The Women's Podcast

Author Louise O’Neill was 37-years old, when her five-year relationship came to an end in January 2023. Suddenly, the future she had imagined for herself with marriage, children and a home by the sea in Wicklow, completely disappeared. Feeling heartbroken and lost, O’Neill went on a mission to heal herself and regain some of her shattered confidence. She took almost a year off work and threw herself into an array of workshops, retreats and unconventional activities. Eventually O’Neill was ready to date again and so began a year-long experiment, which took her on more than 100 dates, with men across Dublin, London, Paris and New York. She documents this exciting and at times hilarious experience in her new memoir, A Bigger Life. In today’s episode, O’Neill joins Róisín Ingle to talk about her recovery from heartbreak and how dating helped her discover more about herself and what really makes her happy. In this wide-ranging conversation the pair also discuss the best way to approach dating apps, the pressure of the biological clock and what it really takes to make a bigger life.But first Irish Times features writer Nadine O’Regan is here to discuss some of the cultural stories that caught her eye this week, including new music from Bono’s daughter Jordan Joy and the reaction to Sharon Horgan’s new series Youth.

The new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility opened in Irish cinemas last weekend. The period drama tells the story of two sisters - Elinor and Marianne Dashwood - as they navigate relationships, love and grief following the sudden death of their father. Irish actor Caitríona Balfe plays Mrs Dashwood, the matriarch of the family who must steer her daughters through this turbulent time. In today’s episode, Balfe talks to Róisín Ingle about her approach to the role and the joy of entering Austen’s world. She also reflects on ageing in the movie industry, her move into directing after years on Outlander and her relationship with her Irish identity.

In December 2024, MMA fighter and businessman Conor McGregor was found liable by a civil High Court jury for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. In the years since, Hand has lived through events that changed her life forever. She has endured public scrutiny, courtrooms, headlines and toxic commentary, alongside an outpouring of solidarity and support. Now, with her new memoir, Not the Perfect Victim, the mother of two is reclaiming ownership of her story.In today’s episode, Hand joins Róisín Ingle to talk about survival, motherhood, trauma and resilience, and what it means to finally tell her story in her own words.But first Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O'Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the proposed abolition of the mandatory three day wait for abortions in Ireland and the reaction to Oprah Winfrey's first ever live appearance in Dublin.

Today we're sharing the opening episode of a three-part series by Róisín Ingle that tells the untold origin story of U2. We hope you enjoy it. The full series can be found on irishtimes.com, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2.It is 50 years this month since 14-year-old drummer Larry Mullen stuck a note on a school noticeboard looking for fellow musicians to form a band. That note led to U2.In this three-part podcast series to mark the 50th anniversary, Róisín Ingle traces the formation of the band in a school on the northside of Dublin through interviews with their classmates, teachers, friends, family and band members.Why did U2 happen in Mount Temple? And how are Bono, Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton still friends and still making music together fifty years later? Drummer Seeks Musicians is a remarkable origin story, told by the people who were there from the very beginning. From Mount Temple Comprehensive to the world stage, this is the story of how U2 began.Episode one goes back to the radical experiment that was Mount Temple Comprehensive School on Dublin’s northside in 1976, where fifty years ago 14-year-old Larry Mullen pinned a note on the school bulletin board. That note brought together Larry, Adam Clayton, Dave ‘The Edge’ Evans and Paul ‘Bono’ Hewson of U2, four teenagers who were destined to become one of the world's biggest bands. Róisín talks to the people who were there - the ones who nearly made the band, the teachers who supported them and the classmates who watched it happen. We hear about the architect of a remarkable school and discover the back stories of Paul 'Bono' Hewson and Larry Mullen Jr. Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2 is presented, written, researched and produced by Róisín Ingle. Editing by Rob Sutton.Additional production by Suzanne Brennan. The podcast is dedicated to Donald Moxham.Thanks to the staff at Mount Temple, to U2 and to everyone who took part in the podcast.

This week on The Women’s Podcast, Róisín Ingle meets award-winning rapper, singer, poet and spoken-word artist Denise Chaila. After a meteoric rise that saw her win the Choice Music Prize and become one of the most celebrated voices in Irish music, Denise stepped away from the spotlight for a few years. In this honest and at times profound conversation the singer explains why.  The conversation covers a lot of ground. The singer talks about the pressures of success, people-pleasing, racism, faith, illness and friendship. She reflects on the years she spent reading, writing, travelling and rediscovering herself.With her first headline Irish tour beginning later this month, The An Seo Tour, Denise also discusses the new music she's been creating and what audiences can expect from a live show that brings together all the influences that have shaped her life and work. Also on the podcast, Róisín explains the background to her new three-part podcast series Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2 which delves into the Dublin origin story of one of the world’s biggest bands. The first episode lands on Monday 21st of September and is available on irishtimes.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

Today’s guest is a woman who has managed to combine two worlds that you don’t exactly put together every day: the law and stand-up comedy. Justine Megan is a solicitor, comedian and performer, and she’s bringing her own story to the stage in her Dublin Fringe show, Exhibit A: Imposter. It’s a sharp, funny and very personal look at class, identity, ambition and fitting in. Megan’s journey has taken her from a Dublin council estate, to Trinity College, to working in commercial law. Along the way she found herself changing in order to fit into spaces that didn’t always feel like they were made for her. But first Irish Times Opinion Editor Jennifer O’Connell joins host Róisín Ingle to discuss some of the stories of the week including the standoff between the GAA and former president Mary McAleese.

In 2021, comedian Kyla Cobbler performed her first ever stand-up gig at an open mic night in Barcelona. Five years on, the Cork woman has become the second ever Irish comedian to headline Dublin's 3Arena, bringing her show Not My Lemons to the venue in February 2026.Not only has she made a name for herself on the comedy circuit, but Cobbler has also amassed a huge following on Instagram, where her one million plus followers get a glimpse into her world and her hilarious observations on everyday life.Now, the 35-year-old has published her memoir, Happy, Thank You. More Please. It's a brilliant read in which Cobbler revisits her childhood in Cork and reflects on the appetite for adventure that took her to Greece, Australia, Italy and Barcelona. It’s a memoir about her story so far but also of self-acceptance, gratitude and the power of female connection.In this wide-ranging conversation with Róisín Ingle, Cobbler discusses her meteoric rise to fame, the life lessons she has learned along the way and the importance of surrounding oneself with strong, wild and wonderful Irish women.

Dublin's Fringe Festival is just around the corner and over the next couple of weeks we’ll be highlighting some brilliant shows by women that feature in this year's programme. In today’s episode we’re joined by Fionnuala Gygax and Venetia Bowe from Chaos Factory, a theatre company who are bringing their show Miss You to the festival from the 10th to the 12th September. The show is inspired by the many cases of missing women in Ireland and tells the story of three friends who get together on the 10th anniversary of their friend's disappearance. The pair talk to Róisín Ingle about their backgrounds in theatre, the importance of movement in their work and the joys of working in the creative industry. For more details on Miss You, see https://www.fringefest.com/festival/whats-on/miss-you

'Anywhere but Here' is the new novel from Irish author and former journalist Vicki Notaro. The book follows three friends in their 40s who take a trip to Donegal for some much-needed soul searching. In this episode Notaro tells Róisin Ingle how female friendship and the pressure to live the perfect life, served as the inspiration for the book. In this wide-ranging conversation the pair also talk about Notaro's struggles with anxiety and PMDD, as well as the joy of being childfree.But first, Irish Times podcast producer Suzanne Brennan is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week, including last weekend’s fatal crash on the M9, the worrying rise in spiking incidents and the final of this year’s Rose of Tralee.