Family Flowers Only by Grief Ireland

This week, I sit down with Claire Harrison , who shares the heartbreaking loss of her niece Lucy Harrison , who was killed by her father, Claires brother. Claire and Lucy were incredibly close, with only a couple of years between them, and Claire speaks so openly about the deep bond they shared. She reflects on the unimaginable reality of grieving her beloved niece while also trying to process the...

This week, I sit down with Ronan Cullen who shares the devastating and very recent loss of his beloved wife Claire . Claire was in the Dominican Republic for her brother's wedding when she was tragically killed in a hit-and-run incident. In this deeply emotional conversation Ronan speaks about the unimaginable shock of receiving that phone call, the raw reality of grief in its earliest stages, and...

This week I sit down with Sinéad Hall who shares the heartbreaking loss of her baby son Ruadhán (Ruadh) . In a deeply emotional conversation Sinéad speaks openly about the devastation of losing a child, the love she has for her son, and the profound grief that comes with carrying a loss so unimaginable. With incredible honesty and vulnerability she shares what life has looked like since Ruadh's de...

Something a little bit different now. I want to share a gentle, deeply comforting new resource with you all. We know that for so many carrying the weight of loss, the hardest part of the day comes when the rest of the world goes completely quiet. In those late-night hours, sleep can feel entirely out of reach as thoughts begin to crowd in. If you find it difficult nodding off, or just want to rela...

This week I sit down with Andrea Gilligan , well-known broadcaster and host of Lunchtime Live on Newstalk for a deeply personal conversation about the loss of her dad Gerry. Andrea speaks about the incredibly close bond they shared, not just as father and daughter, but as genuine friends. She reflects on his cancer diagnosis, the heartbreak of losing him, and the profound impact his death had on h...

This week, I sit down with Elliot Gannon , who shares the life and loss of his son Rí , who was born with SMA Type 1 (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) . Elliot speaks about the long and complex journey that followed Rí's diagnosis, the hospital stays, medical challenges, uncertainty, and the precious time they had together as a family. But at the heart of this conversation is not just loss, but love. He s...

This week I sit down with Hannah Kelly , who shares the loss of her mum and the complex grief that surrounded their relationship. For much of Hannah’s life it was just the two of them. Her father left when she was very young, and she and her mum navigated life side by side. But as the years went on their relationship became more complicated. Hannah speaks openly about her mum becoming increasingly...

This week I sit down with Patrick Maloney from Kerry for a conversation that explores loss in a very different way. While we still speak deeply about grief, this episode moves beyond bereavement and into the loss of identity, the years lost to addiction, and the impact that struggle can have on relationships, family, and self-worth. Patrick speaks openly about his experiences as a young man battli...

This week I sit down with Paula Naughton from Roscommon, mum to three boys Archie, George, and Isaac . All three were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD , a life-limiting illness with no cure. Sadly Paula lost her son Archie at just 16 years old. George and Isaac, now also 16, continue to live with the condition as their family fights tirelessly for access to emerging treatments and t...

This week I sit down with Kathleen Barrett who shares the sudden loss of her husband Ned , who died unexpectedly at home. Kathleen and Ned had been together since they were very young, sharing almost 40 years of love, life, and a beautiful family together. In this deeply moving conversation, Kathleen speaks not only about the heartbreak of loosing him, but also about the enduring connection she st...

This week, I sit down with Des O’Donnell who shares the sudden and devastating loss of his wife Teresa known to many as Terri . Des and Terri were together for nearly 40 years, deeply intertwined in every part of their lives. Terri died suddenly at home after suffering a ruptured aneurysm, life changed in an instant. In this conversation Des speaks about the immediate aftermath of that evening, pe...

This week I sit down with Megan Kelly who shares the devastating loss of both her brother Graham and her mum Samantha , who died by suicide just over a year between each other. Megan speaks with incredible honesty about navigating two profound losses so close together, something very few people experience, and the impact it has had on her life. We had an open conversation about suicide, mental hea...

This week I sit down with Lauren Golden a clinical psychotherapist, who shares the loss of her brother Daniel who died by suicide. Lauren speaks about the complexity of Daniel’s mental health in the lead-up to his death, including his diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) . Despite the challenges he faced she reflects on how she never thought for a moment it would end this way, a real...

This week I sit down with Dympna Little known to many online as @dimplestilskin , recognised for her sharp wit and dark humour. In this conversation Dympna shares a very different side of herself, speaking openly about the loss of her mum, Lily . With honesty and vulnerability, she reflects on her grief, the impact her mum had on her life, and how that loss continues to shape her. While Dympna is...

This week I sit down with Lauren Keaney who shares the devastating loss of her brother Thomas who died in Australia after being the victim of a one-punch attack. Thomas had emigrated from Galway and Lauren speaks about the shock of losing him so suddenly in such violent circumstances, and the heartbreak of having to bring him home to Ireland. She reflects on the impact of losing someone at the han...

This week I sit down with Sarita Egan a mum of four who shares the heartbreaking loss of her husband Mark , who died by suicide. Mark had also battled for a period with severe psychosis on and off whilst coming off anabolic steroids. Sarita speaks openly about the shock of what happened, the guilt she carries, the complexity of Mark’s mental health in those final weeks, and the devastating impact...

This week I sit down with Brittany Dowling who shares the heartbreaking story of losing her husband Danny Dowling who died suddenly at just 36 following an epileptic seizure known as SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) . Danny was a devoted father to two young boys and a well-known business owner, running a much-loved lodge in the Wicklow Mountains. His sudden death has left an unimaginabl...

This week I sit down with Joanna McNulty who shares the devastating and very recent loss of her father Joachim McNulty . Joachim was a seasoned fisherman who knew the sea well but tragically lost his life when his car slid down the slipway at Belderrig Pier in Mayo and entered the water. The pier surface had become dangerously slippery due to moss and algae and he was unable to escape the vehicle....

This week I sit down with Rachel Gotto , a trauma and crisis coach and clinical hypnotherapist, who shares both her personal story of loss and the work she now does supporting others through trauma and grief. Rachel speaks about the devastating loss of her husband Nick , who died in a tragic accident when she was six months pregnant with their first child. She also reflects on the earlier loss of...

This week, I sit down with Tommy Martin who shares the deeply traumatic loss of his brother Chris who died suddenly from an asthma attack in front of him. Tommy speaks openly about the shock of that moment, trying to save his brother by performing CPR, and the lasting impact that night had on him. He reflects on how the trauma changed him, how he tried to bury his grief, and how eventually it all...

This week I sit down with Zoe Williams who shares the heartbreaking loss of her brother Lee who died from cancer at just 27 years old. Zoe speaks openly about what it was like to watch her brother become ill at such a young age, the shock of losing him when life should have been stretching out in front of him, and the deep bond they shared as siblings. She reflects on the aftermath of his death, t...

This week I sit down with Lyn Kennedy for an honest conversation about two very different but equally profound kinds of loss. Lyn first speaks about her wonderful dad Peter who developed depression later in life and struggled openly with his mental health before dying by suicide. She reflects on what it was like to witness that decline, the impact it had on their family, and the shock and grief th...

This week I sit down with Evan Daly , who speaks with such love and honesty about losing his dad Iggy to an extremely aggressive cancer, Cholangiocarcinoma . Evan’s dad died just one month to the day after his diagnosis, and Evan reflects on the courage and calm acceptance his dad showed from the very beginning and how that strength carried their family through the hardest weeks of their lives. Be...

This week I sit down with Roz McElwee for an honest and moving conversation. Roz speaks about loosing her beloved mom to cancer. Interwoven throughout this episode is a very open discussion about baby loss, fertility struggles, miscarriage, and the journey toward surrogacy. Roz shares her story with such vulnerability, touching on the quiet grief that so many people carry while trying to build a f...

Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicide, mental health struggles, and family estrangement. In this weeks episode I’m joined by Ailbhe O'Donnell , who shares her experience of loss, survival, and the long-term impact of family estrangement. Ailbhe speaks openly about loss in its many forms the loss of family connection, the loss of identity, the loss of belonging and what it means...