The Comeback with Brenda Dennehy

This week on The Comeback, I am joined by my good friend Alan Clarke. Many of you will know Alan from his social media sketches and his hugely successful podcast Big News Coming Soon, but for the first time, he shares his full story on a podcast. In this episode, Alan speaks openly about the breakdown he faced, the weeks he spent unable to leave the house with the blinds closed, and the role thera...

All good things, in time. Some returns look different than departures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is a more relaxed and honest conversation recorded in Tenerife. I am joined by my friend Chris, who called over for a chat about his story and the role he has played in supporting me through recovery. There are plenty of laughs, alongside some very real moments. I also answer the most asked question of the last three weeks, have I moved to Tenerife. There are some changes comin...

New Year can be a difficult time. In this special episode, I revisit the final three questions I ask every guest on the podcast. Not the polished answers, but the honest ones. The words shaped by grief, addiction, illness, loss, recovery, and survival. This episode opens with a tribute to Natasha O’Byrne, who passed away last week. Natasha was one of the very first people to reach out when this po...

This episode captures my live show, and quite honestly, the best night of my life. As this final episode of 2025 goes out, I want to thank every single person who has supported the podcast over the past six months. What this show has become is beyond anything I could have imagined, and that is entirely down to you, the listeners, and the incredible guests who shared their stories so openly and the...

This week, I sit down with Timmy Long, whose story of addiction and recovery left the room in silence when he shared it at my live show in November. Timmy grew up in poverty on the north side of Cork City and experienced trauma from a young age. Years later, he fell into addiction and soon after served time in prison. While incarcerated, he received devastating news that his mother had died,...

This week, Brenda sits down with her dear friend Joe Byrne for a raw and honest conversation about identity, addiction and healing. Joe talks about growing up gay, dealing with homophobia and Catholic guilt, and the long road toward self acceptance. He opens up about his struggles with alcohol addiction and Xanax addiction, his journey through addiction recovery, and the resilience that helped him...

Most of you will know her as Sarah Burke, now Sarah O’Connor after marrying the love of her life, Keith. Her road to happiness was anything but simple. In this episode, Sarah opens up about calling off her wedding six weeks before the date, going through IVF, and experiencing a devastating miscarriage. She also talks about the horrific trolling she faced and, for the first time, reads the threaten...

Taking a tiny break this week… because my live show absolutely took over my life, in the best possible way. It turned out to be one of the greatest nights I have ever had - I am still floating. Thank you to everyone who showed up and supported me. Missed it? The full live show episode lands before Christmas. Back next Monday with an amazing guest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

At just 20 years old, Lou Hibbert’s world changed forever. Her dad Barry, a man who had gone from growing up in a council estate to becoming the CEO of a major company, took his own life. In this powerful conversation, Lou opens up about losing a parent to suicide, navigating bereavement, and how therapy and counselling helped her rebuild self-worth, self-love, and self-compassion. This Movember,...

At just 20 years old, Harry Greaney was told he had synovial sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer. He’s battled it not once, not twice, but three times. When doctors could no longer save his arm, Harry had to undergo an amputation - a life-changing moment that would break most people. But not Harry. Just weeks after surgery, he was already back training and even preparing for a powerlifting compe...

From struggling with his weight as a teenager to trying his first drug at his own school debs, Eoin McGrath's story is one of addiction recovery, heartbreak, and hope.  He talks openly about his cocaine addiction, binge eating, and the moment his family discovered how bad things had become. But this isn’t just a rehab story - it’s about grief and loss, mental health, and the sobriety journey...

Natasha McCarthy lost her dad, Tommy, in a tragic car fire the day before her 30th birthday in April 2024. In this powerful and deeply moving episode, she opens up about her grief journey, coping with loss, and healing after trauma as a single mother. She speaks honestly about the waves of bereavement, family trauma, and the long process of rebuilding life after such unimaginable pain. This is a s...

For almost a decade, Steph lived in silence with depression, anxiety, and severe OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Her life became smaller and smaller - until one day, she found herself confined to her room, unable to touch, eat, or even sit with the people she loved most. In this episode, Steph opens up about the terrifying cycle of intrusive thoughts, hand-washing rituals, and anxiety disorde...

This bonus episode is a little different. After receiving a flood of messages about the women ghosting women phenomenon, I asked Lauren Golden, a psychotherapist, to join me in studio to unpack what’s really going on. We dive into the psychology behind why women ghost each other - from friendships that suddenly end to connections that quietly fade away. We also touch on men ghosting women and wome...

At just 36, eight months married, Orlagh Winters was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer - with no lump, only pain in her breast. Her story is a powerful reminder to always get checked and trust your instincts when it comes to your health. In this episode, Orlagh opens up about her breast cancer diagnosis, the gruelling rounds of chemotherapy and the side effects that came with it -...

At seventeen, Andrew Desmond picked up his first drink - and from that moment, his life spiralled into years of alcohol addiction, problem gambling, and self-destruction. By his own words, he was a fall-down drunk, trapped in a cycle of chaos and shame. But this is not a story about defeat. It’s about recovery, personal growth, and the courage to start again. Now sixteen years sober, Andrew is a h...

⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of eating disorders, suicidal ideation and self-harm. Please take care while listening. Lauren Edwards’ story is one of struggle, survival, and ultimately, transformation. What began as a search to fit in led to years of addiction, self-destruction, and heartbreak - but also to recovery, healing, and purpose. After reaching her lowest point, Lau...

⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health struggles. Please take care while listening. This week, I sit down with Aidan Loughnane to talk about his journey through anxiety, depression, crippling panic attacks, and the frightening panic attack symptoms that began in his teenage years. He opens up about living with an eating disorder that developed into bulimi...

When his sister Sarah died in a car accident in 2010, Dave Kennedy turned to food for comfort - food he describes as his poison. Grief pushed him into emotional eating and unhealthy habits until he decided to turn his life around, beginning a weight loss journey that saw him shed eight stone and rebuild his confidence. Now a farmer and personal coach, Dave helps others find their own strength and...

Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation. Please take care while listening. Four years ago, Kim Nolan lost the love of her life, Thomas, to suicide. In an instant, her world was shattered. She was left to raise their children, Kaidyn and Aria, and faced the unbearable task of telling them their dad was gone - before having to break the same devastating new...

Most people know her online as Crazy Caroline - full of energy and fun. But in this episode of The Comeback, Caroline Rushe reveals the woman behind the Instagram account. She talks about growing up in poverty, being bullied at school and beaten at home, and how those experiences shaped her. Caroline shares with raw honesty her battles with grief, suicide, and mental health - and how she has found...

After fifteen amazing episodes of The Comeback with Brenda Dennehy, I’m taking a little break. When I put out episode one just twelve weeks ago, I never thought it would reach and connect with so many of you. I can’t thank you enough for all the love, messages, and support. Season Two is already recorded, and I’ll be back very soon - kicking off with an absolute banger! Connect With Me: Instagram:...

Trigger warning: This episode contains conversations about suicide and bereavement. Listener discretion is advised. Episode Description: On 8th May 2016, Damien Long’s life changed forever. That Sunday morning - usually spent with his 17-year-old daughter Shaunagh - ended with the knock at the door no parent ever wants to answer. Shaunagh had died by suicide. In this raw and unflinc...

Trigger Warning! This episode contains themes of suicide and mental health. Please listen with care. Episode Description On this powerful episode of The Comeback, Lorraine Jordan shares the night she went into the River Lee in Cork - and how a stranger jumped in to help save her. What followed was a long recovery journey through alcohol addiction, depression, and the struggle of rebuilding life as...