Brendan O'Connor

Michael Doherty, RTE Guide Movies Editor and Arts journalist Zara Hedderman join Brendan to preview the film and TV highlights of the week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chef, writer and co-founder of Ballymalloe Cookery School gives Brendan a lesson in making traditional Irish soda bread, which she claims is baked from start to finish in less than 30 minutes. She covers white, brown, gluten free and even gives a few pimped-up versions with fruit and chocolate!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just three weeks after Manchán Magan’s remarkable final interview with Brendan, two of Manchán Magan’s friends, Blindboy and Liam Ó Maonlaí, pay tribute to the writer, documentary-maker, and thinker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donegal-born visual artist Myrid Carten has made her first feature-length film, ‘A Want In Her’, chronicling her mother Nuala’s mental illness and alcoholism journey. She offers a behind the scenes look at how her mother, who was once a social worker, then became a street drinker and how their mother-daughter relationship was affected.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Hogan, a psychotherapist and author, shares his expertise on navigating the tricky waters of break-ups, separation, and divorce. He discusses the painful realities of rejection and how it impacts our identity. Hogan offers advice on communicating with children during separations, stressing the importance of supportive language. He also explains how to maintain healthy boundaries post-separation and why living under tension can harm kids. Ultimately, he highlights the significance of honest communication for personal growth and relationship fulfillment.

Author and Broadcaster Manchán Magan joined Brendan to open-up about his widespread cancer, his disdain for pity, drinking his own urine in the Himalayas, the curse of being a writer and his latest book, "Ninety-Nine Words for Rain (and One for Sun)".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scandanavia is an increasingly popular holiday destination, but its different countries sometimes merge into one in our imagination. So Stockholm-based Irish journalist, Philip O’Connor, gave Brendan a guide to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and – controversially - Finland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discover essential eye care tips as an ophthalmic surgeon reveals when near vision begins to decline and the importance of regular eye checks. Learn whether discount reading glasses are safe and how they differ from custom prescriptions. Explore the impact of screen time on eyesight and how to reduce myopia risk in children. Get advice on managing dry eyes, the significance of the 20-20-20 rule, and warning signs that require urgent attention. Upgrade your vision and protect your eyes as you age!

Baker, Author and Founder of 2210 Patisserie, Una Leonard talks to Dearbhail about how her own history of disordered eating and her mother’s cancer diagnosis, led her to found her own bakery, and inspired her second book “Good Together” - a celebration of meals and deserts to be shared with loved ones.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Irish Times Film Critic, Donald Clarke, and host of The Bellissimo Files podcast, Sarina Bellissimo, join Dearbhail to preview film and TV highlights of the week, including ‘The Walsh Sisters’, ‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge)’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.