In this episode, I sit down with Kerry native Micheál Costello for a powerful and honest conversation.

What began as a search for control through exercise slowly spiralled into anorexia and depression. Diagnosed in October 2020, Micheál’s illness carried deep family history, with his aunt having died from anorexia years earlier.

We talk about stigma, especially for men, the danger of waiting lists, and the silence that surrounds eating disorders.

From the depths of illness to qualifying for the Irish triathlon team and competing in several Ironmans, Micheál’s journey is a remarkable comeback and a reminder that recovery is possible.

🎟️ The Comeback Live comes to the Cork Podcast Festival on March 21st at St Luke’s. Tickets are available here https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-comeback-with-brenda-dennehy-tickets-1977022103331.

🎧 This episode is proudly sponsored by ADHD Now - the online clinic transforming ADHD assessment and care across Ireland. If you’re seeking an ADHD assessment or support, visit adhdnow.com today.

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

In this episode I sit down with Irish comedian Stephen “Cowboy” Kelly for a powerful and honest conversation.

Best known for his comedy, online sketches, and appearances on Hardy Bucks, Stephen has built a strong following across stand-up, live shows, and social media. In this episode, he goes beyond the laughs to share a much deeper story.

Stephen speaks openly about nearly dying three times, including suffering a heart attack in his twenties and collapsing with a bleed to the brain. He reflects on being rushed to ICU, being medically dead, and the moments that forced him to reassess his life and priorities.

This episode explores survival, resilience, and the mindset required to come back when everything is on the line.

A very big thank you to Legacy Studios for hosting the recording of this episode.

🎧 Proudly sponsored by ADHD Now. For ADHD assessment and support across Ireland, visit adhdnow.com.

🎟️ The Comeback Live comes to the Cork Podcast Festival on March 21st at St Luke’s. You can buy tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-comeback-with-brenda-dennehy-tickets-1977022103331

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

This week, I am joined by Julie Burke, also known as @julesrulesirl on social media, for a conversation every woman who has ever felt underestimated needs to hear. Julie worked her way from retail to General Manager through grit, confidence, and backing herself when no one else did. Nothing was handed to her.

We talk confidence, knowing your worth, navigating social media, and why personality will take you further than any job title.

Julie’s message is simple and powerful. Stop waiting for permission. It is not coming. Give it to yourself.

🎤 The Comeback Live is coming to the Cork Podcast Festival on March 21st at St Luke’s - you can get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-comeback-with-brenda-dennehy-tickets-1977022103331

✨ This week’s sponsor is Dazzled Venus, jewellery that truly moves with you. Waterproof, non-tarnish, 18-karat gold plated, and proudly Irish owned 🇮🇪

💛 Enjoy 40 percent off sitewide for a limited time. Check out their site here: dazzledvenus.ie

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This week on The Comeback, I sit down with Jason Byrne.

Jason grew up in Ballymun, Dublin, and first encountered drugs at 16. What began as curiosity escalated and shaped many years of his life. Now almost three years sober, he reflects honestly on addiction, recovery, and change.

Jason is the founder of Rise Above It, a community built around movement, connection, and support through running, hiking, and sea dips. We talk about why recovery is something you do together, not alone.

Despite the seriousness of the topic, there is warmth, humour, and real joy throughout this episode.

The Comeback Live comes to the Cork Podcast Festival on March 21st at St Luke’s. Tickets are available here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-comeback-with-brenda-dennehy-tickets-1977022103331

This episode is proudly sponsored by ADHD Now, the online clinic transforming ADHD assessment and care across Ireland. If you are seeking an ADHD assessment or support, visit adhdnow.com.

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

This week on The Comeback, I am joined by my good friend Alan Clarke.

Many of you will know Alan from his social media sketches and his hugely successful podcast Big News Coming Soon, but for the first time, he shares his full story on a podcast.

In this episode, Alan speaks openly about the breakdown he faced, the weeks he spent unable to leave the house with the blinds closed, and the role therapy played in helping him find his way back. It is an honest conversation about mental health, resilience, and the work that happens long before a comeback is visible.

And of course, we also speak about the true love of his life, his Springer Spaniel, Kookie, who was never actually meant to be Alan’s dog, yet was always meant to find her way to him.

Alan reflects on the many paths that shaped his journey, from washing cars and filling petrol as a teenager, to working as a carpenter, DJ, and social media manager, before becoming the voice so many people recognise today.

Sponsor

This episode is proudly sponsored by ADHD Now, the online clinic transforming ADHD assessment and care across Ireland. Visit adhdnow.com for support and assessment.

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

All good things, in time.

Some returns look different than departures.

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

This week’s episode is a more relaxed and honest conversation recorded in Tenerife. I am joined by my friend Chris, who called over for a chat about his story and the role he has played in supporting me through recovery. There are plenty of laughs, alongside some very real moments.

I also answer the most asked question of the last three weeks, have I moved to Tenerife.

There are some changes coming to the podcast, which I will explain next week, along with an exciting new venture.

🎧 This episode is proudly sponsored by ADHD Now, the online clinic transforming ADHD assessment and care across Ireland.

For ADHD assessments and support, visit adhdnow.com.

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

New Year can be a difficult time.

In this special episode, I revisit the final three questions I ask every guest on the podcast. Not the polished answers, but the honest ones. The words shaped by grief, addiction, illness, loss, recovery, and survival.

This episode opens with a tribute to Natasha O’Byrne, who passed away last week. Natasha was one of the very first people to reach out when this podcast launched, and her words felt especially important to share at the start of a new year.

What follows are reflections from guests across the year, offering perspective, resilience, and hope. This episode is a reminder that no matter how heavy things feel, there is always a comeback.

This episode contains themes of mental health, addiction, suicide, and grief. Please listen with care.

This episode is proudly sponsored by ADHD Now, the online clinic transforming ADHD assessment and care across Ireland. For ADHD assessment or support, visit

adhdnow.com

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

This episode captures my live show, and quite honestly, the best night of my life.

As this final episode of 2025 goes out, I want to thank every single person who has supported the podcast over the past six months. What this show has become is beyond anything I could have imagined, and that is entirely down to you, the listeners, and the incredible guests who shared their stories so openly and the sponsors.

The live show took place in November and truly exceeded all expectations. Huge thanks to Nicola Fitzgerald, Joe McCaul, Nicola Guilfoyle, Andy Goulding, and our mystery guest Timmy Long for making it such a special night along with his brother Tommy.

My deepest thanks go to my mother, Nora. There would be no comeback without her.

A massive and heartfelt thank you as well to Autism Care, who so generously sponsored the show. This night simply could not have happened without their support. Autism Care is an Irish organisation offering neuroaffirming assessments and lifelong supports, co designed with Autistic individuals. Their work is grounded in lived experience, compassion, and genuine inclusion. You can find out more at autismcare.ie.

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

This week, I sit down with Timmy Long, whose story of addiction and recovery left the room in silence when he shared it at my live show in November.

Timmy grew up in poverty on the north side of Cork City and experienced trauma from a young age. Years later, he fell into addiction and soon after served time in prison. While incarcerated, he received devastating news that his mother had died, a moment that became the turning point in his recovery journey.

What followed were years of hard work and healing. Timmy learned to read and write in his thirties, committed to sobriety, and rebuilt his life. Today, he is a father, a husband, and a man deeply proud of who he has become.

This is a raw, honest conversation about addiction, trauma, prison, recovery, and hope.

This episode is proudly sponsored by ADHD Now - the online clinic transforming ADHD assessment and care across Ireland. If you’re seeking an ADHD assessment or support, visit adhdnow.com today.

The Comeback Live returns on Saturday, March 21st, 2026 at St Luke’s following the success of my sold out show in November. It will be another night of honest conversations, powerful stories, and real hope. 

Tickets are available via Eventbrite and the link in my social media bio.

01:44 - Welcome & The Impact of Timmy's Live Show Appearance

04:42 - Growing Up in Holly Hill: Poverty, Violence & No Father Figure

09:57 - The Moment I Emotionally Shut Down as a Child

11:37 - Wanting to Die at Six Years Old

15:45 - Finding Drugs & Alcohol: Feeling Alive for the First Time

23:15 - Relapse at 19 & Years of Chaotic Addiction

32:40 - My Mother's Death While I Was in Prison

38:52 - The Breakthrough: When I Stopped Fighting My Thoughts

46:16 - Learning to Read & Write in Prison at 36

58:58 - Final Questions: Advice for Anyone Who Feels They'll Never Make It Out

Instagram: @thecomebackwithbrenda @brendasbits

Contact: [email protected]

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