Illuminating Women podcast

In this episode I am talking to

Loretta Dignam, founder of the world's first menopause clinic.

In this very frank chat, Loretta fills us in on her personal experiences, along with her groundbreaking work to champion access to informed menopause and perimenopause treatment.

We examine why for 20 years women and the medical community were misled about the benefits vs risks of HRT and the pioneering progress now underway to fix this.

In this episode I am talking to

Gillian Harford, CEO of the Irish 30% Club in Ireland. The aim of this organisation is simple: to ensure that at least 30% of all directors and the most senior executives in any organisation are female. 

It's a global campaign led by Chairs and CEOs who are taking action to increase gender diversity at board and executive committee levels.

Critical to ensuring that women and men have an equal voice at the table where the most important decisions about an organisation, its staff and its policies are made, achieving this goal is central to achieving equality for men and women in all business sectors.

In this episode I am talking to

the multitalented Lian Bell, the person who lit the spark of the groundbreaking campaign #wakingthefeminsts.

It involved people from a whole range of roles within the theatre world – writers, directors, producers, actors, programmers, technicians, to stage designers and theatre audiences.

Based in Ireland, the campaign was only intended to last 12 months but it grew to unexpected levels of global interest, including attracting the support of Hollywood star Meryl Streep. After that, there was no going back!

In this episode I am talking to

Iseult Ward, co-founder of Food Cloud, an organisation that reduces food waste through redistributing surplus food from producers to individuals and organisations. Together with Aoibheann O'Brien, two inexperienced but highly motivated university students created an enterprise that today provides 1.5 million meals a week to people in need every week, using their bespoke logistics system, while addressing greenhouse emissions impacting the planet more than aviation. Learn about the truly inspirational story of Food Cloud.

In this episode I am talking to

The hugely talented Marina Carr – winner of multiple international awards, a member of Aosdána and regarded by many as Ireland’s leading playwright. In this episode, Marina delves deep into the power behind the characters she creates and her writing approach and gives us fascinating insights into how she views history, men, women and the future of humanity.

In this episode I am talking to

Journalist, author and documentary maker, Manchán Magan about his research into the power and knowledge of women in centuries past. And his beautiful new book of words for intimate parts of women’s bodies, Focail na mBan

In this episode I am talking to

Dr. Emily Harris, a psychologist and researcher from the University of Melbourne. We shine a light on work she and her colleagues are doing on the link between The Invisible Job (of parenting and running a home) and low sexual desire among women. 

Dr. Harris is an expert in the area of female orgasm frequency, so for all you ever need to know about orgasms, the clitoris and equality in relationships, listen up!!

In this episode I am talking to

Award-winning novelist Claire Kilroy, whose new book Soldier Sailor may be her best yet. Kilroy’s personal experience of being denied the freedom to resume professional writing for 10 years since becoming a mother has given birth to Soldier Sailor – an unflinchingly honest account of the frustration, tedium, loneliness and resentment many mothers endure when looking after a baby/toddler. In this very frank interview, Claire talks openly about the relationship struggles this leads to, women’s yearning for a life and identity they fear may be gone forever, anger and disbelief at the ongoing existence of patriarchy and the distinct worlds it catapults mothers and fathers into, all juxtaposed with a maternal love so profound, she would kill for her child. Buckler in!!

In this episode I am talking to

Dr. Nadiane Kruk was Professor of Engineering at a top university in Brazil. Just as she was finishing her PhD, Nadiane became a mother and discovered the challenges of trying to be a good parent and a successful academic. Having lived and worked in Brazil and Germany, Nadiane realised that social policies in both countries made life almost impossible for working parents. In this interview she proposes a way to reform the working week, which could make life better – and more equal – for men and women everywhere.