength, and more freedom.

This is an episode about what we pass down, and the courage it takes to imagine something better for those who come after us.

IMAGE The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by its4women, Avoca, and Liffey Valley.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Motherload, host Dominique McMullan sits down with holistic sex educator and new mum, Jenny Keane, better known as the “orgasm queen.”

Beyond her famous workshops and Late Late Sex Toy Show, Jenny shares how motherhood has deepened her understanding of self-connection and body awareness. Together, they dismantle the productivity-obsessed culture and champion the “pleasure mindset”... the radical act of prioritising joy in everyday moments.

From gentle postpartum practices to rebuilding intimacy with partners, Jenny offers wisdom that transcends the bedroom. 

The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by its4women, Avoca, and Liffey Valley. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Motherload, Dominique sits down with Sarah Battle and Hannah Saunders at the first Motherload Live Event. 

Hannah is the founder of Hannah Saunders PR, and the definition of a powerhouse, balancing campaigns in Dublin, New York, and London while raising little Brody (and fur-mum duties for Chip!). Sarah is mum to five (yes, five!), a former Home Ec teacher turned RTE Home of the Year contender and digital-creator extraordinaire.

Together, they dove into it all, from how to get out the door in the morning, to the myth of “balance”, to the sacrifices we make as mothers, the support systems we lean on, and the power of community. They also chatted about the tough times, how to find yourself again through grief and mental-health hurdles, and of course the importance of self-care - whether that means dip in the sea or a margarita and a blow dry! 

Whether you were there in person or are feeling the FOMO, listen now for laughter, tears, and the ultimate feel-good conversation.

The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Motherload, Dominique sits down with the incredible Anna Whitehouse - journalist, author, activist, and the powerhouse behind the Flex Appeal movement. In this deeply emotional and inspiring conversation, Anna shares her journey from campaigning for flexible working laws, to navigating divorce, rediscovering love, welcoming her daughter Lola, and reshaping what modern motherhood can look like.

From the labour ward to Number 10 Downing Street, from heartbreak to hope - this is an honest and uplifting conversation about resilience, reinvention, and refusing to be boxed in.

The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stylist, creative director, and all-round cool gal Courtney Smith is one of the most recognisable forces in Irish fashion. But beyond the bold colours and confident silhouettes, she’s also navigating life as a mum.

In this episode, Dominique is joined by Courtney and her four-month-old daughter Nova and they dive into what it’s really like to parent three small humans (spoiler: it’s quite a lot).

They talk about the decision to go again when life already feels stretched at the seams, about ‘mum guilt’, about grief and how it reshapes us, and about the quiet power of style as self-preservation. It’s a conversation about finding joy, even when you’re running on empty.

There’s gentleness in this episode. There’s a gurgling baby. There’s honesty. And there’s also the refreshing reminder that it’s okay not to have balance. That motherhood is layered and contradictory and often heartbreaking, but also beautifully transformative and fulfilling.

The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Indy Power is known for her thriving businesses, The Little Green Spoon and SINES candles, but behind the scenes, she was fighting a private battle that lasted years. After a straightforward first pregnancy with her son Teddy, Indy’s journey to a second child was marked by multiple miscarriages, emotional and physical exhaustion, and round after round of treatment.

In this deeply honest conversation, Indy opens up about the reality of fertility struggles, the toll it took on her, and the strength it took her to keep going. We talk about IVF, surrogacy, support systems, running a business through it all - and finally, the moment she held her second baby, after years of heartbreak.

This is a story of resilience, hope, and hard-won joy. And while everyone’s journey is different, we hope Indy’s story may offer comfort to those feeling alone in theirs.

Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of miscarriage and fertility loss.  

Disclaimer : This is one woman’s personal experience. It is not medical advice. Please consult your GP or fertility specialist for individual support.

The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Motherload, Dominique McMullan sits down with Sinead O’Moore. Sinead is a powerhouse in podcasting (listen to The 40s Stretch wherever you get your podcasts!), a business owner, a fierce advocate for women, and most importantly, a mum who knows firsthand the beautiful, messy reality of it all. 

In this episode, Sinead and Dominique cover the real work-life balance debate; why ‘mum guilt’ exists (and how to finally shake it off); the way women’s ambition shifts after kids, and why that’s a good thing and the changes we actually need to see to support working mums. We do hope you enjoy it. 

If you are looking for more of The IMAGE Motherload you might want to visit IMAGE.ie/the-motherload for exclusive content, expert interviews, access to events and more. . 

The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Motherload, Dominique McMullan sits down with Louise McSharry for an honest conversation about motherhood, balance, and raising boys with feminist values. Louise opens up about the realities of juggling a successful career and family, the pressures society places on mothers, and why she’s passionate about raising her sons to be kind, aware, and emotionally intelligent.

With her signature pragmatic wit, she shares the lessons she’s learned, and the joys and challenges she’s experienced along the way. This is a must-listen for anyone navigating motherhood. We do hope you enjoy it. 

If you are looking for more of The IMAGE Motherload you might want to visit IMAGE.ie/the-motherload for exclusive content, expert interviews, access to events and more.

The Motherload is powered by Peugeot, and sponsored by its4women, Avoca and Liffey Valley.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.