Sinéad O’Leary : Fighting Spirit

Topics covered : parental separation, abandonment, depression, violence, racism, homelessness, shame, teenage pregnancy, suicide, grief, independence, support, resilience, representation, forgiveness, compassion.In this episode I speak to the phenomenal Deborah Somorin.Deborah, or Debbie as she’s better known as, has experienced so much in her life; she was in and out of care homes from a very young age, at 13 she became homeless and at 14 she found out she was pregnant. In this conversation we hear about the complicated relationship she had with her mother and the reality of years spent in care in Ireland. But we also hear about the people who helped her along the way to achieve more in her life than she ever knew was possible.Today she’s a management consultant, a qualified chartered accountant and the founder of ‘Empower the Family Ireland’, a charity that helps single parents further their education and she’s also mother to Liam, who’s now 13.She’s just released two books, her memoir ‘Believing in Me’ and her children’s book ‘I Believe in You’.Resources :SamaritansSamaritans IrelandBooks : Deborah Somorin – ‘Believing in Me’ and ‘I Believe in You’If you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 Okt 20221h 11min

Topics covered : Anxiety, the inner critic, anorexia, bulimia, grief, attempted suicide, cancer diagnosis, baking, starting a business, success, wellbeing. Una Leonard is the owner and founder of 2210 Patisserie, a very successful bakery business and she has a gorgeous, upbeat personality that at one point, hid a deep unhappiness.In this conversation we get a beautiful insight into her relationship with her Mam, the bond she also had with her Granny, fondly known as Dotie; and how baking and opening up her bakery, ultimately became her saviour. I learnt so much from listening to her….about the power our words can have on children in particular, and how our attitude to food can impact those around us.It was one of the most moving conversations I have ever had and I’m so grateful to Una for her willingness to speak about such difficult times in her life and I know she’ll help so many who’ll listen.But it’s an extremely challenging listen at times as we don’t shy away from the reality of her experience of attempted suicide, so please be aware before you play it.Check out my Instagram post about the episode which includes photos that will make sense when you hear it.𝗦í𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗼𝗶𝗴𝗲 (@sileseoige) • Instagram photos and videosResources :BodywhysBodywhys | The Eating Disorders Association of IrelandPietaPieta | Preventing Suicide and Self HarmSamaritansSamaritans IrelandBook: Sweet Therapy – The Joy of BakingIf you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30 Sep 20221h 21min

Topics covered : Meditation, fears, regrets, acceptance, death, present moment awareness, compassion.Brother Richard Hendrick has been a priest-friar for over 20 years and during the Covid 19 pandemic he wrote a poem called ‘Lockdown’ which went viral.In this conversation he gives us a fascinating insight into the life of a monk, he explains the difference between having purpose in life and finding meaning, he speaks of Celtic spirituality, the power of apologising…and death, in the most beautiful way.It’s an episode that will make you reflect on your own life and hopefully enrich it, as it has for me.Book mentions: ‘Still Points – A guide to living the mindful, meditative way’‘The Top Five Regrets of The Dying’ by Bronnie WareIf you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23 Sep 20221h 13min

Topics covered : Menstrual cycle, pelvic floor, heart disease.In this episode I speak to doctor, nutritionist and best-selling author Dr, Hazel Wallace, aka The Food Medic.Originally from Dundalk, Hazel lives in London and currently has over half a million followers on Instagram.Her third book – The Female Factor is a deep dive into women’s health and in this conversation she answers things like….why we crave chocolate before our period and what our pelvic floor is and why it’s so important?Book :‘The Female Factor - Making women’s health count – and what it means for you’If you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16 Sep 202228min

Topics covered : Self-worth, the legal system in Ireland, rehabilitation.In this episode I speak to one of Ireland’s first female judges; Gillian Hussey.When she started out little did she know that she would deal with some of the most notorious criminals in Ireland, the likes of the Kinahans, the Cahills, ‘The Monk’ and John Gilligan.In this conversation she gives us an insight into her courtroom, her reflections on the legal system in Ireland and the importance she places on rehabilitation.We also talk about the relationship she had with her father and how she struggled with feeling worthy, especially early in her career.Unsurprisingly, she made a big impression on viewers when she appeared on The Tommy Tiernan show last year on RTÉ and having a number of mutual friends, I always knew she’d be a wonderful guest for Ready to be Real.Book :’Lessons from the bench – reflections on a career spent in Ireland’s criminal courts’ and it’s out now.If you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Sep 202241min

Topics covered : Launching a brand, clothing sizes, vulnerability, body acceptance, confidence.This week I speak to makeup artist and influencer, Aideen Kate.Aideen lives in Dublin with her boyfriend Dave, she currently has 158 thousand followers on Instagram and is Stellar magazine’s cover girl for the month of July.This conversation is an insight into the life of an influencer/content creator as we talk about her rise to fame and launching her own makeup brand earlier this year (True Beauty); and we also talk about her Instagram content on body acceptance which includes honest outfit try-on’s which I love!* This chat is where I wrap up the conversations until September.You can dive back into over 100 Ready to be Real episodes whenever you want and I’ll chat to you all again in the Autumn.Have a gorgeous summer! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30 Juni 202226min

Topics covered : Manifestation, embracing change, impact of the pandemic, surrogacy journey, pregnancy.In this episode I catch up with powerhouse couple Brian Dowling Gourounlian and his husband Arthur.They live in Kildare and will soon be parents for the very first time and this conversation picks up where we left off when we last spoke in January 2020 (released March 2020).So much has happened in their lives since then and if you haven’t heard our earlier chat I highly recommend you check it out as you really get a good sense of them and their relationship.In this conversation we follow on from where we left off the last time.We hear all about their journey to parenthood, their bond with Brian’s sister Aoife (also their surrogate), Arthur packing up their home in LA at the height of pandemic restrictions to move to Ireland with their friends, chef Dónal Skehan and his wife Sofie and family, and then him going on to become a judge on hit TV show Dancing with the Stars.We also talk rumours, the significance of an orange cup and how Aoife got the nickname Effidy!It's an inspiring, heart-warming and often hilarious chat that I hope you enjoy as much as I did.And if you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Juni 20221h 18min

Topics covered : animal welfare, conservation, having a baby during Covid restrictions, heart condition, major surgery, scar, healing. In this episode I speak to Killian and Katie McLaughlin who run a wildlife sanctuary in Donegal called ‘Wild Ireland’.They met in college when they were both studying law and they’re now married and are parents to Rígan who’s almost 2.In this conversation we talk about their love of animals, their passion for what they do and their plans for the future.We also talk about the highs and lows of the past 2 years, including having a baby during Covid restrictions and Katie having to undergo heart surgery.They’re an amazing couple who have had so much to deal with but are stronger than ever today.* Series 2 of ‘Return of the Wild : The Bearman of Buncrana’ will be broadcast on RTE in the coming months so keep an eye out for it.And to find out more about/ get tickets for Wild Ireland, click here...Wild IrelandIf you’re a fan of my pod, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places. And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17 Juni 20221h 1min