The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast

Irish Examiner
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Looking for a deeper understanding of the stories that matter? The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast takes you inside the best Irish Examiner reporting — from Cork courts to global affairs and powerful personal stories.  With award‑winning journalists and exclusive voices you won’t hear anywhere else. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 2d ago

    Author Louise O’Neill on the grief of her break-up, recovery and her 100 date experiment

    Author Louise O’Neill became a household name in the wake of her seminal novel Asking for It which opened up conversations around rape culture and misogyny in Ireland. A former Irish Examiner columnist and a prolific novelist, her life was thrown into disarray in 2023 by a high-profile breakup she describes as “humiliating”. In her new memoir, A Bigger Life, Louise describes being “set alight, and turned to ash” by the relationship breakdown, and charts her unorthodox return to dating – inspired by a conversation with her father. “I really felt like, I have been humiliated enough. I was like, I really don't feel in any way able or ready for this. And I did say to my dad, I was like, I just, I don't want to do this. “And, of course, what I meant by that was like, I'm afraid. You know, I'm afraid that if this happens again, I won't be able to survive it the second time. And then he said he said, Okay, Lou, you know, if you want a bigger life, you have to take bigger risks.” The experiment she conducted took in 100 dates in four countries, in which she met all sorts of men in pursuit of sexual chemistry and rediscovered her faith in human nature. In this episode Louise tells Deirdre about the grief she experienced at losing a version of her life; the unanswered questions that sundered her relationship; re-establishing her relationship with her own desire, and her unapologetic pursuit of sexual pleasure. As for her new singles’ travel agency – you heard it here first. Listen to the Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. 4d ago

    Houses raided after horrific Waterford arson attack kills four, with Neil Michael

    Gardai have raided two homes in the Waterford area as part of their investigation into the horrific arson attack on a family home in the Birchwood estate on Tuesday morning. Couple Philip and Kim English and their sons, 12 year old Callum and 8 year old Jayden, were killed in the fire, while their two other children remain in critical condition in hospital. The attack is believed to be part of a campaign of drug debt-related intimidation which began when Philip English reportedly undertook to pay the debt of an associate. Reporter Neil Michael is today’s guest on the podcast, with updates from Waterford. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. 5d ago

    Ciara Reilly on her fears for her daughter’s future, the Government’s inability to plan and the public sector strikes

    ”We do wish that our children will go before us because we are so terrified at what they will face and how they will have to do it alone." As public sector strikes loom this week, it’s clear that many teachers and parents have lost faith in the government’s ability to tackle educational needs. Teacher Ciara Reilly’s daughter Doireann has special needs. Ciara and her husband Gav have spoken out about the lack of services available for Doireann on previous occasions – despite what Ciara describes as their privileged situation, Doireann has access to no public therapies. In today’s episode Ciara talks about the Government’s inability to plan for the real challenges in education, how money is thrown at problems that should have been planned for in advance, and how she knows there is no plan for her daughter and thousands like her when their parents are no longer able to care for them. “We live every day of our life now assuming Doireann will be with us until we cannot l care for her. And like this is a phrase you're hearing a lot of in media circles and I think I would I'm happy to say it about myself. “Like, as parents of children with need, we think about our longevity constantly. I am not a morose person, but I think about my mortality every single day.” “And you know, we say amongst ourselves, "let me live a day longer than the child will themselves". “And we do so we do contemplate, and this is very dark, but I think it's this is the way people need to hear this. And I'm only brave enough to say it because I hear people further down the road say this, and I can empathize and I relate and I commend them. ”We do wish that our children will go before us because we are so terrified at what they will face and how they will have to do it alone." Ciara Reilly: More money for education is good, but large classes impact everyone The Deirdre O'Shaugnessy Podcast: Inside the fallout from the SNA allocation controversy Ciara Reilly: Definition of need has changed to save money on SNAs Ciara Reilly: Budget makes private care slightly more affordable, temporarily HSE will not publish report showing that 4,200 people need residential disability placement Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Oct 9

    The disappearance of Mallow chef Patsy O'Sullivan: "He was gay. We couldn't openly say it – we all knew, but it was never said."

    'Flamboyant' Mallow chef Patsy O'Sullivan vanished in 1992 at the age of 35. His family learned recently after three decades of searching, that he had been living with his husband in London since 1994, having taken his husband's name, Aldridge. Patsy died in 2024, leaving their questions unanswered, but thanks to his carer Tina, they have been united with the Aldridge family, who can fill in the missing pieces of his life. Before his disappearance Patsy had been hospitalised with mental health issues, but his brother Jerry's biggest fear was always that somebody else had harmed his soft, gentle brother. Patsy's family were aware of his sexuality, but it was never acknowledged or discussed. In today's episode, Jerry recalls the "physical and mental" abuse Patsy received due to his sexuality – and remembers avoiding his brother's company in public for fear of the abuse that would be directed at him. Declan Flynn had been murdered because of his sexuality in Fairview Park in 1982, and it was a crime in Ireland to be gay until 1993. Jerry O'Sullivan is Deirdre's guest on today's episode of the Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast. Family of Cork man found dead in London after 34 years say they now have closure Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. Oct 6

    Budget 2027: What's in it for me?

    It's Budget Day, and the news is full of facts, figures and disappointed statements from interest groups across the spectrum. Whether you're a parent broken by childcare costs, a renter looking for hope of someday owning your own home, or a commuter with a hefty diesel bill, something in today's measures will impact your wallet. On this bonus budget episode, Irish Examiner Political Editor Elaine Loughlin and Business Editor Alan Healy talk Deirdre through the key points of Budget 2027. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. Oct 6

    "Never again means never again for anybody": Ria Czerniak-LeBov on Gaza, Israel and speaking out as an Irish Jew

    It's three years today since Hamas attacked the Nova music festival, murdering 1195 people and kidnapping 251 hostages. Israel's revenge, the genocidal invasion of Gaza, has killed an estimated 75,000 people. The true number may never be known, with many bodies vapourised or buried under rubble. A new book by reporters from Israeli newspaper Haaretz suggests that Benjamin Netanyahu was personally alerted by the president of the United Arab Emirates that Hamas was planning a large-scale offensive against Israel a week before the 7 October 2023 attack, but the Israeli Prime Minister did not act on the warning. The three years since that attack has seen international division on Israel's actions in Gaza, condemnation from international organisations and from civilians worldwide, but Western governments have been slow to react. Here, public opinion has been largely sympathetic to Palestine, and the country's vocal condemnation of Israel has led to accusations of anti-semitism. Ria Czerniak LeBov is an Irish Jewish artist and writer. Her grandfather escaped the Holocaust in Poland and she has many relatives in Israel – who have been horrified by her activism for Palestine. On today's episode she talks about the Nova attacks, anti-semitism, and the challenge faced by Jewish people who speak out against Israel's genocide. Ria Czerniak-LeBov: Conflating Zionism with Judaism is the worst antisemitism I face Knowledge is power, and Israel is intent on destroying both in Gaza A month after Bondi attacks, Jewish diaspora remains in shock Khaled’s story, with Amal El Khawaja - The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast | Acast Netanyahu was warned about major Hamas offensive days before October 7 attack, report says Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. Oct 2

    Comedian Laura O'Connell on crisis pregnancy, post-natal depression, and joining calls for a mother and baby psychiatric unit

    Comedian Laura O'Connell is a familiar face to Irish Instagram users for her tongue-in-cheek videos of midwives and public health nurses breezing around shocked new mothers. Her clucky health professional persona is so convincing that she's regularly assumed to be a midwife or nurse herself, but they stem from her own experiences of new motherhood and postnatal depression. Now she has joined forces with the National Women's Council of Ireland to call for better mental health care for new mothers, specifically a mother and baby psychiatric unit. In this episode she speaks openly about her unexpected pregnancy at a time when her life was already in turmoil, wandering the streets of Bray with her new baby, and eventually seeking counselling from Nurture. A psychiatric admission years later made her realise she had never dealt with the pain and trauma she'd experienced as a new mother, and the experiences of a friend she met in hospital showed her the difficulties new mothers face in seeking treatment. www.nwci.ie www.nurturecharity.ie The year of care campaign, with Aolish Gormley - The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast | Acast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Sep 29

    Do predator hunter groups help or hinder Gardaí in convicting paedophiles, with Alex Cunningham

    In 2023, Cork man Tim Bowen was caught by a vigilante paedophile-hunting group when he turned up at a café expecting to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex. He was later convicted in connection with the incident. Former RTÉ producer Kieran Creaven was also caught by a vigilante group after contacting someone he believed to be a child online, and later convicted. However, the methods used by some groups have raised concerns about the presumption of innocence, due process and human rights. In Monday's Irish Examiner reporter Alex Cunningham met some of those who hunt paedophile. He also spoke to experts and Gardai about how the groups operate – and whether what they do helps or hinders in convicting child sex offenders. Alex joins Deirdre on today's episode. Murky methods and motivations of ‘predator hunter’ groups Cork man caught by vigilante paedophile hunters jailed for trying to sexually exploit a child Irish Examiner view: Due process remains a vital step Mick Moran: 'Ordinary' porn is now a gateway to child sex abuse material Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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About

Looking for a deeper understanding of the stories that matter? The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast takes you inside the best Irish Examiner reporting — from Cork courts to global affairs and powerful personal stories.  With award‑winning journalists and exclusive voices you won’t hear anywhere else. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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