Holly Cairns : Politics is Personal

Topics covered : Life in Gaza, living under occupation, murder, grief, trauma, injustice. I am revisiting this conversation as the incredible Hala Sourani was honoured at the Shine Mental Health Media Awards today in Dublin. She won the Special Recognition award for th​is podcast and ​everyone in the room w​ere on their feet ​for her. A truly deserving standing ovation for her courage, her dignity and her truth. This conversation was my last of 2024 and yet heartbreakingly, a year on, Gaza is still being attacked. (Her mother and her sister and her children are still in Gaza.) In October 2023, Hala was married to Mohammad and they had 2 girls, Shahd who was 6 and Rahaf who was 5 and they lived in Gaza. In November of that year, they tried to flee but, in the process, both Mohammad and Rahaf were murdered by Israelis. As you can imagine, this is a harrowing account of that time so please be aware before you listen but I really hope you do stay with this conversation as intense as it is and that you allow yourself to connect with Hala and the pain and injustice that she and so many have been, and continue to be, subjected to. She came to Ireland with her daughter Shahd in February​ 2024 and has been working as a volunteer here and remarkably she completed a MBA ​that year too. I wish we never had to have this conversation. I wish she was still in Gaza with her husband and girls, but that is unfortunately not the case. This is without a doubt one of the most important conversations I’ve ever had on Ready to be Real and I am honoured that she trusted me with it. She’s not comfortable speaking about the Go Fund Me that has been set up to help her but I’m going to ask you to please consider donating what you can so that she and her daughter can try and rebuild their lives here in Ireland. They need and deserve our support. Any and all donations would be gratefully received. Fundraiser by Sarah Costello : Urgent Help For Halla & Chahd (Gazans in Ireland) Go raibh mile maith agaibh. A special word of thanks to the wonderful Kate O’Dwyer, the founder of 'Pals for Palestine' for all her help in connecting Hala and I and for all her love and guidance behind the scenes. Saoirse don Phailistín. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

​This is The Real Take — a glimpse into the honesty, wisdom and connection at the heart of every episode of Ready to be Real. I’m speaking with Vanessa Ogbonna, one of the winners of the very first series of The Traitors Ireland. She once chased a bright future in football until injury and illness forced a dramatic change of course. In this snippet she speaks about her experience of racism in Ireland — starting with how she felt during the Dublin riots in 2023. If you’d like to hear more, the full conversation with Vanessa is available to listen to anytime now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : The Traitors, growing up in Direct Provision, football career, injury, grief, Lupus diagnosis, faith, 2023 Dublin riots, racism. This week, I’m joined by one of the winners of the very first series of The Traitors Ireland — Vanessa Ogbonna. But her story stretches far beyond reality TV. Vanessa once chased a bright future in football until injury and illness forced a dramatic change of course. In this conversation, while she touches briefly on her time on The Traitors, she mainly opens up about the moments that shaped her life: navigating a lupus diagnosis that altered everything, losing her father, growing up in Direct Provision, and her experience of racism in Ireland. You can catch her every week on United FC on RTÉ alongside Jordan Conroy, and you can also catch up with episodes on the RTÉ Player. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Unpacking 'calm' parenting, navigating meltdowns (for adults and kids)​, the power of play in building connection with kids, dropping the threats, slapping, resilience building, unlearning, rupture and repair, positive modelling. This week, I’m speaking with child and adolescent psychotherapist Debbie Cullinane. Debbie lives in Mayo with her husband James and their two children, Elsie (10.5) and Freddie (9.5). She joined me on the podcast back in March 2024, and that episode resonated deeply — for me personally, and for so many listeners. If you haven’t heard it yet, I highly recommend giving it a listen. In today’s conversation, Debbie shares practical, compassionate guidance on becoming as regulated as we can as parents; what our children truly need to thrive (it may surprise you); how to navigate stressful moments with more ease; the power of play in building connection; and why unlearning certain old habits is such vital work. Debbie, along with fellow psychotherapist Hayley Rice, created the F.I.R.M.™(Firm, Intentional, Regulated, Modelling) Parenting Approach — a therapist-designed, research-driven framework that supports parents in raising emotionally healthy, resilient kids. You can join their parenting hub - you’ll find more information on both of their Instagram pages. If you’re a fan of what I do, please follow, rate and review the podcast in all the usual places. And thank you, as always, for supporting Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is The Real Take — a glimpse into the honesty, wisdom and connection at the heart of every episode of Ready to be Real. Today, I’m revisiting a conversation I recorded six years ago with the incredible Seán Boylan — a fifth-generation herbalist and a true sporting legend. During his 23 years as Meath Football Manager, he led the county to four All-Ireland titles and cemented his reputation as an iconic leader. In this clip, he reflects on holding training sessions at the ancient and sacred Hill of Tara — the seat of the High Kings of Ireland. ​If you’d like to hear more, the full conversation with the truly brilliant Seán Boylan is available to listen to anytime now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.