iRadio's Groupchat

Pilates and yoga are everywhere right now - from beach sessions to lunchtime reformer classes – but what’s behind the boom, and why are so many young people getting into it?

Saoirse O’Dowd, founder of Freedom Flow Wellness in Enniscrone, Co. Sligo, joins iRadio’s Groupchat to chat about how a few pop-up beach classes turned into a proper wellness community – originally sparked by loneliness in rural Ireland.

She explains why Pilates isn’t “just a trend”, the mental switch-off people are craving, and how she’s juggling a full-time career while renovating her first Freedom Flow studio, with plenty of real behind-the-scenes honesty along the way.

28-year-old Emily Felix joins Valerie on iRadio’s Groupchat after another crushing delay in the decision to fund Skyclarys for people living with Friedreich’s ataxia.

Emily explains what happened on July 14th, why campaigners travelled to the Dáil, and how they ended up finding out the “not yes, not no” outcome through social media, with no formal communication since.

She speaks about the irreversible impact of waiting with a progressive condition, why Skyclarys is already approved and reimbursed in other countries, and the frustration around transparency as the case moves to another review committee.

Galway footballer and primary school teacher Sean “Fitzy” Fitzgerald joins Producer Leah on iRadio’s Groupchat to spill how a TikTok piss-take turned into a fast-track ticket to the Love Island villa - and why he felt pure imposter syndrome walking in.

He chats about breaking the news to his manager and family, the “should teachers go on Love Island?” debate, and the hilarious support from his class.

Fitzy also opens up about finding a real connection with Lola, dealing with online rumours and hate, teaching the villa a few Irish phrases, and what’s next - from Galway nights out to travel plans and who he wants to win.

With summer comes a lot of things we love - longer evenings, holidays, days at the beach - but it can also bring extra pressure around how we look and feel in our bodies.  

Megan Wrenn is a yoga and meditation teacher and content creator who shares messages of body positivity online, encouraging people to embrace themselves exactly as they are.  

  But with a public platform comes negative comments too, and today we're chatting about confidence, online criticism, and why warmer weather can often make body image struggles feel even stronger.  

Charlene joins Producer Leah on iRadio’s Groupchat to chat about going into the Love Island villa as the “most hyped” Irish islander ever, and how that hype brought both support and pressure.

She opens up about why she really went in (not just a career move), how tough modern dating feels, and what it’s like being vulnerable on camera.

Charlene also talks tarot, getting her phone back to a massive follower jump, and the support from welfare and producers behind the scenes.

Plus: thoughts on Kavan and Jasmine, pitting women against each other online, All Stars, who could be dumped next, and who she thinks will win it all.

Every family has its own story, and our next guest has been sharing hers with thousands of people online. Maria Merriman was adopted from Guatemala in 1997 and raised here in Ireland. 

 Through her TikTok videos, she's been opening up about growing up adopted, the questions she was asked as a child, exploring her Guatemalan heritage as an adult, and the realities of adoption in Ireland today.  

 Maria joins us now to talk about her own experience, what she's learned along the way, and why these conversations matter.  

If you've found yourself talking about Love Island contestants as if they're your own friends - or arguing online over people you've never actually met - you're definitely not alone. It's something psychologists call a parasocial relationship: a one-sided emotional connection we develop with public figures, influencers or reality TV stars.  

 But when does harmless entertainment become something more? And are these relationships affecting the way we connect with the people in our own lives?  

 Joining us now is Chloe Callanan, physcotherapist and owner of Are You Well Therapy, to chat about why we're so invested in people we've never met, the risks of parasocial relationships, and why nurturing our real-life friendships is more important than ever.  

For a lot of people, job hunting has changed massively. It’s no longer just about sending off a CV and hoping for the best - employers can now get a glimpse of who you are before you ever walk into an interview.  

 From LinkedIn profiles to TikTok, Instagram, online portfolios and personal projects, your digital presence can become part of your professional identity.  

 But how much does it actually matter? Can a strong personal brand help you land your dream job? And can a bad online presence hold you back?  

 We’re joined by careers coach Angela Burke to chat about building your personal brand, showcasing your skills online, and how to make yourself stand out in a competitive job market.  

Ireland is famous for its live music scene, but behind the scenes, booking musicians is often still done through texts, phone calls and spreadsheets. A new Irish start-up wants to change that.  

 CeolConnect is launching later this month with the aim of making it easier for venues to find, book and pay musicians - all in one place. Joining us now on iRadios Groupchat is one of the co-founders, Eoghan Matthews.  

I'm joined now by Clodagh McCahey who goes by CaintLeClo on Tiktok. Every day she's encouraging people to use a little more Irish in their everyday lives by teaching a new word or phrase in a fun and accessible way.  

 What's really interesting is that Clodagh isn't from a Gaeltacht area. She's originally from Dublin and now lives in Athlone, so her passion for the language didn't come from growing up surrounded by Irish every day. Yet she's building an online community showing that you don't have to be fluent to start using cúpla focal.