Mad About Herself Podcast

It’s our Halloween Special and things are a wee bit chaotic this week! 😂 I’m joined by our very own cameraman Simon, who turned up dressed as a priest, whilst I went for the handsome devil look! 😈 We’re chatting about Derry Halloween and some embarrassing costumes from years gone by, before getting stuck into YOUR listener confessions. And let’s just say some of you have a lot to answer for! 👀...

From growing up in a working-class Belfast family to founding Belfast Fashion Week and building a hugely successful career, PR queen Cathy Martin has never been afraid to do things differently. In this episode of Mad About Herself, Cathy takes us right back to where her career began and opens up about raising her daughter as a single mum while running multiple businesses, navigating adult friendsh...

This week on Mad About Herself, I'm joined by Myllena O'Keefe, who was born and raised in Brazil before moving to Ireland as a young girl and becoming a mum at just 16. Myllena opens up about finding out she was pregnant so young, the reality of growing up while raising a child of her own, and the teenage years and experiences she missed along the way. We also talk about her relationship w...

What does it really look like to build a business while you’re also building a home, getting married, raising a family and trying to keep all the plates spinning? This week on Mad About Herself, I’m joined by Jayne Gilmore, founder of Stable Lane, to talk about the journey from spotting an empty building and thinking, “that would be a great place for a shop,” to creating a growing family business...

This week on Mad About Herself, I’m joined by Niamh Smyth, who shares her life online through her love of travel, lifestyle content and her very honest TTC journey. Niamh got married at 21, straight after university, and believed that starting a family would naturally be the next chapter. But almost ten years later, after years of trying to conceive and four unsuccessful rounds of IVF, becoming a...

This week on Mad About Herself, I’m joined by social media coach and entrepreneur Lana Kearney for a brilliantly honest conversation about business, motherhood, mental health and everything that happens when those worlds collide. Lana shares how her social media business absolutely exploded, with thousands of people signing up to learn from her, and why she always knew she had the ability to make...

Christopher Ferry is the man behind one of Derry's most recognisable brands - Ferry Clever - and in this episode, we're getting to know the man behind the cards, the comedy and the controversy. Christopher joins Alannah for a funny, honest and at times deeply personal conversation about building Ferry Clever, his love of Derry and Derry humour, supporting local businesses and causes, and why he is...

From daydreaming and drama class at Thornhill to appearing on our screens in Derry Girls and Blue Lights, Dearbháile McKinney knows what it means to have a dream - and what it takes to keep chasing it. In this episode of Mad About Herself, Dearbháile swaps the Blue Lights for the pink lights of the studio for an open and honest conversation about acting, ambition, rejection and mental health. We t...

The day I decided I was going to start Mad About Herself, I saw a post from Aisling Gallagher - aka GalsGoss - sharing her “Fab and Free at 33” goal list. One of the things on that list was to be a guest on a podcast. I messaged her that day. So there feels like something pretty special about Aisling opening Season 2. Long before cancer entered her story, Aisling was a girl who loved fashion. She...

What was meant to be just another episode became something rather different. After a serious road traffic accident forced me to cancel upcoming recordings, we unexpectedly found ourselves recording a season finale. This week, the tables are turned as my good friend, comedian and creative genius Joseph Carlin takes over hosting duties, Producer Simon finally gets his own microphone, and for the fir...

This week on Mad About Herself, I’m joined by Naiomi Kelly, better known as Mama Nomes, herbalist, aromatherapist, community builder, and founder of The Herbal Hub, a pioneering health and wellbeing practice in Derry. From dreaming of becoming the Potions Master at Hogwarts (or a farmer!) to creating a career rooted in nature, healing, and community, Naiomi’s story is a beautiful reminder that the...

In this episode of The Mad About Herself Podcast, I sit down with Registered Nutritionist and Female Health Coach Jade Bradley to explore her inspiring journey into the world of women's health and nutrition. Jade shares the 10-year path that led her to become a registered nutritionist and female health coach, the lessons she learned along the way, and the passion that drives her to help women...

Trigger warning: This episode includes conversations around birth trauma and birth experiences that some listeners may find difficult. Please take care while listening. Jessica Ireland joins Alannah to talk about home birth, homemaking, motherhood, and building a career online through TikTok. Jessica has built a successful career online, growing from her viral drawing account on TikTok to sharing...

Aoife Bonner, founder of Sass & Halo, joins Alannah to talk about building a business in the wake of her father’s sudden passing, celebrating 10 years of entrepreneurship, navigating motherhood, and co-founding GIRL, a creative space championing female-led businesses. Aoife is the definition of a girl’s girl. This conversation is honest, frank, and full of laughs as we chat about loss, resilie...

In Episode 5 of the Mad About Herself podcast, I sit down with self-professed hot mom of one (very soon to be two) and TikTok creator, Anna Crawford. We chat about pregnancy, motherhood, relationships, body confidence, social media, and the reality of navigating life online while trying to stay true to yourself. Anna also opens up about struggling with postnatal depression after the birth of her f...

In Episode 4 of the Mad About Herself podcast, I sit down with content creator and mum of three, Jenny Montgomery aka @wingingmalife We chat about motherhood, parenting children with different needs, advocating for your children, raising a child with autism, relationships, mental health and anxiety, and the realities of sharing your life online. It’s an honest, funny and heartfelt conversation abo...

In Episode 3 of the Mad About Herself podcast, I sit down with lifestyle creator and mum of four, Caoímhe Mc Ginley of The Big Hill House. We chat about motherhood, building a career online, sharing life on social media, and navigating personal change while living in the public eye. It’s an honest, emotional, and empowering conversation about resilience, identity, and creating a life that feels tr...

In the second episode of the Mad About Herself Podcast , I’m joined by award-winning musical comedian, writer, and BBC presenter, Emer Maguire. We chat about growing up feeling ‘different’, surviving grammar school, embracing quiet confidence, and navigating OCD and neurodiversity as well as the realities of being judged on appearance. You can buy tickets to Emer's upcoming shows or find out more...

In the first episode of Mad About Herself , I’m joined by Annette Kelly, wellness entrepreneur and co-founder of Little Penny Thoughts. We chat all about confidence, self-love, neurodiversity, and manifestation - and how words (and quotes) can be a powerful catalyst for change. Find Annette’s products and upcoming events at www.littlepennythoughts.com . Thanks to our episode sponsor, I Am Beauty....