The Women's Podcast

Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh always wanted to become a mother and spent years hoping she’d meet the right person to start a family with. By 2024 however, Walsh was done waiting and she decided to embark upon solo parenthood, as a single, gay woman. In early 2025, she began her fertility journey and finally became pregnant through IVF earlier this year. Today, Walsh is 24 weeks pregnant and happier than ever, although admittedly a bit nervous and excited for what’s to come.

In today’s episode, the expectant mother joins Róisín Ingle to talk about her decision to go it alone and the questions she had to ask herself along the way. Walsh discusses why she chose to keep the start of her journey private and the emotional challenges that came with that decision. She also explains how she plans to balance motherhood with her role as a member of the European Parliament and she reveals the gender of her baby, who is due this October.
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In this episode, psychologist & bestselling author Katriona O’Sullivan joins Kathy Sheridan to discuss her new memoir Hungry: A Biography of My Body. The book follows on from her award-winning debut Poor, this time focusing on her complex and fraught relationship with body image, food and self-worth. In this wide-ranging conversation, O’Sullivan speaks about the societal pressures facing women, her lifelong search for self-acceptance and the importance of therapy in healing. She also talks about her upcoming children's book, "Katie's Light," and a self-help book titled How to Like Yourself, coming in 2028.

But first, Róisín Ingle is joined by Molly Logan and Rachel Gaughan, two women involved in the Bord Gais Energy Theatre production of Oklahoma! The musical is showing now until Sunday July 5th.

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Earlier this month, author Claire Keegan joined The Women’s Podcast bookclub for a live event at Chapters Bookstore in Dublin to discuss her favourite summer reading recommendations. In today’s bonus episode, we’re bringing you the live Q&A from the event with Keegan, where she answers questions on her writing process, film adaptations and her book being featured on the Leaving Cert syllabus.

You can find the full live show here: https://www.irishtimes.com/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/the-womens-podcast-book-club-summer-reading-recommendations-with-claire-keegan/

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In today’s episode, best-selling author Maggie O’Farrell joins Róisín Ingle to discuss her new book Land. Set in the 1800s - in the aftermath of the Irish famine - the novel tells the story of a father and his reluctant son, who are tasked with mapping out the island of Ireland for the great Ordnance Survey project. It’s a deeply affecting story about family bonds, set against a backdrop of poverty, inequality and life under British rule. In this conversation, O’Farrell tells Ingle about her great-great grandfather who inspired the novel and the work that went into uncovering his story. She also reflects on the global success of Hamnet and the joy of attending this year’s Oscars and Golden Globes.

But first, Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O’Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the backlash over Gwyneth Paltrow's Israeli real-estate ad and the Government’s plan to abolish the mandatory three day wait for abortion services in Ireland.
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Last week the Women’s Podcast book club gathered for a live event in Chapters Bookstore in Dublin to discuss what books they’ll be packing with them on their summer holidays. Celebrated author Claire Keegan was the special guest who joined book clubbers Róisín Ingle, Bernice Harrison, Ann Ingle and Niamh Towey for the event, alongside an audience of podcast listeners. Keegan spoke about the novel and two short stories that she hopes listeners will enjoy and she treated the audience to a reading from The Great Gatsby.

You can find the full list of recommendations here: https://www.irishtimes.com/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/the-womens-podcast-book-club-summer-reading-recommendations-with-claire-keegan/\

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Gold Watch by John McGahern
Last Day of Summer by Ian McEwan, a short story from his collection, First Love, Last Rites.
Famesick by Lena Dunham
Few and Far Between by Jan Carson
Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
The Keeper by Tana French
The Spare Room by Helen Garner
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
John of John by Douglas Stuart
The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout
Land by Maggie O’Farrell
The Make Believe by Hannah Murray
Tatty by Christine Dwyer

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