iRadio's Groupchat

If you’ve ever watched a renovation show and thought, “That looks amazing… but how much is that actually going to cost?”, today’s conversation is for you.  

Our guest is Rachel Uí Bhaoil, better known online as The Renovation Strategist. Rachel is the owner of Spreag.ie, a certified financial planner and property developer who has built a following by sharing practical advice for people who are buying, renovating or trying to make sense of an older home.  

Rachel helps people understand what they're getting themselves into before they pick up the sledgehammer.  

So today we're getting into the big questions: How much does a renovation really cost? What should you look out for before buying an old house? And what grants are available?

We were joined by Niamh Noonan, who has gained a significant following on social media for sharing the realities of her day to day life after facing breast cancer.

Niamh was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer two days after her 30th birthday. She's finished treatment now, but has continued to document her life on social media to remind people to look after their health, and advocate for themselves. 

She's also one of the founders of the group 'Too Young to be Heard' who are campaigning to have the age of public breast screening lowered.

Niamh has also stressed that early detection is crucial.

For more support, you can visit cancer.ie

For today’s iRadio Groupchat Business Spotlight, we’re shining a light on an Irish businesswoman who has taken something she loved doing as a child and turned it into a thriving handmade brand.  

Isabella McKeon, from County Leitrim, is the woman behind By Izzy the Label - a crochet fashion brand creating handmade bags and accessories using recycled T-shirt yarn.  

Isabella’s love for crochet and knitting started when she was young, spending evenings with her granny, and years later she rediscovered that passion and began making bags for herself.  

The saying goes "She believed She could so She did"

This ties in perfectly with Ghlór Mná, which is a writing and creative wellbeing community for women and mothers in the west of Ireland.

It is self described as a space where words are the tool, play is the purpose and connection is the core.

Founder Claire Kelly joined Valerie on the show to reflect on the importance of community, and chat about the upcoming 'Play Café' events people can get involved in.

Today we’re talking about something that affects men from all walks of life — connection, mental health, purpose and the importance of having a strong support system around you.  

Joining us is Darren Reilly, a high-performance men’s coach and psychotherapist, and the founder of Brotherhood - a community created to help men become more connected to themselves, to each other, and to the lives they want to build.  

Brotherhood is about creating a space where men can be honest, supported and challenged to grow, without feeling they have to put on a front or have everything figured out.  

Darren spoke to Valerie on iRadio's Groupchat

Today we're talking about something that so many people experience, but can often feel very difficult to admit - loneliness.   

Claine Cassidy, recently opened up on TikTok about her own experience of feeling lonely in her 20s and finding it difficult to make new friends as an adult.  

What happened next really struck a chord. Hundreds of people reached out to Claine, telling her they felt exactly the same way. Some shared their own experiences of loneliness, while others even reached out simply to say, "Do you want to be friends?"  

It's a reminder that you can be surrounded by people, be active and have a busy life - and still feel lonely. 

 Claine shared her journey on iRadio's Groupchat with Valerie.

The words equality, diversity and inclusion get thrown around a lot – but do we actually know what they mean in practice? Valerie McHugh is joined by Florencia Santana, trainer and advisor with the Irish Centre for Diversity, to break down the big terms and why they’re not interchangeable.

Flora explains how “I don’t see colour” can erase identity, why equality on its own doesn’t guarantee belonging, and how inclusion is about creating spaces where people feel safe to speak up and thrive.

One Day Many Voices is funded by Coimisiún na Meán with the Television Licence Fee and has been devised by Learning Waves in association with iRadio

Representation in entertainment is improving, but is it actually becoming more accessible for autistic and neurodivergent performers? Valerie McHugh is joined by content creator and acting student Fyiya, who was diagnosed with autism in her 20s, to talk honestly about identity, burnout, and finding freedom in finally understanding yourself.

Fyiya shares why acting feels like escapism and magic, what autistic representation on screen still gets wrong, and the practical changes that could make auditions and sets more supportive — from clearer communication to calmer spaces and more breaks.

One Day Many Voices is funded by Coimisiún na Meán with the Television Licence Fee and has been devised by Learning Waves in association with iRadio

Valerie McHugh is joined by actor and creator Éyum Priscilla, born in Drogheda and raised in Dublin, to talk about what it means to be Irish when people insist you’re “not really Irish” because you’re Black.

Éyum opens up about the moments that made her realise how differently others viewed her identity, the racism and trolling she’s faced online, and the everyday “small” comments and unconscious bias that can cut the deepest.

She also introduces Black Leprechaun, her new coming-of-age vertical micro-series launching on Instagram on October 1st - funny, sharp, and rooted in Black Irish teen life.

One Day Many Voices is funded by Coimisiún na Meán with the Television Licence Fee and has been devised by Learning Waves in association with iRadio

Valerie McHugh is joined by Eamon, founder of Gaeilgeoir Guides, to chat about the Irish language revival – and he’s calling in live from his travels in China.

Eamon shares how his new Irish-learning app, Hey Rua, is built around speaking out loud, with native recordings from Connemara, Kerry and Donegal, pronunciation feedback, games, and guided everyday conversations (from ordering a coffee to saying where you’re from).

They also talk social media’s role in making Irish more visible, why you don’t need to be fluent to be a “Gaeilgeoir”, and what needs to change in how Irish is taught in schools.