The Greg Hughes Podcast

In the most northerly peninsula in Ireland, geography can often be a barrier to safety. For over 30 years, Mary Doherty has been breaking down those barriers.

Mary is one of the founding figures of Lifeline Inishowen, a service that began as a response to a desperate local need and has grown into a gold-standard support system for survivors of domestic abuse. In this episode, we sit down with Mary just weeks after she was named a 2026 AXA Community Hero for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing.

We discuss the early days of the organization, the unique challenges of providing crisis support in a rural coastal community, and what it felt like to be recognized nationally for three decades of service that usually happens far from the spotlight.

What We Discuss:

The Foundation: The “spark” that led to the establishment of what became Lifeline Inishowen over 30 years ago.

The Inishowen Factor: Why a dedicated service is so critical for a peninsula where the nearest major town can be a 50-mile journey for those in crisis.

A National Honor: Mary’s reaction to winning the 2026 AXA Community Hero Award and how the €20,000 prize will be used to further the charity’s mission.

Evolving Support: How the conversation around domestic safety has changed in Donegal since the 1990s and the impact of their recent school awareness programs.

The Power of One: Mary’s philosophy on community care and why she remains as dedicated today as she was three decades ago.

In April 1986, a fire at the O’Donnell family home changed the course of five lives and left a community in shock. It has been forty years since that night, yet for Angela O’Donnell and her sons, the memory of those lost—Sharon, Joanne, Adrian, and baby Kevin—remains a constant presence.

This week, Angela and her son Philip join the podcast to talk about that night and the long road they have walked since.

They speak about the children who didn’t make it out, and the bravery of their babysitter, 25-year-old Noreen O’Donnell, who gave her life attempting to save them. Philip, who was just 13 at the time, reflects on escaping the blaze with his brothers Patrick and Joe, and how that moment shaped the men they became.

This is not just a look back at a tragedy; it is a conversation about the strength of a mother and how a family carries the weight of such a profound loss for forty years.

We are deeply grateful to Angela and Philip for their courage in sharing this story with us.

After three decades of unwavering service, Timmy Boyle has officially stepped down as Officer in Charge of the Bunbeg Coast Guard. In this episode, we sit down with the man who helped shape the face of maritime rescue in Donegal.

From the grassroots community fundraising that launched St. Colmcille Cliff & Coastal Search in 1996 to the service’s modern-day evolution under the Irish Coast Guard, Timmy has been the driving force behind the safety of our shores.

The Early Days: How a dedicated inshore rescue service was built from the ground up by the Bunbeg community.

The Operations: Insight into the coordination between Malin Head and Rescue 118 and others, including the grueling search for the R116 helicopter crew.

The Stakes: The profound relief of finding a stranded kayaker as the tide rises, and the solemn duty of bringing closure to families through body recovery on Lough Swilly alongside Sheepheaven Divers.

A Call for Change: Why Timmy believes compulsory sea courses should be mandatory and the hidden, terrifying dangers of air beds on open water.

“Boats are much more dangerous than cars. You are always at the mercy of the sea, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s extremely dangerous.”

In this episode, Gary and Patrice McCrossan share the raw reality of navigating two simultaneous cancer battles. From aggressive treatments in Ireland to a life-changing medical journey to the Princess Máxima Center in the Netherlands, this is a testament to a family’s unbreakable strength.

Key Chapters of the Journey:

The Dual Diagnosis: Patrice’s fight with AML and Zach’s diagnosis of Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS).

The Utrecht Mission: Why the family traveled to the Netherlands in June 2025 for a specialized stem cell transplant.

A Community Rises: How St. Johnston and Donegal rallied to raise over €160,000 to keep the family together abroad.

The Ultimate Milestone: March 2026—the emotional moment Zach puts on his schoolbag for his first day at Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál.

“Schoolbag on his back and the whole future ahead of him… today felt like the start of something new.”

At 90 years of age, most people have been retired for decades—but Martin O’Donnell only hung up the keys last October.

For 65 years, Martin was a constant presence on the roads of Milford, Carrigart, Ramelton, and Downings. From his early days driving for Pat Kelly to becoming a self-employed fixture of the community in the early 80s, he has witnessed the world change through his windscreen.

In this episode, Martin takes us back to:

The early days: Starting his career the same week as the Grand National and driving the iconic Bedford SIH 197.

A changing landscape: Watching Milford go from a bustling hub of local shops to just two remaining today.

Life on the road: Long 12-hour days, mishaps at the Log Cabin involving runaway wheels, and the days when “bread and spuds” were the staples of every household.

A life of faith: His 50+ years of service to the Chapel in Milford, earning him a Papal Honor, and why the nightly Rosary always took precedence over the television.

As Martin and his wife Angela prepare to celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary this June, we sit down to hear the story of a man who didn’t just deliver bread—he delivered a lifetime of service to North Donegal.

This week, we mark a profoundly significant and somber milestone. Friday, March 20th, 2026, marks the 10th anniversary of the Buncrana Pier tragedy.

On that evening in 2016, five members of one family—Sean McGrotty, Mark (12), Evan (8), Ruth Daniels (57), and Jodie-Lee Daniels (14)—lost their lives when their car slipped into Lough Swilly. The sole survivor was four-month-old Rioghnach-Ann, saved in a moment of extraordinary bravery as she was handed through a window to rescuer Davitt Walsh.

In this episode, we are joined by Louise James, who speaks with incredible courage about the decade that has passed since that life-altering Sunday.

What We Discuss:

The Day Everything Changed: Louise recounts being on a hen party in Liverpool, the “gut feeling” that something was wrong, and the devastating news she received after landing back home.

Signs of Comfort: The moving story of the “Elephant” sign—a promise from her mother that appeared on her daughter’s dummy in the hospital.

The Reality of Grief: The “guilt of living,” the challenges of years two and three, and the difficulty of watching the world move on while your heart remains at the pier.

Living for Rioghnach-Ann: How Louise and her daughter keep the memories of their dad, brothers, granny, and aunt alive every single day.

A Legacy in Writing: An update on Louise’s upcoming book, scheduled for publication in 2026, which documents her journey through loss and resilience.

Remembrance Mass

A special anniversary Mass will be held this Friday, March 20th, at 7:00 PM at the Holy Family Parish in Ballymagroarty, Derry. All are welcome to attend to remember, pray, and show support for the family.

“Some days, you laugh all day… you feel guilty for telling jokes, being involved, going to parties. But then that’s not fair on Rioghnach. I still have to live a life for her.” — Louise James

“Things Can Only Get Better” was more than just a hit; it was the soundtrack to a generation’s optimism. But for D:Ream frontman Peter Cunnah, the journey to finding his own “better” has been a complex, lifelong pursuit of identity and home.

In this candid interview, Peter takes us behind the platinum records and the bright lights of the 90s. We explore a life story that began at the Nazareth House mother and baby home, moved through the streets of Derry, and eventually led to a global stage.

Now, at 60, Peter is reflecting on the “final pieces of the jigsaw”—from meeting his biological father and discovering a famous musical half-brother to settling into a new chapter of life overlooking Lough Swilly in County Donegal.

The Early Years: Being born in a mother and baby home and his upbringing in Derry.

The D:Ream Phenomenon: The highs, the lows, and the legacy of a global #1 hit.

A Journey of Discovery: The emotional process of navigating his adoption and finally connecting with his birth father.

A Musical Revelation: The incredible story of finding his half-brother, Jamiroquai bassist Stuart Zender.

The Autobiography: Why now is the right time to put his life story into words.

Coming Home: Why he chose the rugged beauty of Donegal to settle down.

For years, the public narrative around eating disorders has been framed almost exclusively as a female experience. But the reality is far more complex, and for Conor Nolan, that reality began in the most ordinary of places: a football pitch at the age of 11.

In this powerful bonus episode of the Greg Hughes Podcast, Conor joins us to share his decade-long journey with anorexia—a “silent passenger” that followed him from childhood into his twenties. We strip away the misconceptions and tackle the damaging gendered perceptions that often prevent men from seeking help or even recognizing their own struggle.

From the weight of perfectionism to the strength found in recovery, Conor discusses how he transitioned from a software engineer to a PhD researcher in the Psychology of Eating Disorders, dedicated to changing the clinical landscape for those who come after him.

The Early Seeds: How a drive for athletic excellence as a young boy in Ireland spiraled into a battle for control.

The Gender Stigma: Why the “female-only” stereotype of eating disorders is a dangerous barrier for men and boys.

The Concept of “Normal”: Inside the writing of his acclaimed book and why “normal” is a moving target in recovery.

From Powerlifting to Academia: How Conor rebuilt his relationship with his body and why he’s now pursuing a PhD to help others.

Finding a Voice: The importance of men speaking out to break the cycle of silence and shame.

In this episode, Greg Hughes speaks with Maeve and Ian Gallagher following the inquest into the tragic death of their three-year-old son, Darragh.

Darragh passed away in March 2023 after a rapid onset of Invasive Group A Streptococcal (iGAS) which led to bacterial sepsis. This episode provides a detailed look at the timeline leading up to Darragh’s passing, beginning with his initial symptoms on St. Patrick’s Day and a subsequent visit to an out-of-hours GP service where his condition was identified as a mild viral infection.

Key Discussion Points:

The Clinical Journey: The symptoms Darragh displayed, including abdominal pain and vomiting, and the challenges of diagnosing iGAS in its early stages.

The Inquest Findings: A breakdown of the narrative finding returned by Coroner Dr. McCauley and why the request for a finding of medical misadventure was not met.

A National Spike: Insight from the inquest regarding the 2022/2023 iGAS outbreak in Ireland, which resulted in 12 deaths and 200 pediatric intensive care admissions.

Coroner’s Recommendations: The vital importance of childhood vaccinations (including flu and chickenpox) and the need for non-alarmist public health campaigns to help parents recognize early signs of sepsis.

Moving Forward: How Maeve and Ian are coping with their loss while advocating for better support for GPs and clearer communication for parents through tools like the Aladdin App.

What does it feel like to plan your daughter’s funeral while she is still alive? In this raw and deeply personal episode, Bernadette McConnell joins us to share her journey as a mother navigating her daughter Bailey’s decade-long battle with cocaine and prescription drug addiction.

Bernadette pulls back the curtain on the “silent suffering” of parents. She discusses the agonizing thin line between helping and enabling, the physical toll of constant worry, and the moment she realized she didn’t hate her daughter—she hated the addict that had stolen her “Bailey Boo.”

In this episode, we discuss:

The Reality of Addiction: Moving from “daddling” in teens to full-blown addiction in the 20s.

The Mother’s Burden: Managing the guilt, the sleepless nights, and the trauma of “checking socials” just to see if your child is alive.

The Systemic Failure: The “closed doors” of mental health services and the lack of immediate support for those in crisis.

The Turning Point: Why Bernadette had to step back to save both herself and her daughter.

Hope in Recovery: Celebrating Bailey’s 14 months of sobriety and the power of professional detox centers.