Talking Bollox Podcast

Dermot Whelan, author of Busy and Wrecked, and formerly of Dermot & Dave joined us this week - And Calvin only called him Dave by accident once which is a win!

Dermot explained how he went from being an altar boy to dreaming of being Indiana Jones, to where he is now. For years, Dermot suffered with anxiety and didn't understand it - But he didn't let it stop him from getting on stage for stand up or presenting shows like Republic of Telly.

He told us how meditation helped him transform his anxiety from something that held him back to a superpower and how he uses comedy to pass on the same tools.

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The bizarre and fascinating world of mobile cinemas enters the Talking Bollox universe this week, as a listener’s questions sends us into a whole new world, and has us ringing around every culchie we know as we hunt down more info on this peculiar beast of Irish rural entertainment.

We also ask what’s the best invention ever, and we ask if you can put in the miles for self-improvement if you’re waking up in silk sheets.

Send all of your questions to [email protected]

Kyla Cobbler is not her real name, but what is real are the laughs we had with her in this episode. She told us how lying to Italian men on dating apps led to her new name and how she went from hating school to getting head hunted by Dolce & Gabbana and is now living the dream now working as a comedian.

It's a chaotic episode that goes from Azealia Banks to Coolio's demands for sparkling water to colourful farts all before we could get the introduction done.

Kyla's a fan of swimming in the nip and almost has Calvin convinced until she admits she'd never do it at home in Ireland.

We spoke about emigrating and how living as an Irish person abroad changes your perspective. And Kyla opened up on her realisation that she was drinking too much and how she's changed her relationship with alcohol.

Sponsored by FBT Gyms.

We enter a world of twists and deception this week, as the caterpillar saga grows legs. Terry gets a tip off that he thinks has him closer to discovering the identity of his anonymous tormentor, but has he just dug himself into a deeper hole?

Calvin wonders if we’ve entered a story more layered that Shutter Island, or more treacherous than The Departed, and we find out that the one true ban in the Talking Bollox universe is the ban on revealing the identity of the caterpillar leaker.

Besides all of that, the lads wonder how they’d fare in the celibate life, or with Terry living in a monastery.

And we have a whole new level of threat, as Calvin warns Terry might start calling listeners to give them a piece of his mind.

Send all of your questions and comments (and anonymous tips) to [email protected]

On Valentine's Day, 1981, 48 young people died tragically in a fire that broke out in the Stardust nightclub in North Dublin. Emergency exits were blocked, the furnishings were highly flammable and the fire spread rapidly.

Selina McDermott lost 3 of her siblings in the tragedy, Willie, George and Marcella. Her family was never the same again. She told us about her memories of that night, the chaos that broke out, and the long lasting impact it had on her and her community.

The first investigation into the fire found that the cause of the fire was probable arson, a blow to the grieving families who felt the blame was being placed on the victims themselves. For years, the families and survivors have campaigned to get the truth. Last April, the families' efforts resulted in a new finding that all 48 young people who died in the Stardust were unlawfully killed. Selina told us where they got the strength to keep fighting and what this result means for them.

Proudly sponsored by FBT Gyms.

The listeners come for Calvin and his rules of the road, and we’re left with very few co-hosts who could pass a theory test.

The risk of an unexpected dig is on offer for a cash reward, and a fate worse than Lucan awaits Calvin - while Terry's life on Manor Street takes on the feel of a sitcom.

We have some sphere puns that inadvertently outrage Calvin, and strange beasts hidden in a shed.

There’s a new topic ban up for consideration and Terry is already sick of questions about his new car.

Send your questions to [email protected]

Dara Ó Briain is one of Ireland's most successful comedians.

Things get off to a rocky start as Terence arrives late, and Dara makes him pay for it. Once we have that out of the way Dara shares his journey from science to stand-up, revealing how he stumbled into comedy and how he knew instantly he was hooked.

We delve into the nuances of heckling and the experiences that shape a comedian's approach to audience interaction.

Plus, Dara opens up about his incredible adoption story, his quest to find his birth family and the insight it gives into a dark and shocking chapter in irish history.

Sponsored by FBT Gyms.

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We obliterate our own ban on animal content this week, as Terence questions the point of science and at the same time claims he can see heat. We ask AI for its opinion on Talking Bollox and we find ChatGPT coming for the producers of the podcast.

Terence has a big problem with the naming of the Las Vegas Sphere, and the Pyramids, but he’s blown away by the Square in Tallaght.

And a listener’s plea for advice backfires spectacularly and leads to a heated debate about what counts as being waterproof.

Send all of your questions and comments to [email protected]

Mick Moran is a former Garda who works tirelessly to protect children from sexual abuse, both with the Guards, and Interpol and now as CEO of Hotline.ie. Mick explained where this child sexual abuse material is coming from and why he cares more about finding the child than the abuser.

There’s a serious debate about the potential to rehabilitate a sexual offender and Mick gives his take on seemingly ‘lenient’ sentences for those caught with this content. He also tells us why deleting child abuse images is the worst thing you can do if you come across them, and explained what you should do instead.

It’s a heavy topic, but we’ve never shied away from those before and it’s important to discuss this issue so we can all protect kids better and know what needs to be done to make the world a safer place. 

Sponsored by FBT Gyms.

For more info on how we're going premium with TBX go to www.goloudplayer.com/comingsoon

In a sign of booming times, Terence has made a major purchase without working out every single angle – or any angles.

There's concerns about being kidnappable, we learn C is for Savage, Calvin rages against a recent trend among young men in Dublin, and we get a heartfelt and touching message from a listener overseas.

Send all of your questions and comments to [email protected]