Sinéad O’Leary : Fighting Spirit

Topics covered : George Floyd, Black Lives Matter movement, trauma, racism, empathy, capitalism, celebrity culture, social media, privilege, colonialism, photography, power of film and music, Palestine, injustice, grief, social justice, community.My guest this week is photographer, filmmaker, entrepreneur and social activist, the wonderful Misan Harriman.He is married to Camilla and they have 2 young daughters and they live in Surrey.He was born in Nigeria and came to England when he was a young boy to attend boarding school and the last few years in particular, have been transformative for him.On his 40th birthday he picked up a camera and his gift behind the lens has led him to photograph some of the most influential people in the world from Harry and Megan, who are good friends of his; Kate Winslet, Harrison Ford and Angelina Jolie to name but a few.He is also the chair of cultural hub, the Southbank Centre, and an ambassador for Save The Children and he was the first black man to shoot the cover of British Vogue in its 104 year history.In this conversation, he talks about George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement, celebrity culture, the power of the arts and his love of film and music, his debut short film ‘The After’ which is currently on Netflix, and how children everywhere, must be our priority.Watch :The AfterTriangle of SadnessWhite Nanny Black ChildListen :On the nature of daylight by Max RichterOther podcasts to listen to are...Farah Nabulsi : Award winning filmmaker​Sarah Durham Wilson : Rebel with a causeRóisín El Cherif : Palestinian prideCaoimhe Butterly : Collective CareDr Myriam François : Speaking truth to powerDaniel Maté : Dismantling blindspotsRuth Smith : Love and Justice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 Okt 20241h 24min

Topics covered : Confidence, courage, anxiety, affirmations, bullshitting, self-talk. In this episode I speak to Professor Ian Robertson about confidence.Ian is a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist and he is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading researchers in neuropsychology and he’s also the author of several best-selling books, including ‘How Confidence Works’.In this conversation he tells us what confidence is, what makes someone confident, how we can improve it, the differences between men and women in terms of confidence and why that is; the art of bullshitting and the power of positive self-talk.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.

26 Sep 202451min

Topics covered : Poverty, heroin addiction, neglect, abuse, childhood rape, dysfunction, shame, positive influences, kindness, breaking negative cycles, therapy, recovery, attachment, opportunities, motherhood, education, academia, love, compassion, forgiveness, healing. Please read the full list of topics covered before you listen. I speak to the phenomenal Dr. Katriona O’Sullivan and it's an eye opening and challenging conversation at times but I highly recommend you stay with it until the end.Katriona lives in Blanchardstown in Dublin and is married to Dave and she has 3 boys, John who’s 30, Seán who’s 18, and Tadhg who’s 15 and she’s also a proud grandmother.She is a senior lecturer in Maynooth University in the department of Psychology and is the author of bestselling memoir ‘Poor’.Katriona’s childhood growing up in Coventry was often chaotic; as one of 5 kids to Irish parents living in a home shaped by heroin addiction, she experienced extreme trauma from an early age, which included being raped as a 7 year old and being pregnant and homeless, as a teenager.In this conversation she speaks about the extreme neglect she experienced in childhood, the people who were a positive force in her life, the importance of opportunities and education, and the power of healing.Book – ‘Poor’ is available in all good bookshops and online and is also available as an audio book.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.

19 Sep 20241h 15min

Topics covered : Childhood cancer, grief, perspective, gratitude. In this episode I speak to Roseanna Ruane about her wonderful daughter Saoírse who sadly passed away in March this year.We spoke a few weeks ago and in this heart-breaking conversation she talks about Saoirse, the kind and wise girl that she was, from her first cancer diagnosis when she was only 7 years old and how devastating life has been since she passed away.She talks about how much she believes in being grateful for what we have in life, and the importance in making memories.Saoirse was only 12 years old when she left this world but she left her mark in the most beautiful way.Roseanna lives in Galway with her husband Ollie, their daughter Farrah Rose and their much loved dog Willow.If you have been affected by this episode, please go to Grief & loss helplines in Ireland (findahelpline.com) for a list of resources that might be beneficial.And if you want to contact Roseanna, you can find her on Instagram (@saoirseandmamma) or if you want her to speak at an event, you can email her theruane4@gmail.comRoseanna uses their page to spread awareness about childhood cancer, limb loss, fertility and grief and her wish is to continue to speak about their experience in the hope that it might give people perspective on what's important in life.I’ll be taking a quick break from the pod but I'll be back again with more conversations in September. In the meantime, you can dive back into over 180 episodes and if you’re a fan of what I do, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places, I'd really appreciate it.Thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real.Enjoy the rest of the summer agus tabhair aire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Aug 20241h 37min

Topics covered : Resistance, solidarity, grief, finding purpose, empathy and selective empathy, creativity, racism, colonisation, injustice, double standards, hypocrisy, soft power. This week I speak to Oscar nominated and BAFTA Award winning Palestinian British filmmaker and human rights advocate, Farah Nabulsi.She lives in London with her husband and their 3 children and we spoke when she was recently in Galway for the Film Fleadh.Farah's work includes 'Today They Took My Son', endorsed by British Director Ken Loach and screened at the United Nations. 'The Present', her directorial debut, which she also co-wrote and produced, went on to win over 50 International Film Festival Jury and Audience Awards, a BAFTA® award, and it scored an Oscar® nomination. Her feature length film ‘The Teacher’ (which is outstanding by the way) won Best International Film at the Galway Film Fleadh and it will be released in cinemas across the UK and Ireland from the 27th of September.We sat down to speak about shooting it exclusively in the West Bank, she also talks about how her life changed after a trip to Palestine as an adult, finding purpose in life, double standards, her Palestinian parents and so much more.For more information about this powerful film and cinema locations, go to...Home - The Teacher​And if you like this conversation, other episodes to listen to are...Ruth Smith : Love and JusticeDaniel Mate : Dismantling blindspotsDr Myriam François : Speaking truth to powerCaoimhe Butterly : Collective CareRóisín El Cherif : Palestinian pride​Sarah Durham Wilson : Rebel with a causeGalway Film Fleadh36th Galway Film Fleadh | 9 - 14 July 2024If you’re a fan of what I do, 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.

26 Juli 202456min

Topics covered : Interior design, discovering your own style, trends. In this bite-sized episode I chat to interior designer Tiffany Jones of Beach House Interiors.Tiffany lives in Clare with her husband Wayne and their 3.5 year old son Guy.If you’re following me on Instagram you might be aware that we recently moved into our forever home by the sea and Tiffany was, and still is, our interior designer and now friend.In this conversation she talks about the role of an interior designer, how to figure out your personal style, the importance of budgeting and her expert opinion on trends!To contact Tiffany...Interior Designer | Beach House Interior Design | Ireland (beach-house.ie)Beach House Interiors (@beachhouse.interiors) • Instagram photos and videosIf you’re a fan of what I do, 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.

11 Juli 202426min

Topics covered : Women’s health – sex, miscarriage, perimenopause, incontinence, shedding shame; motherhood and Mum guilt, Gaza and social media censorship. This week I speak to business owner, podcaster and personality, Laura Dowling, known online as the Fabulous Pharmacist.Laura lives in Dublin, with her husband Frank, their 3 boys who are 16, 13 and 11 and their dog Carlo.She worked as a pharmacist for over 20 years and is the founder & CEO of fabÜ nutritional supplements.In this conversation she talks about women’s health and the importance of shedding shame when it comes to our bodies, motherhood, the ongoing genocide in Gaza and social media censorship.fabÜ nutritional supplements – fabuwellnessIf you liked this episode, others to check out are...Alana Kirk : Midlife coachJenny Keane : Sex EducationDr. Hazel Wallace : The Food MedicDeirdre O'Kane : It only gets betterSexologist Emily Power Smith : Sex Part 1 & 2Menopause Part 1 & 2Helena Tubridy :All things FertilityIf you’re a fan of what I do, 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.

4 Juli 202458min

Topics covered : Alopecia Universalas, positive birth story, empowerment, inequality, activism, allyship, grief, miscarriage, still birth, episiotomy, PRIDE, colonisation.This week I speak to celebrant and director of Entheos Ireland, Karen Dempsey, also known as The Bald Priestess.Karen lives in Dublin, with her husband Liam, their son Beineán (18), daughter Róisín (5) and their dog Milo.In this conversation Karen talks about Alopecia Universalas; coming to terms with it and how she doesn't miss her hair at all anymore. She speaks about why she set up 'Entheos', an inclusive organisation founded to serve people outside traditional faith paths and her work as a celebrant, which she is so passionate about. She shares her extraordinary home birth experience with Róisín during the chat, her thoughts on taking part in ancient pilgrimage Lough Derg, and why activism and allyship are very important to her.To connect with Karen go to….Entheos | Community • Ceremony • ChangeThe article I mentioned during the chat…Sile Seoige - My Lough Derg Diary: darkness before dawn | Irish IndependentIf you’re a fan of what I do, 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.

28 Juni 20241h 25min