Podcast · News
by RTÉ Radio 1 · English · News
Brendan O'Connor has all you need for the weekend with time to pause and reflect on the week just gone. Featuring a selection of human interest, consumer and lifestyle stories, as well as keeping you up to date on the news stories that matter. Listen live Saturday and Sunday at 11am - 1pm on RTÉ Rad
11 Oct 2026 · 51 min
Joining Brendan to discuss the main stories in Sunday's newspapers are: Professor of Political Economy at UCD, Aidan Regan; barrister and former Fianna Fail Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin; political columnist with The Sunday Times, Alison O'Connor; principal of St Aidan's Community School, Tallaght, Kevin Shortall. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11 Oct 2026 · 31 min
Writer Ann Ingle joins Brendan to discuss her new book ‘Still Here: Everything I Know About Being Older’. She describes letting go of pride, embracing technology and struggling with the sharp fall-off in physical contact. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11 Oct 2026 · 8 min
Broadcaster and ‘intergenerational translator’ Aifric O'Connell joins Brendan to talk about the rise of the ‘Fall girl aesthetic’. She tracks its origins from ‘Christian girl Autumn’ and identifies its patron saint as Taylor Swift. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11 Oct 2026 · 12 min
Writer Henrietta McKervey and Film and TV producer, Eoin Sweeney join Brendan to discuss the biggest new shows and films this week. Their choices include a documentary about the woman who prosecuted Donald Trump, ‘Ask E. Jean’; Irish true crime series ‘The Case I Can’t Forget’; and the latest season of long-running medical comedy ‘Scrubs’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10 Oct 2026 · 29 min
Broadcaster Brian Dowling and Dancing with the Stars judge Arthur Gourounlian join Brendan to discuss their family life together and their remarkable careers. Brian charts his journey from winning Big Brother to a multifaceted TV career and Arthur describes fleeing Armenia to escape war and finding his feet as a dancer and choreographer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10 Oct 2026 · 16 min
Musician and mental health advocate, Niall Breslin, joins Brendan to discuss his new podcast series ‘Severed Minds’. It explores the history of the lobotomy in the United States, through the stories of Walter Freeman, who popularised and frequently performed the procedure, and of Gretchen Reb, one of the many patients whose life he destroyed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10 Oct 2026 · 2 min
Poet Rita Ann Higgins joins Brendan with a new poem ‘Elder Speak’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10 Oct 2026 · 9 min
Community Pharmacist and host of the Irish Pharmacy Podcast, Sheena Mitchell, talks to Brendan about how to manage your blood sugar. She explains how blood sugar works, and why common sense will regulate it better than any social media fad. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10 Oct 2026 · 29 min
Psychotherapist Dr Richard Hogan joins Brendan to discuss resilience. He explores how to cultivate it in yourself and your children. Richard also talks about his difficult relationship with his father, who died recently. He reflects on how writing about his pain with his dad, helped to rekindle their relationship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10 Oct 2026 · 8 min
Chef and restauranteur Domini Kemp joins Brendan with some fresh suggestions for easy midweek dinners. She describes how to switch out ingredients, to spice up tray bakes, salads and bone broth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4 Oct 2026 · 52 min
Joining Brendan to discuss the main stories in Sunday's newspapers are: Máiría Cahill, Northern Irish author and columnist; Dan O'Brien, Chief Economist with the Institute of international and European Affairs; Laura Bambrick, Social Policy Officer with ICTU and Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics at DCU. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4 Oct 2026 · 35 min
Dublin actor Aidan Gillen has appeared in everything from Love/Hate to The Wire to Game of Thrones. His latest show is Stuart Carolan’s ‘Tall Tales & Murder’ on RTÉ One. He talks Brendan through his life and career through the prism of five songs ranging from Art Garfunkel to The Rolling Stones to Fairport Convention. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4 Oct 2026 · 9 min
Joining Brendan to pick out the week's best offerings on the big and small screen are: Nadine O'Regan, Arts and Features writer with the Irish Times and Dave O'Callaghan, Host of the 'Here and Back Again' podcast. Some of the productions they discuss are: Digger, Celebrity Traitors UK, Kill Jackie and East of Eden. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3 Oct 2026 · 34 min
Brendan is joined by writer, director and actor Sharon Horgan, who talks about her latest TV series 'Youth'. Drawing from her own experience, she talks about ageing, dating in your 50's, and being part of the 'sandwich generation'. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3 Oct 2026 · 16 min
Broadcaster, Musician and Punk, Tom Dunne, charts the arrival of Punk to Ireland, why it took root in Belfast and Cork before Dublin, he talks about some of the amazing punk bands that came out of Ireland and what Punk’s legacy is. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3 Oct 2026 · 27 min
Author and global thinker Naomi Klein has a knack for capturing the zeitgeist in her previous books like ‘No Logo’, ‘The Shock Doctrine’ and ‘Doppelganger’. Her new book is ‘End Times Fascism: And the Fight for the Living World’ in which she suggests powerful elites are weaponising modern crises to build private escape routes for themselves while urging everyday people to reject doom and collectively defend the living world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3 Oct 2026 · 7 min
Registered Dietician Orla Walsh helps decipher all the different yoghurt types on offer in supermarkets and their various health claims. She says most people should be trying to incorporate this superfood into their diet to boost bone, heart and gut health. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3 Oct 2026 · 8 min
Chef, teacher, TV presenter and co-founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School, Rory O'Connell talks us through what makes a food a comfort food? And why do the foods we grew up with have such a hold on us? His Comfort Food recipes include Rice Pilaff with Chicken, Courgettes and Coriander and Pumpkin, Leek, Fennel and Tomato Soup. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
27 Sep 2026 · 55 min
Joining Brendan to discuss the main stories in Sunday's newspapers are: ESRI research professor, Alan Barrett; Anglo Celt managing editor, Linda O’Reilly; public policy advisor, Oisín Coghlan; Irish and Sunday Independent political editor, Mary Regan; RTE Soccer Correspondent, Tony O’Donoghue and Belfast Telegraph correspondent, Allison Morris. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
27 Sep 2026 · 24 min
Magician and mentalist Keith Barry joins Brendan to select 5 songs that have influenced his life. Keith talks about his late father Ken who died last year; on becoming a celebrity magician in Dublin & LA; shutting down a Bangles concert with a giant flame trick and explains how the music of Fergus O'Farrell's Interference makes him cry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
27 Sep 2026 · 8 min
Culture journalist and host of ‘The Bellissimo Files’, Sarina Bellissimo joins Brendan to talk through the best new offerings on the big and small screen. Her choices include divorce drama, ‘War’, Brad Pitt’s survivalist epic ‘Heart of the Beast’ and Aidan Gillen’s latest series ‘Tall Tales and Murder’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
26 Sep 2026 · 31 min
Author Louise O’Neill joins Brendan to discuss her first memoir ‘A Bigger Life’. It details a dramatic break-up, which led her to completely reconsider her life and priorities. From returning home, to travelling in Thailand, to dating her way across Europe, she outlines the huge mix of emotions she went through from joy to embarrassment to unexpected tears. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
26 Sep 2026 · 11 min
Poet Enda Wyley joins Brendan with a selection of autumnal poems, including classics by John Keats and Seamus Heaney, and lesser-known gems by Vona Groarke and Ru Borsen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
26 Sep 2026 · 33 min
Former Ireland and Munster Rugby Captain, Peter O’ Mahony joins Brendan to discuss his amazing grandmother, his lifelong temper, and his extraordinary playing career. Marking the publication of his memoir ‘All In’ he talks about what he learned from coaches Joe Schmidt, Andy Farrell and the late Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
26 Sep 2026 · 15 min
Chef and Restauranteur Marco Pierre White joins Brendan to discuss his pivot from restaurants into curating a hotel, his ongoing quest to recreate his childhood and how kitchen culture has changed during his career. He also talks about his long and complex relationship with Gordon Ramsay. He also tells us how to cook the perfect steak. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
20 Sep 2026 · 53 min
Joining Brendan to discuss the main stories in Sunday's newspapers are: Brigid Laffan, Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute; Ellen Coyne, Political Correspondent at the Irish Times; Finian McGrath, Former Independent TD and former Minister of State for Disability Issues and Dr Barra Roantree, Economist at Trinity College, Dublin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
20 Sep 2026 · 31 min
Mark Little, tech entrepreneur and journalist, has written a new book 'The Last Good Day on the Internet' in which he charts the initial innocence of the internet and its 'shared playground' feel to the rise of the algorithm to the AI age we're currently living in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
20 Sep 2026 · 5 min
In a new book by the brother of the late Princess Diana, Charles Spencer makes various claims highlighting King Charles' cold-heartedness at the time of Diana's death. Jennie Bond, Journalist and former BBC Royal Correspondent also recalls the tension between Diana and the Royal Family while she was alive and its impact on the next generation of royals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
20 Sep 2026 · 12 min
Joining Brendan to pick out the week's best offerings on the big and small screen are: Esther O’Moore Donohoe, writer and podcaster and John Maguire, Business Post Film Critic for the Business Post. Among some of the TV shows and films they preview are Sharon Horgan's 'Youth', Matthew McConaughey's 'Brothers', the new BBC series of 'Strictly Come Dancing', Saoirse Ronan's 'Bad Apples and Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
19 Sep 2026 · 27 min
Aisling Rogerson, founder of The Fumbally Café and the widow of the late Manchán Magan, talks about how all of Manchán's life's work culminates in the final book of his trilogy, 'Seeing What's Happening', with its focus on connecting to the spirit and having the right relationship with nature. She also talks about first meeting him on Inis Oirr 12 years ago, their long-distance relationship and coming to terms with his death. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Brendan O'Connor has all you need for the weekend with time to pause and reflect on the week just gone. Featuring a selection of human interest, consumer and lifestyle stories, as well as keeping you up to date on the news stories that matter. Listen live Saturday and Sunday at 11am - 1pm on RTÉ Rad
Brendan O'Connor is a English news podcast from RTÉ Radio 1. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
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