Brendan O'Connor

Kai Brosnan and Sophie Hynes - two younger people who undertook a one-week digital detox for the show last January - return to talk about a week of using AI chatbots to help run their lives and offer them advice on personal issues.

Joining Brendan to discuss the stories making the papers today were teacher and broadcaster Emer O’Neill; Jennifer Bray, Political Editor with the Sunday Times; Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics at DCU and Mary Hanafin, Barrister and former Fianna Fail government minister.

Food writer with The Financial Times, Tim Hayward, tells Brendan why sad lettuce needs an epic dressing. He talks Brendan through how to make an authentic American ranch dressing and offers a defence of the retro favourite, thousand island dressing.

Physiotherapist Aisling Frawley joins Brendan to talk about why flexibility matters at every age, why consistent movement and strength are key and how to stretch your way to a tip top flexibility score with exercises to increase your flexibility range.

Fr. Iggy O' Donovan reflects on the papacy of his old Augustinian classmate, Pope Leo XIV, a year into office, including recent interactions with the US White House. He talks about the state of the Catholic Church in Ireland and globally and why some younger people seem to be staging a quiet religious revival by turning back to the Catholic faith.

As the Labour Party launches a battle for the soul of Britain, former trade unionist Mick Lynch talks to Brendan about whether Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, will be the next leader of the Labour party and how deep the damage to the party really goes.

Film-maker John Carney chooses five songs from that bring him back to places, people and moments in his life. He talks about the beauty of the sibling relationship, feeling differently wired growing up, his time in ‘The Frames’, making ‘Once’ and ‘Sing Street’ and his new film, ‘Power Ballad’, which stars Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas.

Joining Brendan to pick their highlights from TV, streaming and cinema this week, are entertainment journalist and broadcaster, Serina Bellissimo and host of ‘Here and Back Again’ Podcast, Dave O’Callaghan. Among their favourites: ‘Amandaland’, ‘A Traveller Family’ and ‘The Dark Wizard’.

Head of Automotive Content at Donedeal, Paddy Comyn, joins Brendan to discuss the enduring appeal, and practical challenges, of driving a convertible in Ireland. “Most people look at you and think ‘who’s that tosser?’

Poet and Writer Theo Dorgan joins Brendan to discuss the songs that have meant most to him, throughout his life and career. He talks about being one of 16 children, the happiest man he ever met, and his correspondence with Leonard Cohen.

Joining Brendan to discuss the top stories in Sunday’s newspapers are: doctor and columnist, Maire Treasa Ni Cheallaigh; Sunday Business Post policy editor, Daniel Murray; professor of International Relations at UCD, Ben Tonra; Irish Daily Mail and Sunday Independent columnist, Brenda Power; and London correspondent for The Irish Times, Mark Paul.

On her first trip to Ireland, the best-selling author and cook, dubbed “Australia’s Martha Stewart” Donna Hay, joins Brendan in studio. She discusses Australian cuisine, building her culinary empire and turning down a job offer from the actual Martha Stewart. She also discusses her latest book ‘Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt’.

Actor Bill Nighy, joins Brendan to discuss his fashion sense, his anxiety and the tension between his Irish heritage and his persona as ‘the quintessential Englishman’. Nighy also tells Brendan about playing an Irish grandfather in his latest film ‘500 Miles’, much of which is shot and set in Dingle, Co Kerry.

Chartered work and coaching psychologist, Leisha Redmond McGrath, joins Brendan to discuss the psychological importance of holidays. She talks about the impact of bringing your work laptop away with you, and why it helps to do nice things for yourself.

A week after he told Brendan about having a cardiac arrest on a Dublin street, Irish Times columnist Brian Boyd is reunited on air with two of those who intervened to help save his life - physiotherapist, Laura Madden, and emergency medicine consultant, Dr. Cathal de Buitléir.

MEP for Midlands-North-West and former Rose of Tralee, Maria Walsh, joins Brendan to talk about her fertility journey. She outlines her options as a single, gay woman, working in frontline politics. Maria explains her experience with the European Sperm Bank and discusses the impact of pregnancy on her body, her self-image and her wider family.

Writer, Henrietta McKervey and Andy McCarroll, Host of the Extra Vision podcast join Brendan to talk through some of the biggest films and TV shows of the week. These include Criminal Record, Come To Your Census, Widow’s Bay and Lord Of The Flies.

The new novel ‘Yesteryear’ imagines what would happen if a modern-day trad wife influencer woke up in 1855, forced to actually live in the era she’s been romanticising on social media. Ellen Coyne, Political Correspondent of the Irish Times, tells Brendan about why it’s striking such a chord and posing wider questions about mothers’ choices.

Podcaster and presenter, James Kavanagh, tells Brendan about his life through the prism of five songs from Enya to Kate Bush to The Spice Girls. He talks about receiving homophobic bullying as a teen, coming out as gay, finding his tribe, having panic attacks as an adult and moving to rural Kilkenny.

Joining Brendan to discuss the stories in Sunday’s newspapers are: Talk show host and former Independent Ireland candidate in the European elections, Niall Boylan; Alison O’Connor, political commentator with The Sunday Times; Research Professor at the ESRI, Alan Barrett and Dr Shana Cohen, Executive Director of the independent think-tank TASC.

Blazing Salads Chef Lorraine Fitzmaurice has recipes for delicious summer salads that include a sweet pop of fruit flavours. She uses grilled peaches, grapes, papaya, strawberries and adds orange to fennel.

Life Hacks Columnist of the Irish Examiner, Denise O’Donoghue, has a heap of summer hacks like: why baby powder is a summer essential; how to wash your wheelie bin; tick bite tips; protecting your hair in summer; how to efficiently pack a carry-on suitcase and lots more.

Psychotherapist Dr Richard Hogan talks about historical Adoption in Ireland and its psychological ripples from the perspective of the birth mother, birth father, adoptive parent(s) and child.

Irish Times columnist Brian Boyd suffered sudden cardiac arrest while cycling past Donnybrook Garda Station in Dublin on April 1st and clinically died. A woman at the scene – probably a medic - performed intensive CPR on him, saving his life. Brian would like to thank her and find her.

Prof Colin Doherty, Consultant Neurologist and Head of the School of Medicine in Trinity College Dublin tells Brendan why they have put Love on the new curriculum for medical students, allowing them to bring their own vulnerabilities to the role of the doctor and improve patient outcomes.