The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast

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  Killeagh's Finbarr Fogarty on his teenage drug addiction, the guilt of surviving a fatal car crash and finding peace 15.09.2026 54分

  Killeagh man Finbarr Fogarty hit the headlines in 2001 when he was involved in a horrific car crash in which two of his friends, Cian O'Mahony from Killeagh and Wayne Martin from Hollyhill, died.He survived serious injuries, including a broken neck and had to learn to walk again.Like a lot of young men, he had gone off the rails in his teens, using drugs and alcohol to find confidence and fit in. Adults in the community and in his school were aware of his drug usage, he says, but never intervened beyond a threat to expel him from school, something he now finds hard to understand.Like many teenage boys who become involved in risky behaviour, he believed he was invincible."...I was invincible as a teenager... there was a few times where we were doing 100 miles an hour and we just, you know, thought, there's nothing going to happen. It's grand."But when it happens, that switch has not gone off in our head just yet. This idea, you know, we could die. It's just, you know, we're not going to die."Even the crash did not break the power of his addiction – he was arrested a few months later after a local guard found him on the street in a drunken state."I was arrested, and I remember the bangarda who picked me up, she looked at me and said – are you the guy who was in the accident? The guards have a very tough job."Now, 25 years later, Finbarr lives in Australia where he runs a successful business and volunteers to help other people in recovery.He spoke to Deirdre for today's episode about breaking the cycle of addiction in his family; how recovery works; and how he and his friends were let down by adults who knew they were in freefall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The lasting impact of 9/11 on the people of New York, with Paul Hosford 11.09.2026 58分

  25 years after the era-defining day that two hijacked planes hit the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, the impact is still being felt worldwide by countless people.In New York itself, people are still picking up the pieces of their lives, with many of those who helped on that day left to fight for justice.The death toll on the day was 2,996 people, but the death toll in the years since from cancers and other conditions caused by the toxic dust and the cleanup effort is far higher.Irish Examiner Deputy Political Editor Paul Hosford has been in New York meeting firefighters, construction workers, ambulance staff, residents, politicians and journalists who shared their memories of the day and its impact on their lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Jim O’Callaghan’s immigration crackdown, with Louise Burne 08.09.2026 38分

  On Monday at the Fianna Fáil think-in the Government announced what they called the “biggest reform of Ireland’s citizenship rules in a generation”.Tomorrow, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan will bring to Cabinet a new bill setting out onerous new rules for migrants who want to become Irish citizens.The rules, which will affect people who already live and work here, include an eight year waiting time before applying, a block on people who have received certain social welfare payments becoming citizens, an English (or Irish) language proficiency test, and conditions around habitual residency. They will also impact spouses of Irish citizens.Political correspondent Louise Burne joins Deirdre for a rundown of the new rules, a discussion of the political context behind them and the reaction from politics and civil society groups.Citizenship rules to tighten by end of this yearNew citizenship rules would require eight years’ residence, language test and civics examNumber of people immigrating to Ireland fell by 12% this year, new figures showUkrainians being moved out of Citywest: ‘We need a place to survive, that’s it’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Criminal courts in turmoil over solicitors’ strike, with Gráinne Ní Aodha 04.09.2026 22分

  The criminal courts have been in turmoil over the past few months as a dispute between Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan and criminal defence solicitors who work for legal aid clients has spilled over into courtrooms. Those accused of a crime are appearing in court with nobody to advise them, cases are being put on the long finger and judges and rights organisations are beginning to speak up about the lack of justice for vulnerable people.Irish Examiner News Reporter Grainne Ni Aodha has been covering this story and is today’s guest on the Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast.  Solicitors' walkout raises fears of 'covid-level backlog' in court cases as legal aid strike continues'Things need to be moved on': Warning of legal challenges over solicitors' pay disputeOngoing legal aid dispute poses 'grave public risk', solicitors warn‘It’s a siege mentality’: Minister accused of downplaying disruption caused by solicitors' strikeWithdrawal of services by solicitors not justified, says TaoiseachSarah Harte: Jim O'Callaghan should look closer to home to solve legal delays  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Trish Bourke on leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses, being groomed by an older man and finding her place in the world 01.09.2026 54分

  Growing up a Jehovah’s Witness in rural Co Tipperary was not your typical Irish childhood.Weekends spend proselytising, no Christmas or birthdays and very little interaction with the world beyond the community meant Trish Bourke was a very sheltered teenager when she was groomed by an older man.In her book UnWitnessed, Trish writes movingly about her steps away from the faith that shaped her, the predatory relationship she fell into and a termination she went through as a result, and her eventual discovery of her place in the world.From being called a murderer by her devout family, and a loving but sexless marriage to teaching computer literacy to Martin Sheen, her story is full of twists, turns and contradictions.Trish Bourke is today’s guest on The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast. Her book, UnWitnessed, is published by Menma Books and available at unwitnessed.net.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Is Cork University Hospital unsafe for patients? 28.08.2026 35分

  Management, clinicians and staff at Cork University Hospital are in a mounting disagreement with the HSE and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill over staff and resources at the South-West region’s biggest hospital.Trolleys are mounting up at the hospital’s Emergency Department and as the health service faces into the winter season, staff and management fear a tragic incident if resourcing is not urgently addressed.Last week CUH boss Jennifer Kearney wrote to Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to say the hospital was unsafe for patients and staff.“My responsibility as chief executive is not simply to comply with a process," she wrote. "It is to speak clearly when I believe that process is creating a foreseeable risk to patients and staff."I would rather raise that concern now, when there is still an opportunity to act, than remain silent and explain afterwards why we did not.”The Minister hit back in an interview on RTE radio, saying there was “no evidence” the hospital was unsafe - but medical staff at the hospital have since rowed in on the CEO’s side.So, is the hospital safe or not?Irish Examiner Health Correspondent Niamh Griffin gets into the detail of the dispute at CUH on today’s episode.Health minister says no evidence of increased patient safety concerns at CUHHiqa seeks clarity over Cork University Hospital safety fears  CUH boss says hospital 'unsafe' for patients amid shortfall of over 1,000 staff Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Wild Swans author Jung Chang on growing up in Mao’s China, her new book Fly Wild Swans and her mother’s death 25.08.2026 57分

  Jung Chang achieved worldwide acclaim for her autobiographical work Wild Swans, published in 1992.The book told the story of her grandmother, a warlord’s concubine whose feet were bound, her mother, a Communist Party official who suffered under Mao, and herself, one of the first students permitted to leave China to study in the West in the 1970s.Since its publication Jung has become a prolific writer and historian of China but her biography of Mao, written with her Irish husband Jon Halliday, put her on the wrong side of the Communist Party’s propaganda.Her new book, Fly Wild Swans, tells the story of her life since Wild Swans’ publication – particularly her increasingly difficult relationship with the Chinese authorities.In this interview with Deirdre O’Shaughnessy recorded in front of a live audience at the West Cork Literary Festival, Jung describes how her life changed when the Party became displeased with her; her difficulty in visiting China since the publication of the Mao book; and, for the first time, she discusses the death of her beloved mother, whose life story inspired millions in Wild Swans.This episode of The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast was recorded live at the Maritime Hotel Bantry as part of the West Cork Literary Festival 2026. See westcorkmusic.ie.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Putting parenting advice under the spotlight with Colman Noctor 21.08.2026 43分

  The world is awash with parenting advice – every newspaper and TV show has a parenting slot, and once the algorithm notices something up with your menstrual cycle you will be bombarded with it, from pregnancy right through to parenting young adults, with strong opinions on attachment styles, feeding advice, gentle parenting and more.But Irish Examiner columnist Dr Colman Noctor, who is a child and adult psychotherapist and a mental health lecturer, argues in a new series, every child needs to be parented differently – but crucially, this isn’t just up to their own parents.In his new series he looks at important parts of childhood – school, sports and friendships – through a lens of parenting different children according to their needs. And his recommendations might surprise.“If your child is thriving and they're popular and they're bright and they're clever, there's an onus of responsibility on them to be nice about that, to be a little bit gracious about it, because you have that power to include,” he says.He believes that a lot of modern parenting advice is treating challenges as an isolated challenge for one family –when, in fact, community is often what’s missing from modern parenting.The reliance on AI and online advice, meanwhile, means many parents are missing out on real connection.“Parenting is a very lonely journey for many people. And if you don't have the village of people saying, you're doing a good job and you're doing great and this is working and all that sort of stuff, you're going to turn to the advice,” he adds.Supporting children with friendships, promoting inclusion so that parents aren’t fighting problems in isolation, and making sure more capable children include others across school, sports and friendship is key to the advice in his new series.In this episode Colman and Deirdre discuss the importance of community and connection in parenting, inclusion, and how to be consistent when every child needs you to show up as a different parent.You can read Colman’s column in ieParenting every Tuesday.Read Colman’s weekly columns in ieParenting here: Columns - Irish ExaminerThe Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast: School holidays and the motherhood penaltyThe Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: The year of care campaign, with Aolish Gormley   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Syed Haque, attacked by a teenager in a Carrigaline park 18.08.2026 22分

  Syed Haque moved to Ireland from Bangladesh in 2003, working in restaurants for many years. The political science graduate is now an Irish citizen and a married father of two, with a good job in a logistics company.Until July, he had never experienced any racism in Ireland. But all that changed when he was randomly attacked by a teenager while out walking with friends and family in his local park in Carrigaline. A community rally against racism was held in the town last week, prompted by the attack.On today's episode of the podcast Syed Haque joins Deirdre to discuss life in Ireland, the attack's impact on his family, and the solidarity of their local community in Carrigaline.Victim of racist attack in Cork ‘grateful’ as locals unite to promote inclusion and solidarityCarrigaline event to be held in solidarity with victim of racist attackWinner of 2018 Rose of Tralee would not enter competition now due to level of racist sentiment in societyRecord number of hate crimes reported to gardaí in 2025 as incidents rise 15% Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Five years after the fall of Kabul, Afghanistan's women are silent, with Mahbooba Faiz 14.08.2026 42分

  Five years on from the dramatic scenes of desperate people clambering onto planes at Kabul Airport, the Taliban are back in power and Afghanistan's women have been silenced.No singing, talking or showing their faces in public. No education, no work, no access to healthcare in most cases.A small number of Afghan women travelled to Ireland in the direct aftermath of the US departure, under a specific refugee scheme opened by the Government.Mahbooba Faiz was a lawyer in Afghanistan. After years of further study, she is now a paralegal with the Cork based law firm RDJ and has written for the Irish Examiner about the importance of DEI schemes in the workplace. She is the founder of the Irish campaign against gender apartheid.She speaks candidly in today's episode about leaving Aghanistan, her campaign against gender apartheid, her time in Ireland and her fears for the women she has left behind. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Victim blaming in the Patrick Faulkner rape trial, with Ann Murphy 11.08.2026 21分

  The case of a 15 year old girl raped by 18 year old Patrick Faulkner at a Limerick birthday party caused outrage last week after defence counsel raised the victim's clothing choices in court.Speaking to the Irish Examiner, representatives from women's rights groups called for guidelines to be introduced in relation to 'victim blaming' in rape and sexual assault case.This is not the first time this issue has arisen. In 2018, protests erupted after a Cork defence barrister held up the complainant's underwear in court. The #thisisnotconsent campaign was reported internationally, but no legal change ensued.Reporter Ann Murphy has been covering the response to this case and she joins Deirdre on today's episode to discuss victim blaming, sexual assault cases, and the various campaigns underway to make the court proceedings less traumatic for victims. Ann has also been writing about the lack of Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in Limerick city – another difficulty facing complainants there.  Young Limerick man who raped teenage girl jailed for seven yearsRape victim's dress was shown during Limerick rape trial in 'blatant form of victim-blaming''It is disgraceful': Showing rape victims' clothes in court 'weaponising against women''Abhorrent and barbaric': Calls for sexual assault treatment unit in Mid-West after rape victim had to travel to Galway   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Nancy Reilly speaks out about husband Mark Reilly's tragic death by suicide at CUH and the HSE apology she received 07.08.2026 33分

  Nancy and Mark Reilly had a charmed life together. Irish-American retirees based in Kinsale, their 36 year marriage saw them travel the world teaching English refugee children and getting involved in community projects in their adopted home. That idyllic life together came to a sudden, tragic end, when Mark Reilly hanged himself while in isolation at Cork University Hospital on 19 March 2022. He had been brought to Bandon Garda station after a suicide attempt four days prior, in the midst of what Nancy believes was a psychotic episode. He had no history of mental health difficulties before that. Ms Reilly is deeply critical of the systems failures that led to Mark's death, identifying a number of issues including the lack of a consultant psychiatrist on duty during St Patrick's weekend; availability of ligature points in the acute mental health unit; isolation of a patient who was supposed to be on suicide watch. "There were going to be no psychiatrists on duty all weekend because it was St. Patrick's Day. Now, right there that raises a question. You don't wait to have a heart attack. There would be a cardiologist available if you had a heart attack on St. Patrick's Day."Why was there not a psychiatrist on duty?"Nancy's case against CUH and the HSE was settled at the High Court last month, with the clinical director of South Lee Mental Health Service, Dr Thomas Cronin, writing a letter of apology for shortcomings in Mark's care. Wife of man who took his own life in CUH unit calls for change in mental health treatmentPieta.ie The Samaritans  116 123 24  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  From rat infested flats to 'thanking God' for Cork City Council – Cork's 12,000 social houses, with Donal O'Keeffe 04.08.2026 33分

  Cork City Council is responsible for almost 12,000 homes – ranging from state of the art modern builds to the now notorious rat-infested 1960s O'Byrne flats.With a budget of approximately €147m, an average rental payment of E80 per week, and 5,000 people on the social housing waiting list, the City's housing department is led by Assistant Chief Executive Brian Geaney, who acknowledges the challenge.This week the Irish Examiner is publishing an extensive investigation into Cork City Council's housing stock – how many, how much, who lives there, how it's managed - and what the future holds.Reporter Donal O'Keeffe is the guest on today's episode of the podcast.This episode was funded by Coimisiún na Meáin.This podcast was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Bessborough survivor Cindi Bonny on the death of her baby Zoei in 1994 31.07.2026 35分

  "They put the pressure on while I was pregnant.""But after, it was like, he'd be better off without you, and he deserves better. He'd end up with some lovely family that could bring him up and look after him and he could become a doctor one day."... I was constantly told that a mother like me, a person like me, shouldn't have a child. Because at the time I would have had Indian ink up my arms and stuff like that."Cindi Bonny was just sixteen but she had already experienced homelessness, drug addiction and an abusive relationship when she first entered Bessborough in 1993, pregnant with her son Kevin.Adamant that she wouldn't give him up for adoption, determined to breastfeed her baby, she was kept from him for six weeks as the pressure mounted to give him up.Eventually she left with Kevin and returned to her abusive boyfriend – only to fall pregnant a second time, returning to Bessborough in 1994.Her second stay was different, but ended in tragedy with the sudden, shocking death of baby Zoei at just two days old.Zoei was the last baby to die under the care of Bessborough. Unlike so many others before her, she has a grave her family can visit.Cindi shared her story in the Irish Examiner earlier this week in an impassioned plea to authorities for a full investigation of burials at Bessborough, and for a memorial there instead of the planned apartments.Cindi is today's guest on The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast.Read her article here: 'Do not bury our history beneath concrete', mother of last baby to die at Bessborough tells GovernmentThe Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast: Paving over Bessborough's missing babiesThe Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: Dominic Finn’s story of being adopted from Bessborough  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Finding a home for RTÉ Cork, with Donal O'Keeffe 28.07.2026 20分

  More than a year after RTÉ Cork employees were promised new, state-of the-art studios and offices, co-location talks with Cork City Council have broken down. A planned move to the Counting House complex now seems unlikely, given the recent announcement that the complex will be home to the new City Library.  The RTÉ Cork building at Fr Mathew Street is home to the RTÉ Today Show, the John Creedon show and a host of other household names from the State broadcaster but the building is in need of major refurbishment. Director General Kevin Bakhurst promised in 2025 that a new premises would be found by 2027. Reporter Donal O’Keeffe is covering this story in today’s Irish Examiner – on today’s podcast he outlines all the options for RTÉ Cork and explains how staff at the beleaguered broadcaster are feeling.   RTÉ Cork staff fearful for future after talks on new studio break down 'Unfair gloss': RTÉ's Bakhurst grilled over reclassification of Derek Mooney and pay implications Gareth O'Callaghan: Is it finally time for an honest debate about selling RTÉ? Obituary: Former RTÉ director general Joe Barry changed the face of Irish broadcasting Suspected burglar arrested in RTÉ Cork studios  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Behind closed doors in the family law courts with Lisa-Ann Wilkinson 24.07.2026 45分

  What goes on in family courts is a mystery to most people – except those who are part of the proceedings.The in-camera rule means there is very limited reporting of family law cases, with nobody ever identified.But a new campaign argues that this rule can protect abusers – while the courts are being weaponised by the same abusive spouses that victims are trying to escape from.Lisa Ann Wilkinson is a barrister specialising in family law, a board member of survivors' group SiSi and one of the women behind the Right to Transparency campaign.She has represented women who were imprisoned for refusing to allow their abusive ex-partners access to their children."I probably know about five or six women who were imprisoned when their children were resisting access with somebody who had either safety orders against them, breaches of safety orders, or convictions for domestic violence. They are still forced on access," she said."I know one mother whose ex is in prison for assault and coercive control and [she] still has to bring the children in to visit them. And that woman can't talk about it, you know, they can't speak to it," she said."And I now know of six or seven 18 plus year olds who were subject to these types of access orders who are now incredibly damaged... some of them are profoundly damaged by being forced into contact and the state's going to have a huge, huge problem on its hand with these now aged-out adults actually expressing the fact that the court process of forced access has caused them damage."Lisa-Ann Wilkinson is the guest on today's episode of The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast. Campaigners seeking in-camera rule changes to attend Leinster House meetingReform urged as family law system 'failing very people it is meant to protect' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Sex for rent is finally made illegal, with Ann Murphy 21.07.2026 24分

  The exploitation of vulnerable women for sex in exchange for housing was first highlighted by reporter Ann Murphy in 2020.Young migrant workers with limited English and no network and Ukrainians fleeing the war were among those Ann spoke to in her reporting who had fallen victim. She identified cases all over Ireland, including towns like Newcastlewest, Dungarvan and Kinsale.After a major Irish Examiner investigation in 2021 in which Ann confronted landlords - including one married couple seeking to fill a "granny flat" with a woman who would sleep with the husband in return for accommodation, the issue reached the Dáil floor and civil society organisations began to conduct their own research.It turned out that the increasingly widespread practice was not illegal, with those women who braved the Gardai being told it was a civil matter, while both the Department of Justice and Housing told Ann it was a matter for Gardaí.Now, with a new law introduced to tackle this form of exploitation, Ann talks to Deirdre about the investigations, the campaign for legal change – and whether she thinks women will be protected under the new law.Ann's journalism on this subject won the award for 'Campaigning Journalism' at the Newsbrands Ireland Awards 2026.Listen to the original podcast here: Sex for rent: The 'dangerous h…–The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast – Apple PodcastsRead our coverage here: Call for campaign to inform people most at risk of sex-for-rent offersSex-for-rent laws won't help women who are already stuck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Heatwaves, El Nino and coping with our changing climate with Joanna Donnelly 17.07.2026 28分

  Heatwaves have always happened, but in the context of our changing climate and an El Nino year, how do we cope, and what do we need to do?Meteorologist and author Joanna Donnelly  is the guest on today's podcast, explaining the terms we use around unseasonal weather and what El Nino means for our weather.Heatwave could cost taxpayers millions more as melting roads force changes to resurfacingHeatwaves are exposing Ireland's weakest linksEurope's record-breaking heatwave cost more than 10,000 lives in June Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Grace Lynch’s parents on death threats, online abuse and their campaign for road safety reform 14.07.2026 33分

  16 year old Grace Lynch was killed by a scrambler bike in January, while out walking near her home in Dublin.Her heartbroken parents Siobhán and Martin immediately embarked on a campaign to ensure nobody would suffer as they had, seeking legal changes to take scrambler bikes and e-scooters out of the hands of children.Their campaign has already forced the introduction of Grace’s Law, banning the use of scramblers on public roads, but a combination of legal loopholes, lack of enforcement and a non-existent tracing system means, they say, there is much more work to do.They’ve received death threats and online abuse as a result of speaking out – with little legal recourse.When they approached social media giant TikTok about abusive AI videos of their deceased daughter, they were asked to provide a death certificate.Today the couple will speak before an Oireachtas Justice committee.Listen to their story on today’s episode of The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast. Gardaí call for 'dedicated pursuit training' to deal with dangers of e-scooters and scramblers'I felt like I had to protect her': Grace Lynch's mum recalls harrowing moments after her deathGrace Lynch's mother gets death threats for seeking scrambler bike ban on public roads Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Jamey Carney and the alarming rise in femicide in Ireland, with Liz Dunphy 10.07.2026 14分

  American mother of one Jamey Carney is the eighth woman to die violently in Ireland this year.Her body was discovered in her Killarney home just one day after that of Adina Constantin in Portlaoise, whose husband has been charged in connection with her death. Gardaí have launched an international manhunt in their investigation into Ms Carney’s killing.Since the murder of Ashling Murphy in 2022 prompted widespread outrage, 40 women have died violently in Ireland.Women’s Aid, the National Women’s Council of Ireland and politicians across the spectrum have highlighted their concern at what Taoiseach Micheál Martin referred to this week as the femicide figures “going in the wrong direction”.Irish Examiner Southern Correspondent Liz Dunphy has been covering this story and joins Deirdre on today’s episode. Killarney murder: Jamey Carney's cousin says 'no indication' she had safety concerns'Societal response' required to fight epidemic of violence against women, says TaoiseachNumber of women violently killed ‘not going in the right direction’, says TaoiseachHusband charged with murder of his wife in Portlaoise Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.