Autumn Equinox : Loughcrew cairns, Newgrange and An Chailleach

Topics covered : Fame, trolling, overwhelm, mental health, faith, spirituality, pregnancy announcement, joy, self-care.   Last Friday in Galway, I sat down with dynamic duo Tadhg and Derry Fleming and had this wonderfully open conversation. Tadhg and his Dad, Derry are part of the Fleming family that we know and love from Kerry, who shot to fame when I bat flew into the family home 6 years ago and the video went viral. Mother Maureen and sisters Sadhbh and Maryanne, along with Tadhg’s wife Alannah and their much-loved dogs complete the extended Fleming family…for now! Tadhg is open and grounded and 2023 was a big year for him as he and Alannah married in May, but next year will be an even bigger year as they’ll become parents. Derry works in the credit union and is a deep soul, who wears his heart on his sleeve and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the whole family and they are the real deal. In this conversation we get a much better sense of who they really are, what matters to them, how important faith is in their lives and simply put ,what genuine, gorgeous people they are. Enjoy and let me know what you think! If you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Secrecy, shame, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, friendship, recovery, honesty, grief, love, polyamory, fatherhood.  This week I caught up with comedian and radio presenter PJ Gallagher. PJ lives in Clontarf in Dublin with his partner Kelly and their 12-week-old twins Milo and Stevie. He presents the breakfast show on Nova with his friend Jim McCabe, he’s also currently working on a documentary for RTÉ and his book ‘Mad House – The naked truth about my chaotic childhood, losing my mind and finding a place to call home’ is out now and it’s a brilliant read. We spoke back in the summer of 2021; and it was a chat that really resonated with listeners. (You can scroll back and listen if you’d like) So this conversation picks up where we left off the last time, he speaks about his 3 month stay in St. Patricks Mental Health services, meeting his now partner Kelly, fatherhood, polyamory and knowing what works for his mental wellbeing. If you like this podcast, please show your support by leaving a rating or a little comment on Apple and by clicking follow on Spotify, I’d be so thankful. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Poverty, heroin addiction, neglect, abuse, childhood rape, dysfunction, shame, positive influences, kindness, breaking negative cycles, therapy,  recovery, attachment, opportunities, motherhood, education, academia, love, compassion, forgiveness, healing.    This week I speak to the phenomenal Dr. Katriona O’Sullivan. She lives in Blanchardstown in Dublin and is married to Dave and she has 3 boys, John who’s 30, Seán who’s 18, and Tadhg who’s 15 and she’s also a proud grandmother. She is a senior lecturer in Maynooth University in the department of Psychology and is the author of bestselling memoir ‘Poor’. Katriona’s childhood growing up in Coventry was often chaotic; as one of 5 kids to Irish parents living in a home shaped by heroin addiction, she experienced extreme trauma from an early age, which included being raped as a 7 year old and being pregnant and homeless, as a teenager. In this conversation she speaks about the extreme neglect she experienced in childhood, the people who were a positive force in her life, the importance of opportunities and education, and the power of healing. It is an eye opening and challenging conversation at times but I highly recommend you stay with it until the end. Book – ‘Poor’ is available in all good bookshops and online and is also available as an audio book. If you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Human emotions, family dynamics, emotional triggers, trauma, expectation, spirituality, parenthood, attachment, regulating emotions, the importance of repair, change, evolving, current situation in Gaza, shame, guilt, forgiveness. Gerry Hussey otherwise known as 'The Soul Coach' is a performance psychologist who has been working in the fields of health and performance for almost twenty years. He and his wife Miriam are the founders of wellness platform ‘Soul Space’ and along with their son Eli who’s 3.5 and their daughter Bethany who recently turned 1, they split their time between Ireland and Portugal and they’re simply wonderful people. We spoke in Galway on the 1st of November, the day his latest book ‘The Freedom Within’ was released. During our conversation, he delves into family dynamics and emotional triggers, parenthood and the importance of repair, the current situation in Palestine and the power of forgiveness. It’s a thought provoking and comforting episode but make sure you’re aware of the content before you listen. Gerry’s show ‘The Freedom Within’ is happening this Sunday the 12th of November in the National Concert Hall in Dublin and there may be a few tickets still left. Click on the link to find out… The Freedom Within | NCH | Live Music & Events | National Concert Hall If you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Celtic calendar, Samhain, An Chailleach, Fionn Mac Cumhaill, The Hill of Tara. Historian and artist Shelly Mooney is back on the pod once again, this time to tell us all about Samhain. Shelly lives in County Wexford with her husband Kev, their son Ferdia and Lola their dog and she runs the brilliant Instagram page ‘Tales from the Wood’ which explores the history and mythology of Ireland. And in this bite-sized episode she talks to us about the ancient festival of Samhain and its connection to The Hill of Tara. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.