Ready To Be Real by Síle Seoige

Topics covered: Nature, belonging, grief, childhood loss, the Whiddy Island disaster, family, fatherhood, night fishing, love, mortality, the healing power of nature, wildlife encounters, biodiversity, climate change, our relationship with the natural world, identity, ag foghlaim Gaeilge, slowing do​wn, Manchán Magan. My guest this week is Eoin Warner, an award-winning wildlife documentary present...

In this special Oíche Shamhna Real Take, I'm revisiting a conversation I had this time last year with musician, broadcaster and academic Doireann Ní Ghlacáin. We spoke the day after I'd seen her perform her show The Cailleach at An Taibhdhearc, Amharclann Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, in Galway. In this snippet, Doireann speaks about the significance of An Chailleach, an ancient female figure deep...

Topics covered: Conscious parenting, raising daughters and sons, childhood conditioning, patriarchy, people-pleasing, strong-willed girls, self-worth, body image, modelling, boundaries, boys' emotional regulation, movement, masculinity, sexuality, pornography, online safety, social media, algorithms, the wellness industry, the psychology of more, connection and presence. My guest this week is...

How often do we push ourselves to the point of exhaustion, trying to do everything and keep everyone happy? For this week's Real Take, I'm dipping into the Ready to Be Real archive to revisit a conversation I had with the brilliant midlife coach Alana Kirk back in April 2024. In this short extract, Alana shares a powerful example of how setting boundaries and making small changes can make...

Topics covered: Family, childhood, emigration, love, fatherhood, masculinity, patriarchy, Palestine, empathy, apathy, humanity, community, collective action, LSD, anxiety, panic attacks, creativity and music. This week I'm joined by singer-songwriter, author and actor Declan O'Rourke. Originally from Ballyfermot in Dublin, Declan grew up with his parents and three siblings. He spent part o...

Topics covered: Adolescence, preteens, parenting, boundaries, connection, communication, friendships, resilience, smartphones, internet access, childhood development and growing independence. For this week's Real Take, I'm dipping into the Ready to Be Real archive and sharing an extract from a conversation I had with psychotherapist Richard Hogan in April 2025. Richard specialises in worki...

Topics covered: Online safety, childhood, parenting, smartphones, social media, gaming, Roblox, algorithms, manipulation, digital autonomy, grooming, sextortion, exploitation, CSAM, pornography, harmful content, suicide, sharenting, digital literacy, boundaries, notifications, screen time, peer pressure, parental responsibility, online reporting. CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussions...

In this week's Real Take, Majella O'Donnell shares her personal experience of the ten weeks she spent as an inpatient in St John of God Hospital in 2024, when she became seriously unwell with depression. She speaks about the fear and vulnerability she experienced, and she also discusses medication, treatment and the practical tools she learned during her time in hospital, including recogni...

Topics covered: Childhood, family, fear and safety, motherhood, relationships, depression, psychiatric care, medication, ADHD, breast cancer, ​mental health​, identity​, vulnerability, recovery, love, marriage and life with Daniel. My guest in this episode is mental health advocate and TV personality Majella O’Donnell, in what is her very first podcast conversation. Majella is a mother of two and...

In this short extract from my conversation with eco-builder and author Harrison Gardner, he talks about the systems we rely on every day, why convenience so often wins, and the value of having a backup when the systems we take for granted, don't work as expected. The full conversation,​ Harrison Gardner: How Prepared Are You?, is available now wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. S...

Topics covered : Housing, shelter, self-building, self-sufficiency, security, agency, sustainability, consumerism, capitalism, convenience, our reliance on systems, power cuts, extreme weather, energy, practical skills, DIY, community, climate change, preparedness​ and taking back control. Harrison Gardner is an eco-builder, author and broadcaster who lives in Co. Clare with his wife Erin and thei...

If you enjoy this snippet, check out the full conversation with Kyla, anytime now! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Gratitude, self-belief, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, mother-daughter bond, coercive control, patriarchy, beauty standards, ageing, women’s cycles, strength training, healthy love, taking up space. This week’s guest is comedian and now author Kyla Cobbler. Kyla and I sat down in Galway just as her first book, 'Happy, Thank You, More, Please' was released. We talk about...

​Topics covered : Rest, nervous system regulation, connection, guilt, awareness, balance, parenting, burnout, self compassion​. For my final episode before the summer break, I'm joined by chartered clinical psychologist, author and psychology lecturer, Dr Malie Coyne. Why do so many of us find it so difficult to rest? ​Malie explore​s our relationship with rest and why, in a world that celebrates...

In this week's Real Take, I'm sharing a short snippet from my conversation with professional home organiser and founder of The Home Reset, Hazel Burton. Hazel explains why asking simple questions can be a game changer when it comes to reducing clutter and creating lasting organising habits at home. If you enjoyed this episode, you'll find my full conversation with Hazel Burton wherever you get you...

Topics covered: Career change, decluttering, guilt, shame, organisation, consumerism, sustainability, sentimental items, children's toys, labelling, habits, letting go, mental wellbeing, calmer homes. This week's guest is professional home organiser Hazel Burton, founder of The Home Reset. Hazel lives in Dublin with her husband Conor and their two children, Fionn who's 12 and Izzy who's almost 10....

Topics covered : Tragic death, complex grief, severe injuries, PTSD. This is my conversation with the incredible Zoe Holohan from March 2021. On the 23rd of July 2018, Zoe and her husband Brian were on their honeymoon when disaster struck. Wildfires swept through the seaside town of Mati in Greece where they were staying and claimed the lives of 102 people. She miraculously survived despite h...

​Topics covered : Vulnerability, heritage, organic farming, biodiversity, food waste, value, climate, connection. This week's guest is Kenneth Keavey, co-founder of Green Earth Organics, one of Ireland's best-known organic farms. Kenneth holds a degree in science and a PhD in chemistry, and spent years working in biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry before making a life-changing decision...

No electricity. No hot water. The best sleep of her life. In this week's Real Take, taken from my recent conversation with public historian and author Lesley Bond, we explore what it was really like to spend six months living on the Great Blasket Island. Back in 2019, Lesley and her then-boyfriend (now husband) Gordon left their busy lives behind to become seasonal caretakers of the island. Togeth...

Topics covered: island life, ​living without modern comforts, heritage, community, ​postnatal depression, writing and healing. This week, I’m joined by public historian and author Lesley Bond. In 2019, Lesley and her then-boyfriend, ​(now husband​) Gordon, left their busy lives behind to spend six months as caretakers on the Great Blasket Island, off the coast of Kerry. With no electricity or hot...

​Topics covered : her upbringing, her late husband, grief, mourning, rebuilding her life, fostering, community, belonging and public service.  This week, I'm joined by Helen Ogbu​ - Labour councillor, the newly elected Mayor of Galway, foster carer, life coach and PhD student. Helen made history this year by becoming Galway's first Mayor from a migrant background. But long before politics, he...

In this weeks Real Take from my conversation with musician, performer and storyteller Aindrias de Staic...he talks about the ancient Irish bardic storytelling tradition and why play is so good for our mental health. If you enjoyed this conversation, I'd really encourage you to listen to the full episode, where Aindrias speaks openly about his childhood, his relationship with his father, addiction...

Topics covered : ADHD, addiction, recovery, nature, bardic storytelling, performing. My guest this week is musician, performer and storyteller Aindrias de Staic, who many of you will know online as 'Smalltown Seanchaí'. The son of the late writer and folklorist Eddie Stack, Aindrias grew up immersed in stories. But this conversation isn't simply about where he comes from, it's about the life he's...

In this week's Real Take, Tara Rafter reflects on her mother's final days living with COPD​ and the heartbreak of saying goodbye to the woman who had been her anchor throughout life. ​If this excerpt resonates with you, I highly recommend listening to the full episode: Tara Rafter: Hypervigilance to Healing ​Growing up in a home impacted by alcoholism and domestic violence, she learned from a youn...

​Topics covered include:​ Alcoholism​, domestic violence​, hypervigilance​, compassion​, motherhood​, self-abandonment​, being a carer​, death and loss​, grief​, faith​, spirituality​, forgiveness​, love​, safety​, self-worth​, self-sabotage​, overwhelm​, healing​. This week I'm joined by Master Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner, Executive Coach and founder of The Navigation Coach, Tara Ra...