iRadio's Groupchat

Looking for something new to watch as the evenings get darker? This week, Valerie is joined by Eimear Powell, who shares film and TV reviews on social media, to chat recommendations for every mood - from gripping cinema trips to proper cozy comfort watches. Eimear talks about training as an actor at Bow Street, falling out of love with the spotlight, and why she started posting accessible, no-nons...

More than 300,000 public sector workers have taken part in a 24-hour strike, shutting schools and disrupting healthcare, courts and other services as talks on a new pay deal drag on. Valerie is joined by Seamus Burns from Well to Teach to explain how the day unfolded on the picket line, what kind of support teachers and SNAs have been getting from parents and the wider public, and why this isn’t j...

Jordan Breen is a 27-year-old full-time artist from Enniskillen who’s turned Irish-themed paintings into prints that are now selling all around the world. In this episode, he chats about how drawing was always his first love, why he fell out of love with art at university, and how COVID pushed him back into painting when he needed purpose. He opens up about taking the scary leap from pub work to g...

More than 300,000 public sector workers across Ireland are set to take part in a 24-hour strike - with schools and colleges closed, healthcare appointments cancelled, court sittings suspended and local authority services disrupted. Valerie is joined by Scott Miller from SIPTU’s Communications Department to explain what’s behind the breakdown in pay talks, why unions say the government’s offer effe...

Leah Cahill is back, and since we last spoke she’s taken a massive step: after a DNA test and the help of an organisation in China, she found her birth parents - and travelled to meet them in person for the first time. She talks honestly about the overwhelm of that first day, her biological mother’s reaction, and what it was like meeting her sister and feeling an instant connection — even with a l...

Can you bring an iced latte into a job interview… or is that an instant red flag? Valerie digs into the “unwritten rules” of getting hired - and whether we’re all overthinking interview etiquette. Careers coach Angela Burke joins us with the practical do’s, don’ts and grey areas: the biggest interview mistakes people make, why “saying what you think they want to hear” can backfire, and how to stop...

Ireland’s public IVF scheme is finally here, but what’s it actually like trying to access fertility treatment through the state? Valerie is joined by Eilbhe Kennedy, who recently featured on RTÉ Investigates with her husband Lee, as they shared the reality of secondary infertility, “normal” test results, and living cycle-to-cycle for years. Elva opens up about being refused the HSE scheme at first...

Could the government become the new Cupid? Singapore has rolled out a matchmaking service for government workers aged 21–35, using a Nobel Prize-winning algorithm to pair people based on interests, habits and values - with one date at a time and no endless swiping. Valerie asks: could something like this work in Ireland, and would you trust the government to find you a partner? Matchmaker Mairead...

We’re talking about something we all have to navigate at some point: how to look after your health and get the most out of a GP appointment - especially when you’ve only got 10–15 minutes. GP Dr. Clodagh Gallagher (The Anú Clinic, Moycullen, Co. Galway) joins Valerie with practical tips on going in prepared: bringing urine samples if needed, having photos ready, noting key dates, and writing your...

A new school-based programme is creating non-judgmental spaces for young boys to be honest about how they’re really doing. In this episode, Programme Director Donal Kearney joins Valerie to talk about Mark, the Shona Project’s latest initiative - and why the call for something like this came from the girls themselves asking, “what about the boys?” Donald explains how the 90-minute workshops work,...

This week on iRadio’s iRecommend, we’re leaning all the way into spooky season — stepping into a world of ghosts, ancient magic, witches, folklore and mysterious stone circles. Valerie’s featured read is Girl of Darkness, the brand new YA urban fantasy from Swedish-born, Ireland-based author Kristina Dowling. Think eerie vibes, secret brotherhoods, a scarred stranger, a sealed grimoire… and a slow...

This week on iRadio's Groupchat Business Spotlight, we’re chatting to Aishling Croughan, founder of Ora Wellness Studio in Athlone - a new space built around the idea that movement should meet you where you are. Ashlyn tells us how moving home after four years in South Korea helped her spot a gap in the local wellness scene, and what it’s been like building Aura from the ground up after a career i...

Budget 2027 has landed, the government has “loosened the purse strings” - but what does it actually mean for you? Political correspondent Sean Defoe joins us live from Leinster House to break down the headline changes without the chaos. We dig into what students and young people are getting: the cut to the student contribution, SUSI increases, and a new support pot for students who become pregnant...

If you’ve ever watched a renovation show and thought, “That looks amazing… but how much is that actually going to cost?”, today’s conversation is for you.   Our guest is Rachel Uí Bhaoil, better known online as The Renovation Strategist. Rachel is the owner of Spreag.ie , a certified financial planner and property developer who has built a following by sharing practical advice for people...

We were joined by Niamh Noonan, who has gained a significant following on social media for sharing the realities of her day to day life after facing breast cancer. Niamh was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer two days after her 30th birthday. She's finished treatment now, but has continued to document her life on social media to remind people to look after their health, and advocate for...

For today’s iRadio Groupchat Business Spotlight, we’re shining a light on an Irish businesswoman who has taken something she loved doing as a child and turned it into a thriving handmade brand.   Isabella McKeon, from County Leitrim, is the woman behind By Izzy the Label - a crochet fashion brand creating handmade bags and accessories using recycled T-shirt yarn.   Isabella’s l...

The saying goes "She believed She could so She did" This ties in perfectly with Ghlór Mná, which is a writing and creative wellbeing community for women and mothers in the west of Ireland. It is self described as a space where words are the tool, play is the purpose and connection is the core. Founder Claire Kelly joined Valerie on the show to reflect on the importance of community, and chat about...

Today we’re talking about something that affects men from all walks of life — connection, mental health, purpose and the importance of having a strong support system around you.   Joining us is Darren Reilly, a high-performance men’s coach and psychotherapist, and the founder of Brotherhood - a community created to help men become more connected to themselves, to each other, and to the l...

Today we're talking about something that so many people experience, but can often feel very difficult to admit - loneliness.    Claine Cassidy, recently opened up on TikTok about her own experience of feeling lonely in her 20s and finding it difficult to make new friends as an adult.   What happened next really struck a chord. Hundreds of people reached out to Claine, tell...

Valerie McHugh is joined by actor and creator Éyum Priscilla, born in Drogheda and raised in Dublin, to talk about what it means to be Irish when people insist you’re “not really Irish” because you’re Black. Éyum opens up about the moments that made her realise how differently others viewed her identity, the racism and trolling she’s faced online, and the everyday “small” comments and unconscious...

Representation in entertainment is improving, but is it actually becoming more accessible for autistic and neurodivergent performers? Valerie McHugh is joined by content creator and acting student Fyiya, who was diagnosed with autism in her 20s, to talk honestly about identity, burnout, and finding freedom in finally understanding yourself. Fyiya shares why acting feels like escapism and magic, wh...

The words equality, diversity and inclusion get thrown around a lot – but do we actually know what they mean in practice? Valerie McHugh is joined by Florencia Santana, trainer and advisor with the Irish Centre for Diversity, to break down the big terms and why they’re not interchangeable. Flora explains how “I don’t see colour” can erase identity, why equality on its own doesn’t guarantee belongi...

As the evenings get darker and the cold weather creeps in, Valerie McHugh is joined by Hermione ReId - better known as Bookworm Herm – for a cosy chat all about getting back into reading. From autumn fantasy and “spooky season” picks like Akotar, Serpent and the Wings of Night and Practical Magic, to what’s trending on BookTok right now (including Yesteryear), Hermione shares recommendations for e...

Valerie McHugh is joined by Eamon, founder of Gaeilgeoir Guides, to chat about the Irish language revival – and he’s calling in live from his travels in China. Eamon shares how his new Irish-learning app, Hey Rua, is built around speaking out loud, with native recordings from Connemara, Kerry and Donegal, pronunciation feedback, games, and guided everyday conversations (from ordering a coffee to s...

Valerie McHugh is joined by Miss Ireland 2025, Caoimhe Kenny, fresh home from Vietnam after representing Ireland at Miss World alongside 110+ women from around the globe. She chats about the surreal month away, the friendships she’s made, and the pride (and pressure) of stepping onto a world stage with the tricolour. She explains her work with Hygiene Hub Ireland, what hygiene poverty really means...