The Women's Podcast

Having a thoughtful, sustainable and more mindful Christmas does not have to be a buzzkill. With that in mind, this episode is full of tips for a more joyful and less wasteful festive season, that doesn’t banish the fun. Irish Times contributor and author of the Game Changers column Catherine Cleary came on to talk to us about some sustainable gift ideas, while author of soon-to-be-published book The Money Mentor Santis O’Garro gives us ideas for how to spend less this month including No Spend days out with the family. It’s not about being a Grinch, more about being thoughtful about the excessive splurging that can sometimes come with this time of year. So have yourselves a conscious little Christmas with The Women’s Podcast why don’t you? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the courageous shows of defiance against the misogynistic Islamic Republic in Iran and the rights of women and girls continuing to be eroded by the Taliban in Afghanistan, two women discuss the devastating, unjust situation in their countries. Mahya Ostovar, a lecturer at University of Galway left Iran ten years ago and Mahbooba Faiz, arrived in Ireland a few months ago from Afghanistan with her husband and young son. They spoke to Roisin Ingle about the wave of protest against the Islamic Republic in Iran since the death of Mahsa Amini while in custody of the ‘morality police’ and about the harsh Taliban regime in Afghanistan where women and girls are fighting for the right to an education and are now banned from parks, swimming pools and gyms. The women called for more support from the international community and solidarity from men and women everywhere in this feminist struggle for universal human rights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a chance meeting in 1992 which brought Ennis women Colette Reddington and Mary Fitzgerald together. When their paths crossed, both were seeking shelter for victims of domestic abuse, but were struggling to find local services. After realising there were no refuges available, not only in their hometown of Ennis, but in the entire county of Clare, the women decided to take action. Now, their incredible thirty year journey helping those fleeing abusive homes, is the subject of a new book Light On The Horizon, which details the establishment of Clare Haven refuge services and the charity Haven Horizons. In this episode, Róisín Ingle is joined by co-founder Colette and by Madeline McAleer, who is director of research, training and development. They speak about the humble beginnings of the refuge, the expansion in services over the years and why education is key to breaking the cycle of domestic abuse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When her career stalled during the Covid lockdown, actor and writer Roise Holt moved back to her parents house in Somerset and began creating comedy videos from her old bedroom. The videos skewering British politicians went viral propelling her into newfound stardom as a parody MP. In this episode, Rosie talks to Róisín Ingle about the success of her satirical videos and why they resonated so well with her fans. They also talk about her new comedy show ‘The Woman’s Hour’ and the ever-entertaining state of British politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CervicalCheck campaigner Vicky Phelan died this week, at the age of 48. Over the years, Vicky has joined us on a number of occasions as a guest on the podcast, sharing her story and her journey through treatment. Today we celebrate the life of an extraordinary Limerick woman who fought for justice for so many. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Teresa Deevy may not be a familiar name to most people, but it should be. Born in 1894, the Waterford woman, who was deaf from the age of nineteen, was a successful dramatist and playwright. In the 1930s, six of her plays were performed on stage in the Abbey Theatre and her reputation as a brilliant and talented writer had critics referring to her as next Sean O'Casey and the ‘Irish Chekhov’. That was until, Ernest Blythe became artistic director of the Abbey in 1941 and declared his vision for the theatre to be incompatible with Deevy’s work, putting an abrupt end to her growing career. The story of this forgotten playwright will be told in a new RTE documentary, created by performance artist Amanda Coogan. In this episode, Coogan speaks to Róisín Ingle about Deevy's life and legacy and why she should be celebrated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month, Aimée Foley emerged from the Central Criminal Courts of Justice with a smile on her face. The 21 year-old had been fighting to get her father’s prison sentence increased, after he had received just five years for raping and sexually abusing her as a child. Following an appeal by the DPP, Michael O’Donoghue of Colmanstown, Ballinasloe, Co Galway had his jail term almost doubled, meaning he will be in prison for the next nine years. In this episode Aimée explains how the sexual abuse began when she was just 12 years-old and often took place during access visits to her father’s home. It lasted for five years. She tells Róisín Ingle about the reason she waived her right to anonymity and why Ireland’s sentencing laws need to be changed to avoid retraumatising victims all over again.  Please be warned that this episode does contain descriptions of serious sexual assault and might not be suitable for all listeners. For further support please see https://www.rapecrisishelp.ie/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month on The Women’s Podcast book club, we’ve been reading Lucy by the Sea by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout. Set in the early days of the pandemic, it tells the story of Lucy Barton who moves to Maine during lockdown, to live with her ex-husband William in a small house by the sea. Leaving her life in New York behind, Lucy must now spend the next several months in the company of the man she once loved and their complex past. So what did our book clubbers Bernice Harrison, Niamh Towey, Ann and Róisín Ingle make of this pandemic love story and all that it brings? If you’ve read the book too, please share your thoughts with us at thewomenspodcast@irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week marks ten years since the death of Savita Halappanavar, who died on the 28th October 2012. The young Indian woman was seventeen weeks pregnant when she presented to University Hospital Galway complaining of severe back pain. Although informed by doctors that she was actively miscarrying, she was denied access to an abortion, despite multiple requests. One week later, she was dead. What followed was a public outpouring of grief and calls for a change to Ireland’s strict abortion laws. People took to the streets calling for reproductive rights for all Irish women, which later culminated in the repealing of the 8th Amendment more than five years later. In this episode, Róisín Ingle is joined by Kitty Holland, the Irish Times journalist who broke the story of Savita’s death, Ailbhe Smyth Co-director of Together for Yes, Ireland’s campaign to repeal the 8th and Anna Cosgrave, the abortion rights activist who created the famous Repeal jumpers. Together, they reflect on Savita’s life, the legacy she left behind and why her name will never be forgotten. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last year, as part of their ‘Storyland’ initiative, RTE invited budding writers and creative talent to submit their ideas for original and new local drama.From the hundreds of submissions, three dramas were eventually chosen to go into production, all written by women. The first of which airs tonight on RTE2 at 9:30pm. It’s called Mustard and was created by actress and playwright Eva O’Connor. Originally a theatre show, Mustard tells the story of Eilis and her addiction to the spicy yellow condiment. The following week, we’ll see Every Five Miles by Sinéad Collopy make its debut on screen. It’s a harrowing story of human trafficking and modern day slavery, inspired by Collopy’s years spent working in child protection services. Finally, on November 3rd, Balor Hall written and directed by Rioghnach Ni Grioghair will be aired. This contemporary ‘whodunnit’ sees the greedy members of the Devereux family return to the patriarch’s vast agricultural estate for a brutal land grab. The three writers talk to Róisín Ingle about the inspiration and meaning behind their projects, the joy of bringing their ideas to life and what they will be working on next. All dramas will also be available to watch back on the RTE Player. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.