On this weeks episode I sit down with Ruth Leonard. Her totally Ruthless videoed have amassed millions of viewers around the world. But behind this very funny persona is a story filled with great sadness and immense bravery.

Ruth talks to me about growing up in Drogheda and how unfortunately your childhood was far from a safe haven as she watched her father violently beat her mother and at just 13 years as of age witnessed a beating that would surely end her mothers life.

We chat through the devastating effects this has had on her not only as a child but as an adult too, We chat through the effects it has had on her relationship with her mother, Siblings, Husband and even her father.

We talk about how over a celebratory dinner. We and drinks totally Ruthless was born 

We talk about her children Jessica and Joe and about Joe’s recent diagnosis.

Ruth thank you for being so open and honest, domestic violence is a global problem of enormous proportions and you Ruth are one of the bravest people I know 

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On this weeks episode I sit down with the stars of Gogglebox Ireland the Cabra Girls Lindsay, Ashley, Grainne and Jamie. 

They worry they have nothing to say but the conversation come easy with each of them as quick witted as the other. Their friendship is a force to be reckoned with and is a result of being truly there for each other through thick and thin. 

The girls talk about growing up in Cabra, Their no-nonsense mothers and nannies who with a gang of women would take them off every year to Pwllheli and the likes every year.

We talk about the loss of Ashley and Lindsays mother at a young age and the things she has missed out on through the years. 

We talk about how they joined the cast of goggle box Ireland and Jamie’s recent loss of her granddad during Covid.

I don’t think these girls realise how enchanting they actually are. Be prepared for a lot of laughs and maybe a couple of tears...

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On this weeks episode I sit down with Alison Murphy. Alison has the most infectious laugh but behind this laugh lies tragedy, while dancing away to the last song Alison’s sister Lisa fell to the floor and unfortunately passed away.

Alison tells me of their dysfunctional upbringing that lead to not only a break up between husband and wife but to broken relationships that will never be mended.

She tells me the effect of finding her fathers secret children and the impact it had on her own relationships. She tells me she would be lost without her family and friends and how her mother is her biggest supporter. 

Alison is a tonic, a warm hug as her friend tells me never whines never complains and just gets on with it being through so much but still can laugh and what a laugh she has. 

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Trigger warning. This week’s episode is about miscarriage with graphic details about a miscarriage experience.

On this week’s episode I sit down with Melissa Gearon, as a mother this was an extremely painful listen. It is the longest individual episode to date but the sad reality is one in five pregnancies end miscarriage. 

Melissa was born with only 7 fingers, a limb birth defect that lead to a life of bullying and anxiety, through this anxiety Melissa feared she would never get pregnant so when she did after a short relationship she started to plan for her future.

Unfortunately anticipation turned to heartbreak and when she got pregnant for the second time she experienced heartbreak all over again. 

I need to say that Melissa’s experience was horrific and left me lost for words with some things staying with me forever but I learned so much from her. 

Melissa you are a very special person you will be forever in my thought no one should have to endure that you did but the reality is that they will.

I want to thank you for sharing your experience to help others. My sincere condolences to anyone who has been affected by miscarriage.

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Trigger warning on this weeks episode we talk about suicide with descriptions of someone dying by suicide.

On this weeks episode I sit down with Ian Kinsella, Ian talks to me about his brother Jonathan this year will be Jonathan’s 10yr anniversary. Jonathan died by suicide. 

Ian tells me what it is like being left behind after suicide and how a loss through suicide is like no other and tells me in his own way how the grief and be complex and even traumatic, experiencing his own suicidal thoughts for the immediately after Jonathan’s death. 

He tells me how he would be lost without the support of his wife Stacey, his and her family and his fantastic group of friends.

He shares some fond memories of Jonathan and tells me of their mutual love of Dublin, Celtic and the odd ballad.

This episode was very difficult it is very raw, very honest. Ian you are an absolute credit to Jonathan, how you are keeping his memory alive is a testament to the love you have for him.

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A loud laugh can carry a lot of weight. That’s the first thing you notice with Sarah “The Ballymun Hun” Brogan—she’s gas, quick, and unfiltered, but the humour sits on top of a life that’s seen too much too early: the murder of her father, a brother pulled under by drink and homelessness, and years where anger felt like the only language she spoke. We asked her how she kept the light. The answer isn’t neat; it’s honest.

Sarah takes us back to the Ballymun flats: the heat always on, neighbours on the landings, community that shows up when it counts. She talks about drawing a line with her brother until he chose help, the strange grace of meeting the man who killed her dad, and the day her mam quietly drove her to a GP who steered her toward therapy. That work didn’t erase rage—it made room for it, helped her write to herself with compassion, and gave her better choices than throwing tables and running from the room.

Online, Sarah built an audience by refusing to polish herself into something she isn’t. A shaky video in a work bathroom—no makeup, cystic spots, a lump in her throat—sparked thousands of follows and a wave of DMs from people who were tired of pretending. She kept going: messy tutorials, jokes that land because they’re true, and a clear boundary with brands who want the accent without the voice. We dig into Tattle culture, why three nasty comments can drown a hundred kind ones, and how she protects her head without losing her heart.

There’s love here too: a partner who knew the page and liked the person, a job that finally feels secure, and a mother and sister who tell her they’re proud every day. We talk Ballymun pride, local loyalty, youth centres, and why “normal girl in a filtered world” is more than a tagline—it’s a promise. If you’ve ever felt not enough for the glossy version of the internet, this conversation will feel like a deep breath.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a mate who needs a lift, and leave a quick review—your words help others find real stories without the filters.

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A phone call that says “bring someone with you” can split a life in two. Stacey’s did—while she was pregnant. What unfolds from there isn’t a tragedy arc; it’s a masterclass in practical courage: an early induction so doctors can scan, a rare inflammatory breast cancer diagnosis that demands speed, Thursdays in the chemo chair marked by bright clothes and small talk, and a mastectomy followed by radiation that she times between school runs and family milestones.

We go right back to Kulak to understand the spine behind the story—standing your ground as a kid, hiding a pregnancy at sixteen, and the deep imprint of her nanny’s illness and loss. That early fear of cancer stalked her for years, then showed up in the most vulnerable season. Stacey refused to let panic run the house. She built a routine instead: boundaries at the door, help that actually helps, and a promise to keep life as normal as possible for a newborn and two twelve-year-olds navigating their own worries. She talks openly about hair loss without heartbreak, the shock of not recognising your body, and the nurses waiting for a breakdown that never came because motion was her medicine.

A year later, reconstruction with her own tissue gave back shape and confidence—painful weeks that paid off in a body she can live in, not tiptoe around. Along the way, Stephen drops the mask, quits drink, and becomes the kind of partner you lean on without asking. Stacey stops whispering past hospitals, unfollows the doom scroll, and trades fear for gratitude. Her advice is simple and hard: eat when you don’t want to, get out of bed even for an hour, protect your head from stories that aren’t yours, and keep your eyes on the life you’re building, not the illness you’re treating.

If this story moved you, follow and subscribe for more real conversations, share it with someone who needs a lift, and leave a review to help others find us. Your words help bring these voices to more ears.

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A phone call on Mother’s Day, three words that felt like winning the lotto, and a family learning to love in a new language—Kizzy joins us to share the tender, unvarnished story of her mum Ev’s Lewy body dementia. From the first subtle signs to vivid hallucinations, from a medication crisis to an overnight shift from moderate to severe, we move through the realities families face and the support that can change everything.

We talk about how to spot early indicators beyond normal forgetfulness, why Lewy body dementia is different to Alzheimer’s, and how to respond to hallucinations without confrontation. Kizzy opens up about the Later Life Team in Kilkenny—OTs, nurses, psychiatry, and family coaching—that wrapped around her parents with practical, human care. We explore the role of psychiatric units in safe medication trials, the risks of certain antipsychotics, and how autonomic symptoms like bowel obstruction can complicate the journey.

There’s hard-earned guidance here: when to speak to your GP for memory testing, how to build calm routines, and why “validate, don’t argue” is a lifeline. We discuss caring for the carer—Kizzy’s dad—rotating weekends, honest conversations, and the moment a promise to avoid a nursing home meets the limit of what love can safely do. Along the way, we hold space for grief in real time, small bright moments, and a faith that looks like candles lit in quiet corners.

If you’re caring for someone with dementia, or you suspect the first signs, this conversation offers practical steps, community resources, and the reassurance that you’re not alone. Subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway—we’d love to hear what helped you most.

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What if the kindest corner of your phone started with a sleepless night and a single message to a trainer? We sit down with Nicole Gaffney to map the quiet turning points—grief that sharpened her anxiety, a GP who suggested movement before medication, and the steady routine that made the noise fade. Out of that came an Instagram page that began as a weight loss journal and grew into a 10,000-strong community built on care, credit, and common sense.

Nicole opens up about the physical feel of anxiety—tight chest, racing thoughts, fear of simple calls—and why exercise became therapy, not punishment. She talks through the moment a before-and-after post filled her inbox with young girls asking for help, and the responsibility that followed. We get into platform duty and online safety, from age limits and ID verification for TikTok and Instagram to the unseen cost of anonymous trolling. Nicole explains why she now avoids politicised pile-ons, how she sets boundaries without going bland, and what it means to protect her partner’s privacy while still showing up with honesty.

If you’re searching for real talk on mental health, exercise for anxiety, influencer responsibility, or how to build a sustainable content routine, this is a clear, grounded guide. We cover creator ethics—crediting inspiration, resisting cliques, and keeping content relevant to actual life (hello loungewear and home workouts). And we celebrate the offline crew that makes the online possible: a patient mum behind the camera, a sister’s style checks, and a family that keeps the heart soft.

Listen, share with a friend who needs encouragement, and tell us: should social platforms require ID to protect young users and curb abuse? If this conversation resonates, follow the show, leave a review, and pass it on to someone who could use a gentler feed.

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Grief can hollow out a life—or remake it into something fiercely tender. Rebecca sits down with Sinead Barry to trace a love story from small-village glances to a Paris proposal, from lifting toddlers to lifting rafters on a five‑year self‑build, and then through the sudden fracture of stage four metastatic melanoma. What follows is raw and luminous: a young father who joked through fear and refused to measure his life by spreadsheets; a mother who learned to scream in the woods, wipe her eyes, and walk back in steady for him and the kids; a family that discovered how ordinary routines—sunrise coffee, evening sunsets, long walks by the windmills—become anchors when certainty falls away.

We talk through the early symptoms that didn’t quite add up, the waiting rooms and scans, the blunt language of staging, and the choices between chemotherapy tablets and immunotherapy meant to prolong time rather than promise a cure. There’s a Valentine’s Day turn no one saw coming, a brain bleed that forced a new path, and a final stretch of days stitched with dark humour, stubborn hope, and the practical grace of telling only the truths a person can hold. Michael’s mantra—“it is what it is”—keeps meeting Sinead’s courage to say the hard parts aloud and then carry on.

And then Ireland shows up. DIY SOS answers a sister’s application and finishes the house in nine days, volunteers embedding Michael into every room—his timber on the mantel, his sayings in the hall, fruit trees planted because he wanted them to grow. The home becomes a living legacy, not a shrine. Sinead shares how she keeps Michael present for Nicole, Rónan, and Kiva with photos, songs, birthdays, and stories on the road past the wall he built. The takeaways are clear and human: trust your instincts, be kinder than you think you need to be, argue less, love more, and don’t wait to make the memories you’d want to keep.

If this conversation moved you, hit follow, share it with someone who needs strength today, and leave a short review to help others find these stories. Your words help our community grow.

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