The Women's Podcast

As we wrap up Food Month here in The Irish Times, we’re joined in studio by award winning chefs Michel Roux Jr. and Margot Janse. The pair travelled to Dublin recently to judge the Euro-Toques Ireland Young Chef of the Year 2019 Competition, which was won by Gráinne Mullins, a head pastry chef at Galway restaurant Lignum. Margo has enjoyed a lengthy career in South Africa working as a head chef in her women dominated restaurant kitchen Le Quartier Français and now focuses her time on her charity Isabelo, Feeding Hungry Minds. Michel, was once a judge on BBC’s Masterchef and runs legendary Le Gavroche, a Michelin Star restaurant in London. They spoke to Róisín Ingle about the cut-throat culture in restaurant kitchens and the challenges faced by female chefs as they try to succeed in male dominated environments.Also Bernice Harrison tells Kathy why she won’t be partaking in the upcoming Black Friday madness and explains why Bikram Yoga is back in the news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, we examine what life is like for women living in the Gaza Strip, in southern Palestine. Róisín Ingle spoke to Mona Al Shawa and Hala Riziq, who travelled over to Dublin recently with Trócaire for some respite and to share their experiences with Irish people. Both have made it their life’s mission to defend women’s rights in a place where violent conflict and an oppressive patriarchy make “double victims” of women and girls : Hala works in development and gender based violence, while Mona is the Director of the Women’s Rights Unit of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, Tanya Sweeney tells Roisín Ingle why the opening of an Oliver Bonas store in Dublin is bad news for our wallets. (She spent too much on a neon rainbow lamp. What? It sparked joy!) They also discuss that car crash Prince Andrew interview and after encouraging us all to de-clutter our homes, ask why is Marie Kondo now selling her own home-ware range? Also on this episode, Roisín speaks to Alison O’Connor and co-founders of the Together For Yes Campaign, Ailbhe Smyth and Orla O’Connor. Together with Gráinne Griffin, they have written It’s a Yes! ; a new book which reveals the inner workings of that historic women-led campaign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week The Women’s Podcast left behind the usual surrounds of the studio for a live recording in House on Leeson Street, with thanks to our sponsors Green & Black's. Marian Keyes was the special guest on the night and treated the live audience to an exclusive excerpt of her brand new book Grown Ups. Marian also spoke about her love of the dark winter nights, why she keeps turning down Dancing With The Stars and how she feels about Ireland in 2019. She also gave some exclusive news about a new book she's just started writing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Róisin speaks to entrepreneur, author and ground breaking business leader, Margaret Heffernan. As the former CEO of five businesses, Margaret shares her incredible insight into the complexities of how an organisation works. Having spent a lot of her career focusing on the role of women in business and leadership roles, Margaret also speaks about how women can positively change the workplace culture and how helpfulness is the key to any happy working environment. Also, Roisín and Kathy discuss the recent Irish Times articles concerning Ana Kriégel; the first written by Orla Muldoon who's headline read ‘Ana Kriégel was murdered by boys because she was a girl’ and the second written by Kathy herself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we are joined by former US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power. The Dublin born academic and author talked to Kathy Sheridan about how she became one of the most powerful women in American Foreign Affairs and discussed her acclaimed memoir The Education of An Idealist. Power also goes back to her difficult childhood in Dublin and the custody battle which led to her, aged 9, leaving Ireland and making a home in America with her mother and brother. She talks about Trump, Barack Obama and what gives her hope in a turbulent world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’ve dedicated the podcast to Gay Byrne - the legendary broadcaster who died on Monday 4th November - and specifically to his impact on women in Ireland. Most of the listeners to his radio show were women, he regularly made space for women on both radio and on The Late Late Show, allowing their voices to be amplified on topics such as divorce, sex, religion, contraception and feminism. He allowed Ireland to see women in a way that challenged the pervasive view in the 19709s and 1980s. One of the many women who spoke about these issues on the Late Late was Ann Marie Hourihane who appears on this episode. Both Women’s Podcast host Roisin Ingle and Ann Marie are super fans of Gay, and are both very sad at the loss of him this week. To some degree this is a bit of a Gay Byrne love in but much more than that it’s a look back at the part Gay played in changing society, particularly for women in allowing these important conversations to take place. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Margaret Atwood is a literary legend and you can imagine how excited we were to have her on The Women’s Podcast for the third time. As author of The Handmaid’s Tale - and many other award winning novels - she brought us the world of Gilead and started a powerful global conversation about women which still resonates today at a time when Donald Trump is the leader of the free world and reproductive rights continue to be restricted in America. Along with Bernadine Evaristo she has just won the Booker prize for The Testaments, a sequel to the Handmaid’s Tale. She talked to Kathy Sheridan about misogyny, feminism, parenting and the climate crisis. We hope you enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In what was a momentous week for Northern Ireland, The Women’s Podcast travelled to Belfast for our first podcast recording in that beautiful city.It was the week abortion was decriminalised in the North after a long grassroots struggle by feminist activists. So what happens next?Panellists including Alliance for Choice activist Danielle Roberts, performer Kellie Turtle and Alliance party Assembly member Paula Bradshaw discussed the conversation that will happen in the North over the five month consultation period before abortion services are introduced next March.And we were joined in the Belfast Mac by our special guest Amanda Palmer, who told our audience about her own experiences of abortion and sang the song you didn’t hear on The Late Late Show – Voicemail for Jill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Kathy Sheridan talks to women and organisations who have benefited from the Mná na hÉireann Women of Ireland fund which was set up to increase the economic mobility of women across the country. We also mark the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month by talking to one survivor of the illness who now volunteers educating women and girls in how to detect early signs of the illness. Ger Collins (46), tells Róisín Ingle how she was so grateful for the help she received, following a diagnosis of breast cancer, she is now sharing her experiences with teachers and transition-year students with Breast Cancer Ireland. We also have details of a competition to win a great hamper to celebrate the launch of Family Unplugged by Peter Cosgrove. Listen for more details. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.