The Women's Podcast

The vast majority of Indian nurses working in Ireland come from one small part of southwestern India called Kerala. Why Ireland? And, what is it like to be separated from their families back home, some for years at a time? Irish Times journalist and author of New to the Parish, Sorcha Pollak, went to Kerala to find out and in today's podcast she tells Kathy what she learned from that trip.

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Today, Kathy speaks to Conor O’Clery, the former Irish Times foreign correspondent, and his wife, Zhanna, who met in Moscow in the heady days of glasnost and perestroika. Conor has written about his postings to Moscow and the U.S. in articles for this paper and in his books, but it is Zhanna who is the subject of his latest book, The Shoemaker and his Daughter. It is a memoir about Zhanna’s incredible family, set to the backdrop of 80 years of Russian history, from Stalin to Putin. She and Conor speak to Kathy about the book, about how they met and married, and the shock of moving from the USSR to the west when Conor was posted to Washington for the Irish Times. Conor also gives his take on the current situation in Russia and why he thinks we have a right to be nervous about it.Plus: Brexit - Róisín is feeling a bit sorry for Theresa May, but Kathy reckons the British PM's situation is all her own doing.

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On Monday December 10th, The Irish Times marks 100 years since the 1918 election, with a magazine and unique commemorative poster featuring a specially commissioned poem by Eavan Boland, illustrated by artist Paula McGloin. Articles by Catriona Crowe, Ivana Bacik, Una Mullally and others will explore how the vote was won by the women of Ireland, and how they have fared in the century since. To mark this publication Róisín Ingle hosted a special Irish Times Women’s Podcast at The National Gallery in Dublin. It was a stimulating evening of conversation about Irish women and art. Joining the discussion was Leah Benson, archivist and curator of the [In]Visible: Irish Women Artists from the Archives exhibition which sheds light on the education, career and recognition of artists such as Mary Swanzy, Elizabeth Corbet Yeats and Evie Hone. Acclaimed performance artist Amanda Coogan talked about the inspiration behind her provocative new artwork Floats in the Aether which is currently running at the gallery in response to the newly opened Markievicz: Portraits and Propaganda exhibition. Visual artist Alice Maher discussed women’s representation in Irish art and her favourite portraits featuring women. There was also music from the National Gallery Choir and Kildare musician Megan O’Neill. This episode also includes a reading of Eavan Boland’s specially commissioned poem Our Future Will Become the Past of Other Women which can be found in our in-depth Vote 100 coverage in The Irish Times online with interactive features, video, audio and Boland’s poem in 8 languages at Irishtimes.com/Vote100

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Kathy Sheridan is back in the driving seat and in this week's episode she talks to the Belfast-born award winning foreign correspondent and FGM activist, Maggie O'Kane. They talk about her time reporting on the Bosnian war in the 1990s, the "new fears" that led to her leaving the war zone behind and how she came to be involved in the fight against the barbaric practice of FGM. Plus: Róisín makes us all sick with jealousy talking about her recent trip to London for a public talk between Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and former first lady Michelle Obama.

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Christine Comaford has lived many lives. She has been a serial entrepreneur, technology and CEO advisor, venture capitalist and was an engineer in the early days of Microsoft. Today she works with help companies as a business strategist and an executive coach. In this show she talks to Róisín about working at Microsoft in the 1980s at a time when it was thought that “chicks can’t code", about meeting Apple’s Steve Jobs after leaving Microsoft, running away “with comfort” to New York and how she was once a Buddhist Monk.Christine also talks about emotional resilience and her book, Power Your Tribe.

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When Cork woman Samantha Barry took over at the helm of the US magazine Glamour this year, she became only its 8th editor since it was first printed in 1939. Anna Wintour, who brought her on board, has described her as "fearless", she counts Amal Clooney as one of her closest friends (since long before George was on the scene), and she has had a distinguished career in journalism at the BBC and CNN. But since her appointment as Glamour editor-in-chief, Samantha has shaken things up at the magazine, recently hitting the headlines for her decision to cease its monthly publication schedule and develop it as a digital product. Samantha was in Dublin to appear at An Post's annual Early Bird Breakfast event and she sat down with Róisín Ingle while she was here to talk about this and lots more.

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For over four years RTÉ Prime Time’s political correspondent Katie Hannon forensically pursued the story of Maurice McCabe, breaking a number of major stories that were instrumental in exposing how the garda whistleblower had been let down by the State. On today’s show, she speaks to Róisín Ingle about Maurice McCabe, about feeling 'the girlín' during her early days in and around Leinster House, her recent nomination for an Irish Red Cross Journalism Excellence prize, and lots more.

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Anne Chambers's biography of Grace O'Malley, the 16th-century pirate queen, has never been out of print in the 40 years since it was first published, such is the fascination with her story. A special anniversary edition has just been printed and on today's show, Anne Chambers talks to Róisín about how discovering the truth behind the legend of Gráinne Mhaol changed her life.Plus: Jennifer speaks to journalist Lauren Bravo about her book, What Would The Spice Girls Do? A joyous and energetic celebration of girlhood, friendship and pop culture.

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The morning after the September 11th attacks in New York, Kerry O’Brien quit her job as a senior vice president at one of the world’s largest public relations firms. Cut to 17 years later, she is the founder, designer, and CEO of Commando, a company that specialises in intimates and leggings. On today’s podcast Kerry talks to Róisín about the revolutionary seam free underwear - a favourite of celebrities and fashion designers - that launched her business. She also talks about leaving the city behind for life in rural Vermont, her Irish roots, and lots more.

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Jennifer Willis shot to fame as one of The Willis Clan when they appeared on America’s Got Talent and a subsequent reality TV show about the 12 siblings and their parents. While it may have looked like the perfect all-singing, all-dancing life, the world as Jennifer and her siblings knew it imploded with the arrest of their father Toby Willis on four counts of child rape. Jennifer was in Dublin for the Festival of Politics - which begins today, Thursday 15th November – and spoke to Róisín about surviving sexual abuse.Later, Aoife O’Toole, Jennifer O’Meara, and film director Mia Mallarkey, talk to Jennifer Ryan about the Dublin Feminist Film Festival, which begins next Tuesday, 20th November. https://www.dublinfeministfilmfestival.com/

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