Leo Varadkar: Former Prime Minister of Ireland on Power and Letting Go

Leo Varadkar: Former Prime Minister of Ireland on Power and Letting Go

Before becoming Ireland’s youngest Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar was a Dublin GP with bold ambitions and a belief that politics could be a kind of medicine for society.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the former Prime Minister to explore his extraordinary rise from a mixed-heritage childhood in 1980s Ireland, to leading his country through Brexit battles, historic referendums and the turbulence of the pandemic. They discuss the unlikely path that took him from medical practice to the world stage, the emotional costs of leadership, and why he chose to step away at just 45 years old.

Frank, reflective and often surprising, this is a conversation about resilience, identity, and what it really means to hold power in a changing Ireland

Find out more about Leo Varadkar’s memoir Speaking My Mind here

Episoder(322)

Jonathan Pryce: I was told for years that I was worthless

Jonathan Pryce: I was told for years that I was worthless

From a small village in North Wales to some of the most iconic stages and screens in the world, Jonathan Pryce’s career has been shaped as much by doubt and accident as by talent and ambition.In this ...

30 Jan 59min

Rutger Bregman: What are we actually doing with our lives?

Rutger Bregman: What are we actually doing with our lives?

From calling out billionaires at Davos to challenging institutions that would rather stay comfortable, Rutger Bregman has built a career around one simple question: what are we actually doing with our...

23 Jan 1h 8min

From The Vault: Daniel Radcliffe

From The Vault: Daniel Radcliffe

From the intensity of life as one of the most recognisable children on the planet to the creative freedom he has carved out as an adult, Daniel Radcliffe’s story is one of curiosity, discipline and qu...

9 Jan 37min

From The Vault: Dawn French

From The Vault: Dawn French

From the dislocated, sun soaked childhood of an RAF family to a life spent shaping British comedy, Dawn French’s story is one of resilience, warmth and hard won self knowledge. In this generous conver...

2 Jan 47min

Full Disclosure 2025: The Year Reviewed

Full Disclosure 2025: The Year Reviewed

A Boxing Day reflection on a standout year of Full Disclosure. James O’Brien revisits key guests and conversations from 2025, offering perspective on the ideas, stories and people that shaped the podc...

26 Des 20256min

Martin Shaw: The Professionals was a monster that swallowed my career

Martin Shaw: The Professionals was a monster that swallowed my career

From bomb sites in postwar Birmingham to the centre of British stage and screen, Martin Shaw’s life has been shaped by curiosity, kindness and a refusal to play the part he was expected to play.In thi...

19 Des 20251h 1min

Sir Gareth Southgate: There were days I didn’t want to get out from under the duvet

Sir Gareth Southgate: There were days I didn’t want to get out from under the duvet

From missing the most famous penalty in English football to leading the national team into a new era, Gareth Southgate’s story is one of quiet resilience, modern leadership and emotional intelligence ...

12 Des 202557min

Jan Ravens: “I lived with a nameless dread”

Jan Ravens: “I lived with a nameless dread”

Jan Ravens, the acclaimed impressionist at the heart of Dead Ringers, grew up learning to change the mood of a room long before she ever changed her voice on stage. In this conversation with James O B...

5 Des 20251h 2min

Populært innen Samfunn

rss-spartsklubben
giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
konspirasjonspodden
popradet
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
rss-henlagt-andy-larsgaard
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
min-barneoppdragelse
grenselos
wolfgang-wee-uncut
synnve-og-vanessa
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
frokostshowet-pa-p5
rss-dannet-uten-piano
fladseth
alt-fortalt
198-land-med-einar-trnquist
opptur-med-annette-og-ingeborg