The Grief Pod

Joe Supple, also known by his alter ego Miss Candy, lost his brother Robbie tragically by drowning. A fisherman, Robbie had just started a new life in Castletownbere aged 29. Joe then lost both his Mum and Dad in the same 5 years. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Joe talks about how he’s kept going after such huge loss in such a short space of time, his brother who ‘everybody loved’ and the small...

Michelle Cullen lost her husband John in 2015, when he was just 52, following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Her brother, David died aged 10, two days before her ninth birthday. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Michelle talks about sibling loss, and how our attitudes to grief have changed over the years, how Johns death prompted a 360 career change and how 11 years on she’s navigated her...

The Cornucopia Story, A Tale of Love and Loss, Hope and Healing, is written by Deirdre O’Mara McCafferty, who founded the Dublin institution with her late husband Neil, 40 years ago. After three month battle, Neil lost his life to pancreatic cancer, in 1993, aged just 40. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Deirdre talks about her and Neil’s incredible love story against a difficult backdrop, her le...

Actress Leigh Arnold, lost her baby son Flynn when he was less than a month old. On this episode of The Grief Pod, Leigh talks about how she coped with this unimaginable tragedy, while trying to stay present for her toddler son, who shares the same birthday as Flynn, how she struggled with the absence of her baby while life continued around her, and her heartbreak at the death of her brother, Nick...

Mike McGrath-Bryan, is a Journalist and Author of ‘Have I Got Your Attention? A Guide to Adult ADHD in Ireland. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Mike discusses how he felt being diagnosed at 33, and how now he reflects on his childhood experiences, feelings of rejection sensitivity and whether living so much of his life feeling ‘different’ has led to a sense of Ambiguous Loss.

Journalist and Author of the best selling novel ‘Esther is now following you’, Tanya Sweeney, lost her Mum Gabrielle to cancer 15 years ago. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Tanya talks about how her grief has surged since having her own daughter, her Mums last weeks in the hospice and her final hours, and the strange, and surprising path grief can often bring you down.

Painter and co-host of The Creep Dive Podcast, Jen O’Dwyer lost her sister, Aisling at the age of 16 to Cystic Fibrosis. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Jen talks about the heartbreak of losing her only sibling, the complexities of how her home and childhood, differed to those of her peers growing up, and how having a seriously sibling gave her a sense of ‘limited time’ from a very young age.

Actress Amy De Bhrun’s new short drama ‘Samhain’ depicts the day to day struggles of a mother parenting her neurodivergent son. Written and starring Amy, the movie gives a candid insight into how her character Emma copes with the everyday challenges many parents of neurodivergent children face ‘behind the scenes' On this weeks episode of The Grief Pod Amy talks about the drama, inspired by her own...

At the start of 2020, Emma Charlesworth was a married, working Mum of one, whose life was suddenly turned upside down due to Covid 19. On Mothers Day of that year, they were passing the day as a family in lockdown, when her husband Stuart started running a temperature. He was taken to hospital later that week, and would never come home. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Emma describes the harrowin...

On September 26th 2007, Bray Firefighter Brian Murray was killed tragically in the line of duty, alongside his colleague Mark O’Shaughnessy . Brian was 46, and Mark was 26. On what would have been his 65th birthday, Brian’s son, Brian, talks about the unspeakable tragedy that unfolded that day, the controversy that followed and why, in his role now as a firefighter he wants to ensure both his Dad,...

In several of the episodes of The Grief Pod, guests have shared their stories of how the deaths of their loved ones, have inspired them to help others. In this episode, Rebecca Sheridan talks about ‘Gerri’s Place’ the retreat she founded in memory of her Mum, Gerri, who she lost in 2019. After her mum died, Rebecca realised that she hadn’t got the care she actually needed prior to her passing, and...

In this episode of The Grief Pod, TV and Radio presenter and best selling author, Andrea Hayes talks about the many layers of grief and loss that has infiltrated her life. From the deaths of her Dad and cousin, to multiple miscarriages, while also witnessing the many bereavements suffered by her Mum. As a member of The Bethany Bereavement Group, Andrea explains how coming across the charity helped...

DJ and Radio Presenter, Andy Preston lost his little sister Elaine aged 14, from a heart condition, which had been misdiagnosed as Asthma. In the years that followed, he lost both his Mum and Dad, who had adopted him at birth and his close friend, Tony. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Andy talks about the life altering impact Elaine’s death had on his parents, how his relationship changed with t...

National Grief Awareness Week is now in its 6th year, it’s run by The Irish Hospice Foundation to help send the message that you are not alone in your grief. This year NGAW focuses on the many different ways we can be aware and support those going through a bereavement and especially those navigating grief in the workplace. Amy Gibney, National Grief in the workplace lead at The Irish Hospice Foun...

Feilecain Fathers, was set up in 2019 to help and provide support to Dads, who have been bereaved through stillbirth and miscarriage. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Anthony Owens, Founder of Feileacain Fathers talks about his son Arthur, who was born sleeping at 40 weeks, and how his loss inspired him to bring other bereaved Dads together, to talk, play football and offer each other support. An...

In the previous episode of The Grief POD, Anthony Whelan, Clinical Psychotherapist, spoke about his own experience of grief and bereavement, and offered advice on how to get through the triggering time of Christmas. The New Year can be equally triggering and exceptionally challenging, when you’ve lost a loved one. This week he joins me again to discuss, why it can be so difficult and how we can na...

Anthony Whelan worked for over 20 years, until struggling with the death of his partner, Anne-Marie he decided to completely change his life, and retrain as a Clinical Psychotherapist. In this special Christmas episode of The Grief Pod, Anthony tells of the impact of this change on his life, and how it has helped him cope with his grief and bereavement, and at the most difficult time of the year f...

In July 2018 Zoe Holohan’s husband, Brian died tragically in the wildfires that engulfed Mati in Athens - they’d been married just 4 days. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Zoe talks about what happened that day, her own very long physical and emotional journey since, the dark times, and the sign from Brian, that has allowed her to find happiness with her new partner Mark.

In 2014 Katherine Martin opened her beauty business, Lash Envy and was looking forward to the future ahead. Just two years later her Dad passed away suddenly, and she subsequently lost her Mum and her brother, all 3 within four years. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Katherine discusses the magnitude of loss in such a short space of time, the difficulty in grieving each of her loved ones individu...

In 2015 Eugene Maher was going for his daily cycle, when he was mowed down in a hit and run, dying just a few later in hospital. The driver came forward six days later. In her first podcast interview, Eugenes daughter Lisa talks about that day, the anger and confusion that ensued before and after the court case, her decision to take part in the restorative justice programme, at the end of which sh...

Actor, Director & Writer Kevin J Ryan, lost his beloved dog Copper and his good friend, the actor, Julian Sands, within months of each other in 2023. In this episode of The Grief Pod Kevin talks about the pain of navigating that period of his life, the often unspoken heartbreak of losing a pet, coping with the ambiguous loss of grieving a friend while they were still missing and our need to talk m...

The Grief Pod with Venetia Quick - Lets Talk About Grief featuring Suzy Byrne by The Grief Pod with Venetia Quick

Living with Dementia is a process of continuous loss, described by many as a ‘living grief’. The Forget Me Nots Choir, offers sanctuary and support to those living with or affected by Dementia, whereby members can share happy moments with their loved ones or find comfort alongside those who share the same experience. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Orla Orna Founder of the choir and Gerry O’Hall...

Gina Daly became a household name during COVID, thanks to her daily instagram posts about her weight struggles and her evening cook-a-longs with her husband, Karol. Four cookery books then followed, in a success achieved against a background of loss, both through miscarriage and the death of her Dad. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Gina tells me about this life of parallels, the heartbreak of be...

Emma Fogarty was baptised a few days after birth, as the doctor didn’t expect her to live for long, probably not even a week. Now at 41, Emma is the longest living person in Ireland with EB, or Butterfly Skin as it in better known. In her first ever podcast interview, Emma talks about the life she would have had without EB, and while it may have robbed her of a future it’s given her things she wou...