On this episode of The Parting Glass, I’m delighted to be joined by my latest guest, Kieran Coote.
I recently had the chance to read his book Mam and Me, and I can honestly say it’s one of the most beautiful and powerful memoirs I’ve come across. In it, Kieran shares his deeply personal experience of caring for his mam, Patricia, as she lived with dementia. It’s a story rooted in love, patience, grief, and the quiet, everyday moments that come to mean everything.
Kieran is an incredibly articulate speaker and a gifted writer, and his book captures not only the challenges of caregiving, but also the tenderness, humour, and humanity that can exist alongside it. Mam and Me paints a vivid portrait of a mother and son relationship tested by illness, yet strengthened through compassion and connection.
In our conversation, we explore what it means to care for someone you love, how memory shapes identity, and the emotional realities that often go unspoken when it comes to dementia.
I’m really grateful Kieran could join me for this one this is a conversation that stays with you.
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