Mother

Our guest this week is the amazing Katriona O'Sullivan. Katriona is the award-winning author of 'Poor' which details her life growing up in poverty. She speaks with Keelin about her experiences, the help along the way that allowed her to break the cycle of poverty, how she changed her life while being a mum and how the services that allowed her to do so have been eroded since.

Joining Keelin Moncrieff in the studio this week is Carla Roberts. Carla is a baby massage therapist, a pound fitness icon and Mum of two. Keelin and Carla chat about the benefits of baby massage, the good parts about being pregnant, raving with babies and the importance of bringing the sparkle back post-baby.

Our guest this week is Labour Party leader, Ivana Bacik. Ivana discusses her history as a politician, how it dates back to her mother handing out free condoms, Mary Robinson defending her in court and the feminism movement in Trinity. They talk about motherhood in politics and how she strikes a balancing act. And they look at some of the issues in Ireland surrounding motherhood like access to childcare, maternity leave and time off for mothers who suffer a miscarriage.

 In this episode of Mother, listeners are invited into a heartfelt and insightful conversation with Liadán Hynes as she delves into the intricacies of co-parenting, personal growth, and navigating life after separation. Liadán shares reflections on her own upbringing, the impact of her parents progressive values, and how these experiences shaped her own approach to parenting, while she and Keelin also explore the challenges and joys of single parenthood, the evolving role of technology in children's lives, and the importance of creating a supportive community.

In this episode, Keelin sits down with Ranae von Meding, a child equality activist and mother of three. Ranae shares her journey from being an "accidental activist" to becoming the founder and CEO of Equality for Children, a non-profit organisation advocating for the rights of children in LGBTQ+ families in Ireland. She discusses the legislative challenges faced by such families, and also opens up about her personal experiences with reciprocal IVF, the legal battles she and her wife have faced, and the importance of public awareness and legislative change.

Back for Season 3, Keelin sits down with her dad, Seán, for an honest and heartfelt conversation about fatherhood, family, and the generational shifts in parenting. From the strict norms of Irish schools to raising kids in a changing world, Sean reflects on the moments that shaped him as a parent - learning to let go, embracing imperfection, and the bittersweet reality that you only have your children on loan.

Our guest this week is the absolutely hilarious Emma Doran. Emma and Keelin Moncrieff chat about her journey from getting pregnant while sitting her leaving cert, the panic in telling her parents, the ups and downs in learning to be a Mam to her life now as a stand-up comedian.

Joining Keelin Moncrieff in studio this week is OG content creator Louise Cooney. In this episode, they talk about the weird world of navigating social media as mothers, the unseen pressures mothers take on like keeping their house clean, and why it's all worth it for the joy they get from each new phase.

Keelin Moncrieff is joined in studio by Jess Sheridan - a midwife and fertility specialist. They talk about midwifery in Ireland, the processes of fertility treatment, IVF uptake in recent years, and about her own experience with pregnancy and parenthood.