In Plain Sight: Noelle Brown and Camille O’Sullivan
This month, actor and mother and baby home survivor Noelle Brown and singer Camille O’Sullivan will take to the stage together for a new theatre performance called In Plain Sight. The project, written by Brown, focuses on Ireland’s history of mother and baby homes, paying particular attention to the large stately buildings dotted around the country that incarcerated young pregnant women. In today’s episode, the pair join Róisín Ingle to discuss the show and how it explores the design and history of three homes that are still standing, Sean Ross Abbey, Castlepollard and Bessborough Mother and Baby Home (where Brown was born). But first, Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O’Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the arrest of former swimming coach George Gibney. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Deepfakes and AI Girlfriends: How artificial intelligence is putting women at risk
Concerns about the rise and rapid development of artificial intelligence often tend to focus on AI’s threat to jobs or its potential to influence politics and elections. But what about the very real threat that AI poses to women? In her new book, The New Age of Sexism, feminist writer Laura Bates explores how the ever-evolving world of technology has become a danger to women and how the expanding scope of what’s possible online is “reinventing misogyny.” In this episode, Bates talks to Róisín Ingle about the real harm caused by pornographic deepfakes, the alarming rise of AI girlfriends, and her eye-opening visit to a cyber brothel in Berlin.But first Irish Times journalist Niamh Towey is here to talk about some of the biggest stories of the week including the new Women's Aid report showing the rise in domestic violence disclosures, the latest in the Annie McCarrick case and the furore over the Bezos wedding in Venice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Book Club Live: Summer Reads with Marian Keyes
Last weekend our Book Club gathered for a live show at Kildare Village to discuss the best reading recommendations for summer 2025. Róisín Ingle, Bernice Harrison and Ann Ingle were joined at the event by special guest bestselling author Marian Keyes and a room full of Women’s Podcast listeners. There were recommendations to suit every style and every mood, including a gripping crime thriller, a “life-changing” self help book and a couple of exciting fiction debuts. But before we bring you that recording, Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O’Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week, including a crack down on boozy Leaving Cert holidays in Portugal. For the full list of summer reading recommendations, click here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Why do some women still take their husband’s last name?
The tradition of women taking their husband’s surname stems from a time when marriage effectively erased a woman’s legal identity and she would become her husband’s property. While this is no longer the case and society has thankfully moved on, the practice of women changing their last name upon marriage still persists today. But why?In a recent feature for The Irish Times, journalist Áine Kenny poses the question: “If changing one’s name isn’t a big deal and isn’t sexist, why don’t we see more men taking their wife’s surname?”To explore this further, Kenny joins Róisín Ingle on the latest episode of the podcast, alongside parenting columnist Jen Hogan. Together, they discuss why they did and didn’t keep their own names after marriage. But first Ingle and Kathy Sheridan are in the studio together to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the long awaited excavation of the Tuam babies site, which is to begin on Monday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Greta Thunberg sets sail for Gaza / Mary Ann Kenny on loss, psychosis and healing
It was a bright afternoon in April 2015 when Mary Ann Kenny, a university lecturer, received a call that changed her life in an instant. Her husband John, with whom she had two young sons, had collapsed while out jogging and died at the age of 60. Struggling to cope with the sudden loss and the loneliness that engulfed her life in the aftermath, Kenny's grief soon turned to depression, which later progressed into psychotic delusions.In her new memoir, The Episode, Kenny details her descent into psychosis, her hospitalisation, and her journey back to health and happiness. In this episode, she talks to Róisín Ingle about the impact of her husband’s death, the trauma of her psychiatric treatment, and how she has made sense of her mental health crisis.But first, Irish Times reporter Ella Sloane joins us to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week, including Greta Thunberg’s aid mission to Gaza and what new research has revealed about the happiness levels of Irish teenagers.To enter our live book club event, go to Irishtimes.com/events Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Women's Podcast, hosted by Róisín Ingle & Kathy Sheridan. Producers: Róisín Ingle and Suzanne Brennan.By women, for everyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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