The Women's Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

With a career spanning theatre, film and television, Irish actor Fiona Shaw has been a household name in Ireland for decades. The Cork native is known for her award-winning stage work, as well as her iconic roles in the Harry Potter films, Killing Eve, and Bad Sisters.

Shaw’s latest project, Park Avenue, opened in Irish cinemas this week. Earlier this year, while in Dublin for the International Film Festival, she joined Kathy Sheridan in studio to talk about the film, in which she plays the glamorous and wealthy widow Kit.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Shaw reflects on her early career and explains what led her to setting up a women’s group while working with the Royal Shakespeare Company in London. She also tells Sheridan about her friendship with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, why she turned down a move to Hollywood in the 1990s, and how she met her Sri Lankan wife, Sonali Deraniyagala.

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

On the 24th October 1975, 90% of the women in Iceland went on strike. For the entire day, women refused to participate in waged work, domestic labour or childcare. Instead they took to the streets to protest, demanding fair employment, equal wages and the recognition of work done inside the home. To reflect on the impact of that historic day, the 50 years of progress since and the work still left to do, Róisín Ingle is joined by Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir, producer of the documentary film, The Day Iceland Stood Still. 

Later on, anti-domestic violence campaigner Patricia McLean joins Ingle to talk about her organisation Finding Our Voices, which is hosting a series of online talks with Irish authors about their books involving domestic abuse. It’s free and open to all, starting with Irish author Roddy Doyle on November 18th 2025. You can find more information on the talks here: https://findingourvoices.net/book-club

But first, Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O’Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the record number of women giving birth past the age of 45 and the dismal reviews coming in for Kim Kardashian’s new legal drama ‘Alls Fair’.

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

We’ve a special live episode of the podcast for you today, a wide-ranging chat with actor, writer, presenter and mother of five Rosie O’Donnell at The Electric Picnic. We teamed up with Jan Brierton’s Wild Words at the festival where O’Donnell talked to Róisín Ingle and a packed Manifesto tent about everything from her feud with Donald Trump, moving to Ireland, weight loss drugs, the price of fame and that time she turned down a night out with Prince. Star of The Flintstones, Sleepless in Seattle and A League of Their Own, the former talk show queen also talks about how she has lost some Jewish friends by speaking out about the genocide in Gaza and why she’s so happy to have made Ireland her home. 

But first, Irish Times Opinion Editor Jennifer O’Connell is here to talk about the biggest stories of the week for women, including the devastating earthquake in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

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

This week, as we ease into the rhythm of a brand new year, we are taking the opportunity to bring you some highlights from your favourite episodes of The Women’s Podcast in 2023. You’ll hear Marian Keyes sharing some learnings on life as she celebrated her 60th birthday, author and academic Katriona O’Sullivan on how a chance encounter transformed her life, plus columnist Caitlin Moran on the worrying rise of Andrew Tate. There’s also a snippet from our interview with Sinéad O’Connor recorded during the promotion of her memoir Rememberings, plus a lesson on botox from journalist and broadcaster Sali Hughes.

If there is a subject you’d like us to cover on the podcast in 2024, please get in touch with us thewomenspodcast@irishtimes.com or DM us on Twitter or Instagram at @itwomenspodcast

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

2023: It was a year that broke global temperature records, riots took over the streets of Dublin and the world looked on in horror as more than 20,000 people were killed in the Gaza Strip, around 70% of which were women and children.  HSE-funded fertility treatment became available to couples and the Irish football team did us proud at the Women’s World Cup. Josef Puska was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Aisling Murphy, singer and activist Sinead O’Connor died at the age of 56 and the Irish Government brought in paid leave for victims of domestic abuse. To talk through the pivotal moments of 2023 and how they impacted women in Ireland and around the world, Róisín Ingle is joined by author and academic Katriona O’Sullivan and journalist and broadcaster Alison O’Connor.

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

If you’re looking for a last minute gift idea, you can never go wrong with a good book. So that’s why we’ve gathered our book clubbers, Niamh Towey, Bernice Harrison, Róisín and Ann Ingle in studio to share their favourite reads of 2023. Their recommendations include a collection of feminist essays, an unforgettable memoir and a best-selling novel on time travel. Whether it's a gift for family, friends or even for yourself, we hope there's something for everyone here. 

Here's the list of books mentioned in this episode:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Before the Coffee gets Cold by Toshikaz Kawaguch

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Western Lane by Chetna Maroo  

Past Lying by Val McDermid 

An Eye on Ireland: A Journey Through Social Change by Justine McCarthy 

Poor by Katriona O’Sullivan 

So Late in the Day, Foster and Small Things Like These, all three by Claire Keegan. 

All the Little Bird-Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow 

Good Material by Dolly Alderton 

Dear Gay by Suzy Byrne 

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray 

Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger

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

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

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

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

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