Aoife Dunne: Ayahuasca, Grief and an Unexpected Route into Comedy #160

🎧 Episode Description

Laura sits down with comedian Aoife Dunne for an honest and humorous conversation about everything from grief and fear to the unexpected turns life can take.

Aoife opens up about the sudden loss of her mum while she was backpacking in her early twenties - a moment that changed the course of her life. After spending time in therapy and trying to make sense of the fear she carried, she eventually travelled to Brazil and took part in an ayahuasca ceremony with the hope of letting go of something she felt was holding her back.

Alongside moments of humour, Aoife speaks candidly about fear, self-doubt, and what can happen when we stop trying to control every step of the journey. She shares how her unusual route into comedy emerged from years of searching, reflection, and gradually learning to trust where life might lead her.

🔑 Key Points

Losing her mum while travelling

Aoife reflects on receiving the news of her mother’s death while backpacking in her twenties and the shock of navigating grief far from home.

Learning to live with loss

Aoife talks about how grief shaped her twenties and how it continued to influence the way she approached life and relationships.

The fear that held her back

Aoife talks about the deep sense of fear she carried for many years - something she felt stopped her from fully pursuing the things she wanted in life.

Travelling to Brazil for an ayahuasca ceremony

Aoife explains why she eventually chose to take part in the ceremony and what she hoped to release.

An unusual route into comedy

Aoife reflects on how she ended up performing comedy despite never initially seeing it as her path.

A new perspective on what matters

Aoife reflects on how grief and reflection helped her appreciate the deeper value of love, relationships and everyday life.

📚 Mentioned in this Episode

Aoife Dunne – Official Website & Tour Dates

Find Aoife’s upcoming shows, including her stand-up show Good Grief, and buy tickets here:

https://aoifedunnecomedy.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGncw1_OANO5trgzPuPL8lgOyBgmPgZt5OmJPMsxM0zj5P22v0kv5jsSqtynaw_aem_CrTmYABNtRBRDzzKsiU62g

Aoife Dunne on Instagram

Follow Aoife for updates, clips and tour announcements:

https://www.instagram.com/aoife_is_never_dunne/

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction and meeting Aoife Dunne

06:00 – Growing up, family stories and humour

12:30 – “Aoife Dunne is a slut”

18:40 – Losing her mum while travelling in South America

27:00 – The lasting impact of grief

33:10 – Argentinian men vs Irish men

44:00 – Deciding to try ayahuasca in Brazil

50:30 – The emotional experience during the ceremony

58:20 – A new way of seeing her life

01:11:40 – An unusual path into comedy

01:28:00 – Not needing a perfect life plan

01:45:30 – The pressure of expectations in your thirties

Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations.

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