Episodes
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Our guest this week on What A Woman Podcast is the lovely Victoria Mary Clarke, the author, artist and wife of the late Shane MacGowan, frontman of the iconic band, The Pogues, with whom she shared an incredible life & love story. It was a real privilege to meet Victoria Mary as she opened up to us about her early life and her feelings on grief, addiction, children, spirituality and why she might never find another soul mate like Shane MacGowan. She also reveals some exciting plans for the future about new music and her own career, so this is a must-listen!
Follow Victoria:
@victoriamaryclarke
www.victoriamaryclarkeangles.com
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Our guest this week on What A Woman Podcast is Ranae Von Meding, a Dublin based writer, speaker and co-founder and CEO of Equality For Children, a not-for-profit organisation fighting for the rights of children born to LGBTQ+ families in Ireland. Ranae also has three children with her wife Audrey and has been campaigning for several years for her wife to be recognised as a legal parent to all of their children because of current laws in Ireland discriminating against LGBTQ+ families. We talked about:
- her upbringing in an ultra-orthodox, religious household
- when Ranae discovered she was queer in her early twenties
- how she had to cut contact with her mother for a period after she came out as queer and how that relationship healed
- going through reciprocal IVF with her wife Audrey to have their three children
- the devastation of realising her wife Audrey would be a legal stranger to their children because of the laws in Ireland
- how Ranae has campaigned for nine years to change legislation and is still in the position where her daughters now have two legal parents but her youngest son does not
- how Ranae has equipped her children to understand how they were born to two mums and how she would feel if they want to find their donor
- why it's crucial to have better representation of LGBTQ+ families in education/schools and media
To follow Ranae and support this important campaign go to:
www.equalityforchildren.ie
@ranaevonmeding
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Episodes manquant?
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Our guest on What A Woman Podcast today is the Award Winning Hair Stylist and Entrepreneur, Denise Phillips. She is co-founder of Voduz, a hugely successful haircare brand and owns the hairdressing franchise, Pelo Hairdressing which is unique because it was one of first salons, in Ireland, to offer scalp camera consultations and treatments for hair loss after Denise suffered her own hair loss during fertility treatment.
We talk about:
- Denise's own experience of hair loss being the worst time of her career and her mission to educate the industry & her peers on this issue
- The devastating impact hair loss can have and the many treatments/ solutions Denise's salons can offer
- How Denise underwent eleven rounds of IVF and the toll it took on her life
- Discovering she was pregnant at twenty-six weeks with her miracle second child
- Where her determined spirit and work ethic comes from and how she juggles family life and two businesses
- Why being true to your authentic self will always result in success
Denise is currently a finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in the Emerging Business category. She has also been a real champion of the IVF community sharing her story and even appearing on 'Babymakers', a television documentary which followed several couples on their IVF journeys.
Follow Denise:
@denise_bethphillips
pelohairdressing.ie
eu.voduzhair.com
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Our guest on What A Woman Podcast today is Dr. Monica Peres, a GP based in Cork and an online sensation with over 110k followers on Instagram as she posts short, engaging reels on health, especially for women. We talk about:
- Growing up in Nigeria and the trauma of losing her mum as a teenager
- What it was like to move to Ireland age 15 to live with her father & siblings
- Being the only black Irish girl when studying Medicine at Trinity
- For our health, why monthly self-checks & knowing your normal is so important
- Signs of breast cancer we might not be aware of
- Why Ireland has such high rates of skin cancer
- Lifestyle changes to improve health
- The right time to consider taking HRT
- Why Dr. Monica loves being a GP
Dr. Monica is also currently running as a local election candidate for the Green party in the Carrigaline area with policies focused on improving access to health services and local amenities, as she's passionate about helping others and supporting her community.
Follow Dr.Monica
@blondieperes
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Dr Katriona O' Sullivan is an academic and best-selling author of 'Poor' which is the story of her life growing up in extreme poverty as the child of two heroin addicts and how she survived abuse, neglect and became pregnant and homeless at fifteen before finding an access course in her twenties at Trinity College that changed her life.
We talk about:
- The gruesome reality of poverty, growing up witnessing her parents injecting and overdosing and never knowing when the next meal was coming and never celebrating Christmas
- Suffering abuse when her father went to prison and her mother was forced into prostitution
- Becoming pregnant and homeless at fifteen and the loneliness of living in a hostel with her son without support
- How the kindness of people, especially some teachers can be transformative to children in her situation
- How a chance meeting with a friend led her to the access course at Trinity College that changed her life
- Getting a First Class degree and being presented her Doctorate by Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland
- Why we all need to use what privilege we have to help others in society
Dr. Katriona O'Sullivan is an extraordinary woman but says herself, she is an anomaly and so many others in her situation cannot break the cycle of poverty which is why she has written her story to show that it's crucial to have more services in place to support people in similar situations.
Dr. Katriona O'Sullivan is a married mother of three and her family and close relationships are her definition of success after what she missed out on when she was young. She has also been hugely successful in her career as a Psychologist and Senior Lecturer at Maynooth University and she also devotes her time to promoting and creating policies around access to education. Dr. Katriona was also a research fellow of Trinity College and Oxford and she has spoken at the UN to tell her story.
Everyone should read her book - it is an amazing read!
Follow Dr. Katriona
@katriona_osullivan
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Our guest this week is Audrey Dore Geraghty who has bravely spoken out about her family's daily struggle to get the right care, respite and medication for her nine year-old son who has Autism and several mental health conditions which mean his care needs are significant and becoming unmanageable at home. We talk about:
- When her son was first diagnosed and how his behaviour has escalated and become more violent
- Why Audrey was forced to go to Spain for her son's treatment
- How she has been failed by the country's leaders and Camhs, the Children & Adolescent Mental Health Service in Ireland and other health services
- Why having a broad definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder can be problematic
- The impact of managing her son's care on her other children and her marriage
- Audrey's hopes and fears for her son's future
Audrey and her husband are based in county Wexford and have two other children aged seven and nearly one. They are both dentists by profession and Audrey heads up a Cosmetic and Orthodontic department on a part-time basis when she is not caring for her son, as she and her husband share the care between them. We really admire Audrey's strength and fight in what is an unbearably hard situation for her and many families in a similar situation and we hope that by sharing these experiences, there will be change.
Follow Audrey:
@audz83dg
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Our guest on What A Woman podcast today is the stunning and stylish Lorraine Keane, one of Ireland’s best known and loved broadcasters, famous for being a correspondent for TV3 for over a decade and as an anchor on one of Ireland's most popular daytime shows, Xpose. We talk about:
- Why Lorraine was one of the first celebrities to talk about the menopause
- How Lorraine got her big break into broadcasting
- Why she stepped away from her dream job
- Her terrifying experience of having a stalker
- What's made her successful
- Why she's enjoying her career in her 50's
Lorraine is also a founder of Fashion Relief which has raised over a million euros for Oxfam; she is a podcaster and a regular presenter on The Today Show. She also starred in Girls Night Out the Musical and was one of the first well known women to talk about her experience of the menopause.
Follow Lorraine:
@lorrainekeaneofficial
@fashionreliefbci
Photo: Cleanmarine
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Our guest today on What A Woman Podcast is one of Ireland’s biggest comedy stars, the hilarious Deirdre O' Kane who is currently selling out venues across Ireland with her latest show 'O' Kaning It'. We talk about:
- Why a bit of family dysfunction is good for comedy
- Deirdre's big break as an actress
- Why she switched lanes into comedy
- Being the only female comic in the line-up for years
- Coping with her husband's cancer diagnosis
- Why she's enjoying her career in her 50's more than ever before
Deirdre has also been an actor on stage & screen and many will know her from her brilliant role as Christina Noble, the children’s rights campaigner, in the 2014 biopic 'Noble'. Deirdre has also hosted her own show, she co-founded Comic Relief in Ireland and she co-hosts the popular podcast, 'Keeping it Tight' with fellow comedian Emma Doran.
Follow Deirdre:
@deirdreokane123
www.deirdreokane.net
Photo: The Irish Sun
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Our guest today on What A Woman Podcast is Debbie Dillon, an amazing mum to four daughters, one of whom was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth. We talk about:
- Receiving the news her newborn daughter had Down syndrome
- Her initial fears and coming to terms with the diagnosis
- How Debbie coped in the early months
- Finding support & advice from parents in the same situation
- Why mainstream primary school has worked out well for her daughter
- Her hopes and fears for her daughter's future
- The experience of siblings
- What people misunderstand about Down syndrome
- Her advice for other parents receiving a diagnosis
Debbie is a very dedicated mum to her daughters and has also had a successful career as a senior structural engineer. She is also an advocate for her daughter and the Down syndrome community so she has been a huge inspiration to us.
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Our guest on What A Woman Podcast today is the highly accomplished open water swimmer, adventurer and Guinness World Record holder, Nuala Moore. We talk about:
- being the first swimmer in the world to swim a mile in the most dangerous convergence of oceans through the Drake Passage
- how she survives the cold after being the first Irish swimmer to swim 1000 metres at zero degrees (and the third woman in the world to do so!)
- Taking part in the most dangerous open water relay swim in the world across the Bering Strait
- Being part of the only team in history to circumnavigate Ireland by swimming and how on earth they did it!
- Holding her nerve during a shark experiment and looking a shark in the eye!
- Growing up in a fishing family and the benefits of being able to take risks as a young child
Nuala is also a professional scuba diving instructor, an educator, mentor, coach, event organiser, motivational speaker and author of the amazing book which documents all these adventures called 'Limitless'. It is an astonishing account of her adventures and her phenomenal achievements.
Follow Nuala
@numooreswim
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Our guest today on What A Woman Podcast is the phenomenal Ali Keane, who is a restauranteur, entrepreneur and mum of two who has overcome some significant challenges in life after surviving a car accident when she was twenty, which left her with life changing injuries.
We talk about:
- The car accident that changed Ali's life
- The journey of rehabilitation
- Life with a wheelchair and rediscovering her independence
- Becoming a mum
- Her love of food and exciting plans to open a vegetarian cafe in Tralee, Country Kerry
Follow Ali
@alikeane
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guest today on What A Woman Podcast is Helen Steele, the award winning Irish fashion designer & entrepreneur with a hugely popular X collection of Active Wear at Dunnes Stores, featuring her signature style of funky bold prints that are comfortable, super quality and affordable too.We talk about
- The challenges of growing up with ADHD but not having a diagnosis till her 30's
- How Helen looks at ADHD as a superpower
- Having an eating disorder and low self-esteem
- How Helen got through her divorce, business troubles & being a single mum and has maintained her success
- How Helen's collaboration with Dunnes Stores came about and why designing for every shape & size is important
- Dating after divorce and embracing ageing
Follow Helen:
www.helensteele.com
@helensteelefash
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Today on What A Woman Podcast, we are joined by one of Ireland's leading Divorce lawyers, Helen Collins who has some four decades of experience in Family Law and is an expert in all aspects of divorce and a real trailblazer for women practising law.
We talk about:
- Divorce being a full-blown bereavement
- Why Helen insists all clients have counselling
- The impact of mediation
- How to support children
- How separation impacts property, pensions & inheritance tax
- Why coercive control is still difficult to prove
- Why Divorce Lawyers need Garda protection more than criminal lawyers
- How Helen was a trailblazer as she was the first female solicitor in Cork in the 70's.
Helen is Managing Partner of Wolfe & Co based in Clonakilty. She is a trained Mediator and author of 'A Short Guide to Divorce Law in Ireland – A Survival Handbook for the Family'. She is also the grandniece of Michael Collins which is a story we will save for another episode!
Find Helen:
www.wolfe.ie
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Our guest on What A Woman Podcast today is Suzie O' Neill, founder of AYU, a leading Irish vegan cosmetics brand.
We talk about:
- How failing the Leaving Cert never stood in Suzie’s way
- How having her first business fail was the best thing that ever happened
- Having no money & young children when she started out
- How Suzie copes with the ups & downs of running a successful business
- The transformative power of make-up on confidence
- Suzie’s must have’s from her make-up collection
Suzie is a real inspiration as she shows how failing the leaving certificate never stood in her way and once she followed her passion into beauty, she hasn't looked back and has built a highly successful brand. AYU offers gorgeous, high quality make-up and brushes with the aim of showing women how to enhance their natural beauty rather than mask it. AYU is available online with stores in Kildare Village and Cork.Follow Suzie:
@suzie.ayu
www.ayu.ie
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Today on What A Woman Podcast we are joined by the phenomenal former Irish Champion Amateur Jockey, Nina Carberry, who won the Irish Grand National, the second only woman to do that; and the first woman in eighteen years to win at Cheltenham with several wins thereafter. She had a hugely successful seventeen year career, trailblazing a path for the women jockey's that have followed in her footsteps. We talked about:
- the advantages and pressures of growing up in a racing family with a famous jockey father & brothers
- the pressures of the weight room
- sexism in the sport as female jockeys race equally against men
- what it feels like racing in the Grand National
- the dangers of the sport & her biggest fears
- facing retirement after a seventeen year career
- winning Dancing with the Stars
- how motherhood impacted her career
Nina can currently be seen as a coach on RTE's Ireland’s fittest family and she has released a children's book, ‘Ride To The Rescue' with a second book due for release in May.
Follow Nina:
@ninacarberry_
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Our guest today on What A Woman Podcast is the indomitable Dr Sinead Kane, a double Guinness World Record Holder, Ultra Runner & Athlete and a qualified lawyer with two PhD's who is visually impaired and registered as legally blind.
We talk about:
- Growing up with a visual impairment
- Severe bulling at school and its long-term impact
- What attracted Sinead to study law
- Overcoming workplace discrimination
- Becoming an Ultra Runner at 30
- Being at a very low place and overcoming that
- How Sinead stays motivated
'How badly do you want your goals?' This is a question you will be asking yourself after this conversation with Sinead who has had to overcome significant challenges in life to achieve the amazing goals that she set herself. Sinead has represented Ireland at ultra-distances and she is the first Irish female to compete in the World Marathon Challenge which is 7 marathons on 7 continents within 7 days. Her next challenge is to qualify for the Paralympics.
Follow Sinead:
www.sineadkane.ie
@kanesinead777 -
This week on What A Woman Podcast we are joined by the phenomenal Para-Athlete Madie Wilson-Walker who was given a 2% chance of survival after contracting meningitis when she was just three and due to complications she had both legs amputated below the knee, she lost four fingers and became deaf in one ear. We talked about:
- The impact of being so dangerously ill as a child
- Growing up as an amputee
- How Madie got into sport
- Her amazing achievements as an athlete
- Day-to-day life living with a disability
- Why people should be careful of making assumptions about disabilities
- Her other career as a model
Madie is currently training to qualify for the Canadian Paralympic team for Paris later this year. She is living and training in Kerry with her partner, the Irish Paralympian, Jordan lee.
Follow Madie:
@madiewx2
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Our guest this week on What A Woman Podcast is the amazing Sex and Intimacy Specialist, Grace Alice. We covered so many interesting topics including:
- Getting the attraction back in long-term relationships
- Why its not selfish to prioritise your pleasure
- The symptoms of Vaginismus
- Why there is no shame in scheduling sex
- Why sleeping separately can be a good thing
- Why quality over quantity is more important
- Why sex bans can be a good thing
- Sex during menopause
- The shame men feel with a low libido
And so much more...
Grace Alice is based in Kerry, Ireland. She offers one-on-one and couples coaching sessions and workshops to groups, schools and organisations. Her experience as a sex educator led her to write the brilliant book 'Sex Educated' which you can buy at https://sexualhealthwest.ie/shop/ or from her website. It is a culmination of all the questions she heard when teaching young people and addressing them in a fresh, modern way with beautiful graphics. It's aimed at teens, young adults, parents and teachers but Grace is finding its popular with people who did not get a great sex education and who want a more positive understanding about sex and our sexuality in later life.
To find Grace go to:
gracealice.com
@grace_alice_oshea
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This week on What A Woman Podcast we are joined by Anneliese Dressel, a leading and highly experienced nutritional therapist, best known for her expertise on Cork's 103 FM Today Show with Patricia messenger on the Monday Health Slot. Anneliese founded the hugely popular Health Hub which offers expert advice on natural and alternative medicines and Anneliese is in high demand for her Nutritional Therapy Clinic offering clients tailored diet and health advice. She has also lectured extensively in Nutritional Therapy.
We talk about:
- What is an ultra processed food
- What impacts these foods have on our long term health
- Hidden sugars and additives and how these impact behaviour in children
- Healthy breakfast and dinner ideas for children
- The snacking epidemic - How diet impacts brain health
- The proven diet that comes out on top for good long term health
Follow Anneliese:
@healthhubstore
http://www.healthhubstore.comCork 103FM Natural Health Radio Slot - every Monday -
This week on What A Woman Podcast we have a Christmas Special where we are interviewed by the amazing TV Personality, Musician & former guest Caitriona O' Sullivan, as we reflect on what has been an amazing year of hosting the podcast and meeting many of the leading women in Ireland that have shared their stories with us. It has been a privilege to meet every single one of them and we really believe there is something for everyone on the podcast. We felt really proud to look back on all these amazing conversations and are excited for what the next year brings for What A Woman Podcast!
We talk about:
- All of our guests & why each one stood out
- Why we started the podcast
- How we choose the right guests & topics
- The nuggets of wisdom that have most impacted us
- Who we were most starstruck by
- What successful women have in common
- Why more men are listening!
Follow us:
@whatawomanpodcast
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