We Are The People Podcast

What does it feel like to grow up in a world where childhood, friendship, self-image and attention are all shaped by technology? In this episode of We Are The People , I speak with Lorena, Tara and Rosie, three young women reflecting honestly on their childhoods and the role that phones, tablets, online games, social media, short-form content and AI have played in their lives. This is not a conver...

In this episode, I speak with Lucy Butler, the voice behind The Mindful Gardener . Lucy shares her experience of living with depression and anxiety, and speaks honestly about the exhaustion of trying to appear fine when internally things feel very different. Her story is not one of neat answers or overnight transformation. Instead, it is about learning, over time, what helps her feel steadier — ge...

Michael Doherty spent almost four years trying to build something that, for a long time, looked like it was not going to work. After studying finance and realising it was not the path for him, Michael chose fitness. He became a personal trainer, started building an online coaching business, and began posting content every day with the hope that eventually something would connect. For years, very l...

Former Navy Pilot and Performance Psychologist Alan Olive on Loss, Vulnerability, Elite Performance and Human Connection What does it really mean to live a meaningful life? In this episode of We Are The People Podcast , I speak to former Navy pilot, performance psychologist, leadership coach, and adventurer Alan Olive about resilience, grief, vulnerability, elite performance, and the growing impor...

In this episode of We Are The People , Sinead Walsh takes us on a journey through their life — from growing up in Donabate with dreams of football and performing, to navigating school as a young queer person in a Catholic environment, and eventually finding their voice in journalism, activism, and stand-up comedy. Sinead opens up about the formative moments that shaped them: fainting at the sight...

From childhood on horseback in Utah to years lost to addiction, Mindie’s story is one of resilience, recovery, and redemption. At just 14, she was introduced to meth, setting off a spiral that cost her her marriage, her children, and nearly her life. After countless stints in jail and a house raid that forced her to confront the truth, she made the brave choice to get sober — and has now celebrate...

In this episode of We Are The People , Michael Spencer opens up about his journey from a childhood shaped by skiing in Park City and the pursuit of professional sports, to navigating family trauma, building resilience, and ultimately forging a career as a sports agent. Michael shares how coaching and supporting athletes became a way to provide the belief and encouragement he lacked growing up, lea...

What happens when your dream career collapses overnight? Adam Brawer went from producing films with Oscar winners to watching projects fall apart, relationships break down, and life feel ‘catastrophic.’ In this episode, Adam shares how he rebuilt his life in an unexpected way — luxury real estate.  From $50 million listings to cleansing homes of their energy with his ‘from staged to saged’ philoso...

In this deeply moving episode, Patricia shares her extraordinary journey from childhood abuse survivor to trauma-informed healer. Growing up as one of nine children in a Mormon household, she experienced severe abuse and was forced to give up her son for adoption at 16 through church influence. After years of traditional therapy with limited results, Patricia found profound healing through psyched...

What if your biggest struggles became the foundation for something greater? Jamie Buttars' journey is one of resilience, redemption, and relentless drive. From dropping out of high school and battling addiction to building a coffee shop ( Cache Coffee & More ) that’s saving lives, Jamie has transformed his past into a force for good. In this episode, we dive into: ☕ How Jamie’s coffee sh...

In this episode of We Are The People , we sit down with Neil O’Sullivan, co-founder of Nimbus and former footballer, to explore the highs and lows of his journey—from childhood struggles and professional reinvention to the pressures of entrepreneurship and the pursuit of true well-being. Neil shares his raw and honest reflections on overcoming bullying, battling imposter syndrome, and learning to...

In this episode of We Are The People , we sit down with Sarah Collins, a marketing expert, world traveler, and entrepreneur whose story is a testament to the power of stepping outside your comfort zone. From helping KFC crack the Irish market to building a thriving café business in her hometown, Sarah has embraced risk and serendipity to carve out a life filled with adventure and purpose. Join us...

In this episode of We Are The People , we sit down with Damian Darker, a European kickboxing champion, dedicated coach, and proud father. Damian takes us through his journey, from childhood days inspired by Power Rangers and Chuck Norris to becoming a trailblazer in Irish kickboxing. He shares the discipline and respect instilled by traditional martial arts like Taekwondo, the highs and lows of co...

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Emma Foran takes us on her journey of self-discovery, career transformation, and personal growth. From her early aspirations to be an actor to navigating unfulfilling corporate roles, Emma shares how she found her true calling in social care and her current role as an Employment Officer at Down Syndrome Ireland. Emma reflects on the invaluable lessons she l...

Stepping out of our comfort zone is never easy, and I have great admiration for anyone that has stepped outside theirs to do something that they have been afraid of. James Michels is one such person. Growing up he was an introvert, who lived in his own world and was wary of letting people in. Today he is an author who has published 5 books, finding the confidence to share his inner universe with t...

Growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood, Astrid faced a unique set of challenges that shaped her into the remarkable person she is today. She'll share her experiences of navigating the immense pressure to succeed imposed by her parents and the process of discovering her identity as the only black child in her school. But it's not just her cultural background that sets her apart;...

Today, we're joined by an incredible guest, Peter Ryan, a remarkable athlete who has conquered adversity and shattered barriers. Growing up, rural Tipperary was home for Peter. That meant sports and plenty of them. He was very good at soccer and hurling but never pushed himself. In school he followed the crowd and stayed within his lane. He was a coasting through school happy in the knowledge...

Orlagh Reynolds was a messer as a child and she has retained that sense of mischief into adulthood. She loved life and life loved Orlagh back as she lived the dream. City hopping as her career developed, working her dream job, surrounded by friends and family and topped off by her husband and daughter. Orlagh was lucky and grateful. Then one day, her husband Fraser received a Motor Neuron Disease...

Scott Jenkins didn’t want to find himself at the age of 80 looking back at his life wondering what more he could have done with it, what more he could have achieved and the people he could have helped along the way. Scott grew up in Wales and reached a turning point at the age of 30 where he decided to do something big, something that would have an impact on his life but also on lives around him....

Born in Jamaica in 1949, Beulah Coombs moved to Manchester at just eight years old, following her parents who had gone ahead to help rebuild post-war Britain. In this episode of We Are The People , Beulah reflects on growing up Black in England, facing racism, building a life in her adopted country, and later confronting policies that questioned her right to belong. She also shares how she became...

Lawrence Cowan set out in politics determined to change lives but his life took an unexpected turn when his best friend, Gordon Aikman, was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease. It was too late for Gordon but together they were determined to positively impact the lives of future MND sufferers. From Gordon Brown to Nicola Sturgeon, Lawrence and his friends energised Scottish politics to change Scott...

Elaine Garrigues O'Neill grew up in Ireland but her eyes were always firmly fixed on a life further afield. When she graduated from University she moved to France and set about becoming as French as the French themselves. She set about honing her translation skills in the corporate world before realising she would much rather be her own boss. With little more than a few contacts, a large help...

Vicki Duffendack was a typical South Dublin woman, she grew up interested in boys, having fun with friends and seeing the world. She travelled across the globe as a nanny, working hard and partying just as hard. In Australia, she found love and got engaged but when that didn't last she looked for love on Instagram... well what she thought was love. Her quest for likes and followers brought he...

Serendipity and chance encounters brought Inka and Iason together, their shared interests blossomed into a romance that is now three years down the road. As their relationship developed their boundaries fell as they opened up to each other and realized a shared dream. The dream of one day creating music with their partner… that day arrived and so The Zorbas   was born. The Zorbas is a mixture of m...

The events we experience throughout our lives shape who we are and how we look at the world. As we move through life we learn and adapt and change because of what we have been through. Inka Malovic was conceived in the Congo, born in Bosnia, grew up in Algeria and when war broke out in both Yugoslavia and Algeria she settled with her family in Canada. As she moved from one place to the next she be...