The Women's Podcast

In today’s episode, Róisín Ingle is joined by Doireann Ni Ghriofa, a talented poet and the author of an original, evocative and lyrical book called A Ghost In the Throat. This stunning debut is an exploration into Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire, one of the greatest love poems of the Irish language, written by Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill. A fluid hybrid of essay and autofiction, Ni Ghríofa weaves in her own lived experience as she sets herself the huge task of writing a new translation of the 18th century poem. It’s a visceral read, dripping with breast milk, full of the mundanity and the glory of motherhood. She spoke about the poem's powerful resonance and her lifelong obsession with finding out the rest of the story. Also, a reminder that tickets are still available for our Big Fright In this Halloween night with British writer and journalist Caitlin Moran joining us as our special guest. Tickets available on irishtimes.com/big-night-in See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode Kathy Sheridan talks to little person Sinéad Burke about her extraordinary activism and her new stigma-busting book Break the Mould. You'll know Burke from such accolades as appearing on the cover of Vogue (Meghan Markle chose her for the gig) and her TED talk 'Why design should include everyone'. She is a writer, academic, influencer, activist and broadcaster who has been fearless in her mission to make the world a more inclusive and accessible place. A tireless campaigner and passionate fashionista, Burke spoke to Sheridan about how she broke the mould and explained why standing out and being yourself is a message people of all ages need to hear. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In today’s episode Roisin Ingle meets Galway based Erin Darcy the author of a new book called In Her Shoes which tells the stories of women left behind by the Eighth Amendment. In early 2018 Darcy created an online art project, In Her Shoes Women of the 8th to safely and anonymously share private stories of the real and devastating impact of the 8th amendment. In the five months leading up the referendum on abortion, the project had a simple request for undecided voters: put yourself in her shoes. Within weeks there were hundreds of stories pouring in and what began as a solo act of grassroots activism unleashed a national conversation on human rights that would help change Ireland forever. She spoke about coming to Ireland as a teenager from America after falling in love with an Irish man she met on an online message board. In a wide ranging interview, we hear about her activism, her art and about the power of storytelling. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For years now, campaigners and activists have been calling on the government to prevent records compiled by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes from being sealed for 30 years. Proposed legislation related to the commission’s records, the Records Bill, was brought forward by Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman and the debate continues this week in Dail. Organisations such as the Clann Project, Justice for Magdalenes and the Adoption Rights Alliance are all against the records being sealed. They say it will result in people being unable to access information “disappeared" relatives or babies "buried in unmarked graves." In today's episode we asked human rights lawyer Maeve O’Rourke to talk to us about the issues and about her long battle together with with the Clann Project to ensure that women survivors of human rights abuses in Ireland get access to their personal information. Also with us was Mary Harney, a woman now in her seventies who was born in Bessborough Mother and Baby Home

The 15th of October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Each year, to mark the day, a global wave of light is created through the lighting of candles by parents who have lost a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or in infancy. It is estimated that one in four pregnancies ends this way and yet there is still a silence and taboo that surrounds the subject. In this episode, Irish Times parenting columnist and author Jen Hogan speaks to Róisín Ingle about her personal experience of miscarriage and the devastation of each loss. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You’ve probably heard of the 400 Welcomes campaign, an all-female campaign group, made up of doctors, teachers, writers, community and social care workers and musicians . One of the women behind the campaign is Caoimhe Butterly, a human rights campaigner who has been fighting for justice all over the world for most of her adult life. Originally from Dublin, she was inspired by her parents to look outside her own comfortable circumstances and fight for the most vulnerable. Following a recent fire in Moria refugee camp in Lesvos, Greece, over 13,000 people now face the bleakest conditions which are getting worse by the day. Those in the new camp face inadequate access to food, water and weather-proofed shelters. #400Welcomes is calling on the Irish government to bring 400 people from Lesvos to Ireland with relocation outside of the system of Direct Provision. The Government originally said they would only take in four unaccompanied minors, now it says they will take fifty men, women and children. We spoke to

In 1984, Majella Moynihan was a fresh faced young garda recruit when she gave birth to a baby boy. Charged with breaching An Garda Siochana disciplinary rules - for having premarital sex with another guard and for becoming pregnant and having a child while unmarried - she was pressured to give up her baby for adoption or face dismissal. It forced her into a decision that would have devastating impacts on her life. Moynihan left the Guards in 1998 and in 2019, following an RTE documentary on her case, she received an apology from the Garda Commissioner and Minister for Justice for the ordeal she endured as a young garda. She spoke to Roisin Ingle about her memoir A Guarded Life and the reality of a police culture steeped in misogyny and prejudice. Majella Moynihan is a hero, whose courage and resilience led to her speaking out against an institution that traumatised and bullied her for years, for the "crime" of being a pregnant, unmarried woman in Ireland.Also, a reminder that tickets are still available for o

Who knows when we'll get to lose ourselves in the darkness of a cinema again? But when we do all of us at The Women's Podcast are urging you to go and see a wonderful Irish film called Herself which tells the story of a brutalised single mother Sandra and her dream to build her own house where she and her two small daughters can be safe. The story of the film was written by Dubliner Clare Dunne who also stars, and was inspired by a real-life friend of Clare's who was forced to declare herself homeless and live in a hotel in order to get on the housing list. It tells the story of how women in this situation. women fleeing terrifying home situations of domestic abuse, are treated by society and the legal system. But at the heart, it's a hopeful, uplifting film directed by Phyllida Lloyd (Mamma Mia!) about how one woman took matters into her own hands despite all the obstacles. Already critically acclaimed, Herself - a co-prodcution between Sharon Horgan's company Merman and Element Pictures - is moving, funny

The most fabulous and famous family dynasty in Britain and Ireland during the 1920s were the grand-daughters of the first Lord Iveagh also known as the Glorious Guinness Girls. The glamour, the drama and the secrets are explored in fiction by writer Emily Hourican who spoke to Kathy Sheridan about her new novel The Glorious Guinness Girls. Hourican talks about the inspiration for the book, her geographically diverse childhood and her cancer diagnosis five years ago. Also, a reminder that tickets are still available for our Big Night In Season 2 which kicks off on Saturday October 3rd with Senator Eileen Flynn. Tickets available on irishtimes.com/big-night-in See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the podcast today we have skin expert Jennifer Rock who aswell as talking about her new book The Skin Nerd Philosophy, deals with all your pandemic skin problems and delves into looking after this most important organ every day of the year. We are also very excited to bring you details of season 2 of our Big Night In. From this Saturday October 3rd we'll be back on zoom to bring you conversations with talented inspiring women such as Senator Eileen Flynn, Caitlin Moran and Claire Byrne. For more details go to https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/irish-times-big-night-in-online-interviews-with-r%C3%B3is%C3%ADn-ingle-restart-this-saturday-1.4366413 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Last April, which seems a hundred years ago now, we spoke to Dr Catherine Motherway, consultant anaesthetist at University Hospital Limerick and former President of the Intensive Care Society of Ireland. In this episode, Roisin Ingle catches up with her to find out Dr Motherway's views on Level 3, life on the frontline, societal compliance with covid restrictions and her hopes and fears as we face into a winter of living with the virus. As a new report from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation shows women's voices being "drowned out" globally in terms of coronavirus reporting. The Women's Podcast will continue to amplify the voices of women on all aspects of this crisis. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cork author Louise O'Neill joined Roisin Ingle on the podcast to talk about her latest novel After The Silence. The book marks a departure for O'Neill in that it's a thriller but what hasn't changed is the uncompromising, gently probing voice of the writer of novels such as Asking For It which on publication became a national talking point. In After The Silence, set on a small Island off the coast of Cork, she explores themes such as emotional abuse and the kind of notoriety that follows a small community devastated by a traumatic event - in this case the unexplained murder of a beautiful young Islander. O'Neill talks about writing, about life in Lockdown and about the new and very different experience of writing a thriller. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There is a lot of confusion and covid-weariness swirling around at the moment so we thought we'd bring you an episode that will divert, intrigue and definitely distract you. Jenny Keane is an holistic sex expert and yoga teacher who runs hugely popular online workshops teaching people to explore their sexuality and enhance sexual pleasure. Her path to an empowering form of sex education began when she was experiencing health issues around her periods but from there she expanding her knowledge and expertise to help women (and men) tune in to their own bodies so that they can experience themselves and the world in a more connected way. What's a yoni? What are the mysteries of female ejaculation? Advice for women who’ve never experienced an orgasm? Jenny knows it all. She certainly taught Roisin Ingle a thing or three. For more find Jenny on instagram @hellojennykeane We hope this episode is a satisfying experience for all our listeners. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There are hundreds of books out at the moment so it's difficult as an author these days, when people are reading more than ever, to stand out from the crowd. One writer who has managed to do that with her terrifying novel The Nothing Man is Catherine Ryan Howard, the Cork woman who has won a devoted army of fans with her always original and often disturbing books. This latest one is a riveting read and Catherine talked to Roisin Ingle about her unusual journey into writing: she once worked as a desk agent in a hotel in Walt Disney World, and got her first big break when she went back to study English at Trinity College as a mature student. She also talked about setbacks, success and being child-free. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When we've asked you what subjects you'd like us to discuss on the podcast, menopause is often mentioned. One listener who got in touch was Helen Kirwan who talks to Roisin Ingle on the latest episode. Helen is going through peri-menopause and has found some of the symptoms stressful and difficult. She talks honestly about coping at this seismic time in a woman's life, while we get some expert advice and important information from menopause expert Caoimhe Hartley who says there should be no stigma or taboo subjects when it comes to women's health. Also on this episode, Laura Lexx talks about her hilarious and heartwarming book which imagines life married to everyone's favourite bespectacled German football manager Jurgen Klopp. A string of truly funny tweets about the enigmatic Liverpool Manager landed her a two-book deal during Lockdown and while she doesn't know much about football, her tribute to Klopp's no nonsense style won her legions of fans. She talks to Roisin and reads an extract from her new book.

Our last Book Club took place months ago, early in Lockdown, so we are delighted that in this show Ann Ingle, Bernice Harrison and Niamh Towey are back to discuss our latest read. The book under discussion is Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld, a political fantasy that imagines what life would have been like for Hillary Clinton had she turned down Bill Clinton's proposal of marriage. So it's a what if novel that imagines the life and times of Hill without Bill. Sittenfeld, the author of sharp, compassionate and always clever books such as American Wife, explores how life might have turned out for the Clintons, for America and for the world if these two political heavyweights had never got married. It's a lively discussion and as usual not everyone agrees with each other but we wouldn't want it any other way. We'll announce our next book soon, but until then enjoy this Book Club episode. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Female genital mutilation is a practice that, according to the World Health Organisation, has affected 200 million women and girls alive today. Today’s guest, author and anti-FGM campaigner Nimko Ali is on a mission to end this worldwide by 2030. In her new book, What We’re Told Not to Talk About (But We’re Going to Anyway): Women’s Voices from East London to Ethiopia, Ali shares her own personal story of FGM and the stories of many other women which are often left unheard. It is a series of intimate and illuminating conversations with women on the subjects of sex, masturbation, periods, pregnancy, the menopause and more. In this episode, the author speaks to Róisín Ingle about challenging the patriarchy, freezing her eggs and trying to make the world a better place. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s been a long time coming, but this week the kids are finally going back to school. For many, it will be a welcome return to normality and routine, but it may bring about some challenges too. In this episode, Róisín Ingle speaks to Irish Times parenting columnist and mother of seven Jen Hogan, who is juggling four different start times and coming to terms with a whole new set of rules and regulations for her children. Psychologist Malie Coyne also joins Ingle to discuss her new book, Love In, Love Out - A compassionate approach to parenting your anxious child. This book is a valuable roadmap for parents who are feeling lost or overwhelmed trying to support a child with anxiety. They speak about the importance of self compassion, building resilience and how to support children who are worried about returning to school. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cancer is life changing in many ways, but our guest this week found that her devastating diagnosis in 2017 set her off on a new career path. Georgie Crawford, mother of one, lives with her husband Jamie in Dublin and is the host of the hugely successful The Good Glow podcast. She started the podcast as she struggled to come to terms with her cancer diagnosis and treatment and found that talking to others about their life changing stories helped her to deal with what was a very difficult time in her life. Thanks to the success of the podcast she was able to leave her job in radio and make a very successful living creating content that has struck a chord with millions. As she launches a spin off The Good Glow Health, Roisin Ingle talked to her about her illness and recovery and about her life now as one of Ireland's most popular podcast hosts. We're also still looking for happy stories so do send us news of any uplifting things that have happened to you during the pandemic. Email us on thewomenspodcast@irishtim

After six months of a global pandemic we needed some good news so this episode features Mimi Wilcox, a young filmmaker from Chicago who after a whirlwind weekend romance in her home town with an Irish man decided to visit him in Ireland for five days. The only problem was, Leo Varadkar announced Lockdown the day she arrived. Air travel was cancelled and Mimi was stuck in Ireland with David Michael McKernan, a man she barely knew. What happened next? We find out in the film they made together about their Lockdown experience How to Fall in Love in a Pandemic. Mimi came on the podcast to tell Roisin Ingle the whole story. Speaking of good news, has anything great happened for you or your family in the last six months? If it has we want to hear about it as an antidote to the gloom. Tell us by emailing thewomenspodcast@irishtimes.com and the best bit of good news will win some great new books to keep you going through Autumn. If you don’t want to email send us your good news on instagram, twitter or facebook @itwo