Brendan O'Connor
280 episodes — Page 4 of 6
The Newspaper Panel
How long will the sunshine last?
All the tricks you need for an authentic Caribbean BBQ
From the archive: Manchán Magan kicks-off summer with a naked dew-roll
PJ Gallagher: “You’d never let anyone talk to you, the way you talk to yourself when you’re unwell”
Katriona O’Sullivan: “I felt like a fat bride, and I still hate the wedding photos”
Newspaper Panel
My Life in Five Songs: actor, Eileen Walsh
“YouTubers are increasingly invading our TVs”
The Watchlist
Jan Carson - “Maybe the whole of Northern Ireland should have gone to therapy”
Neurologist: “Procrastination is a tug-of-war between parts of your brain”
Holidays Of A Lifetime “If you’re dreaming about it, just go”
How to Walk, with Karl Henry
French classics with an Irish twist
Theologian: “Trump’s post was blasphemous and utterly un-Christian"
The Newspaper Panel
The Watchlist
Apps that make travel easy with Conor Pope
Niall Quinn “Football is the answer to a lot of problems in modern Ireland”
Dermot Bannon “People say they need storage, but what are they storing?!”
Baking this weekend? Chef Una Leonard has some tips!
What is likely to happen now in the stand-off over the fuel protests?
Do you know your love language? Psychologist, Allison Keating explains!
“You lose 30% of your collagen around perimenopause”
“My father thought I was part bird, because I was born without arms”
Kathryn Thomas - “I would never have admitted to Botox five years ago”
The Watchlist
The Newspaper Panel
Nóirín Ní Riain – “The modern world badly needs a spiritual transplant”
European Greenway Holidays “I wouldn’t go on a holiday now that didn’t involve cycling”
Ex-Fine Gael TD & current President of Cycling Ireland, Ciaran Cannon, gives tips on embarking on your first European Greenway Holiday. Where to go, what to bring and the sheer joys of cycling to a different destination every day.
Crime writer, Tana French - “Women are socialised to think about predators who see us as prey”
Award-winning crime author Tana French talks about moving around a lot as a child, settling in Ireland at 17, learning the codes and the nuances, her early acting career, being an outsider and an insider at the same time and how she views modern Irish society
The Ultimate Chocolate Cake this Easter
Pastry Chef and founder of Grá Chocolates, Gráinne Mullins, brings us an easy-to-make three-layer chocolate cake recipe and promises it’ll be the most delicious chocolate cake you’ve ever eaten.
The Edge on his friend Hal Wilner - “It was our good fortune to know him”
U2’s The Edge introduces the band’s new song “Song for Hal” which was written to remember their friend Hal Wilner, who died during the pandemic, a time when a lot of people died alone.
Comedian, Emma Doran - “I’m like a Jack Russell; all bark but really I just want to be up on the couch!”
Comedian Emma Doran talks through key moments in her life and the soundtrack that went alongside them; from becoming pregnant in her leaving cert year, to getting her comedy career started. Her choices range from Jerry Lee Lewis to Liberty X and Katy Perry. Emma talks about her upcoming tour dates and a debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Trisha Lewis - “I love myself now, I didn’t love myself 7 years ago”
Chef and influencer Trisha Lewis looks back on her transformation journey seven years on and tells Brendan how accepting that this will be a lifelong process for her has changed her mind set. She also makes a case for ditching the New Year's resolutions in favour of springtime goals, as she takes on the camino with her crew of transformers.
Newspaper Panel
Joining Brendan to discuss the lead stories in Sunday’s newspapers are: CEO of Spunout and board member of Cybersafe Kids, Sinead Keane; Managing Director of Baggot Investment Partners, Peter Brown; Sunday Times columnist and commentator, Alison O’Connor; and professor of US and International Politics at UCD’s Clinton Institute, Scott Lucas.
The Watchlist
Joining Brendan to preview the best films and TV shows this week – including The Young Offenders, Saturday Night Live UK and Rory McIlroy: the Masters Wait – are Irish Times arts journalist, Nadine O’Regan; and host of the Extra Vision podcast, Andy McCarroll.
Rita Ann Higgins: “The witch in me wanted to scramble his eggs”
Writer Rita Ann Higgins tells Brendan about writing one of Ireland’s first 'sexy poems’, what first inspired her and how she is still learning from her grandchildren. She also reads from her newly-published ‘greatest hits’ collection, ‘Jiving with Wasps’.
Arrest of controversial influencer Clavicular
Producer with the Irish Independent, and host of the No Encore podcast, Dave Hanratty tells Brendan about the arrest of ‘looksmaxxing’ influencer, Clavicular. Who is he? Why has he been arrested? And why has he been accused of shooting a dead alligator?
Donal O’Shea: “Everything is salted caramel now: it combines salt, fat and sugar.”
Specialist in obesity, Professor Donal O’Shea outlines how our food environment has become unhealthy, with an abundance of high fat, salt and sugary processed foods. He describes the tricks companies use to sell more volume. With evidence that highly processed foods are unhealthy, Donal outlines what changes we should make to guard our health.
Was this the week the tide turned against social media giants?
This week, a 20-year-old in California was awarded six-million dollars after a jury found Meta and Google had intentionally built addictive platforms which harmed her mental health. With thousands of similar cases in train, Wicklow teacher and educator with the Sexual Exploitation Research & Policy Institute, Eoghan Cleary, gives his analysis.
Colm Tóibín: “After Epstein, I wanted to explore why some people feel no guilt”
Award-winning author, Colm Tóibín, talks to Brendan about his childhood stammer, his wild years in Barcelona, and his latest short-story collection ‘The News from Dublin’. He also introduces five pieces of music that have inspired him.
Stefanie Preissner: “I have six hoovers – and a back-up battery.”
Screenwriter and actor, Stefanie Preissner tells Brendan about her passion for slow vacuuming: how a robot vacuum can redistribute domestic chores, cleaning her fake grass and finding the perfect vacuum online. She also describes the perils of robot vacuums cohabiting with small children.
The secrets of making great coffee, at home or at work
Founder and CEO of FiXX Coffee, Anne Abberton, offers Brendan her top tips for making great coffee at home, or at work. Should you grind yourself, or buy pre-ground beans? She also discusses the pros and cons of using a moka pot, French press, aeropress or filter coffee.
How to ask for a pay rise
Caroline Reidy, head of HR Solutions at NFP talks Brendan through how to negotiate a pay rise, and what mistakes to avoid.
The real-life drama surrounding TV show ‘Love Story’
The Disney+ series, Love Story- which follows the story of JFK Junior and his wife Carolyn Bessette- has been provoking conversations about the liberties dramas take, when depicting real people who are still alive. Jenn Gannon brought Brendan up-to-speed, ahead of the series finale later this week.
Richie Sadlier: “I was in this pit of self-pity and anger and loss all wrapped into one”
Footballer, psychotherapist and sports analyst, Richie Sadlier, brings Brendan through his Life in Five Songs, including live performances by Oasis, Tina Turner, and Queen. And he told Brendan about his new SPHE programme LetsTalkSPHE.com.
Newspaper Panel
Joining Brendan to discuss the Sunday newspapers are Dan O’Brien, Chief Economist, Institute of International and European Affairs; Louise Burne, Political Correspondent at the Irish Examiner; Brid Smith, Ballyfermot community activist and former People Before Profit-Solidarity TD and Declan Power, Security and Defence Analyst
The Watchlist
Joining Brendan to look at the best TV shows and films heading our way this week are Brian Lloyd, Entertainment journalist and host of the Screenland Podcast and writer, Henrietta McKervey.