Explore every episode of the podcast The Women's Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiona Shaw on fame, feminism and falling in love | 13 Nov 2025 | 00:56:33 | |
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. | |||
| Kim Kardashian’s acting debut / The day Iceland’s women went on strike | 06 Nov 2025 | 00:57:17 | |
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. | |||
| Rosie O’Donnell at Electric Picnic / Earthquake in Afghanistan / The Traitors | 04 Sep 2025 | 01:04:07 | |
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. | |||
| Your favourite episodes of 2023 | 04 Jan 2024 | 00:31:48 | |
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. | |||
| The Women's Podcast 2023 Review | 28 Dec 2023 | 00:50:52 | |
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. | |||
| The Book Club: Christmas gift recommendations | 21 Dec 2023 | 00:41:08 | |
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. | |||
| Remembering Rosemary Smith | 14 Dec 2023 | 00:45:14 | |
Irish motorsport legend Rosemary Smith died last week at the age of 86. To pay tribute to the trailblazing rally driver, we want to bring you this interview with Smith from 2018. Following the release of ‘Driven’, her memoir ghostwritten by none other than Ann Ingle, Smith joined Róisín Ingle in studio to discuss her colourful racing career, her love affairs with the likes of Oliver Reed and Adam Faith and how she overcame the odd bump in the road along the way. Rest easy Rosemary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Taking Back My Power: ‘Revenge porn’ campaigner Georgia Harrison | 07 Dec 2023 | 00:58:10 | |
In 2020, author and reality television star Georgia Harrison became a victim of so called ‘revenge porn’ when she was secretly recorded having sex with her ex partner, Stephen Bear and the footage then put online without her consent. The intimate moment between the two was captured on the CCTV system at Bear’s house and despite pleas from Harrison to delete the footage, her ex uploaded it to the internet, for the entire world to see. In March this year, Bear was sentenced to 21 months in prison for sharing the sexual content. In this episode, Harrison tells Róisín Ingle about the trauma of her most personal moment becoming public, why she didn’t think twice before going to the police and how she campaigned to change a major loophole in the UK law on image based sexual abuse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Emma Dabiri: Claiming your unruly beauty | 30 Nov 2023 | 00:39:54 | |
Irish-Nigerian author and broadcaster Emma Dabiri is giving the middle finger to modern beauty standards. Growing up, Dabiri felt pressured to conform to “oppressive” beauty ideals, to shrink herself to fit in and to straighten her afro hair. Now, as she explains in her new essay ‘Disobedient Bodies’, it’s time to rebel against those suffocating beauty constructs. From going makeup free to embracing her natural hair, Dabiri tells Róisín Ingle about the power that comes with reclaiming your unruly beauty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Justine McCarthy: An Eye on Ireland | 23 Nov 2023 | 01:15:42 | |
In her new book, An Eye on Ireland, award-winning journalist and Irish Times columnist Justine McCarthy shares new and selected pieces of work from her long-spanning career in journalism. For four decades, McCarthy’s writing has challenged stereotypes, held power to account and helped amplify the voices of women in Ireland. In this wide ranging conversation with Róisín Ingle, McCarthy reflects on her entry into journalism, how the death of her father as a young girl shaped the woman she would become, and she shares some of the stories and subjects that left a lasting impression. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Cat Bohannon: How the female body drove evolution | 16 Nov 2023 | 01:00:08 | |
In her new book Eve: How The Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution, author Cat Bohannon explores the history and science behind the development of the female sex. In this episode, Bohannon explains to Róisín Ingle why the frequent omission of female bodies from scientific research inspired her to write the book, the ‘superpowers’ that she says only females are born with and how the advancement of gynaecology and midwifery helped drive civilisation forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Book Club: So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan | 13 Nov 2023 | 00:35:46 | |
At just 64-pages long, you could get through So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan in just one sitting. So if you haven’t read it yet, you’ve no excuse. The story follows Cathal, a civil servant working in Dublin, as he clock watches his way through his office job on a sunny Friday afternoon. When the working day is finally over, he makes the journey home, all the while ruminating on the failed relationship between himself and his ex-fiancé Sabine. It’s a miniature tale that packs plenty of punch, but what did our book clubbers Niamh Towey, Bernice Harrison, Ann and Róisín Ingle make of it? We’d love to hear your thoughts on the book. Why not send us a voice note on Instagram @ITWomensPodcast or email us TheWomensPodcast@Irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Invisible woman syndrome: Why does it happen and what to do about it | 09 Nov 2023 | 00:43:56 | |
Six years ago, when writer and psychotherapist Lucy Cavendish turned 50 , she began to feel like she didn’t fit in anymore. With her four children reared, Cavendish’s identity as a working mother was gone, leaving her feeling as though she was fading into invisibility; a feeling that some other women in their fifties also experience. After numerous ‘moments’ where she felt a profound ‘loss of self’, she was left wondering, ‘who am I?’ It is this question that the writer tackles in her latest piece for The Guardian, which explores how women in their 50s can begin to step out of the shadows. In this conversation with Róisín Ingle, Cavendish speaks about her feelings of irrelevance and being ‘othered’, what she’s been hearing from those of a similar vintage, and the positive ways in which women can reclaim a sense of purpose and identity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Taylor’s big announcement / Wild Words with Jan Brierton | 28 Aug 2025 | 00:46:42 | |
This weekend the Women’s Podcast is joining the line up of Jan Brierton’s Wild Words at Electric Picnic. For the event, Róisín Ingle will be hosting a special live recording of the podcast with American comedian, actor and new Irish resident Rosie O’Donnell. Brierton joins the podcast today to look ahead to the weekend’s festivities and to explain what festival goers can expect from the rest of the Wild Words lineup. She also talks to Ingle about her exciting year ahead, which includes another appearance at Dublin’s Olympia theatre and a two day celebration in December to mark her 50th birthday. But first, Irish Times Journalist Niamh Browne is here to talk about the biggest stories of the week, including Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s big announcement, the discussion around Serena Williams' latest endorsement and all the latest on the CAO offers which came out this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Catherine Cleary: How to grow your own forest | 02 Nov 2023 | 00:50:01 | |
Three years ago, Irish Times contributor Catherine Cleary decided to buy the cheapest land she could find in Ireland, with the dream of planting her own native forest. Following a long search, Cleary and her husband Liam, eventually came across 40 acres of land for sale in Co Roscommon. This year, with the help of family, friends and paid contractors, they planted 24,000 trees over 27 acres and have watched their slice of Irish countryside burst back into life. In this conversation with Róisín Ingle, Cleary talks about why she took on a project of this size, the inspiration behind her social enterprise Pocket Forests, which aims to bring mini-forests to urban spaces and how she’s trying to make the world a better place one tree at a time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Best of The Women's Podcast: Elizabeth Day | 26 Oct 2023 | 00:56:59 | |
Romantic love, widely elevated as a subject worth interrogating, tends to get a lot of attention while platonic friendship is woefully neglected in the public discourse. Enter, self-described “friendaholic” Elizabeth Day who is attempting to redress the balance. The author and woman behind the hit How to Fail podcast spoke to Roisin Ingle about why the complex bonds of friendship need more attention and how during the pandemic she was forced to reassess her own friendship circle. Her new book Friendaholic: Confessions of a friendship addict prompted her to look back at her experience of being bullied at school while growing up in Belfast where she struggled to fit in and make friends. Day spent many years using friendship - the more friends the better - as a form of self-validation. For Day, having lots of friends meant you were loved, popular and safe. But this quantity over quality approach was often to the detriment of her own boundaries and mental health. Day talked to Ingle about the great friendships of her life, what it feels like to be ghosted, dealing with frenemies, how friendships were affected by her fertility journey and the lessons she learned while writing the book. Friendaholic: Confessions of a friendship addict is out now. This episode was originally published in May 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Menopause: Claire Dinsmore on ‘the power years’ | 19 Oct 2023 | 00:38:35 | |
This week, marked World Menopause Day, a day to raise awareness and break the stigma around perimenopause and menopause. To celebrate this transitional period in life, we’re joined today by Claire Dinsmore, a certified perimenopause coach and fitness fanatic based in San Francisco. In this episode, Dinsmore, who originally comes from Co Down in Northern Ireland, speaks to Róisín Ingle about why perimenopause should be viewed as ‘the power years’ and how she helps women navigate the journey through her online course ‘The Whole Woman Approach’. You can find her on @clairedinsmorecoaching on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Agnes O’Casey: Lies We Tell | 12 Oct 2023 | 00:43:12 | |
A graduate of Dublin’s Lir Academy, English actress Agnes O’Casey made her big break in the highly acclaimed BBC series Ridley Road in 2021. Now the rising acting star is playing the lead in her first feature film, Lies We Tell, a psychological thriller set in 1800s Ireland, which hits cinemas this Friday October 13th. In this episode, O’Casey speaks to Róisín Ingle about her excitement ahead of the film’s release, her upcoming projects including the film adaptation of Claire Keegan’s ‘Small Things Like These’ and her famous great-grandfather, the Irish playwright Seán O’Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Máiría Cahill: Rough Beast | 05 Oct 2023 | 00:46:00 | |
Rough Beast: My Story and the Reality of Sinn Féin is the highly anticipated memoir from former Irish Senator Máiría Cahill. Growing up in west Belfast, steeped in the traditions of Irish republicanism, Cahill seemed destined for a political career within Sinn Féin, but at the age of 16, she was sexually abused by a prominent member of the IRA and life as she knew it changed forever. In this episode, Cahill speaks to Kathy Sheridan about the lasting impact of the abuse, the trauma of the subsequent IRA “investigation” and why, in 2014 she decided to wave her anonymity and share her story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Marian Keyes at 60: what the beloved, best-selling author has learned about life | 28 Sep 2023 | 00:53:25 | |
Today we’re delighted to be joined by best-selling author and friend of the podcast Marian Keyes, who celebrated her 60th birthday earlier this month. In this conversation with Róisín Ingle, Keyes shares the nuggets of wisdom she has gleaned from her six decades on earth: from learning how to apologise properly, the benefits of making a gratitude list and the joys of staying in your lane and within your comfort zone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Sinéad Kennedy on the joys of solo travel | 21 Sep 2023 | 00:41:36 | |
In this episode, author, travel writer and wellbeing coach Sinéad Kennedy joins Róisín Ingle to discuss her new book Life is a Cycle. It’s an honest and lighthearted memoir, detailing Kennedy’s commitment to living a life filled with excitement and adventure. From finding her tribe with her local cycling group, to solo holidays in exotic locations, Kennedy reveals the joys of carving her own path, bucking expectations of her gender and taking responsibility for her own happiness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| There’s something about Mary McKenna / The Coil’s Lament | 14 Sep 2023 | 01:10:35 | |
Mary McKenna is the CEO & Founder of Tour America & Cruise Holidays / The Travel Suite, one of Ireland’s most successful travel agencies. Founded in her sitting room almost three decades ago, the company has gone from strength to strength, despite a number of setbacks through the years, including the 9/11 attacks, the recession and most recently, the pandemic. In this wide-ranging interview with Róisín Ingle, McKenna reflects on her career journey, her life outside of business and why, nearing 60, she’s feeling stronger and happier than ever. In this episode, we also hear from comedian, singer and actor Síomha Hennessy who is performing at this year’s Dublin Fringe Festival, with her show The Coil’s Lament. It’s an hilarious exploration into online dating, isolation and celibacy, told through stand-up and song. Hennessy talks to Ingle about the inspiration behind the show and performs an exclusive song for us: 'It’s not love'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Anne Enright: The Wren, The Wren | 07 Sep 2023 | 01:13:48 | |
Following on from the success of her 2020 novel Actress, Anne Enright is back with her latest book The Wren, The Wren. It’s a multi-generational story, exploring family trauma and the love between mother and daughter, told through three members of the same family: Nell, Carmel and Phil. In this episode, Enright speaks to Róisín Ingle about the inspiration behind the story, her foray into poetry and the novel’s omission from this year’s Booker long list. They also reflect on Enright's time as the inaugural Laureate for Irish Fiction, her childhood growing up the youngest of five and her “stormy” teenage years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Dublin Fringe Festival Friends: Sadhbh Malin and Sinéad Gallagher | 31 Aug 2023 | 00:42:50 | |
The Dublin Fringe Festival kicks off next month on Saturday, the 9th of September. Once again, the festival features a stellar line up of women-led productions, ranging from comedy, theatre and performance art. Making their debut at this year’s Fringe, is Philomena P, a new female-led theatre company with their play ‘in heat’. Philomena P is made up of best friends Sadhbh Malin and Sinéad Gallagher who both come from Dublin. The play, written by Malin and produced by Gallagher, tells the story of Conor and Helen, a couple in their 20s, living together and navigating a rocky relationship. In this episode, they tell Róisín Ingle about the inspiration behind the story, how their friendship has evolved into a creative working relationship and what it’s like being a young woman living and working in Ireland today. For the full line up of events at the Fringe, check out https://www.fringefest.com/festival/whats-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Sally Rooney’s support for Palestine Action / Hungary's poisonous women | 21 Aug 2025 | 00:58:35 | |
In the early 20th century, in a remote village in Hungary, a group of women, driven to despair by their violent, abusive husbands, decided to take matters into their own hands. Their solution to their difficult life circumstances was arsenic, a deadly poison easily extracted from fly paper or arsenic-rich “flystones". The women began slipping this deadly substance into their husband’s porridge, stews and drinks and according to some estimates, up to 300 people in the Nagyrév region were murdered in the space of two decades. In this episode, Hope Reese, author of The Women Are Not Fine, joins Róisín Ingle to explain why this deadly sisterhood of women were driven to kill, how the murders spiralled out of control and how they were eventually caught and punished for their crimes. But first podcast producer Aideen Finnegan is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the crowning of the 2025 Rose of Tralee, Sally Rooney’s support for Palestine Action and why Rhashidat Adeleke is out of this year's World Athletics Championships. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Book Club: Old Babes in the Wood by Margaret Atwood | 27 Aug 2023 | 00:26:18 | |
This month our booker clubbers have been reading Old Babes in the Wood, a collection of short stories from award-winning author Margaret Atwood. The book explores themes like love and relationships, what it means to be human, the ageing process and dealing with loss. Seven stories within the book follow the lives of married couple Nell and Tig and the moments big and small that encapsulate their life together. Listen in to find out what Bernice Harrison, Niamh Towey, Ann and Róisín Ingle thought of this new collection from the 83 year-old author. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Rosemary Murphy: The 40 year-old medical student (and mother of 12) | 24 Aug 2023 | 00:50:37 | |
Rosemary Murphy, a dynamic 40-year-old woman from Dolphin’s Barn in Dublin, had two major goals from childhood. The first was to have a large family. The second was to study medicine and become a doctor. As a mother of 12 children, ranging from 20 to 19 months, the first goal has been well and truly achieved. This September, she will start the journey to achieving her second, when she begins a six year medical degree at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). In this conversation with Róisín Ingle, Murphy speaks about the joy of being accepted into the RCSI, the long road to get there and why "there’s no such thing as being too old, you can do anything at any age”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Elaine Feeney: Booker Prize Nominee | 17 Aug 2023 | 01:02:10 | |
Irish author Elaine Feeney is nominated for the 2023 Booker Prize for her novel How to Build a Boat. The writer from Galway is one of four Irish authors and the only Irish woman to make the long list this year. Ahead of the shortlist announcement next month, Feeney joined Róisín Ingle to discuss her nomination, the inspiration behind the book and how a severe illness in 2014 spurred her on to writing fiction. The pair also discuss Feeney’s life growing up in the west of Ireland, falling in love with poetry in her teens and her new poetry collection due out next year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Clit Bait: Everything you need to know about your clitoris | 10 Aug 2023 | 00:55:47 | |
In this episode, we have two experts on hand to share their extensive knowledge of the clitoris, a much ignored and often overlooked part of the female body. Urologist Dr Rachel Rubin and author of ‘Vagina Obscura’ Rachel E Gross join Róisín Ingle to explain history’s complicated understanding of the clitoris, how it’s treated in medical study and why popular culture instead zoned in on the ‘G Spot’ as the holy grail of orgasms. They also discuss the rise in cosmetic procedures like labiaplasty and why we need a better word for masturbation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Ejaculate Responsibly: A whole new way to think about abortion | 03 Aug 2023 | 00:58:39 | |
American blogger and author Gabrielle Stanley Blair is on a mission to change the conversation around abortion. Rather than centering the debate around women and their bodies, Stanley Blair suggests a crucial refocus: MEN. In her new book ‘Ejaculate Responsibly’, the author argues that men are responsible for 100% of unwanted pregnancies and therefore should be more cautious of where they leave their sperm. In this episode, she talks to Róisín Ingle about the main arguments in her ‘thesis’, the reaction she’s been met with by both men and women and why if the attention was put on preventing unwanted pregnancies, there would be no need to argue about abortion at all. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Remembering Sinéad O’Connor | 27 Jul 2023 | 01:47:25 | |
Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor died this week at the age of 56. A trailblazer, feminist and advocate for social change, O’Connor will be remembered for her outstanding contribution to music and her courage in speaking out against the status quo. A fond friend of The Women’s Podcast, O’Connor last joined podcast presenter Róisín Ingle for an extended interview in 2021, while promoting her memoir Rememberings. Today, to celebrate her life and her achievements, we bring you that conversation again, recorded in the conservatory of her home in the Wicklow countryside. Rest easy, Sinead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Caitlin Moran: What About Men? | 20 Jul 2023 | 00:54:46 | |
A regular on The Women's Podcast, journalist and author Caitlin Moran was in Dublin recently as part of her latest book tour. As someone who regularly discusses the problems of girls and women in public, Moran has often been confronted with the question: “But what about men?”. Indeed, the statistics on male misery are grim: boys are falling behind in school, are at greater risk of addiction, depression, suicide, and increasingly at risk from online misogynist radicalisation thanks to the likes of Andrew Tate and Jordan B Peterson. Moran explains what led her to write her new book What About Men? and discusses the issues affecting men and boys that she says if tackled will also help women and girls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Dina Kraft: My Friend Anne Frank | 13 Jul 2023 | 00:47:09 | |
In this episode, writer and journalist Dina Kraft tells the story of Holocaust survivor Hannah Pick-Goslar and her childhood best friend, Anne Frank. Hannah and Anne met in Amsterdam as young girls and spent many happy years playing together, before the ravages of war tore their lives apart. ‘My Friend Anne Frank’ is the memoir by Pick-Goslar, detailing the special bond shared by the pair, their final meeting on opposite sides of a barbed-wire fence in a Nazi concentration camp in 1945 and her own incredible story of survival. The book was co-written by Kraft, who spent hours interviewing the 93 year-old at her home in Jerusalem, before her death in October last year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| I Will Be Good: Peig McManus | 06 Jul 2023 | 00:50:25 | |
I Will Be Good is the new memoir from Peig McManus, an unforgettable Dublin character, who grew up in 1940s Ireland, under the shadow of the Second World War. Now in her 80s, Peig reflects on a life lived boldly even in the face of challenges. In this episode, she tells Róisín Ingle about life growing up in the last of Dublin’s tenements, the trauma of becoming an unmarried mother at the age of 21 and how she finally discovered peace and healing through her work as a counsellor (and a late in life discovery of the ukulele). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Book Club: Holiday reads | 02 Jul 2023 | 00:44:39 | |
In this episode, book clubbers Niamh Towey, Bernice Harrison, Róisín and Ann Ingle share their summer reading recommendations. Amongst their favourites are The Guest by Emma Cline, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue. They’ll also be discussing a novel described by one book clubber as “one of the best books I’ve ever read in my life”. Our next pick for the book club will be Margaret Atwood's collection of short stories 'Old Babes in the Wood'. We'll be reviewing it at the end of August, so why not grab a copy and read it with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Childfree by choice at 77: Helen Taylor reflects on a life without children | 14 Aug 2025 | 00:39:48 | |
In recent years, more and more women have been speaking openly about their decision to not have children. There are numerous books on the subject, dedicated social media spaces for childfree women and an ever increasing media interest in sharing the stories of those who refuse to go down this well-trodden path. However, some of the lesser told childfree stories are those of older women, who went against the grain at a time when motherhood was not only expected of women, but regarded as central to their lives. In this episode, Róisín Ingle is joined by one such woman, 77 year-old writer and academic Helen Taylor, who from a very young age decided not to have children. In her new book Childless by Choice: The Meaning and Legacy of a Child-free Life, Helen shares her reasons for choosing to remain childfree and she unpacks the complex feelings that have accompanied her choice. In this wide-ranging conversation, she tells Róisín Ingle where she draws meaning in life, how she dealt with moments of regret and what she wants women to know about the later stages of a child-free life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Cecelia Ahern on empathy, rage and menopause | 29 Jun 2023 | 00:47:54 | |
It’s almost twenty years since Cecelia Ahern released her debut book P.S I Love You. Now the author is back with her nineteenth novel, In a Thousand Different Ways. It tells the story of Alice, a highly empathetic person who can see and feel people’s emotions through colours around their bodies. In this conversation with Róisín Ingle, Ahern explains how her own experiences as an empath inspired the story and how she wrote it while navigating the ‘three Ps’: perimenopause (and the brain fog and rage that comes with it), the pandemic and the postnatal period, following the birth of her third child, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Grand: Noelle McCarthy | 22 Jun 2023 | 01:11:11 | |
Broadcaster and writer Noelle McCarthy was born and raised in Cork, but now lives in New Zealand with her husband and young daughter Eve. Her new memoir ‘Grand: Becoming my Mother’s Daughter’, examines the tumultuous relationship she had with mother Carol, who struggled with alcoholism throughout her life. The book also tracks McCarthy’s life as a promising young student, who in a bid to escape her troubles at home, made the move from Cork city to New Zealand and established a name for herself in the media industry. In this conversation with Róisín Ingle, she reflects on the enduring bonds between mother and daughter, her own transition into motherhood and her relationship with alcohol and addiction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Naoise Dolan: The Happy Couple | 15 Jun 2023 | 00:59:29 | |
Best-selling author Naoise Dolan is here to talk about her highly-anticipated second novel The Happy Couple. It tells the story of Celine and Luke, their upcoming wedding and the three friends who may draw them apart. In this episode, Dolan speaks to Róisín Ingle about swapping London for Berlin, how she almost took up a career in law and dealing with feelings of self-doubt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| COYGIG: Vera Pauw on Ireland’s FIFA World Cup dreams | 08 Jun 2023 | 00:55:01 | |
The countdown is on for next month’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia. In this episode, Vera Pauw, manager of the Irish women’s national football team, talks to Róisín Ingle about the mood in camp, her hopes for her players and the evolution of the women’s sport over the last five decades. She opens up about her experiences of being raped and sexually abused by prominent Dutch officials and about lessons learnt from the controversy that marred the team’s victory over Scotland to qualify for the World Cup. This is the first time an Irish women’s team have qualified for the tournament. COYGIG! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The magic of biodiversity: Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin | 01 Jun 2023 | 00:52:22 | |
In May 2019, the Irish government declared a climate and biodiversity emergency. To guide us through everything we need to know about biodiversity loss and the impact it has on the natural environment, we’re joined by activist, educator and former Rose of Tralee Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, who recently chaired the Citizens Assembly on the subject. From hedgerows to bogs and from forests to lakes Ni Shuilleabhain tells Roisin Ingle why we all need to be on board when it comes to protecting and supporting biodiversity. This episode explores what we can do as individuals to make a positive difference and become good ancestors to future generations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Poor: Dr Katriona O’Sullivan | 25 May 2023 | 01:27:39 | |
In this episode, Dr Katriona O’Sullivan talks about her powerful, inspiring and affecting memoir Poor. O’Sullivan grew up in England with Irish parents, both heroin addicts, in a home environment riven with dysfunction, abuse and poverty. She became pregnant at 15, experienced homelessness and substance abuse as a young mother before moving to Dublin at the age of 20. Now an award-winning lecturer whose work challenges barriers to education, she tells Róisín Ingle the extraordinary story of how she turned her life around. And about her hopes for transforming attitudes towards girls and women like her. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Bonnie Garmus: Lessons in Chemistry | 18 May 2023 | 00:52:12 | |
In this episode, we revisit a conversation we had last year with Bonnie Garmus, author of the best selling book Lessons in Chemistry. The novel follows the life of Elizabeth Zott, a chemist in 1960s America, who leaves her career in science to present a TV cooking show. Garmus talks to Róisín Ingle about her long road to writing success, the excitement of her book becoming an instant bestseller and how her main character Zott came to her one evening after a bad day at the office. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Annie MacManus: Home, Irishness & Changes | 11 May 2023 | 00:55:55 | |
Our guest this week is DJ, podcaster and author Annie MacManus - more widely known as Annie Mac - who came on to talk about her second book The Mess We’re In. The London-based Dubliner’s debut novel Mother, Mother was set in Belfast but her latest is about Orla, a young woman who moves to London at the turn of the millennium and her chaotic adventures as she tries to make it in the music industry and find home in a brand new place. MacManus talked to podcast host Roisin Ingle about the concept of home, her life and work in London, leaving BBC Radio 1 after 17 years and “politely” turning down an MBE last summer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Elizabeth Day: Confessions of a friendship addict | 04 May 2023 | 00:56:59 | |
Romantic love, widely elevated as a subject worth interrogating, tends to get a lot of attention while platonic friendship is woefully neglected in the public discourse. Enter, self-described “friendaholic” Elizabeth Day who is attempting to redress the balance. The author and woman behind the hit How to Fail podcast spoke to Roisin Ingle about why the complex bonds of friendship need more attention and how during the pandemic she was forced to reassess her own friendship circle. Her new book Friendaholic: Confessions of a friendship addict prompted her to look back at her experience of being bullied at school while growing up in Belfast where she struggled to fit in and make friends. Day spent many years using friendship - the more friends the better - as a form of self-validation. For Day, having lots of friends meant you were loved, popular and safe. But this quantity over quality approach was often to the detriment of her own boundaries and mental health. Day talked to Ingle about the great friendships of her life, what it feels like to be ghosted, dealing with frenemies, how friendships were affected by her fertility journey and the lessons she learned while writing the book. Friendaholic: Confessions of a friendship addict is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Book Club: Go as a River by Shelley Read | 30 Apr 2023 | 00:27:09 | |
This month on the Women’s Podcast book club, we’ve been reading Go as a River, the debut novel from Shelley Read. Set in the beautiful wilderness of Colorado, it tells the story of Victoria, a resilient young woman whose life is forever changed by one chance encounter. It’s a story of love, loss and female bonds. So what did our book clubbers Bernice Harrison, Niamh Towey, Ann and Róisín Ingle make of this debut, tipped to be the next ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’? Share your thoughts on the book with us at thewomenspodcast@irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Orla Donoghue: Busting the stigma of single parenthood | 07 Aug 2025 | 00:37:06 | |
Following the breakdown of her long-term relationship in 2021, Orla Donoghue became a single parent to her then one-year-old son, Rory. The transition, however, was far from easy. As a new mother, she grappled with feelings of isolation, shame and uncertainty and despite the fact that one in five households in Ireland are single parent families, she also found the experience deeply isolating. However, it was this difficult experience that ultimately led her to set up Solas Coaching, a support space dedicated to helping other single parents. In today’s episode, Donoghue talks to Róisín Ingle about finding her footing as a solo parent, the importance of asking for help and why she's passionate about supporting others in difficult times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Abortion services review: Is the law failing women? | 27 Apr 2023 | 00:49:36 | |
This week, the long awaited independent review of the Irish abortion system was published by the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly. The review examined the experience of women in Ireland using abortion services and assessed how providers are operating across the country. It also included a list of recommendations, including the removal of the three day waiting period and a direction for all 19 maternity hospitals to be involved in service provision. In this episode, Irish Times Political Correspondent Jennifer Bray talks to Róisín Ingle about the key findings from the report, while People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith shares her views on the recommendations. They also discuss the response within the Government to the review, the appetite for action and why “men need to stop thinking about themselves and their own backyard, and to think about the health needs of women”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Pray for Our Sinners: Sinéad O’Shea and Dr Mary Randles | 20 Apr 2023 | 00:42:26 | |
Pray for Our Sinners, the new documentary from filmmaker and journalist Sinéad O’Shea, opens in Irish cinemas this week. It follows O’Shea as she returns to her hometown of Navan, to explore the impact of the Catholic church on the community in decades past. The film shines a light on the horror of mother and baby homes and the use of corporal punishment in schools. In this episode, Kathy Sheridan is joined by O’Shea and by Dr Mary Randles, who also features prominently in the film. In the 1970s Randles provided a refuge to unmarried mothers in her own home, while her husband Paddy fought tirelessly to end violence against children in local schools. Together they discuss how the project came about, the people they met along the way and the importance of standing up and speaking out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Caoilfhionn Gallagher on life, law and learning to fly | 13 Apr 2023 | 01:05:10 | |
Caoilfhionn Gallagher is a prominent human rights lawyer, who was recently appointed the Irish government’s Special Rapporteur on Child Protection. A proud Dub and Northsider, Gallagher now works with Doughty Street Chambers in London, where she acts in cases before various tribunals, such as the European Court of Human Rights, UN Special Procedures and the international courts. She has also acted for bereaved families and survivors of the 7/7 London bombings and has worked on the Hillsborough inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool FC fans in 1989. In this episode, Gallagher tells Kathy Sheridan about her journey into the legal profession and how a road-traffic accident as a young woman, inspired her to stand up to injustice in the world. We also hear about her work protecting journalists across the globe, what expertise she hopes to bring to this new role in child protection and the peace she finds taking flying lessons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||