The Women's Podcast

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.

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.

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 frie

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.