Dads Don't Cry

In this episode of Dads Don’t Cry, Peter is joined by Michelle to share the powerful story of her daughter, Robyn-Grace.

After early scans revealed serious concerns, Michelle received the devastating diagnosis of a rare and fatal condition. With limited options in Ireland at the time, the difficult decision was made to travel abroad for a medical termination, facing logistical challenges and societal judgment along the way.

Michelle reflects on Robyn-Grace’s passing and birth in Liverpool, where she was able to spend precious time with her. She speaks about the complex mix of grief, guilt, and relief that followed, and the difficulty of returning home and coping with loss.

The conversation also explores ongoing grief, miscarriages, and the emotional toll of hidden sorrow, alongside Michelle’s advocacy during the Repeal the 8th campaign for greater compassion and choice.

The episode closes with her journey toward hope, including a subsequent pregnancy and the birth of her daughter Bonnie Grace, held alongside the lasting presence of grief and a commitment to supporting others.

In this episode of Dads Don’t Cry, host Peter sits down with Jane Dalrymple, Clinical Midwife Specialist in Fetal Medicine at the Rotunda Hospital, to explore the compassionate, often unseen work of supporting families through pregnancy loss.

Jane shares how listening to parents shaped the creation of the Journey Initiative, a thoughtful approach to bereavement care that prioritises dignity, connection, and meaningful support. From soft memory bunnies and storybooks to sun catchers and memorial gardens, she explains how small, human touches can make an immeasurable difference during unimaginable grief.

The conversation highlights the vital importance of clear communication after loss, creating safe spaces for follow-up care, and supporting families through subsequent pregnancies with dedicated resources. Jane also speaks candidly about bridging cultural gaps in grief, guiding siblings through difficult moments, and how her own role as a midwife evolved from “fixing” problems to simply being present with families in their darkest hours.

This episode is a reminder of the enduring need for compassionate, person-centred grief support, and the quiet heroes who provide it.

Nine years after losing his first child at birth, Nathan joins host Peter to share the story of Layla’s pregnancy and the devastating loss that followed when he was just 21 years old. He reflects on the insensitivity he and his family faced in hospital, how he coped with grief at such a young age, and the ways he has kept Layla’s memory alive ever since.

Nathan also speaks candidly about the darkest period that followed, revealing how, just months after Layla’s death, an altercation on his way home one night left him overwhelmed and he came close to taking his own life.

He opens up about the long-term effects of unprocessed trauma, how grief strained relationships, and the support he wishes he’d had at the time. Nathan also talks about navigating awkward social moments, including the painful question, “How many kids do you have?”

The conversation turns to later chapters of his life, including Carter’s pregnancy, honouring Layla through charity football matches and remembrance, and learning to carry both grief and gratitude forward.

In this episode of Dads Don’t Cry, host Peter is joined by Vanessa, Elsie’s mam, who shares her family’s powerful and heartbreaking story. What begins as the joy of a surprise twin pregnancy soon becomes a high-risk journey when serious heart defects are discovered in one twin, Elsie. Vanessa and her husband navigate hope, fear, and anticipation as they prepare for complex surgery after birth, only to face the devastating loss of Elsie at 34 weeks.

Vanessa opens up about the emotional whiplash of welcoming one healthy twin, Riley, while grieving the loss of her identical sister. She speaks about planning a child’s funeral, surviving the early days of profound grief, and the lasting impact of raising a twin without her other half. The conversation explores milestones, isolation, and the challenge of holding both joy and sorrow at once.

Through community support, including time at Barretstown, Vanessa begins to find connection and purpose, learning that grief is deeply personal and cannot be compared. This episode is a raw and honest reflection on loss, resilience, and keeping Elsie’s memory alive while answering life’s hardest questions, especially for the children growing up with her story.

In Episode 17 of Dads Don’t Cry, host Peter sits down with Elaine to share the story of her daughter, Willow - a story that begins with hope and love, and unfolds into unimaginable heartbreak.

Elaine speaks openly about Willow’s earliest days and the quiet, persistent instinct that something wasn’t right. Reassured it was “first-time mother syndrome,” she tried to trust the professionals. Willow was diagnosed with silent reflux - but deep down, Elaine’s worry never left.

What was meant to be a family trip to Tenerife became a medical emergency. In a hospital far from home, Elaine and her partner Ross were given devastating news: their baby girl had a tumour. Soon after came the words no parent should ever hear - Stage 4 cancer.

In this raw and powerful conversation, Elaine shares what it meant to fight for Willow, and then, heartbreakingly, what it meant to shift from fighting to comforting. She speaks about grief, maternal instinct, anger, faith, and the sacred tenderness of Willow’s final days.

She also reflects on life after loss - the anxiety and sleepless nights, carrying Willow’s ashes, mourning the milestones that will never come, and finding connection with other bereaved parents who truly understand.

Above all, this episode is a tribute to Willow, a little girl whose life, though heartbreakingly short, continues to guide her family every day.