Jackie speaks candidly about her marriage, her escape into what felt like freedom, and how a charming man she met at work turned her world upside down — love bombing, coercive control, physical abuse, and the terrifying experience of navigating the courts and family law system while pregnant and afraid. She shares the heartbreak of her baby Abby's serious heart condition diagnosis, the isolation she endured, and the years it took to finally break free.

But this isn't just a story of hardship. Jackie speaks with remarkable clarity, humour, and strength about where she is now — in a good place, learning to say no, and writing the next chapter of her life. She even has a book in her. This is Part 1 of a two-part episode.

If you or someone you know needs support, you can contact the Domestic Violence helpline SASH on 1800 911 221, or reach out to domestic violence services in your area.

Timecodes:

00:00 — Welcome & introducing Jackie; Orla and Leanne reflect on her story

01:46 — "Everybody has a story — and I'm holding the pen on this one" — Jackie on why she's sharing her truth

02:01 — Years of writing and deleting; finding the courage to stop being ashamed

04:00 — At 57, stepping into the next chapter; giving yourself permission

05:06 — Learning to say no; breaking the people-pleasing habit

07:43 — Jackie begins at the beginning: growing up one of eight children in poverty outside Lusk

09:01 — Memories of domestic abuse at home; flashes of fear

11:14 — The night her mum left through the back window

12:06 — Left to care for her younger siblings; feeding and minding babies as a young child

14:25 — Mum returns with the guards; taking the children to a refuge (Women's Aid)

14:48 — Placed in the orphanage; Sister Stella and a surprisingly safe, warm childhood

17:26 — Good memories: summers at the beach, donkeys, hot milk and bedtime stories

18:47 — The shame of school; hiding where she lived, feeling different

22:26 — Siblings being fostered out one by one; Jackie left behind, too old

27:39 — Running down the stairs to greet prospective foster families, hoping to be chosen

28:48 — Sister Stella gently suggesting she go live with her gran; Jackie's reluctance

32:35 — Moving to her grandmother's; her mum's alcoholism; feeling used, not loved

58:38 — Alan has a work accident; Jackie gets her first taste of freedom going to work

59:54 — Splitting from Alan in 2002; the loneliness and emotional isolation of that marriage

01:00:31 — Meeting her "nightmare" — a charming area manager, the love bombing begins

01:03:34 — "He was my Prince Charming — and then he flipped a switch"; the abuse begins

01:05:40 — The first attack; not seeing the signs; coercive control and isolation

01:07:33 — His sob stories and her empathy; confiding in his mother (his biggest enabler)

01:08:55 — The fear; walking on eggshells; the manipulation being worse than the physical abuse

01:10:17 — Breaking up in 2007; discovering she's pregnant with Abby

01:12:50 — Her sister passes away; the pregnancy continuing amid chaos

01:13:58 — The 20-week scan; devastating news about Abby's heart condition

01:15:17 — "It doesn't matter if she has Down Syndrome — I just need to know if she'll live"; his reaction to finding out it's a girl

01:33:41 — Mental health crisis; her uncle Pat's concern; going to the GP; anti-depressants and an upcoming court case

01:35:14 — Navigating family law; the system's failings for domestic abuse survivors

01:40:31 — Abby refuses to go back; Jackie stands firm — "She's not going back"

01:41:48 — Who he really is; the irony of his "career" in close protection

02:10:50 — Jackie today: a different person, a different strength

02:11:14 — What she'd do differently now; the strength she's found

02:12:06 — Abby thriving; the roller coaster of keeping her daughter held together

02:12:27 — Closing words: "Don't ignore the red flags. Don't be afraid to talk."

02:13:11 — Resources: SASH Domestic Violence Helpline 1800 911 221

02:13:54 — Orla and Leanne reflect on Jackie's journey; what a warrior she is

02:16:04 — Jackie's song: Celebrate Me by Sinéad O'Connor — "it sums up everything I've gone through and everything I'm about to embark on"

02:17:18 — Teaser for Part 2; wrap-up and outro

Ashling opens up about navigating life with not one, but two children with medical diagnoses — Jake, who was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at just 20 months old, and Georgia, who was born with a visual impairment. From the moment Georgia arrived and Ashling knew something was different, to the hospital visits, the dismissals from doctors, the ICU, and ultimately the diagnosis — she tells it all with a strength and humour that will have you laughing one minute and wiping your eyes the next.

But this episode isn't just about the hard parts. It's about a family that rallies around each other. It's about a husband who texts to check in, a brother who carries his sister's bag home from school every day without being asked, and a little sister whose first instinct is always to help. And it's about Georgia herself — a confident, singing, rebel-song-loving, seagull-chasing force of nature who wants to be a singer (or a youth worker, just in case).

Georgia steals the show as she chats about school, independence, her love of Olivia Rodrigo AND Irish rebel songs, and what she'd say to other kids and parents going through something similar. Her wisdom at 11 years old will genuinely stop you in your tracks.

Ashling's advice to new parents facing a diagnosis — "just enjoy it, don't waste your time worrying" — and her message to couples navigating the stress of raising children with extra needs — "listen to each other, communicate" — are words every parent needs to hear.

This one is a banger. Don't miss it.

Timecodes

00:00 — Introductions: Orla and Leanne welcome Ashling and Georgia to the studio

01:52 — Ashling introduces herself: from Clane, Kildare, married to Mikey for 18 years, three kids

02:39 — Georgia introduces herself: 11 years old, loves singing, dancing and drumming — and reveals she is visually impaired

03:27 — Ashling's story begins: Jake's unusual crawling, four dismissed hospital visits, and finally getting someone to listen

04:25 — Jake is diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at 20 months old — while Ashling is pregnant with Georgia

05:33 — Ashling's own eye condition and the moment she knew something was different when Georgia was born

06:58 — The night Georgia was born: eyes not opening, the call to the doctor, and being whisked to the ICU

07:48 — Transferred to Temple Street Children's Hospital — Ashling returning to the same hospital she attended as a child

09:06 — Georgia put to sleep for investigation at just three days old

10:42 — Ashling reveals she had shingles during her pregnancy with Georgia

11:29 — Mikey's role: attending every hospital appointment, flying to England, being Georgia's constant

24:40 — Jake's relationship with Georgia: carrying her bag from school every day without being asked

25:22 — Little sister Essie: naturally understanding Georgia's needs from two years old, no explanation needed

26:40 — A funny moment: Orla and baby Essie's rocky start ("she just didn't like me")

30:04 — An important reflection: how Jake was sometimes overlooked when Georgia's diagnosis took centre stage

31:08 — The girls' trip to Tenerife: how Orla and Ashling first became friends over tears and laughter at a pub table

34:36 — Georgia on her day-to-day life: Ashling does her hair, makes her lunch, and Georgia makes the tea

35:16 — Georgia's general knowledge: obsessed with The Chase, knows everything about actors, singers and history

37:01 — Georgia's favourite music: Justin Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo — and Irish rebel songs. Her favourite? Grace and The Streets of New York

38:20 — Georgia sings a verse of The Streets of New York — and absolutely delivers

39:15 — Georgia's future plans: singer first, youth worker second

40:01 — Georgia's youth club: singing, drama, cooking, rock climbing — and the community it builds

52:03 — Georgia's advice to other kids who might feel different: "Be yourself. Don't let anyone change you."

52:58 — Georgia on navigating school independence: getting her coat herself, taking the extra time, not caring what others think

53:19 — On curious kids who stare: "They're just kids. They don't mean it."

54:01 — Georgia's advice to mums of children with additional needs: "Don't stop your kid from doing things — they can do anything they want to."

54:25 — Ashling on her early fears: "I thought she'd never cycle a bike." Georgia now cycles a bike.

56:18 — Ashling's advice to parents who've just received a diagnosis: "Enjoy it. Don't waste your time worrying. And never be afraid to stand up to the doctors."

59:55 — Ashling's advice to couples raising children with extra needs: listen to each other, communicate, and make time for yourself — even when Mikey has to push you out the door to the girls' trip

01:02:11 — On why the girls' trips matter: "You forget your responsibilities. All you have to worry about is what togs you're wearing to the pool."

01:03:18 — A raw moment: a recent trip to Crumlin Hospital where Georgia's infusion was cancelled after a full day's effort — and how Ashling handled it

01:06:22 — Closing reflections and final words of love for Georgia and Ashling

01:07:06 — Georgia and Ashling share the songs that lift them up

01:08:13 — Sign-off: Orla and Leanne wrap up, and Georgia gets the final word on the outro

Keith opens up about growing up as the eldest of five in a tight-knit Dublin community, the lessons his parents instilled in him, and how that shaped who he became as a father, friend, and coach. He talks candidly about co-parenting after a separation, the moment he found himself homeless and living in a hostel, dark thoughts that crept in during that time, and how movement, mindset work, and the right people helped pull him through.

The conversation takes in men's mental health, loneliness in modern life, the "manosphere" and its influence on young people, unrealistic body image pressures, emotional affairs, and the ripple effect of one person shaping another. Keith also reflects on the ten trainers he's sent out into the fitness world, his relationship with his brother and sisters, and what turning 50 really means to him.

Raw, real, and full of Dublin warmth — this one hits different.

Timecodes:

00:00 — Introductions: meet Keith Dixon, friend for 16 years and coach

01:28 — Growing up in Blanchardstown, the eldest of five

05:17 — Childhood holidays, community spirit & how times have changed

06:56 — Blanchardstown reality: salt of the earth people, hard lives, and the lads who made it through

09:29 — Co-parenting after separation — putting the boys first, always

10:15 — Quality time with Joshua and Zachary as they grow up

17:00 — Losing the gym: chains on the door and starting over

26:24 — Homeless and living in a hostel — the lowest point

27:03 — Dark thoughts, the window, and choosing to get up and walk

28:23 — Losing people to suicide — personal loss and community grief

33:17 — Men's mental health: meditation, breathwork, shadow work and doing the inner work

35:29 — Loneliness in crowds — the silent epidemic

36:06 — Emotional affairs and the real cost of disconnection in relationships

38:18 — Co-parenting done right: why the boys always came first

42:11 — His sisters, the family tribe, and the Irish mammy way

47:02 — Being best man for his brother — what it meant more than words could say

48:39 — The ripple effect: 10 trainers who started with Keith

50:50 — Mindset over body: why physical change starts in the head

55:43 — What he'd say to a daughter today — body image, safety & the world young women face

57:31 — What he'd say to young men — be your true self, do the work

59:15 — The manosphere, online influence, and guiding kids through it

01:01:20 — His son Joshua and not following the crowd

01:02:46 — Steroids, unrealistic fitness expectations, and the truth about body transformations

01:03:51 — The one song that's always kept him going (AC/DC — Thunderstruck)

01:04:30 — Reflections on turning 50 and how profoundly life has changed

01:05:15 — A heartfelt sign-off between old friends

Timecodes:
00:00 — Welcome & introducing guest Anita
00:49 — What this episode is about: how our experiences shape the relationships we carry forward
01:04 — Anita introduces herself: 57, five kids, six grandkids, works in domestic violence services
01:45 — Single parenthood, defying expectations & raising five professionals
02:19 — Running a preschool for 20 years, going to college, and earning her honours degree
03:07 — Losing her business during Covid & reinventing herself in domestic violence work
03:12 — What Anita's day-to-day work looks like: crisis support, refuge, housing & education
04:45 — Going back to the beginning: growing up in a traumatic home environment
05:03 — "If I'm ever a mammy, I'll never do this to my little girl" — Anita's earliest memory
05:13 — Domestic abuse and child abuse in the home — physical and emotional
05:50 — Anita as the eldest child: neglect began at nine when her mother returned to work full time
06:28 — Left at home with her father — a heavy drinker with his own history of trauma
07:40 — Money, food, and cigarette butts in the stew — the reality of growing up in that house
09:17 — Did her parents love her? Understanding her father's violence through his own childhood
09:49 — Her mother: idolised as a child, emotionally unavailable as a parent
10:44 — The middle child favourite & what Anita came to understand about her mother
12:23 — Nine years old, cooking dinners and running the washing machine
22:33 — Leaving home at 17 — and what life had been like until then
23:06 — Different outcomes for different siblings & the ACEs framework explained
24:15 — Repeating the cycle: ending up in a difficult marriage, just like home
25:10 — Bringing her mum to her college graduation — and the response she got
25:52 — Proudest moment: four of them sitting around the table doing their studies together
26:58 — Teenage pregnancy: finding out at five months, being given three days to leave home
32:19 — The neighbour who took her in and loaned her the deposit — "you only need one good person"
34:18 — The night her first baby was born — ringing her mother from the hospital
40:49 — Christmas Day and the cycle of violence at home — "we dreaded Christmas"
42:18 — Married, alone, no electricity for nine months — cooking on the fire for her kids
43:49 — He came back, they married — and she knew walking down the aisle it was wrong
44:46 — Moving the family to escape heroin hitting their area
45:14 — Discovering her husband was taking drugs; going missing for days
46:11 — Having baby number five and being sterilised — a friend's husband signed the papers
46:53 — The women who shaped her life at different stages
47:45 — Moving back to Dublin, starting over — first day at work and the fire incident that became the final catalyst
48:59 — Her mother's emotional unavailability — physically present, emotionally gone
50:17 — Getting a job on a CE scheme, moving up quickly to manager, starting to bloom
52:25 — "I can see you're getting strong" — her eldest daughter at 18
53:48 — Her mother's relationship with the grandkids — hilarious but harmful
55:19 — Song of her life: Be a Clown — singing in the beds with her brothers and sisters to drown it all out
56:30 — Wrapping up: what Anita gives back every day to the women she supports
57:14 — "You are an absolute queen. You are an absolute survivor."

• 00:00 Welcome back & a thank you to the anonymous listener
• 01:30 She sent a message: "It's nice to know I'm not alone"
• 02:50 The fear of betraying your mam by telling your story
• 04:25 Everyone remembers the same story differently
• 06:08 "How's your ma?" — what that question means for people without a mam
• 07:16 Becoming your mother without realising it
• 08:45 The generational gap: what mams knew that we didn't
• 09:19 Feeling like an alien around younger people
• 11:33 Reflecting on Katie and John's story
• 13:44 We need to talk slower (but we won't)
• 14:06 TikTok struggles & CapCut chaos
• 15:17 Orla can bake, but she cannot make soup
• 16:37 Social media, Instagram, and keeping up
• 18:28 Phone anxiety and anxious attachment in the mid-20s
• 19:13 Dopamine Nation & how we communicate now
• 21:10 Voice notes, blue ticks, and the pressure of instant replies
• 23:34 How Orla "manages" Ed's bank account (financial chaos)
• 25:24 "You're not just marrying Orla, you're marrying me" — mams and marriages
• 26:43 Orla's brilliant relationship with her son-in-law
• 29:11 He's showing your girls what a good man looks like
• 30:40 Wrapping up: stories, reflections, and gratitude for each other
• 34:33 Next episode teaser: a guest is coming in!

What starts as a light introduction quickly unfolds into a deeper chat about women’s connections, navigating life’s challenges, and the realities behind the conversations we don’t always have out loud.

Katie shares her personal experiences with warmth and openness, offering insight into relationships, resilience, and what it really means to support each other through different stages of life.

This episode is full of laughs, honesty, and moments that will resonate with anyone who’s ever leaned on friendship to get through the tough times.

⏱️ Timecodes

00:00 – 01:30
Introductions – Orla & Leanne welcome Katie and chat about how they met

01:30 – 03:30
First impressions, friendships, and settling into the conversation

03:30 – 06:00
Katie’s background and early life discussion

06:00 – 10:00
Relationships, marriage, and building connections

10:00 – 15:00
Conversations around having children and expectations

15:00 – 22:00
Deeper discussion on motherhood and personal experiences

22:00 – 30:00
Love, loss, and emotional challenges

30:00 – 40:00
Support systems, friendships, and coping mechanisms

40:00 – 50:00
Real talk: struggles, resilience, and honesty

50:00 – 60:00
Reflections, advice, and lessons learned

60:00 – End
Closing thoughts, final chats, and wrap-up

The girls talk about what it means to carry that kind of weight, the guilt and shame that comes with complex feelings toward a parent, and whether it's ever okay to say no. They introduce the concept of "lighthouses" — those rock-steady people in our lives who see us for who we truly are — and reflect on what it means to survive, to grow, and to finally be heard.

Orla also opens up about her own experience growing up as a mixed-race woman in Ireland in the 80s, facing racism and poverty, and the lighthouses who helped shape her into who she is today.

An honest, emotional, and ultimately empowering conversation. You are not alone.

Timecodes:

00:00 — Welcome & introducing this week's listener story

00:32 — The listener's story is read out — infidelity, neglect, and a childhood lost to responsibility

02:55 — "My ma is currently dying of cancer and I despise having to look after her"

03:27 — Orla & Leanne react — championing her strength and asking: is it okay to say no?

06:22 — Introducing the lighthouse concept — the people who are rock steady in our lives

07:28 — What it meant for her to finally get this off her chest

08:12 — Being the eldest daughter and the weight of responsibility

09:48 — Referencing Katrina O'Sullivan's Outside Mullingar — stories of poverty and resilience on stage

11:21 — These stories aren't unique — the hidden impact of adverse childhood experiences

12:52 — Stories lived vs. stories told — the importance of safety and no judgment

14:25 — Growth over comfort & giving yourself permission to say no

15:33 — Invitation to the listener to reach out or come on the show

17:20 — Survivors of life — what it means to watch people get over the hump

19:15 — We want to hear the real you — the difference between the smile you wore and what you truly felt

21:29 — Orla opens up about growing up mixed-race in 80s Ireland — racism, poverty, and identity

24:27 — Don't be quick to judge — you never know what someone is carrying

25:33 — Closing thoughts — a smile goes a long way

From mothers and daughters to friendships, loss, growth, and everything in between, they explore what it really means when someone asks, “How’s your ma?” — a simple question that can carry very different meanings depending on your story.

Leanne and Orla  share their own experiences of motherhood, friendship, grief, and personal growth, while opening the door for others to share their stories too — even anonymously. This is a space for honesty, empowerment, and connection, where no story is too complicated and no voice goes unheard.

Whether your relationships are strong, strained, or somewhere in between — this podcast is for you.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – 01:15
Introduction to Leanne & Orla and the idea behind How’s Your Ma?

01:15 – 02:02
The meaning behind the question “How’s your ma?” and why it can be complex

02:02 – 03:08
Different experiences of motherhood — loss, absence, and strong bonds

03:08 – 04:19
Creating a safe space for open, honest conversations

04:19 – 05:27
Anonymous storytelling and why sharing can feel safer

05:27 – 06:42
Empowering women and navigating today’s social pressures

06:42 – 08:16
Kindness, parenting, and raising the next generation

08:16 – 09:27
Life changes, growth, and finding stability in your 40s

09:27 – 10:21
Doing something for yourself and the joy of hearing people’s stories

10:21 – 11:44
Curiosity vs “being nosy” — the power of listening with care

11:44 – 12:48
Authenticity, honesty, and empowering others to grow

12:48 – 13:55
Self-worth, confidence, and not shrinking yourself

13:55 – 15:01
Making friends as adults & how Leanne and Oral met

15:01 – 16:22
Choosing friendship and building meaningful connections

16:22 – 17:31
Positivity, daily check-ins, and supporting each other

17:31 – 18:37
Personal growth and changing your mindset over time

18:37 – 20:02
Finding your voice and helping others through your work

20:02 – 21:27
Motherhood, influence, and raising confident children

21:27 – 22:36
Staying positive and creating a healthy mindset

22:36 – 23:31
Upcoming guests and sharing real-life stories

23:31 – 24:32
Women’s roles in society and changing expectations

24:32 – 25:35
Different perspectives within the same family

25:35 – 26:31
Encouraging listeners to share their stories — without judgment