Topics covered : Hurling, diversity, inclusion, religion.

In this episode I speak to Abood Al Jumaili who also goes by the name Bonnar O’Loinsigh.

He lives in Dublin and his nickname is based on two hurling greats, the Bonnar Maher from Tipperary and former player Colin Lynch from Clare.

He left his home in Baghdad when he was only 9 years old and came to Ireland with his family, five years after the American invasion of Iraq in 2003.

When he arrived here, he had no English but soon developed the distinctive accent he has today.

And in this conversation we talk about his passion for hurling, his deep faith, his role as a GAA ambassador promoting diversity and inclusion, the culture clashes he’s encountered over the years and his dream of becoming an Irish diplomat someday.

If you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Drug trip, drug induced psychosis, suicidal thoughts, breakdown, mania, bi-polar disorder, shedding shame, early onset Alzheimer’s, grief, regrets, recovery, self care, power of movement, pole-dancing.

In this episode I speak to writer and podcaster, Sophie White.

She lives in Dublin with her husband Seb and their 3 sons who are 2, 5 and 8.

She graduated from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin with a first class honours degree in sculpture, she’s been a chef and she’s written 5 books so far.

And in this conversation we talk about mental breakdowns, regrets, the juggle of being a working mother, the unfixable pain of grief, her latest book ‘The Snag List’ and pole-dancing!

If you like this conversation, you might enjoy my episode with Alastair Campbell from January 2021 in which similar topics are explored.

And if you are a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. Thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Cancer, smear tests, holistic treatments, medical procedures, trauma, therapy, grief, healing, belief, trusting your gut instinct, health.

In this episode I speak to the inspirational Lynsey Bennett.

She lives in Longford with her daughters Zoë who’s 13 and Hailee who’s 8 and in 2019 she found out she was one of the women caught up in the cervical check scandal brought to public attention by Vicky Phelan.

In this conversation, we talk about the powerful bond she had and still has with her mother Lesley, undergoing a hysterectomy at just 28, dealing with a terminal diagnosis and arranging her own funeral and trusting her gut instinct.

She’s been getting alternative cancer treatment in Mexico and Germany over the past year and a half to help strengthen her immune system and support her mindset; and thankfully, it’s yielding good results so far despite being told a few years ago, that she probably wouldn’t live this long.

I was honoured to meet her and have this conversation.

Book mention : ‘Radical Remission, surviving cancer against all odds’ by Kelly A. Turner

And if you are a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. Thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Motherhood, career, ageing, menopause. 

In this episode I speak to actor, comedian, TV presenter and podcaster, the multi-talented Deirdre O’Kane.

She lives in Dun Laoghaire in Dublin with her husband, writer and director Stephen Bradley and their teenage kids, Holly who’s 17 and Daniel who’s 13.

She describes herself as an optimist who can be competitive and self-critical.

And in this conversation we talk about motherhood, menopause, her fascinating career, the story behind the making of the film ‘Noble’ and the contentment she feels at this stage of her life.

Her latest stand up show called ‘Demented’ is currently on a nationwide tour so check out her site for a list of dates and locations and to buy a ticket!

And if you enjoyed this conversation, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places, thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Dancing with the Stars, her racing career, motherhood, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, fear of failure.

In this episode I speak to retired jockey and Dancing with the Stars champion Nina Carberry.

She’s regarded as one of the greatest amateur riders of all time and after an almost 17-year career in the saddle, she retired in 2018.

She’s married to Ted and they have 2 daughters, Rosie who’s 5 next month and Hollie who’s 2.5.

She is incredibly hard working, grounded and naturally shy, and in this conversation we talk all things DWTS….including her gruelling training schedule and being out of her comfort zone; her friendship with Rachael Blackmore, life at home with her family and her horses and all that it entails, and how winning DWTS compares to winning a Grand National or at Cheltenham!

* A special thanks to Barbara White for all her help with this episode.

And if you enjoyed this conversation, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places, thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : sex, porn, sexting, shedding shame, pushing boundaries, deepening understanding.

In this episode I speak to pundit, podcaster and psychotherapist, Richie Sadlier.

It's my second time sitting down to chat to Richie and as always he is such a brilliant guest.

He’s married to Fiona and when we spoke in 2019, his autobiography ‘Recovering’ had just been released and in it he revealed he had been sexually abused when he was 14 by a physio he had been attending for back pain.

2.5 years on, he’s just released his second book called ‘Let’s Talk’, written for teenage boys, and in it he covers everything they might need or want to know about sex, intimacy, relationships, breakups and everything else in between.

He also runs his own private psychotherapy practice and he has a passion for supporting adolescent development so he really knows his stuff in this area.

If you enjoyed this conversation you can go back and listen to our earlier chat if you missed it and why not check out the episodes I recorded with sexologist Emily Power Smith too.

Thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Best foods to eat and when to eat them, genetics, blue zones, impact of Covid, exercise, sleep, sex, connections, engagement, laughter.

Professor Rose Anne Kenny has 35 years of experience at the forefront of ageing medicine and in this conversation she shares some of the proven adjustments we can all make regardless of our age, to live longer and happier lives.

Her book is ‘Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life’ and it’s a fascinating read.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the pod wherever you listen. You can now rate it on Spotify and leave a little comment on Apple too.

Thanks a million!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Alcoholism, fatal fetal abnormality, abortion, induced labour, birth trauma.

In this bonus episode I speak to the incredible Amy Dunne.

In 2007, a 16 year old Amy was pregnant with a baby girl who had a fatal fetal abnormality. At the time, Amy was in the care of the HSE, so she told a social worker about her plan to travel for a termination after finding out the devastating news. And although she was supported by her family and by the baby’s father, she was told by the HSE that it wouldn’t be possible for her to travel which then led to her situation being a case in the High Court.

In this conversation we speak about her childhood changing from idyllic to chaotic, the ups and down of her relationship with her mother and ultimately the unbreakable bond they share today, and how her strength and bravery ignited a social revolution to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Irish Constitution.

We heard about her at the time as ‘Miss D’ but today we hear from the woman herself and it's a raw and powerful listen.

Today she lives in Drogheda with her teenage son Adam and she's estranged from her father.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the pod wherever you listen. You can now rate it on Spotify and leave a little comment on Apple too.

Thanks a million!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : motherhood, march for maternity, channeling, authenticity, acting, yoga, letting go, signs.

This week I speak to actor and writer, Amy De Bhrún.

She’s married to Seán and they have 2 kids, daughter Billie and baby son River.

And in this conversation we speak about motherhood, her powerful March for Maternity speech, being authentic, TV show ‘Line of Duty’, her love of yoga and why ladybirds are important to her.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the pod wherever you listen.

You can now rate it on Spotify and leave a little comment on Apple too.

Thanks a million!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Imposter syndrome, over-thinking, being triggered, relationships, finding purpose, changing careers, accountability, acceptance, overwhelm, fear of rejection, time management, people pleasing.

This is the second episode with life coach Mark Fennell, which we recorded about 5 months ago. It’s full of practical advice on a whole heap of topics and he also answers a selection of questions that were sent in on Instagram too.

To contact Mark, go to…

https://markfennell.ie/

If you liked this episode you can go back and listen to our first chat.

And if you’re a fan of the podcast, please let me know by leaving a rating or a little comment on Apple, it only takes a minute, I promise.

You can also click follow and rate on Spotify and share it with pals in real life and/or on social media. Doing any, or all of these would be absolutely brilliant, thanks a million!

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