Podcast
Brendan O'Connor
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 Radio 1.
- Episodes
- 121
- Releases
- Daily
- Typical length
- 24 min
- On air since
- 2026
- Latest episode
- 2 days ago
Episodes
121 episodes, newest first
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13 min
Death of Ciara Mageean - "The Irish athletic community are mourning a beautiful person today"
Show notes
Athlete and Broadcaster David Gillick and RTE Sport's Des Cahill pay tribute to the Irish Olympian and European Champion Ciara Mageean whose death was announced this morning after a battle with cancer.
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37 min
The Newspaper Panel
Show notes
Joining Brendan to discuss the main stories in Sunday's newspapers are: Oisín Coghlan, public policy advisor, Louise Burne, Political Correspondent at the Irish Examiner, Peter Brown, Managing Director The Irish Institute of Financial Trading, Brigid Laffan, Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute.
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24 min
"Trump has squandered all his good opportunities in these midterms"
Show notes
Author, Tech Entrepreneur and former RTÉ Washington Correspondent, Mark Little, previews Tuesday's US midterm elections, explains why he thinks they're more consequential than a US Presidential election would be and outlines how the various final scenarios would affect America and the wider world.
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13 min
"I had no intention of being a chef, I just opened a restaurant to pay the bills"
Show notes
Food guru Rick Stein joins Brendan to share some of what he's learned since starting out in the business. His new book 'Rick Stein’s Cookery Course' draws on 60 years of cooking, with everything anyone could need to know, including how to joint a rabbit and why he likes his beef from a castrated male!
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11 min
The Watchlist
Show notes
Writer and podcaster Esther O'Moore Donohoe and host of the 'Here and Back Again' podcast Dave O'Callaghan join Brendan to discuss the biggest new shows and films this week. Their previews include: 'Dexter: Resurrection', 'Nocturne' starring Stephen Graham, 'Wild Horse Nine', 'Primetime' with Robert Pattinson and George Michael: The Faith Tour.
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29 min
Dr Maureen Gaffney - "The biggest predictor of a long and healthy life? Your close relationships.
Show notes
Clinical Psychologist Dr Maureen Gaffney has spent six decades in the world of psychology, writing bestselling books 'Flourishing' and 'Your One Wild and Precious Life'. Her latest book is 'About Life: Notes on Staying Grounded in Unsettled Times', based on lessons she's learned from her personal and professional life on how to live your best life.
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19 min
Hector Ó hEochagáin - "My brain surgery involved scooping around my pituitary gland"
Show notes
Hector Ó hEochagáin joined Brendan to talk about facing brain surgery last summer, having had a small tumour removed. He's marking 30 years of TG4 with his new South American adventure series. HIs latest book, Irish Words for Every Occasion: Conversations in Irish for every day of your life, is the last in a trilogy designed to get people talking rather than worrying about the modh coinníollach.
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31 min
"I felt that I got grabbed and hugged by my mother in Knock Basilica"
Show notes
Actor John Connors is starring in the new RTÉ series, The Galway Bay Murders. He talks Brendan through his life and career through the prism of five songs ranging from Patsy Cline to Damien Dempsey to DMX. He also speaks about losing his father to suicide, being segregated into a traveller class in primary school, going to anger management classes as a child, his love of boxing, his close bond with his grandfather and developing religious faith later in life.
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8 min
Twixmas Travel Tips
Show notes
If you feel that Christmas sometimes drags, Communications Consultant and Travel Enthusiast Lisa Regan has travel ideas for breaking up the 'Twixmas' period by taking a break to cities like Paris, Copenhagen, Tallinn or London. Or the potential blue skies in Spanish cities like Malaga or Seville
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8 min
The Watchlist
Show notes
Zara Hedderman, Arts and Music Journalist, and Brian Lloyd, Freelance entertainment journalist and host of the Screenland Podcast join Brendan to discuss the biggest new shows and films this week. Their previews include: Dr Marie Cassidy Investigates Ireland's Last Witch Trial, Slow Horses, Norm: The Tale of Norm McDonald, The Lowdown, Wildwood, The Devils.
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38 min
John Creedon - “I got a crash course in tying laces before boarding school”
Show notes
John Creedon joins Brendan to discuss the five songs that have been there at turning points in his life. He shares a special recording of his late father Con singing. He remembers what Rory Gallagher meant to a generation of Cork teenagers and brings us all back to the styles and sounds of Ireland's discos in the late 70's and early 80's
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56 min
The Newspaper Panel
Show notes
Joining Brendan to discuss the main stories in Sunday's newspapers are: Harry McGee, Political Correspondent with the Irish Times. Brenda Power Columnist with The Daily Mail and the Sunday Times. Hazel Chu, Deputy Leader of the Green party and Dublin City Councillor, and Larry Donnelly law lecturer, NUIG & Legal Counsel of Democrats Abroad. Updates from Tel Aviv from Channel 4's Matt Frei.
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56 min
The Newspaper Panel
Show notes
Joining Brendan to discuss the main stories in Sunday's newspapers are: Harry McGee, Political Correspondent with the Irish Times. Brenda Power Columnist with The Daily Mail and the Sunday Times. Hazel Chu, Deputy Leader of the Green party and Dublin City Councillor, and Larry Donnelly law lecturer, NUIG & Legal Counsel of Democrats Abroad. Updates from Tel Aviv from Channel 4's Matt Frei.
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38 min
James McClean - "This is a conversation I've never had before"
Show notes
Former Irish International James McClean joins Brendan to talk about his critically acclaimed autobiography 'The Walls'. Brendan and James have a wide-ranging chat about trauma, therapy, politics, fatherhood and his long marriage to Erin, who he has known since they were teenagers.
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9 min
No fashion victims - easy ways to wear this season's trends
Show notes
Stylist and personal shopper Cathy O Connor talks Brendan through the trends landing in the high street this season. From terracotta tinted sunglasses to embracing maximalism, she gives tips on how to look up to date without being a slave to fashion and above all still feeling like yourself.
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26 min
Katriona O' Sullivan - "We all need to plan out the joy in our lives!"
Show notes
Psychologist and author Professor Katriona O' Sullivan asks why aren't we having more fun?? She joins Brendan to talk about how joy and pleasure have taken a back seat in our modern world, and how we need to factor "joy planning" into our lives.
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11 min
Chef Maggie Roche on the perfect pie
Show notes
Chef Maggie Roche from the Little Acorn Stór talks Brendan through making the perfect pie at home. She has delicious recipes for savoury, veggie and sweet pies.
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51 min
The Newspaper Panel
Show notes
Joining Brendan to discuss the main stories in Sunday's newspapers are: Liz Carolan, Publisher of the Briefing.ie; Professor Rónán Collins, Consultant Physician in Geriatric and Stroke Medicine, at Tallaght University Hospital; Elaine Loughlin, Political Editor of the Irish Examiner and Declan Power, Security and Defence Analyst. Naomi O'Leary, Irish Times Europe Correspondent, joins from Paris with an update on the protests and riots there.
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26 min
Clodagh McKenna - "How about chocolate beef chilli served in a pumpkin?!"
Show notes
Chef and businesswoman Clodagh McKenna joins Dearbhail to talk about her tenth cookbook, Clodagh At Home, and her new ITV1 show, Clodagh: Cooking At Home. She talks about life on Broadspear Farm, its seasons, her beehives, what to do with pumpkins and why her pal Richard E. Grant loves her tarte tatin.
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7 min
“I’m a Celebrity, don’t you know who I am?!”
Show notes
In the same week that Kelly Clarkson had an online spat with an expensive toyshop, claiming they suggested she couldn't afford a $15k animatronic bird, Fionnuala Jones, entertainment journalist, brings us through other examples of celebrity entitlement and celebrity 'Do You Know Who I Am?' moments over the years.
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