The Women's Podcast

Why Women are Poorer than Men is the debut book from Annabelle Williams, a journalist and editor who specialises in investing, economics and consumer affairs. The book explores injustices from old-age poverty to the gendered housing crisis and illustrates how society conspires to limit women's wealth. In today’s episode, Williams joins Róisín Ingle to discuss the many reasons why women are poorer than men and what we can do about it. Also joining the discussion and sharing their personal experiences with money, is Dr Katriona O’Sullivan, a lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Maynooth University and Rachael Ingle, a former chairperson of the Irish Association of Pension funds and the CEO of Aon Solutions Ireland.

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In this specially extended podcast, Sinead O'Connor invites us into her home to talk about her extraordinary new memoir Rememberings. Over coffee and cigarettes she talks Róisín Ingle through her traumatic childhood, her singular musical career and the liberation she found in tearing up that photo of the pope. And there's more: Prince, family bonds, nuns, shame, writing, singing, head shaving, truth-talking, touring and swearing. Rememberings by Sinead O'Connor is published by Sandycove, an imprint of Penguin Books, on June 1st 2021.

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It’s three years since the referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment was passed by a landslide on May 25th 2018. Now, film directors Aideen Kane, Lucy Kennedy and Maeve O’Boyle are releasing their documentary, The 8th, about that defining moment in Irish history. With footage gathered over a three-year period, The 8th brings us voices from both sides of the referendum campaign. It takes us behind the scenes of the Together for Yes campaign with co-leader, Ailbhe Smyth, and follows self-described glitter activist and co-presenter of the podcast Don’t Stop Repealin’, Andrea Horan, as they chart a bold strategy of grassroots activism. In today’s episode, Róisín talks to Ailbhe Smyth and to The 8th director, Lucy Kennedy, looking back at a campaign that brought about a monumental change in Ireland’s abortion laws after a 35-year long struggle. The 8th is released on video-on-demand in Ireland and the UK on 25 May, to coincide with the third anniversary of the referendum.

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The inspiration for Fíona Scarlett’s debut novel came to her just over three years ago while scrolling through Twitter. The schoolteacher turned author happened across a tweet by a paediatric palliative care doctor, in which he had listed what his young patients said they would miss the most when they died. Using their answers as a springboard, Scarlett immediately opened up her laptop and wrote what is now the first chapter of Boys Don’t Cry. In today’s episode, she tells Róisín Ingle why, having only started writing in her mid thirties, it’s never too late to try your hand at something new. She also speaks lovingly about her father who died last year, the next book in the pipeline and her literary inspirations.

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When the trailer for Wild Mountain Thyme was released late last year, it was immediately met with widespread criticism, not only for its delusional depictions of modern Irish life, but for its dodgy Irish accents and over the top Paddywhackery. Written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, the film is based on his play Outside Mullingar, which ran on Broadway in 2014. It stars Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan as Rosemary and Anthony, two lonely souls who have grown up beside each other on neighbouring farms. Completing the star studded cast is Jon Hamm and Christopher Walken. After keeping us waiting for almost six months, the film was finally released to Irish audiences on April 30th. We invited comedian Erin McGathy and journalist Jenn Gannon to watch the movie and share their thoughts and observations with Róisín Ingle on today’s episode.

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Today is a BIG day for us. It’s our 500th episode! We love any excuse for a party, as you know, so in lieu of being able to gather the team together for some bubbles we did a very pandemic thing and partied with our listeners over Zoom. Last Thursday evening we held a live episode of the podcast with some very special guests aged 19 to 81, who shared their feelings on ageing and becoming Older & Bolder. They were: Yara Alagha, Rosemary Adaser, Olivia O’Leary, Allie O’Rourke, Jan Brierton, Ann Ingle, Hilary Fannin, Dr Rosaleen McDonagh, Dr Catherine Motherway and Iniolu Ekeolu. It was an emotional evening, as Kathy and Róisín reminisced about some of their most memorable episodes and talked about how far we’ve come since that very first show about women in politics back in 2015. Since then we’ve covered everything from sex toys to fashion, pregnancy to pensions, theatre, domestic violence, abortion and so much more. In today’s episode, you can hear highlights from the live show, including from TV presenter Angela Scanlon who couldn’t make it on the night. Thanks for listening and here’s to 500 more!If you would like to watch our special 500th episode Older & Bolder, go to our Facebook page @itwomenspodcast.

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Hollie McNish writes about so much of what it means to be a woman. In her latest book, Slug… and other things I’ve been told to hate, she writes about death and grief, growing up and periods, parenting, her relationship with her body, masturbation and lots more. The book is a mixture of poetry, prose, short stories and essays. It’s not your usual “poetry book” and it’s all the better for it. In this episode, McNish talks to Róisín Ingle about her life and career, women’s bodies, her amazing grandmothers, her posh Cambridge education and growing up in the same village as Kate Middleton. Hollie also performs two brilliant poems from Slug, which is published in Ireland this week.

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Have you ever really thought about where your clothes come from? Who makes them and what conditions are they working in? What happens to all the material waste from unwanted garments? These are the thoughts and questions that inspired Dublin fashion designer Laura Egan to launch Studio Minti, a sustainable online fashion hub & preloved clothing store. Leaving behind a career in London, Egan now sells vintage and second-hand clothes, upcycles and alters existing outfits and educates her customers on sustainable fashion. In this episode, the designer speaks to Róisín Ingle about her early creative influences, the best ways to reimagine the items already in your wardrobe, and as we emerge from lockdown and begin dressing ourselves again, why we should all be considering a move away from fast fashion.Also just a reminder to please join us tonight, Thursday May 6th, on Facebook LIVE as we celebrate 500 episodes of The Women's Podcast. We're hosting a storytelling event called Older and Bolder to mark this mega milestone with guests including Olivia O’Leary, Allie O’Rourke, Hilary Fannin, Dr Catherine Motherway, Angela Scanlon, Rosaleen McDonagh and Yara Alagha.

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In 1982, Gemma Hussey became Ireland’s first female minister for education. She was appointed by Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald after winning a seat for Fine Gael in Wicklow. Her appointment caused a bit of a culture shock among several of her male fellow ministers and for five years she was the only woman in cabinet. A lifetime liberal feminist, Hussey was co-founder of the Women’s Political Association and after she retired from politics in 1989, she wrote a book based on her cabinet diaries, At the Cutting Edge. It was hailed as the most thorough and realistic account of life inside cabinet in Ireland and caused quite a stir. In today’s podcast, Hussey looks back at her political career with Kathy Sheridan, recalling what it was like to be the only woman in cabinet, some of the shocking sexism she had to deal with - including Charlie Haughey snapping her bra strap - and the ferocity of the 1983 campaign on the Eighth Amendment. They also discuss the pandemic, the loss of her husband Derry just days before Christmas, women in politics today, and lots more.

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Lifestyle blogs are ten a penny, but well-informed health blogs are hard to find. Siobhán Freeney’s ‘Being Dense’ is an Irish blog aiming to raise awareness around breast density, a condition that increases the risk of developing cancer, because it can lead to breast cancers being masked on mammograms. On today’s podcast, Freeney talks to Kathy Sheridan about her patient advocacy work, her own experience with breast cancer, and explains why breast density notification must become part of regular breast screening in Ireland. Also on today’s show, Róisín chats to Romana Testasecca of Watermelon Fitness, who is raising much needed funds for ‘Cooking for Freedom’ - a small charity which helps asylum seekers in Direct Provision buy food for themselves. She is holding on online event called ‘Move to Feel Good’ and it’s happening this Bank Holiday Monday.

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