Family Flowers Only by Grief Ireland

This week I sit down with Ciara Keegan, who shares the heartbreaking loss of her sister Jessie a young mum of two who died last year from triple-negative breast cancer.

Ciara speaks so honestly about the incredibly close bond she shared with Jessie, the love that surrounded her within their family, and the devastating reality of watching someone you love face such an aggressive illness.

This is a deeply emotional conversation about sisterhood, family, anticipatory grief, and the profound loss that comes when someone so central to your world is no longer there.

🎧 Podcast Listener Offer
Family Flowers Only listeners can get 10% off their first month with BetterHelp:

http://betterhelp.com/familyflowers

This week I sit down with Marian Hastings who shares the loss of her husband James to cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer).

Marian speaks openly about the devastating reality of a diagnosis with so few treatment options, the fight they faced together, and the heartbreak of knowing there was very little hope. She reflects on the love they shared, the challenges of caring for someone through terminal illness, and the incredible compassion and support they received from hospice care.

This is a deeply moving conversation about love, courage, anticipatory grief, and the comfort that compassionate care can bring during life's hardest moments.

🎧 Podcast Listener Offer

I've partnered with BetterHelp to offer listeners 10% off their first month of online therapy.

👉 http://betterhelp.com/familyflowers

This week I sit down with Shaunna Briody who shares the devastating loss of her only sibling Ryan in a tragic accident.

Ryan was a young mechanic with his whole life ahead of him. Shaunna speaks openly about the trauma of his sudden death, the overwhelming grief that followed, and how it led to severe anxiety and panic attacks.

This is an honest conversation about sibling loss, navigating life after sudden bereavement, and finding a way forward after unimaginable heartbreak.

⚠️ Content note: This episode contains discussion of traumatic loss, grief, anxiety, and panic attacks.

If this episode brings up difficult feelings for you, support is available:

📞 Samaritans Ireland – 116 123
📱 Text HELLO to 50808
🤍 HUGG – www.hugg.ie

🎧 Podcast Listener Offer

I've partnered with BetterHelp to offer listeners 10% off their first month of online therapy.

👉 http://betterhelp.com/familyflowers

This week I sit down with Andrew Hart who lost both of his parents by the age of just 24.

Andrew speaks about losing his dad to cancer, before sharing the heartbreaking story of his mum's long struggle with mental health and addiction and her death by suicide.

This is an honest conversation about grief, addiction, mental health, and the lasting impact of losing both parents at such a young age.

🎧 Podcast Listener Offer

I've partnered with BetterHelp to offer listeners 10% off their first month of online therapy.

👉 http://betterhelp.com/familyflowers

Brought to you by https://flowers.ie/

Use "5STAR" for 5 EURO off your order 👍

This week I sit down with Maeve Keegan, who shares the heartbreaking loss of her husband Mark, who died by suicide in 2010.

Maeve speaks openly about the complex circumstances surrounding Mark's death. What began as trading gradually became something she now believes was a form of gambling addiction, leaving her to discover the devastating financial reality only after his death.

She reflects on the shock of losing her husband, the legal battles that followed, and the lasting impact of grief, trauma, and PTSD. Together, we also discuss suicide, mental health, and the importance of reaching out for support.

⚠️ Content note: This episode contains discussion of suicide, suicidal thoughts, addiction, and mental health. Please take care while listening.

Support is available:

📞 Samaritans Ireland – Freephone 116 123 (24 hours a day)
🌐 www.samaritans.org

🤝 HUGG provides support for people bereaved by suicide and those impacted by suicide. You can find out more at www.hugg.ie.

You can find Maeve on Instagram @sanara_psychotherapy and @widowed_young_ireland

And her email is [email protected]

🎧 Podcast Listener Offer

I've partnered with BetterHelp to offer listeners 10% off your first month of online therapy.

To claim your discount, please use the link below (the discount is automatically applied when you sign up through the link)

BetterHelp.com/familyflowers

This week, I sit down with Claire Harrison, who shares the heartbreaking loss of her niece Lucy Harrison, who was killed by her father, Claires brother.

Claire and Lucy were incredibly close, with only a couple of years between them, and Claire speaks so openly about the deep bond they shared. She reflects on the unimaginable reality of grieving her beloved niece while also trying to process the fact that the person responsible was her own brother.

This is a profoundly emotional conversation about love, family, grief, and the complex emotions that can exist when tragedy strikes within a family. Claire speaks with remarkable honesty and courage, offering a powerful insight into a type of grief that is rarely spoken about.

This week, I sit down with Ronan Cullen who shares the devastating and very recent loss of his beloved wife Claire.

Claire was in the Dominican Republic for her brother's wedding when she was tragically killed in a hit-and-run incident. In this deeply emotional conversation Ronan speaks about the unimaginable shock of receiving that phone call, the raw reality of grief in its earliest stages, and learning to navigate life without the person he thought he would grow old with.

We also talk about parenting their young child through such profound loss, the challenges of carrying your own grief while trying to support your child, and the moments of love, humour, and connection that still find their way through the heartbreak.

This is a conversation about soulmates, sudden loss, resilience, and the extraordinary strength it takes to keep putting one foot in front of the other when life changes in an instant.

This week I sit down with Sinéad Hall who shares the heartbreaking loss of her baby son Ruadhán (Ruadh).

In a deeply emotional conversation Sinéad speaks openly about the devastation of losing a child, the love she has for her son, and the profound grief that comes with carrying a loss so unimaginable.

With incredible honesty and vulnerability she shares what life has looked like since Ruadh's death, the reality of navigating each day without him, and the enduring bond between a mother and her child.

This is a deeply moving conversation about motherhood, love, loss, and the grief that exists because that love was so great.

For more information on their foundation visit https://www.teachruadhfoundation.ie/

Something a little bit different now. I want to share a gentle, deeply comforting new resource with you all.

We know that for so many carrying the weight of loss, the hardest part of the day comes when the rest of the world goes completely quiet. In those late-night hours, sleep can feel entirely out of reach as thoughts begin to crowd in.

If you find it difficult nodding off, or just want to relax to the ambient sounds of some of Ireland's most scenic spots, I want to guide you toward GoLoud's latest original stream—GoLoud Sleep Sounds.

This beautifully minded series is a calming collection of immersive 10-hour soundscapes, carefully tailored for anyone looking for a calmer bedtime routine. The long-form, uninterrupted audio is designed specifically to create a soothing, safe environment that can be played through the night or as a comforting backdrop during moments of rest and relaxation.

There is no talking, no narrative stories to engage your mind, and absolutely no advertisements to disrupt you. Instead, Sleep Sounds gently transports you away from your worries to peaceful settings across the country—from Curracloe Beach in spring and Howth Harbour at sunset, to the Midlands on a stormy night, the Wicklow Mountains in winter, and the quiet stillness of Dublin after dark.

It provides a steady acoustic sanctuary so you can finally switch off your mind and rest. GoLoud Sleep Sounds is available now on the GoLoud app or wherever you get your podcasts. Simply press play, put the phone down, and let it do the rest.

Check it out here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/033wsfw3b3SrnBby4xyZhf?si=bc54786895cf410e

This week I sit down with Andrea Gilligan, well-known broadcaster and host of Lunchtime Live on Newstalk for a deeply personal conversation about the loss of her dad Gerry.

Andrea speaks about the incredibly close bond they shared, not just as father and daughter, but as genuine friends. She reflects on his cancer diagnosis, the heartbreak of losing him, and the profound impact his death had on her life.

With honesty, and her trademark openness, Andrea shares what grief has taught her, the ways her dad passing has changed her and the reality of learning to live without someone who was such a huge part of her world.

This is a heartfelt conversation about parent loss, love, friendship, and the enduring connection that remains after someone is gone.