The Women's Podcast

Episod

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  Nikita Hand: Not the Perfect Victim 24.09.2026 1j 9min

  In December 2024, MMA fighter and businessman Conor McGregor was found liable by a civil High Court jury for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. In the years since, Hand has lived through events that changed her life forever. She has endured public scrutiny, courtrooms, headlines and toxic commentary, alongside an outpouring of solidarity and support. Now, with her new memoir, Not the Perfect Victim, the mother of two is reclaiming ownership of her story.In today’s episode, Hand joins Róisín Ingle to talk about survival, motherhood, trauma and resilience, and what it means to finally tell her story in her own words.But first Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O'Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the proposed abolition of the mandatory three day wait for abortions in Ireland and the reaction to Oprah Winfrey's first ever live appearance in Dublin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Drummer Seeks Musicians: Listen to Róisín Ingle's new podcast series about U2 22.09.2026 55min

  Today we're sharing the opening episode of a three-part series by Róisín Ingle that tells the untold origin story of U2. We hope you enjoy it. The full series can be found on irishtimes.com, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2.It is 50 years this month since 14-year-old drummer Larry Mullen stuck a note on a school noticeboard looking for fellow musicians to form a band. That note led to U2.In this three-part podcast series to mark the 50th anniversary, Róisín Ingle traces the formation of the band in a school on the northside of Dublin through interviews with their classmates, teachers, friends, family and band members.Why did U2 happen in Mount Temple? And how are Bono, Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton still friends and still making music together fifty years later? Drummer Seeks Musicians is a remarkable origin story, told by the people who were there from the very beginning. From Mount Temple Comprehensive to the world stage, this is the story of how U2 began.Episode one goes back to the radical experiment that was Mount Temple Comprehensive School on Dublin’s northside in 1976, where fifty years ago 14-year-old Larry Mullen pinned a note on the school bulletin board. That note brought together Larry, Adam Clayton, Dave ‘The Edge’ Evans and Paul ‘Bono’ Hewson of U2, four teenagers who were destined to become one of the world's biggest bands. Róisín talks to the people who were there - the ones who nearly made the band, the teachers who supported them and the classmates who watched it happen. We hear about the architect of a remarkable school and discover the back stories of Paul 'Bono' Hewson and Larry Mullen Jr. Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2 is presented, written, researched and produced by Róisín Ingle. Editing by Rob Sutton.Additional production by Suzanne Brennan. The podcast is dedicated to Donald Moxham.Thanks to the staff at Mount Temple, to U2 and to everyone who took part in the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Denise Chaila / New podcast reveal 17.09.2026 52min

  This week on The Women’s Podcast, Róisín Ingle meets award-winning rapper, singer, poet and spoken-word artist Denise Chaila. After a meteoric rise that saw her win the Choice Music Prize and become one of the most celebrated voices in Irish music, Denise stepped away from the spotlight for a few years. In this honest and at times profound conversation the singer explains why.  The conversation covers a lot of ground. The singer talks about the pressures of success, people-pleasing, racism, faith, illness and friendship. She reflects on the years she spent reading, writing, travelling and rediscovering herself.With her first headline Irish tour beginning later this month, The An Seo Tour, Denise also discusses the new music she's been creating and what audiences can expect from a live show that brings together all the influences that have shaped her life and work. Also on the podcast, Róisín explains the background to her new three-part podcast series Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2 which delves into the Dublin origin story of one of the world’s biggest bands. The first episode lands on Monday 21st of September and is available on irishtimes.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Mary McAleese vs The GAA / Justine Megan 10.09.2026 1j 5min

  Today’s guest is a woman who has managed to combine two worlds that you don’t exactly put together every day: the law and stand-up comedy. Justine Megan is a solicitor, comedian and performer, and she’s bringing her own story to the stage in her Dublin Fringe show, Exhibit A: Imposter. It’s a sharp, funny and very personal look at class, identity, ambition and fitting in. Megan’s journey has taken her from a Dublin council estate, to Trinity College, to working in commercial law. Along the way she found herself changing in order to fit into spaces that didn’t always feel like they were made for her. But first Irish Times Opinion Editor Jennifer O’Connell joins host Róisín Ingle to discuss some of the stories of the week including the standoff between the GAA and former president Mary McAleese. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Kyla Cobbler on love, laughter and living the dream 03.09.2026 55min

  In 2021, comedian Kyla Cobbler performed her first ever stand-up gig at an open mic night in Barcelona. Five years on, the Cork woman has become the second ever Irish comedian to headline Dublin's 3Arena, bringing her show Not My Lemons to the venue in February 2026.Not only has she made a name for herself on the comedy circuit, but Cobbler has also amassed a huge following on Instagram, where her one million plus followers get a glimpse into her world and her hilarious observations on everyday life.Now, the 35-year-old has published her memoir, Happy, Thank You. More Please. It's a brilliant read in which Cobbler revisits her childhood in Cork and reflects on the appetite for adventure that took her to Greece, Australia, Italy and Barcelona. It’s a memoir about her story so far but also of self-acceptance, gratitude and the power of female connection.In this wide-ranging conversation with Róisín Ingle, Cobbler discusses her meteoric rise to fame, the life lessons she has learned along the way and the importance of surrounding oneself with strong, wild and wonderful Irish women. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Miss You: The Dublin Fringe show inspired by Ireland’s missing women 27.08.2026 30min

  Dublin's Fringe Festival is just around the corner and over the next couple of weeks we’ll be highlighting some brilliant shows by women that feature in this year's programme. In today’s episode we’re joined by Fionnuala Gygax and Venetia Bowe from Chaos Factory, a theatre company who are bringing their show Miss You to the festival from the 10th to the 12th September. The show is inspired by the many cases of missing women in Ireland and tells the story of three friends who get together on the 10th anniversary of their friend's disappearance. The pair talk to Róisín Ingle about their backgrounds in theatre, the importance of movement in their work and the joys of working in the creative industry. For more details on Miss You, see https://www.fringefest.com/festival/whats-on/miss-you Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Vicki Notaro on anxiety, creativity and being childfree / TikTok Joyriders 20.08.2026 47min

  'Anywhere but Here' is the new novel from Irish author and former journalist Vicki Notaro. The book follows three friends in their 40s who take a trip to Donegal for some much-needed soul searching. In this episode Notaro tells Róisin Ingle how female friendship and the pressure to live the perfect life, served as the inspiration for the book. In this wide-ranging conversation the pair also talk about Notaro's struggles with anxiety and PMDD, as well as the joy of being childfree.But first, Irish Times podcast producer Suzanne Brennan is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week, including last weekend’s fatal crash on the M9, the worrying rise in spiking incidents and the final of this year’s Rose of Tralee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The rise of 'pervert glasses' / Making sense of Matrescence 13.08.2026 1j 4min

  Later this month, The Women’s Podcast will be recording a live episode at Electric Picnic in Co Laois, with Róisín Ingle in conversation with special guest Dearbhla Mescal. You can catch us in the Mindfield area on Saturday August 29th. Also returning to the festival this year is spoken word poet Anna D, who will be treating festival-goers to her unique blend of poetry and storytelling, knitting together themes of motherhood, female empowerment, relationships and the patriarchal forces that shape society. In today’s episode, the poet joins Róisín Ingle to talk about her upcoming show at Ireland’s largest festival and to discuss her new show Matrescense, which is currently in development. Matrescense - the term used to describe the emotional, physical and social transition that women go through when becoming a mother - is something that the Dublin poet says needs more open and honest discussion. In today’s episode she tells Ingle about the “avalanche” that followed her transition into motherhood, how she battled feelings of maternal regret and why she believes society is not set up to support new mothers. We also hear about her life lessons on turning 40 and she performs the title piece from her new show.But first Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O’Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week, including the reaction to Amanda Knox’s Edinburgh Fringe show and the worrying rise in popularity of technology which allows users to covertly record. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Ailín Kennedy: ADHD in Irish Women 06.08.2026 1j 1min

  ADHD coach Ailín Kennedy was 32 years old when she was diagnosed with the condition. Having struggled for years with her mental health Kennedy went to therapy, attended her GP and was referred to psychiatrists, but ADHD was never mentioned to her as a possibility. She recently co-wrote the book Have I Got your Attention? with fellow ADHDer Mike McGrath-Bryan. It features testimony from nine Irish voices with the condition and serves as a reliable resource and a guide for those suffering from ADHD. Kennedy joins The Women’s Podcast to discuss her own experience with the condition. She also challenges the misconceptions around the disorder, in particular stereotypes that negatively impact women with ADHD. In this episode she tells Rósín Ingle how women with the condition are often dismissed as “lazy”, “hormonal”, “ditzy” or “hysterical”. But first, Ingle is joined by Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O’Connell to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the surprisingly entertaining jail journal of Andrew Tate and a new national strategy that aims to warn women and girls about the dangers of “tradwife” influencers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Best of The Women's Podcast: Grieving an estranged parent 30.07.2026 31min

  This episode was originally published in February 2026. In today’s episode, we’re covering a topic that isn’t often spoken about, but is estimated to affect around one in four families: family estrangement. It’s a subject that writer and Irish Times contributor Laura Kennedy wrote about recently in her Substack, detailing the complicated grief she experienced following the death of her father late last year - a man she hadn’t seen in over a decade. In today’s episode, Kennedy joins Róisín Ingle to reflect on the strange, unsettling reality of losing a parent whose death changes almost nothing in her daily life. You can find her piece on family estrangement on Substack here https://lkennedy.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Best of The Women's Podcast: Joanne McNally 23.07.2026 1j 1min

  Joanne McNally on midlife, monogamy and making history at the 3ArenaThis episode was originally published in March 2026. In today’s episode, Róisín Ingle is joined by the brilliant Joanne McNally. The comedian and podcaster dropped by the studio to talk about her newly announced date at Dublin’s 3Arena and how she’s made history as the first ever Irish comedian to headline two shows at the venue. In this hilarious and wide-ranging conversation, McNally also talks about living with fame, why she’s taken a sabbatical from dating and about her desire to become a mother.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Louise Brangan: Inside Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries 16.07.2026 50min

  Throughout the 20th century in Ireland, thousands of women and girls were sent to work in Magdalene Laundries all across the country. By 1951, for every 100,000 women in Ireland, 70 were locked away in a laundry, spending their days “scrubbing and praying in an attempt to salvage their souls”. In her new book, The Fallen, academic and writer Louise Brangan uses archive material and survivor testimonies to tell the story of six women who spent years toiling away unpaid in Magdalene laundries, all of whom were brought there under false pretences. In this episode, Brangan tells Róisín Ingle what day to day life was like for these women, why their history should never be forgotten and why the laundries are so often confused with Ireland’s mother and baby homes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Author Lily King on the unexpected success of ‘Heart the Lover’ 09.07.2026 39min

  Back in March, The Women’s Podcast book club read Heart the Lover by American author Lily King. The story which tells of a complicated love triangle between college students Jordan, Yash and Sam, was adored by each of our bookclubbers - something regular listeners of the book club will know, doesn’t happen very often. So when we got the opportunity to have King on the podcast, we jumped at the chance. In today’s episode, the best-selling author joins Róisín Ingle to discuss the teenage relationship which inspired the story and her surprise at the book’s huge success. We also hear about King's chaotic family background growing up in Massachusetts, her formative college years and what it's like to live in Trump's America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  MEP Maria Walsh on becoming a single mother by choice 02.07.2026 52min

  Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh always wanted to become a mother and spent years hoping she’d meet the right person to start a family with. By 2024 however, Walsh was done waiting and she decided to embark upon solo parenthood, as a single, gay woman. In early 2025, she began her fertility journey and finally became pregnant through IVF earlier this year. Today, Walsh is 24 weeks pregnant and happier than ever, although admittedly a bit nervous and excited for what’s to come.In today’s episode, the expectant mother joins Róisín Ingle to talk about her decision to go it alone and the questions she had to ask herself along the way. Walsh discusses why she chose to keep the start of her journey private and the emotional challenges that came with that decision. She also explains how she plans to balance motherhood with her role as a member of the European Parliament and she reveals the gender of her baby, who is due this October.This podcast was updated on July 3rd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Katriona O'Sullivan / Oklahoma! 25.06.2026 1j 13min

  In this episode, psychologist & bestselling author Katriona O’Sullivan joins Kathy Sheridan to discuss her new memoir Hungry: A Biography of My Body. The book follows on from her award-winning debut Poor, this time focusing on her complex and fraught relationship with body image, food and self-worth. In this wide-ranging conversation, O’Sullivan speaks about the societal pressures facing women, her lifelong search for self-acceptance and the importance of therapy in healing. She also talks about her upcoming children's book, "Katie's Light," and a self-help book titled How to Like Yourself, coming in 2028. But first, Róisín Ingle is joined by Molly Logan and Rachel Gaughan, two women involved in the Bord Gais Energy Theatre production of Oklahoma! The musical is showing now until Sunday July 5th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Bonus episode: Claire Keegan Q&A 21.06.2026 25min

  Earlier this month, author Claire Keegan joined The Women’s Podcast bookclub for a live event at Chapters Bookstore in Dublin to discuss her favourite summer reading recommendations. In today’s bonus episode, we’re bringing you the live Q&A from the event with Keegan, where she answers questions on her writing process, film adaptations and her book being featured on the Leaving Cert syllabus.You can find the full live show here: https://www.irishtimes.com/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/the-womens-podcast-book-club-summer-reading-recommendations-with-claire-keegan/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  'Gwynocide' / Love in the age of AI / Maggie O'Farrell 18.06.2026 1j 6min

  In today’s episode, best-selling author Maggie O’Farrell joins Róisín Ingle to discuss her new book Land. Set in the 1800s - in the aftermath of the Irish famine - the novel tells the story of a father and his reluctant son, who are tasked with mapping out the island of Ireland for the great Ordnance Survey project. It’s a deeply affecting story about family bonds, set against a backdrop of poverty, inequality and life under British rule. In this conversation, O’Farrell tells Ingle about her great-great grandfather who inspired the novel and the work that went into uncovering his story. She also reflects on the global success of Hamnet and the joy of attending this year’s Oscars and Golden Globes. But first, Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O’Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the backlash over Gwyneth Paltrow's Israeli real-estate ad and the Government’s plan to abolish the mandatory three day wait for abortion services in Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Book Club: Summer reading recommendations with Claire Keegan 11.06.2026 1j 13min

  Last week the Women’s Podcast book club gathered for a live event in Chapters Bookstore in Dublin to discuss what books they’ll be packing with them on their summer holidays. Celebrated author Claire Keegan was the special guest who joined book clubbers Róisín Ingle, Bernice Harrison, Ann Ingle and Niamh Towey for the event, alongside an audience of podcast listeners. Keegan spoke about the novel and two short stories that she hopes listeners will enjoy and she treated the audience to a reading from The Great Gatsby.You can find the full list of recommendations here: https://www.irishtimes.com/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/the-womens-podcast-book-club-summer-reading-recommendations-with-claire-keegan/\The Great Gatsby by F. Scott FitzgeraldGold Watch by John McGahernLast Day of Summer by Ian McEwan, a short story from his collection, First Love, Last Rites.Famesick by Lena DunhamFew and Far Between by Jan CarsonPortrait of a Lady by Henry JamesYesteryear by Caro Claire BurkeThe Keeper by Tana FrenchThe Spare Room by Helen GarnerExcellent Women by Barbara PymJohn of John by Douglas StuartThe Things We Never Say by Elizabeth StroutLand by Maggie O’FarrellThe Make Believe by Hannah MurrayTatty by Christine Dwyer  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Festival women / Sally Hayden on love during wartime 04.06.2026 1j 16min

  Summer is finally upon us and that means festival season is officially here. In today’s episode, we meet a pair of women behind two of Ireland’s most exciting festivals, Beyond the Pale and Kaleidoscope. Jenny Jennings and Fiona McGinn join Roisin Ingle to discuss the challenges facing the festival industry, what it takes to create such large-scale events and which acts are not to be missed in the line up. Later on Ingle is joined by Irish Times journalist and author Sally Hayden, who has just released her new book ‘This is also a Love Story’. The book is a reflection on how love can endure even in the most difficult of times and contains love stories from people Hayden has met while reporting in war zones and places ravaged by conflict and inequality. But first, Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O’Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including a row over private care at the Rotunda hospital in Dublin and what can be learned from the recent controversy surrounding Belle Burden’s memoir, Strangers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Ailbhe Smyth: Life lessons on turning 80 28.05.2026 1j 17min

  Academic, activist and friend of the show Ailbhe Smyth is turning 80 this Friday 29th May. To mark the occasion and to celebrate all her achievements, we invited Smyth back on the Women’s Podcast to share her life lessons on reaching this momentous milestone. The almost octogenarian reflects on her early childhood growing up in south Dublin, her struggles with anorexia as a young woman and the life experiences that ultimately led her to become an activist. She talks about the stigma of getting divorced and being an unmarried mother in the 1970s and why she almost left Ireland in the 1980s. We also look back on her extensive work and commitment to the campaigns for marriage equality and repeal. In this wide-ranging discussion, Smyth shares her wisdom and advice on ageing, love, failure and self-acceptance.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.