The Women's Podcast

The new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility opened in Irish cinemas last weekend. The period drama tells the story of two sisters - Elinor and Marianne Dashwood - as they navigate relationships, love and grief following the sudden death of their father. Irish actor Caitríona Balfe plays Mrs Dashwood, the matriarch of the family who must steer her daughters through this turbulent time. In today’s episode, Balfe talks to Róisín Ingle about her approach to the role and the joy of entering Austen’s world. She also reflects on ageing in the movie industry, her move into directing after years on Outlander and her relationship with her Irish identity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In December 2024, MMA fighter and businessman Conor McGregor was found liable by a civil High Court jury for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. In the years since, Hand has lived through events that changed her life forever. She has endured public scrutiny, courtrooms, headlines and toxic commentary, alongside an outpouring of solidarity and support. Now, with her new memoir, Not the Perfect Victim, the mother of two is reclaiming ownership of her story.
In today’s episode, Hand joins Róisín Ingle to talk about survival, motherhood, trauma and resilience, and what it means to finally tell her story in her own words.

But first Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O'Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the proposed abolition of the mandatory three day wait for abortions in Ireland and the reaction to Oprah Winfrey's first ever live appearance in Dublin.
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Today we're sharing the opening episode of a three-part series by Róisín Ingle that tells the untold origin story of U2. We hope you enjoy it. The full series can be found on irishtimes.com, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2.

It is 50 years this month since 14-year-old drummer Larry Mullen stuck a note on a school noticeboard looking for fellow musicians to form a band. That note led to U2.

In this three-part podcast series to mark the 50th anniversary, Róisín Ingle traces the formation of the band in a school on the northside of Dublin through interviews with their classmates, teachers, friends, family and band members.

Why did U2 happen in Mount Temple? And how are Bono, Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton still friends and still making music together fifty years later? Drummer Seeks Musicians is a remarkable origin story, told by the people who were there from the very beginning. From Mount Temple Comprehensive to the world stage, this is the story of how U2 began.

Episode one goes back to the radical experiment that was Mount Temple Comprehensive School on Dublin’s northside in 1976, where fifty years ago 14-year-old Larry Mullen pinned a note on the school bulletin board.

That note brought together Larry, Adam Clayton, Dave ‘The Edge’ Evans and Paul ‘Bono’ Hewson of U2, four teenagers who were destined to become one of the world's biggest bands. Róisín talks to the people who were there - the ones who nearly made the band, the teachers who supported them and the classmates who watched it happen. We hear about the architect of a remarkable school and discover the back stories of Paul 'Bono' Hewson and Larry Mullen Jr.

Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2 is presented, written, researched and produced by Róisín Ingle.

Editing by Rob Sutton.

Additional production by Suzanne Brennan.

The podcast is dedicated to Donald Moxham.

Thanks to the staff at Mount Temple, to U2 and to everyone who took part in the podcast.
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This week on The Women’s Podcast, Róisín Ingle meets award-winning rapper, singer, poet and spoken-word artist Denise Chaila. After a meteoric rise that saw her win the Choice Music Prize and become one of the most celebrated voices in Irish music, Denise stepped away from the spotlight for a few years. In this honest and at times profound conversation the singer explains why.

The conversation covers a lot of ground. The singer talks about the pressures of success, people-pleasing, racism, faith, illness and friendship. She reflects on the years she spent reading, writing, travelling and rediscovering herself.

With her first headline Irish tour beginning later this month, The An Seo Tour, Denise also discusses the new music she's been creating and what audiences can expect from a live show that brings together all the influences that have shaped her life and work.

Also on the podcast, Róisín explains the background to her new three-part podcast series Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2 which delves into the Dublin origin story of one of the world’s biggest bands. The first episode lands on Monday 21st of September and is available on irishtimes.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Today’s guest is a woman who has managed to combine two worlds that you don’t exactly put together every day: the law and stand-up comedy. Justine Megan is a solicitor, comedian and performer, and she’s bringing her own story to the stage in her Dublin Fringe show, Exhibit A: Imposter. It’s a sharp, funny and very personal look at class, identity, ambition and fitting in. Megan’s journey has taken her from a Dublin council estate, to Trinity College, to working in commercial law. Along the way she found herself changing in order to fit into spaces that didn’t always feel like they were made for her. But first Irish Times Opinion Editor Jennifer O’Connell joins host Róisín Ingle to discuss some of the stories of the week including the standoff between the GAA and former president Mary McAleese. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.