Brendan O'Connor

Joining Brendan to discuss the top stories in Sunday's newspapers are: farmer & presenter of Ear to the Ground, Darragh McCullough; Columnist with the Irish Daily Mail and Sunday Independent, Brenda Power; Law Lecturer at NUI Galway, Larry Donnelly; Head of Social Justice and Policy at SVP, Louise Bayliss; and RTE Sports Commentator, Greg Allen.

Novelist Richard Ford, joins Brendan to discuss the current state of Donald Trump's America, rediscovering his Irish heritage and the dynamics of his life-long marriage. He also explores his changing relationship to age, ambition and his friend, John Banville.

Podcaster and Presenter, Fionnuala Jones, joins Brendan to discuss the growing obsession with cringe. We are now at the point in our culture where anything millennials do is full on cringe according to Gen Z – but do they even care?

Joining Brendan to pick the best shows and films available this week are host of the Extra Vision Podcast, Andy McCarroll and entertainment journalist and host of The Bellissimo Files, Sarina Bellisimo. Their choices include ‘Holly Willoughby: Together', season two of ‘Ludwig' and documentary ‘The Healy Raes: Blood Sweat and Tears'.

Legendary songwriter and performer, Robbie Williams joins Brendan to discuss imposter syndrome, his experience of weight-loss jabs, the difficulty of facing sobriety and all the demons that drove him there. Robbie also does a stellar Morrissey impression.

After a summer of unprecedented heatwaves and terrifying wildfires close to home, have people's views on climate change altered? Will these events change how people behave, and the sorts of policies we demand from our leaders? Brendan was joined by the head of the ESRI's Behavioural Unit, Pete Lunn, and environmental scientist, Tara Shine.

The HSE's National Clinical Lead on Addiction Services, Prof. Eamon Keenan joins Brendan to discuss drug use at festivals emphasising that the best way to stay safe is not to consume drugs. He outlines what HSE services are on site at festivals, what spiked drugs are circulating in Ireland, and what harm reduction strategies users should adopt.

Acclaimed poet Rita Ann Higgins reads a new poem “Odyssey Round the A&E” inspired by her husband Christy's recent visit to the Emergency Department.

The multi-award winning songwriter behind classics like ‘Ireland's Call' and ‘The Town I Loved So Well', Phil Coulter tells Brendan about his extraordinary life and career. Phil picks out songs – by others – that inspired him along his journey – including tracks by Sinead O'Connor and Ed Sheeran.

Chartered Physiotherapist, founder of Posture Fitting and former Ireland Rugby International, Siobhan O'Donovan joins Brendan to offer tips on how to improve and maintain your balance. She suggests exercises and activities that will help your brain preserve its sense of balance.

Chef Kevin Dundon joins Brendan to discuss the delights of home-made ice cream. He talks through how to make simple ice-cream at home and tweak it with a range of own favourite flavours, from brown bread to orange to butterscotch.

Joining Brendan to discuss the top stories in Sunday's newspapers are: Former Government Press Secretary, Chris Donoghue, Lorna Fitzpatrick, Co-Founder of Fitzwilliam Fenton Public Affairs Company, Dan O'Brien, Columnist and Chief Economist with IIEA, Louise Burne, Political Correspondent with the Irish Examiner.

One of Ireland's finest musicians, fiddle player, Martin Hayes talks to Brendan about the music that shaped his life, the melancholy of the songs he grew up with in Clare, discovering The Beatles, the magic of Tommie Potts and reinventing traditional music with The Gloaming.

After the hospitalisation of blogger Perez Hilton this week, Dave Hanratty of the No Encore podcast talks to Brendan about Hilton's rise, the darkness of the celebrity internet culture of the 2000s and the disturbing voyeurism of social media.

Arts and Music Journalist, Zara Hedderman and Business Post Film critic, John Maguire join Brendan with their film and television recommendations for the week including The Shards on Disney+, In Time - a documentary about Dónal Lunny and the Anthony Bourdain biopic ‘Tony' .

Star of the stage and screen Matthew Broderick talks to Brendan about finding fame in the cultural phenomenon Ferris Bueller's Day Off, his childhood summers in Ireland, being a stage Dad to his son and his Abbey Theatre debut in Ulster American.

Friends of the late Brenda Fricker, Liz Duffy, costume designer Joan Bergin and filmmaker Tadgh O'Sullivan share their memories of the actress. They talk to Brendan about her work, the woman they knew offscreen and her strength in the face of illness.

Prof. Katriona O'Sullivan joins Brendan to discuss the nuances of marriage, reflecting on the knotty dynamics of a committed relationship, the work of connection with a partner and how our parents' marriage maps our emotional lives.

From Coco Chanel introducing tanning as a style statement to the war effort of mimicking nylons with teabags, fake tan has always been in vogue. Beauty and fashion historian Laura Fitzachary joins Brendan to give a potted history of fake tan and why Irish people are its biggest fans.

Food Historian and columnist with the Financial Times, Tim Hayward chats to Brendan about the simple joy of the cheeseburger, the certain alchemy of cheap cheese combined with meat from the smash burger to its gourmet reinvention.

Joining Dearbhail to discuss the top stories in Sunday's newspapers are Kerry Today host, Jerry O'Sullivan; Green Party Chair and Councillor for Dublin's north inner city; Managing Director of Baggot Investments, Peter Brown; political reporter with the Irish Independent, Aisling Moloney; and Europe correspondent with Euronews, Shona Murray.

Five-time Paralympian, Dancing with the Stars contestant, and coach on Ireland's Fittest Family, Ellen Keane, tells Dearbhail about her career, training regime, and life outside the pool. She also chooses five songs that have inspired her along the way, including choices by Eminem, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift.

Author Edel Coffey joins Dearbhail to discuss literary feuds. The conversation is prompted by a growing controversy around the memoir of celebrated author, Rachel Cusk, which details her difficult relationship with a famous actor, widely believed to be based on Natalie Portman.

Joining Dearbhail to discuss the best shows and films arriving this week, are producer Eoin Sweeney and Director of the Dublin International Film Festival, Grainne Humphreys. Their choices include mafia prequel Gomorrah: The Origins, Enda Walsh's coming-of-age drama, Ish, and John Creedon's Musical Atlas of Ireland.

Hollywood star and best-selling author, Ashley Judd, joins Dearbhail to discuss her career, her activism and her prominent role in the #MeToo movement. The star of ‘Heat' and ‘Double Jeopardy', and UNFPA Goodwill ambassador, talks about breaking the silence on Harvey Weinstein, for which TIME magazine named her one of their People of the Year.

Managing Director of Rockwell Financial, Robert Whelan, joins Dearbhail to discuss how triage your summer debts by prioritising the loans that have the highest interest rates. He also has tips on how to manage a side-hustle, find free holiday accommodation, and claim back expenses from Revenue.

Hotelier and recovering alcoholic, Noel Cunningham, joins Dearbhail with advice on how to host guests who are guarding their sobriety. He speaks candidly about his own addiction, recovery and shame. He outlines the challenge of working in hospitality, where serving alcohol to others is almost unavoidable. He also offers great mocktail recipes.

Diane Kelly, Director and Co-Founder of LL Solutions, took to social media to share her thoughts on how difficult it is to be a woman online, constantly judged for her appearance, not her work. It struck a chord with millions of women including presenter Carol Vorderman and singer Pink, Diane shares her story with Dearbhail.

Joining Dearbhail to discuss the top stories in Sunday's newspapers are: Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Barrister and International Human Rights Lawyer; Cuan Ó Seireadáin, Political Correspondent, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta; Emma Howard, Senior Lecturer in Economics in TU Dublin and Dan Mulhall, Former Ambassador to the US.

Comedian, actor, podcaster and writer Shane Daniel Byrne talks about his life and career through the prism of five songs'. He also speaks about growing up in an all-brother household, holidaying in Wexford, discovering youth theatre, coming out as gay and life totally changing when he became a stand-up.

Glamping... wild camping... camper-vaning... With hotel prices going through the roof, Matthew McConnell, Editor at Outsider.ie, talked to Dearbhail about affordable alternatives in the camping world, and gave tips for the inexperienced.

Fionnuala Jones, Pop Culture Journalist and podcaster and Michael Doherty, RTÉ Guide Film Editor join Dearbhail to preview the latest T.V. and cinema releases including Furious on Disney+, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, on HBO, and In the Opinion of the Censor, on RTÉ One.

Comedian and actor Pat Shortt makes his Abbey Theatre debut in ‘Animals' this September, based on Blindboy Boatclub's short stories and adapted and directed by Dan Colley. He tells Dearbhail about trying to stage an “unstageable play”, his 40 years in Limerick, why hurling managers are ripe for humour and his recent month-long motorbike trip across

Paramedic and Community Engagement Manager of the National Ambulance Service, Ger O'Dea, explains the anatomy of a car crash. What happens from the minute they get a 999 call, the roadside care they can offer, why e-scooter crashes are a daily occurrence now and why he says ‘crashes' instead of ‘accidents'. He issues a road safety appeal ahead of t

What would a united Ireland look like? And could the island end up stumbling into unity, without doing the necessary thinking and preparatory groundwork? Those are questions explored by film makers, Alan Gilsenan and John Walsh, in their film 'The Irish Question' which airs on Wednesday, July 29th on RTE 1 and on the RTE Player.

Chef Domini Kemp has tips and recipes for making beautiful potato salads and coleslaws this summer, including Asian Slaw and Green Goddess Slaw. Her recipe twists include using pickles and capers and she has alternatives for people who may be a bit mayonnaise-averse!

John Meagher, Music Critic and Irish Independent Senior Features Writer, explains why ‘Graceland' was such a groundbreaking album. Simon felt he needed a change of direction in the 1980s so starting experimenting with African rhythms and township music, journeying to South Africa and making ‘Graceland' which went onto sell 40 million copies.

Joining Claire Brock to discuss the top stories in Sunday's newspapers are Harry McGee, Political Correspondent with the Irish Times, Aisling Meehan, Agricultural Solicitor, Tax Advisor and Farmer, Oisín Coghlan, Public Policy Advisor, Prof. Niamh Hourigan, Sociologist and Vice-President of Academic Affairs at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.

With wedding season in full swing, the celebrations can also bring up some difficult issues. Claire is joined by Chartered Psychologist Allison Keating and Wedding Planner and Photographer Jenny McCarthy to talk through various dilemmas including the cost for guests, choosing what to give to the happy couple and handling tricky family dynamics.

Registered dietician Sarah Keogh talks to Claire about effective hydration, how to combat dehydration, how much water we should be drinking, the best time of day for water intake and other essential tips.

Writer Henrietta McKervey and Dave O' Callaghan, host of the ‘Here and Back Again' podcast join Claire to preview the latest T.V. and cinema releases including mother and baby home documentary Testimony, Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, thriller Lucky and the inaugural World Cup halftime show.

Singer, activist, and independent senator Frances Black joins Claire for My Life in Five Songs. From Bill Withers to Beginish. She talks about growing up in a musical family, stage-fright, how motherhood transformed her, her journey to the Seanad and her tireless work on the Occupied Territories Bill.