What Makes You Tick?

What happens when you strip away the politics and get to the real person behind the title? In this episode, I sat down with Minister Neale Richmond - and what I got was raw, honest and genuinely unexpected. We talked about losing both his parents young, and how that shaped everything - his priorities, his parenting, his friendships. He opened up about the moments he nearly walked away from politic...

What happens when life takes everything from you… not once, but twice? My guest today is Mark Pollock, blind adventurer, South Pole explorer, and man on a mission to cure paralysis. In this episode, Mark opens up about the moment he lost his sight at 22, how he rebuilt his identity from scratch, and then how falling from a second story window a month before his wedding left him paralysed. But here...

Ever wondered how growing up in Ballymun shapes a person’s drive and outlook on life? In this episode of "What Makes You Tick," I sit down with Jason Delaney—auctioneer, community leader, and all-around force of nature. Jason opens up about his journey from a childhood in Ballymun’s flats, learning life’s toughest lessons early, to becoming a leader in both business and grassroots sport. We talk a...

In this episode of "What Makes You Tick," host Stephen interviews Rena Maycock, founder of Chirp, a tech company dedicated to protecting children from online dangers like cyberbullying and grooming. Rena shares her journey from media sales to tech entrepreneurship, the challenges of building kernel-level parental controls, and the ethical considerations behind Chirp’s privacy-by-design approach. S...

Jasmin is the CEO of Instant Aid, a humanitarian organisation who through has saved hundreds and thousands of lives in war torn countries. This incredibly articulate inspiring lady has found a purpose to help children and their mothers who have no food, no home and have lost hope following the bombardment of power obsessed world leaders.  Jasmin 's mother brought this bright, ambitious and ca...

In this moving episode of What Makes You Tick?, Tatiana and Tom invite us into a conversation that is both tender and brave. Over the course of their dialogue, they weave together reflections on loss, the process of healing, and how we find meaning in the cracks of life. From the beginning, Tatiana opens up about the rawness of grief, how it can feel like being both here and not here, and how the...

In this episode of "What Makes You Tick," I welcome Dr. Mohammed Mustafa, an emergency medicine physician known for his advocacy and humanitarian work in Gaza, also known as the "Beast from the Middle East." The episode explores Dr. Mustafa's personal history as a Palestinian refugee, his family roots, his professional background working in Australia, and his missions as an international aid worke...

In this episode of "What Makes You Tick," host Stephen speaks with Dr. Victoria Rose, a UK-based consultant plastic surgeon, about her extensive humanitarian work in Gaza during the ongoing Israel-Gaza war. The conversation opens with Dr. Rose's personal journey into medicine and plastic surgery, but quickly turns to her frontline experiences in Gaza, where she has completed three "tours" since 20...

Sponsored by Wilson Auctions ( wilsonauctions.com ) Join us for an inspiring episode of "What Makes You Tick" as we sit down with former professional rugby player Dev Toner! 🏉 In this candid conversation, Dev shares his journey from the rugby pitch to the world of financial wellness, discussing the challenges and triumphs he faced along the way. Discover how he navigated the pressures of professi...

In this episode of "What Makes You Tick," host Stephen engages in a deep and insightful conversation with David Kearney, a former high-performance director for ladies' golf in Ireland and co-founder of Sigmoid Sports. The discussion covers a wide range of topics, including the importance of mental resilience in sports, the challenges of promoting golf among women, and the significance of creating...

In this inspiring episode of "What Makes You Tick," I sit down with Corey and Alicia, a couple whose love story has weathered incredible challenges. After a devastating motorcycle accident left Corey with severe injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, their journey of recovery became a testament to resilience and unwavering support. Join us as they share their heartfelt story of love, determ...

In this engaging episode of "What Makes You Tick," host Stephen welcomes Jacque Almeida, one of Ireland's top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners. The conversation dives deep into Jacque's journey, from her challenging childhood in Brazil to her rise as a respected athlete and coach.  Jacque shares her inspiring story of resilience, detailing her early struggles with family dynamics and self-wo...

In this episode of "What Makes You Tick," host Stephen sits down with renowned sports broadcaster Jacqui Hurley. The conversation delves into Jacqui's journey from being an athlete to becoming a prominent voice in sports media, highlighting her experiences in various sports, her groundbreaking role as the first female broadcaster in the GAA on the Sunday Game, and her passion for promoting inclusi...

In this engaging episode of "What Makes You Tick," host Stephen welcomes David Gillick, a celebrated Irish athlete, European gold medalist, and mental health advocate. The conversation delves into David's journey from a promising athletic career to navigating the challenges of retirement and mental health. David reflects on his successful athletic career, including his European gold medal win in 2...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Yvonne Tchrackian on "What Makes You Tick." In this episode, Yvonne shares her journey and the seven steps to manifesting your dreams. Learn how to gain clarity, visualize your goals, and cultivate gratitude to transform your mindset. Don't miss out on this empowering discussion that could change the way you approach your life!👉 Listen now and visit http...

In this warm and engaging podcast episode, Stephen converses with Kim Skildum-Reid, a renowned sponsorship expert. They delve into the evolving sponsorship landscape, especially post-pandemic, highlighting strategies for engaging remote fans and adapting to changing consumer expectations. Kim shares her approach to inclusive strategy development, emphasizing stakeholder involvement and education....

A fantastic tale of highs and many many lows a career in tennis can offer you, if you don't happen to be part of the 1% of talented players. Conor Niland is Ireland's greatest tennis player who shared courts with Djokovic, Federrer, Murray, Roddick and trained with the Venus and Serena Williams. Conor shares his tales of a career that went unnoticed to those outside of the tennis world, but where...

In this warm and welcoming episode of "What Makes You Tick," Stephen sits down with Greg McWilliams, a high-performance coach and former head coach of the Irish women's rugby team. Greg shares his journey since returning to Ireland, reflecting on the challenges and rewards of his new role. He discusses his passion for coaching, the dynamics of professional women's sports, and the...

This episode marks a real high point in the What Makes You Tick podcast journey. A live episode in front of an audience is something I always wanted to do. My nervousness and anticipation was evident but I know it is in those moments when we grow the most. Thanks to Sigmoid HQ for hosting and partnering with me for this event, hopefully the first of many. In this heartening episode of "What Makes...

Darren O'Reilly is an understated gent who has taken the nutrition industry by storm having created a nutritionally complete product called Whole Supp. Darren founded the brand with Dr. Brian Carson who is one of the leading nutritional scientist and they have created a phenomenal product. Segway: Anyone who wants to enjoy a special discount of the product, Darren has graciously provided a discoun...

Damien Wildes is a normal guy on the surface. Married, a Dad, from a loving family background, sporty. Nothing surprising, until he talks about the water, his obsession with putting himself in the most uncomfortable situations he's known to date. What you don't know from the surface view is that he has prone paddle boards across the Irish see for nearly 15 hours, where he navigated through jellyfi...

What we know about Jason Hennessy is that he has been a passionate rugby enthusiast since a young age. When he missed his preferred third-level course by just 10 points, he considered pursuing a career as a chef, influenced by some of his family members. However, Jason realized that wasn't his true calling. After experiencing some challenging moments and receiving valuable advice from his mother,...

Shane Lennon has experienced more in his 40 years than some people do in two or three lifetimes. Shane is now a superb Yoga Instructor who have found a way to take life and everything it throws at him, and enjoy it by helping people and following a passion and love that he has through Yoga. At 7 years old, Shane experienced the death of his brother and never knew how to manage that loss at such a...

Fergus Farrell once again joins me to discuss his next challenge. To run 206km in four days on the 23rd Oct - 26th Oct 2023 with the goal to raise money for the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dublin where he fought his way back having severed his spinal chord. To donate and support Gussie's goal of raising €250,000 for the NRH go to this link https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/ToughestTrek23Th...

Brent Pope, 6ft 3" mountain of a man who played rugby for New Zealand. For years he throw his body into some of the most physical rugby matches. He has the battle scars to prove it and throughout that time became one of the most respected rugby players and minds of a generation and to this day. To his teammates, friends and family he was jovial, upbeat, a character, a prankster and fun person to b...