It’s a brand new year and to celebrate we’ve got a brand new segment to kick off the podcast each week. It’s our weekly news wrap covering the stories that affect women in Ireland and around the world. This week, Róisín Ingle is joined by Irish Times podcast producer Aideen Finnegan to talk about some of the stories that caught her eye this week and what she's been watching and listening to. They'll be discussing Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle series for Netflix (With Love, Meghan), the choice words that Pope Francis used to describe an order of nuns and why Elon Musk has been spewing hate and vitriol towards Britain’s safeguarding Minister Jess Philips over an historic grooming scandal in the UK. Later on, Ingle is joined by pharmacist and presenter of the Wonder Care podcast Sheena Mitchell to talk about the “frustrating” delay in the Government’s roll-out of free HRT. Despite the scheme being labeled as “free”, Mitchell says women will still face many other associated costs when it finally launches. Finally, Irish Times columnist Brianna Parkins fills us in on what’s hot and not for 2025 and shares how life has been since moving back to Australia last summer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2024 was the year Americans chose a convicted felon as their next president, Afghanistan banned women from speaking or singing in public, and the slaughter of innocent women and children continued in Gaza.In Ireland, a record number of female candidates stood in November’s general election, but only seven additional women were elected to the next Dáil.A brave young woman called Natasha O’Brien, used her voice to condemn the leniency of her attacker’s suspended sentence, while a jury in a civil court found Conor McGregor guilty of raping Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in 2018.Irish boxer Kellie Harrington brought home gold from the Paris Olympics, Taylor Swift finally returned to Ireland, and we bade farewell to some exceptional Irish women, including Nell McCafferty and Enda O’Brien.To discuss some of these pivotal moments from the year and their impact on women in Ireland and around the world, Kathy Sheridan is joined by journalists Niamh Towey and Alison O’Connor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Each week on The Women’s Podcast, we hear from women from all walks of life who come on to talk about their lived experiences, their life stories, their passions and their challenges. This week, it’s the turn of podcast presenter Róisín Ingle, who in October 2023 received a life-changing breast cancer diagnosis. This is the first time she has spoken about it on the podcast. In this conversation with co-presenter Kathy Sheridan, Ingle talks about the shock of the diagnosis and how the subsequent weeks and months unfolded. We also hear about the joyful parts of her year, including a proposal and a wedding with a very striking pink dress, a summer holiday that her daughters described as the best of their lives and a glorious few hours spent dancing to Taylor Swift at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. For more information about breast cancer visit materfoundation.ie, cancer.ie, mariekeating.ie, breastcancerireland.com, breastcancerresearch.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many people, alcohol and the festive season go hand in hand. It’s the season of excess when normal rules around eating and drinking seem to go completely out the window and a mimosa for breakfast becomes perfectly normal. But now, more and more people are deciding to cut down on their alcohol consumption over Christmas or are opting to go completely sober. In this episode, we hear three different perspectives of drinking at Christmas. Writer and recovery advocate Mary-Kate Harrington talks about her personal experience with alcohol addiction and how she is navigating her second sober Christmas. Podcast producer Suzanne Brennan talks about becoming more mindful of drinking and explains what non-alcoholic alternatives are on offer, while presenter Róisín Ingle talks about her decision to give up drinking one year ago and how it’s brought much joy to her life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Housewife of the Year competition ran for almost three decades, from 1969 to 1995. Thousands of women from all around Ireland entered, hoping to win a cash prize along with some home appliances, such as a luxury gas cooker. In later years, the competition was broadcast on RTÉ, featuring footage of contestants taking part in domestic duties at home, followed by a glitzy finale where the finalists were interviewed by Gay Byrne. Last month, the Housewife of the Year documentary was released in Irish cinemas. In the film, former contestants share their (mostly positive) experiences of taking part in the contest and speak about what Irish society was like for women during that time. In this episode, Róisín Ingle is joined by two former winners, Ena Howell (1992) and Margaret Carmody (1978). The pair share their own personal stories and reflect on what it was like to take part and eventually win. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re looking for a new book to curl up with over the festive period or to give as a Christmas gift, The Irish Times Women’s Podcast is here to help.We’ve gathered our book clubbers Niamh Towey, Bernice Harrison, Róisín and Ann Ingle in studio to share their favourite reads of 2024.Their recommendations include a comedy-crime novel, a “surprisingly good” western and a book for the people in our lives that are impossible to buy for. Whether it’s a gift for family, friends or even for yourself, we hope there’s something for everyone here.You can find the full list of recommendations here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, following the withdrawal of US troops, the lives of women and girls across the country changed almost overnight. Under Taliban rule, women and girls are removed from almost every aspect of daily life, are denied access to education and even face restrictions going out alone, speaking or singing in public. Not long after the takeover, Arezo Rahimi, a 21 year-old journalist and photographer, arrived in Ireland with her mother, leaving behind the life she once knew in Kabul. She joins Róisín Ingle today to talk about what life was like for women in Afghanistan before the Taliban seized power, how that’s changed and why she ultimately made the journey to Ireland. We also hear about her involvement with Daricha School, an organisation which runs an underground network of schools for girls who are denied education. The classes take place either online or in secret locations across Afghanistan. Rahimi explains how this movement forms one part of the resistance against the Taliban, but that the international community needs to do so much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the General Election campaign in full swing and just over a week to go until polling day, political parties are making all sorts of promises to garner votes and ensure they make it into the next Government. On the campaign trail, the focus has been put on housing, the cost of living crisis and immigration, but what promises have each party made in their manifestos regarding women? What has been said about women’s healthcare, the childcare crisis, or how to address record levels of domestic violence? Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) joins Róisín Ingle to discuss the issues and to also outline the NWCI's own election manifesto for women. In this episode, we’re also focusing on women’s participation in politics. The last Daíl had 37 women TDs, out of a total of 160. That’s 23 per cent female representation. Katie Deegan, Communications coordinator from Women for Election joins Ingle and O’Connor to talk about the barriers facing women entering politics, the importance of women’s voices at the decision making table and the biggest election issues facing young women today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, Chelsey Goodan aka the “teenage whisperer” joins Róisín Ingle to talk about her new book Underestimated: The Power and Wisdom of Teenage Girls. It’s an empowering guide to better understand our teen daughters, stemming from Goodan's 16 years spent mentoring young people from all different backgrounds. Goodan talks about the challenges that teenage girls face today, and discusses how mothers can deepen their relationships with their daughters by listening and giving them the tools to find their own solutions. We also hear from Ingle’s 15-year-old twin daughters, Joya and Priya, who shed light on what it’s really like to be a teenage girl in 2024 and what they think their mum is doing right and what she’s doing wrong. But first, Irish Times journalist Ella Sloane joins Ingle to talk about her essay which won Ireland's Sarah Cecilia Harrison Essay Prize this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday, in what for many of us is an utterly depressing turn of events, the American people voted for Donald Trump to become the next President of the United States. It’s an historic development, as he becomes the first-ever convicted felon to be elected to office. He is also the first president-elect to have a civil conviction for sexual assault, and the first to have been impeached twice. The Trump campaign has been rife with misogyny, hatred, and racist rhetoric, yet despite it all, he was elected. So, how did this happen, and what does it mean for women in America and around the world? Kathy Sheridan joins Róisín Ingle for a post-election debrief.Later in the podcast, poet Donna Ashworth joins us to talk about her upcoming trip to Dublin. The Scottish poet will be flying over to appear as a special guest at Jan Brierton’s Wild Words, an evening of poetry and spoken word at the Ambassador Theatre on November 28th. In this conversation, Ashworth also reacts to yesterday’s election result and reads a poem from her latest collection, Growing Brave: Words to Soothe Fear and Let in More Light. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the US election just days away, Irish Times columnist and co-presenter of The Women’s Podcast Kathy Sheridan joins Róisín Ingle to talk about how the election has become a battle of the sexes, with Donald Trump pulling strong support from male voters and Kamala Harris enjoying a comparable edge with female voters. Later on, broadcasters and podcasters Jenny Kelly and Mairéad Ronan join the podcast to talk about their brand new book What We Know Now: Lessons on Life, Loss, Love and Friendship. Inspired by their own life experiences, the book explores failures, successes and mess-ups and offers advice on how to navigate life's ups and downs. In this conversation, the pair share the secrets to their 20-year friendship, explain how their relationship with alcohol has evolved through the years and they go through their top ten list for living a happier life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simone Gannon is a content creator, digital marketing expert and the new beauty writer at the Irish Times. Since the beginning of the new year, she’s been entertaining us with her weekly beauty column, where she experiments with the latest trends, imparts her wisdom on all things skincare and makeup and shares her favourite beauty buys. In this episode, Gannon speaks to Róisín Ingle about how to look after your skin at any age, the must have items for the ultimate skin care routine and the beauty products she purchases time and time again. This episode was originally published in April 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month on The Women’s Podcast Book Club, Bernice Harrison, Niamh Towey, Róisín Ingle, and Ann Ingle discuss Sally Rooney's long-awaited fourth novel, Intermezzo.The novel centres on the lives of two brothers: Peter, a lawyer, and Ivan, a chess prodigy, as they come to terms with the recent death of their father and navigate the complex relationships in their lives.Some of our book clubbers adored the book, devouring it in “just a couple of days,” while others found it to be a rather “unsatisfactory read.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Trinity College announced that the main library in its city centre campus has been renamed after Irish poet Eavan Boland. It will be the first building on Trinity's grounds to be named after a woman. This week, in more good news for Irish female writers, the Mary Lavin Place will also be publicly unveiled in Wilton Park, in Dublin’s south side. It’s a public plaza to commemorate the famous writer who lived nearby on Lad Lane with her three daughters. In today’s episode, Róisín Ingle is joined by Lavin’s granddaughter Kathleen McMahon to talk about the writer's extraordinary life and what this commemoration means to the extended family. We’re also joined by historian, lecturer, and Director of Gender Studies at UCD Mary McAuliffe who campaigned in 2013 for the Rosie Hackett bridge to be named after the Irish revolutionary activist. McAuliffe explains why so few Irish streets or spaces are named after women and what can be done to change this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bella Mackie’s debut novel, How to Kill Your Family, sold over one million copies, and now she’s back with her second book, What a Way to Go. It’s a hilariously dark ‘whodunnit’ that centres on the death of an extremely rich yet extremely unpleasant man, Anthony Wistern. In this conversation with Róisín Ingle, Mackie talks about the online sleuths and armchair detectives who inspired one of her main characters and how her relationship with true crime has evolved over the years.We also hear about her 2018 memoir, Jog On, which focuses on running and mental health and she reflects on how that book marked "the beginning of the rest of her life". Later on, Mackie also talks about her quick proposal to her “current husband”, BBC’s Greg James, about the upcoming Netflix adaptation of her first novel and about her experience of being stalked by a man she’d never met. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Róisín Ingle is joined by author, content creator and veteran fashion model Ruth Crilly. In her new memoir, How Not to be a Supermodel, Crilly lifts the lid on her days spent working as a model in one of the biggest talent agencies in the world. Told with Crilly’s undeniable wit, it’s a humorous and touching reflection on the highs and lows of the early noughties fashion scene.In this wide-ranging conversation, Crilly talks about her Irish roots, the influence of her safety-conscious father and what prompted her to enter her name into a national model search while studying law at Birmingham University. She reflects on her days as a fledgling model, selling car insurance on the weekends to keep herself afloat and all the hilarious situations she found herself in along the way. With her life-long love of writing, Crilly explains how a move into blogging and content creation came as a natural progression, after an eventful twelve years mastering how not to be a supermodel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a short hiatus, the book club is back with Bernice Harrison, Niamh Towey, Róisín and Ann Ingle discussing The Amendments by Niamh Mulvey. The book explores the complexities of family dynamics, religious beliefs, women's rights, and Ireland's history, told through the experiences of three distinct women. So what did our book clubbers make of this debut novel and would they recommend it to others? Our next book club pick is Intermezzo by Sally Rooney and we’ll be discussing it in October. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer, philosopher, and friend of the show Laura Kennedy is here to discuss her first book, Some of Our Parts. It’s a memoir and a thought-provoking exploration of identity, told through the labels that shape our lives.  Laura’s have included ‘feminist’ ‘Irish’ ‘neurodiverse’ and ‘poor’ - she argues that they only tell one part of a more nuanced story. In this conversation with Róisín Ingle, Kennedy discusses the labels she has worn throughout her life - both by choice and otherwise. Reflecting on her upbringing in Limerick, her mental health struggles, and her career as a beauty editor and writer, she dissects the labels she has acquired, rejected, or lost along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WorkEqual is the brainchild of Sonya Lennon, stylist, designer and social entrepreneur. It’s a free service, which helps women find the confidence to enter or return to the workplace. Since 2011, it has helped more than 6,000 people move forward in their career journey. In this episode, Róisín Ingle talks to Lennon about the barriers facing women returning to work, the first steps to getting back out there and why it’s crucial to see women in leadership roles, so that change can begin from the top. We also hear from two WorkEqual alumni, Emma and Eileen, who talk about overcoming imposter syndrome, carving out new careers and the joy of finding themselves and their confidence again. For more information see WorkEqual.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This September, Oxfam is encouraging people to take a stance against the impact of fast fashion and to shop second hand. With the textile sector contributing to 10% of global pollution, Oxfam’s Second Hand September is an initiative to prevent clothes ending up in landfill and to give garments a new lease of life. Singer and musician Eleanor McEvoy is one of the ambassadors for this year’s campaign and in today’s episode she talks to Róisín Ingle about why she got involved, her tips for finding the best gems in charity stores and how her own style has evolved through the years. She also speaks about her latest tour, her love of performing and the heartache which inspired her 2021 album, ‘Gimme Some Wine’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.