Garry Talks

After losing his sight in his twenties, Mark Pollock became a competitive rower and raced 43 days to the South Pole as the first blind person to do so. Then, a month before his wedding, he fell from a second-storey window and broke his back. On Garry Talks, Mark explains how he learned to live fully without waiting for a cure, while remaining hopeful that new spinal-stimulation technology may one day help him walk again. He also shares why finding a cure for paralysis required bringing scientists, investors, charities and patients together—and how a carefully planned calendar helps him manage uncertainty, work and recovery.

For more information on Mark, please visit... https://www.markpollock.com/

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What do women wish they’d known about their bodies before motherhood, hormonal changes and the pressures of everyday life?

This week on Garry Talks, I’m joined by personal trainer and online fitness coach Laura Burke for an honest conversation about confidence, body image, motherhood and the realities of women’s health.

Laura opens up about how fitness helped her through her parents’ separation, her decision to undergo nose surgery, and the challenges of juggling a nine-to-five job, a growing fitness business and family life, with baby number three on the way.

We also explore some important and often overlooked areas of women’s health, including perimenopause, pelvic floor health and Laura’s personal experience of a bladder prolapse after childbirth. Why aren't women better prepared for these changes, and what more could be done to support them?

Along the way, Laura shares practical advice on strength training, nutrition and finding time for exercise, even when life feels overwhelmingly busy.

An open, insightful conversation about resilience, self-confidence and why fitness should be about feeling good, not just looking good.

For more information on Laura, please visit... https://lauraburkefitness.com/

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00:00 – Introduction and episode highlights

After years as a Marist priest and teacher, Dara Molloy felt trapped by the institution. A visit to Inis Mór (Inishmore) in 1982 changed his direction: he left for the island, lived simply as a hermit, and began exploring whether ancient Celtic spirituality could speak to modern life. In this episode of Garry Talks, Dara reflects on his unconventional journey from Catholic priesthood to life on the Aran Islands, where he built a family with his wife, author and poet Tess Harper-Molloy. He shares how their relationship, family life and creative partnership have shaped his outlook on love, spirituality and living life on their own terms. He also shares how nature, ritual and community shape the ceremonies he creates today.

For more information on Dara, please visit... https://www.daramolloy.com/

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Meeting Dara Molloy and life on Inishmore (00:00:00)  

Growing up in Malahide and choosing the priesthood (00:01:09)  

Priesthood, institutional life, and the pull of Inishmore (00:08:19)  

Finding a spiritual path outside institutions (00:14:11)  

Living as a Celtic hermit (00:18:21)  

Community life and Celtic wandering (00:24:01)  

Taking risks and changing life’s direction (00:30:08)  

Why Dara left the Catholic Church (00:35:04)  

Spirituality, nature, and moments of insight (00:41:19)  

Using symbols and cards for reflection (00:46:28)  

Marriage, children, and personal growth (00:50:20)  

Writing about Celtic spirituality and the divine (00:54:07)  

Sacred places, children’s graves, and original sin (00:59:47)  

Druidic identity and wedding rituals (01:02:55)  

Trees, retreats, and closing reflections (01:06:03)  

Starting as a small group of traditional musicians in Moylough, Tomás Mannion tells the story of how Ceoltóirí Maighlocha grew to international acclaim touring the UK, USA and Australia.

Born in 1926, the late Nellie Clancy, of Marless, Moylough fondly recalls her busy and interesting life on the family farm.

Michael recounts the day he and his father discovered a 1000 year old log boat at Laught Lake.

Tommy remembers the Blacksmiths of the Moylough area.

Kathleen shares her memories of working alongside her late husband, Bill, in the family shop in Moylough Village.

Moylough natives Maureen and Kathleen Staunton share the story of their adventure into a new life in America in the 1960s, the connection with home and their enduring ties to the East Galway village.

Larry Kilcummins shares his memories of the pattern day at St Brendan’s Holy Well, the stories he