The Women's Podcast

In the Summer of 1976, two young Irish women, Elizabeth Plunkett and Mary Duffy were abducted and murdered by Ireland’s first serial killers Geoffrey Evans and John Shaw. Having met in a UK prison a few years beforehand, the two men travelled to Ireland with a plan to rape and murder as many women as possible. In today’s episode, Irish Times Senior Features Writer Rosita Boland tells the story of the short lives and brutal murders of these two young women.Warning: this episode includes content that some may find disturbing See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We Heart Worry is a brilliant podcast from Irish actors and writers Phillipa Dunne and Yasmine Akram. From worrying about the hidden meaning of a dream about Jared Leto, to fretting about accidentally putting your child’s birth cert in the clothes bank, Phillipa and Yasmine run the gamut of all our worries, niche to normal, in their podcast. They talk to Róisín about the show and the many worries that have gone into it. They also talk about Phillipa’s starring roles in Derry Girls and Motherland, Yasmine’s turn opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock, and lots more.Presenter: Róisín IngleProducers: Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennanwww.irishtimes.com/podcasts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In a recent article in The Irish Times, Sacha Dekker described an incident during which she was mocked by strangers in a restaurant who found her disability funny. Sacha tells Róisín why, even though she is a warrior who has overcome enormous obstacles in her life, she was hurt by this experience and how writing about it helped her get past it.Róisín also talks to cosmetics guru, TV presenter and model Nadine Reid about the battle to end period poverty and how the supermarket Lidl is helping. They also talk about the medical bias she has encountered seeking fertility treatment, as someone with a BMI higher than 35, and why she’s loving life in the wilds of Donegal.Presenter: Róisín IngleProducers: Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanSacha Dekker's article: https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/the-family-are-pointing-and-laughing-at-me-one-mimics-my-spasm-1.4781409 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Last year, the Women of Honour (WOH) documentary by journalist Katie Hannon was broadcast on RTE, revealing allegations of sexual abuse, harassment and rape within the Irish Defence Forces. In this episode, Róisín Ingle meets two members of the WOH group, retired company quartermaster Sgt Karina Molloy and retired army captain Diane Byrne. They speak about their own experiences of bullying and abuse within the military and their disappointment with the independent review announced on Tuesday by Minister Simon Coveney. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Halfway through her term as Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland talks to Róisín about being only the 10th woman to hold the office and her ambitions while she’s there, including Brigit 2022: Dublin City Celebrating Women, a festival marking St Brigid’s Day this year. They also talk about feminism, her quest to make Dublin a safer city for everyone and her personal experience of sexual assault while going for a run when she lived in Spain. Presenter: Róisín IngleProducers: Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennanwww.irishtimes.com/podcastsPublic consultation on Review of the operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

25 years ago a comprehensive government task-force report on violence against women was published. Since then, nearly 250 women have been murdered in Ireland, including Ashling Murphy, laid to rest this week by her family. In today’s podcast, Róisín talks to columnist with the Irish Examiner, Alison O’Connor, final year law student, Inny Ekeolu, professor of psychology at the University of Limerick, Orla Muldoon, and author of the 'An Fear Eile: Manhood in Ireland' research project, Finian Murphy, about why doing nothing is not an option when it comes to ending gender based violence.Presenter: Róisín IngleProducers: Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanSound engineer: JJ Vernonwww.irishtimes.com/podcasts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Have you ever questioned the path you’ve found yourself on? Ever fantasised about quitting your job and making a career change? Or maybe life just intervened and forced you to change lanes. For many or us, the pandemic has had a huge impact on our attitudes to work. It’s been a time of soul searching and reflection on what makes us happy and keeps us motivated. Today we speak to two women about the art of pivoting and why everyone should be encouraged to tune in to their inner voice. Guests: Aideen Finnegan, broadcaster and host of How to Pivot Podcast and Sarah Shannon, yoga and meditation teacher who runs the Wild & Free Retreats in the Algarve, Portugal.Presenter: Róisín IngleProducers: Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennanwww.irishtimes.com/podcasts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today, we celebrate Women’s Christmas or as it’s known in Ireland Nollaig na mBan. Traditionally this was the day when women got a day off after all the emotional and physical labour of making Christmas happen. But have we really moved on very much from the days when women did the majority of work in the home? And how much is this clear imbalance holding us back? In The Invisible Job: Parenting, Running a Home and Dividing Responsibility, Paula Fyans examines how this enduring inequality negatively impacts the lives of women, in terms of their career progression, financial security and their physical and mental health. In today’s episode, she speaks to Róisín Ingle about what this invisible, unpaid role entails and what we can do about changing the way we divide our daily tasks. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode presenters Kathy and Róisín are joined by producers Jennifer and Suzanne to look back at 2021. We share our favourite episodes, name our women of the year and talk about some of the highs and lows of the past 12 months.**This episode was recorded in mid-December 2021. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Earlier this year, in the bleakness of lockdown three, Jan Brierton became a viral sensation with her pandemic poem What day is it? Who gives a f*ck. Sharing her thoughts on the monotony of lockdown life, her words resonated with many across the country and beyond. In today’s episode, the stylist turned poet tells Róisín Ingle how that poem changed the course of her life this year, leading to the release of her very first book. Brierton also speaks about embracing her creativity, getting out of her comfort zone and about her decision to give up alcohol. The pair share their Christmas plans, discuss the merit of the Brussels sprout and Jan performs a new festive poem called Dear Santa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Feast your ears on this deliciously festive food episode with columnist, broadcaster and author Grace Dent. As restaurant critic for The Guardian and a regular face on Masterchef, Grace tells Róisín Ingle what tasty treats feature in her Christmas spread every year. The pair reminisce about Yuletide dinners through the decades, from the joy of the humble pud, to the homemade trifle lathered with Birds custard. This episode is a culinary walk down a very festive memory lane. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It has been another fantastic year for books: Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You, Megan Nolan’s Acts of Desperation, Catherine Ryan Howard’s 56 Days, Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout, Louise Nealon’s Snowflake, Fíona Scarlett’s Boys Don’t Cry, the list goes on and on. In this episode Róisín is joined by our book clubbers Niamh Towey, Ann Ingle and Bernice Harrison to share their favourite reads of the year (some old, some new) and the books they’ll be gifting this Christmas. Books mentioned:56 Days - Catherine Ryan HowardActs of Desperation - Megan NolanApples Never Fall - Liane MoriartyAre You Somebody - Nuala O’FaolainBright Burning Things - Lisa HardingComrades - Rosita BolandDaisy Jones and the Six - Taylor Jenkins ReidDid Ye Hear Mammy Died? - Seamus O’ReillyEmpire of Pain - Patrick Radden KeefeHow to Kill Your Family - Bella Mackie Iron Annie - Luke CassidyMagpie - Elizabeth DayNell - Nell McCaffertyNora - Nuala O’ConnorOh William! - Elizabeth StroutOpenhearted - Ann IngleThe End of

For thousands of young people across Ireland, the impact of the pandemic has been catastrophic. This is especially true for children from disadvantaged communities, who may have grown up with gangland violence on their doorstep, or in a home with addiction, overcrowding or poverty. For many, the usual supports they relied on, like schooling and youth clubs were taken away overnight. In a new documentary series by The Irish Youth Foundation, musician and presenter Mary-Kate Geraghty (MayKay) travels to Limerick, Waterford and Dublin to speak to the young people in these communities, about how their lives were affected during the lockdowns. In today’s episode, MayKay shares what she learned from listening to their stories. We’re also joined by Suzi Cronin, the Youth Work Team Lead at Southhill Hub in Limerick and by Ellen Burke, a young member of the travelling community who speaks about her experience engaging with youth services in Waterford. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The vast majority of violence against women and girls (and men and boys) is perpetrated by men. Why then is it viewed primarily as a women’s issue? On UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Róisín talks to two men who are activists in the area about why we urgently need to reframe the conversation and why more men need to speak out. Guests: Dr Jackson Katz, co-founder of the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program and Ryan Hart, domestic abuse advocate.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Living alone during lockdown and cut off from her wide circle of friends, Irish Times journalist and author Rosita Boland, wrote a beautiful book of essays called Comrades: A Lifetime of Friendships. The book is an exploration of camaraderie, from the imaginary, the unrequited, to the ones lost along the way. In today’s episode, Boland joins Róisin Ingle to speak about the different friendships which have shaped her life and the pair reminisce about their own journey. But first, Irish Times columnist Brianna Parkins shares her experience of making new pals as an Australian in Ireland. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When Lara Marlowe met Robert Fisk in 1983 in Damascus, he was already a famous war correspondent. She was a young American reporter who would become a renowned journalist in her own right. For the next twenty years, they were lovers, husband and wife and friends, occasionally angry and estranged from one another, but ultimately reconciled. In today’s podcast, Marlowe, who is The Irish Times Paris correspondent, talks to her colleague and friend Kathy Sheridan about the memoir she has written telling the story of their time together, Love in a Time of War: My years with Robert Fisk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The death of a 30-year-old woman in Poland, likened to the Savita Halappanavar case, has sparked protests and candlelit vigils in an outpouring of opposition to restrictive abortion laws which campaigners claim played a role in her death. Irish Times Europe correspondent Naomi O’Leary has the details of this story and explains why the case will resonate in Ireland.Later, Róisín talks to prize-winning Irish author Sarah Gilmartin about her brilliant novel, Dinner Party: A tragedy, which tells the story of a family of dysfunctional siblings and their monstrous mother.Presenter: Róisín IngleProduced by: Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanSound: JJ Vernonwww.irishtimes.com/podcasts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch was just 11 when her eating disorder began to manifest. She struggled for several years with anorexia, with spells in and out of hospital including a three month stay in a facility in England. In her memoir, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting, she explores with breathtaking clarity, her path to recovery and her struggle to deal with the complexities and contradictions within herself. Now 30 and living in London, she talked to Roisin Ingle about navigating all of this while also coming to terms with the international fame which came when she won the part of Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movie franchise. It's a story about the tragedy and glory of growing up, one Lynch hopes will help anyone touched by this devastating, often misunderstood illness.If you’re affected by any of the issues discussed in today’s episode, contact BodyWhys.ie or CAREDIreland@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, we’re bringing you a conversation from our Big Night In series of events which took place earlier this year. Back in May, comedian, author and journalist Maeve Higgins joined Róisín Ingle on zoom for a very fun evening in front of a live virtual audience. Higgins spoke about her move to New York, podcasting with former president Mary Robinson and why she returned to her hometown of Cobh during the pandemic. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In her memoir, Openhearted, Ann Ingle tells the story of her life with her late husband Peter, the “wild Irishman” she fell in love with while on holiday in Cornwall at the age of 20. Presented as a series of essays, Ann writes about everything from love, sex and heartbreak, to money, rearing children, writing, ageing, and so much more. In today’s episode, she talks to Kathy Sheridan about what she has learned and continues to learn into her ninth decade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.