Family Flowers Only by Grief Ireland

This week I sit down with Doireann Tiernan for an honest and eye-opening conversation about a form of grief we don't speak about nearly enough the grief that comes with living with chronic illness.

Doireann lives with a rare genetic condition called Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), which has had an enormous impact on her health and her life.

She speaks openly about the reality of living with such a complex medical condition, having undergone major surgeries, including the removal of her stomach and gallbladder, and facing the prospect of eventually having her bowel removed.

We talk about what it's like when so much of your life revolves around hospitals, appointments, procedures and uncertainty. The loss of your health, your independence, the life you imagined for yourself, and the constant need to adapt to a body that has been through so much.

For more information about Grief workshops visit http://www.griefireland.com. And use the code "FLOWERS" for 20% off

This week I sit down with James Cox who shares the heartbreaking loss of his beloved wife Maria to an incredibly aggressive form of cancer known as soft tissue sarcoma.

Maria was a young, healthy woman whose life was turned upside down by a devastating diagnosis. Over the course of approximately one year, James and Maria faced an unimaginable battle as the disease progressed at a frightening pace. By the time Maria passed away she had developed almost 20 tumours.

James speaks with such honesty about that year of their lives, the constant fight to get ahead of the illness and the heartbreak of watching someone you love become so desperately unwell.

This is an incredibly moving conversation about love, grief, and the devastating reality of how quickly life can change.

For more information about grief support, workshops and my After the Flowers membership, visit http://www.griefireland.com.

Use the discount code "FLOWERS" at the checkout for Workshop Tickets

This week I sit down with Jemma Buttimer who shares the heartbreaking loss of her brother Desmond Hurley known to everyone as Des.

Des was just 29 years old when he tragically lost his life in December 2023 while working aboard a fishing vessel off the southwest coast of Ireland. An experienced fisherman from Kinsale Des suffered a fatal injury following a fall on board the boat in circumstances later described at his inquest as a one-in-a-million tragedy.

Jemma shares the devastating shock of losing her brother so suddenly, and we speak about the enormous impact a death like this can have on an entire family.

This is a deeply moving conversation about sibling grief, sudden loss, and the heartbreak of trying to make sense of something so unexpected.

A heartfelt conversation about love, family, and the lasting impact of losing someone far too soon.

For tickets and more information on the Grief Workshop visit http://www.griefireland.com

This week I speak to Sandra Mullen, a makeup artist and celebrant who shares a deeply personal story of loss, survival and a type of grief that often goes unrecognised.

Just four months after her wedding devastating news concerning the safety of her eldest daughter turned Sandra’s world upside down and her marriage came to an abrupt end.

What followed were years of raising her children alone, navigating loneliness and simply trying to survive with little time or space to process everything she had lost.

In this incredibly honest and moving conversation Sandra reflects on the grief she carried for so many years without even recognising it as grief. The loss of her marriage, the future she had imagined, and the life she thought she would have.

A powerful reminder that grief isn't always about death and that every form of loss deserves to be acknowledged.

For information and tickets for our upcoming Grief Ireland workshops, visit http://www.griefireland.com.

This week I sit down with Noeleen Eustace, who shares the devastating story of losing her son Kelvin to suicide.

Noeleen speaks about Kelvin’s struggles with both addiction and his mental health, and the years she spent desperately trying to get him the help he needed. She talks about the complexities of dual diagnosis and what it is like as a mother to keep fighting for your child when it feels like there is nowhere left to turn.

She speaks with incredible honesty about losing Kelvin, the earth-shattering grief that has followed, and how you continue living when a part of you feels as though it died with your child.

A raw and deeply emotional conversation about a mother’s love, the fight to get help, addiction, mental health and the unimaginable reality of losing a child to suicide.

SUPPORT & SIGNPOSTING

This episode discusses addiction, mental health difficulties and suicide. Please listen with care.

Samaritans — Call 116 123 free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Pieta — Support for suicidal thoughts, self-harm and suicide bereavement: 1800 247 247, or text HELP to 51444.

HUGG — Support for anyone bereaved by suicide, including peer-support groups: http://HUGG.ie.

HSE Drugs & Alcohol Helpline — Free and confidential support for anyone concerned about their own or somebody else’s drug or alcohol use: 1800 459 459.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 112 or 999 or attend your nearest Emergency Department.

This week I sit down with Zoe Welsh who shares the heartbreaking story of losing her dad to suicide.

Zoe was just 16 when a situation involving inappropriate messages and comments from an older man known to the family changed the course of all of their lives. When her dad became aware of what was happening, his instinct was to protect his daughter but the events that followed ultimately resulted in him receiving a prison sentence, something completely at odds with the person Zoe knew her dad to be.

Zoe speaks about the huge impact it had on her family, the shame her dad carried following his time in prison, and the devastating events that unfolded shortly after his release.

This is a deeply emotional conversation about a father and daughter, the instinct to protect someone you love, shame, grief and the many complicated layers that can exist when someone dies by suicide.

SUPPORT & SIGNPOSTING

This episode discusses suicide and may be difficult for some listeners. Please listen with care.

Samaritans — Call 116 123 free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Pieta — For support with suicidal thoughts, self-harm or bereavement by suicide, call 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444.

HUGG — Provides dedicated support for people bereaved by suicide. Visit http://HUGG.ie for information and support groups.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 112 or 999 or attend your nearest Emergency Department.

BONUS EPISODE - AFTER THE FLOWERS

This week I’m introducing something new to the podcast.....After the Flowers.

These bonus episodes will be a little different. Each week I’ll take a question or topic that has come from you the listeners, something you might be struggling with, questioning or need a little help navigating, and bring it to two experts..therapist Peter Mahony of By Your Side Therapy and Rachel Gotto, clinical hypnotherapist and grief educator.

For our first conversation we’re talking about family estrangement and the complicated grief that can come with it.

What happens when you’re grieving someone that you had an estranged relationship with? How do you cope with the loss of the rest of the family, the guilt, anger and sadness that can come with estrangement and the fact that sometimes there simply isn't a simple solution?

Peter and Rachel offer their professional perspectives as we have an open and very human conversation about a type of grief that isn't always recognised or understood.

Find out more about Peter:
By Your Side Therapy

Find out more about Rachel:
Rachel Gotto

This week I sit down with Daniel Coulter who shares a story of childhood grief, addiction and recovery.

Daniel was just 10 years old when his dad died suddenly in front of him. He speaks openly about experiencing such an enormous loss at such a young age, how it shaped him growing up, and how he now looks back on that little boy and his grief through adult eyes.

Later in life Daniel developed a gambling addiction that would span almost a decade. He talks honestly about the secrecy, the lies and the lengths he went to in order to protect his addiction, as well as the reality of finally facing it.

Now in recovery, Daniel speaks about everything he has lived through and the lessons he has taken from both grief and addiction.

A really open conversation about loss, the things we carry from childhood, addiction, recovery and finding a different way forward.

SUPPORT & SIGNPOSTING

If you have been affected by anything discussed in this episode, support is available.

Gamblers Anonymous Ireland offers confidential support and meetings for anyone struggling with gambling. Call 01 872 1133, 10am–10pm, seven days a week. Meetings are available across Ireland and online.

http://GamblingCare.ie provides information, advice and support for people experiencing gambling harm and their families. Call 1800 936 725.

If gambling or anything discussed in this episode is affecting your mental health, Samaritans are available 24 hours a day on 116 123.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 112 or 999.

This week I sit down with Gavin Hattie, who shares the story of his beautiful son Connor, who was diagnosed with the extremely rare Krabbe disease and sadly passed away on his first birthday.

Gavin speaks about those precious months with Connor and the incredible support his family received from the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation during an unimaginable time.

This September, Jack and Jill are asking people across Ireland to Power an Hour, because just €20 can provide one hour of vital in-home nursing care and respite for a family caring for a seriously ill child.

This conversation is about Connor, about love and loss, but also about the difference it makes when a family has someone there to help carry them through the hardest days.

💜 If you can, please support Power Hour for Jack and Jill. Every hour really does matter.

Donate or get involved here : https://www.jackandjill.ie/power-hour

This week I sit down with Evan Gearns, who shares the heartbreaking story of loosing his brother Andrew to suicide following a struggle with addiction and his mental health.

Evan speaks openly about Andrew’s life, the circumstances surrounding his death while in custody, and his family’s difficult search for answers afterwards.

He also shares how the loss of his brother changed the course of his own life, leading him down a path of addiction and to an incredibly dark place himself.

But this is also a story of recovery and hope. Evan talks about finally reaching out for help, the support that helped him turn his life around, and where he is today, nine months clean and rebuilding his life.

A powerful conversation about brotherhood, grief, addiction, survival and finding your way back.

CONTENT WARNING & SUPPORT

This episode discusses drug addiction, mental health difficulties, suicidal thoughts and suicide. Please listen with care.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or self-harm, Pieta provides a 24-hour crisis service. Call 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444.

Samaritans can be contacted free, 24 hours a day, on 116 123.

If you have been bereaved by suicide, HUGG provides dedicated suicide-bereavement support and peer-support groups. Call 01 513 4048 or visit http://HUGG.ie.

For support with drug or alcohol use, the HSE Drugs and Alcohol Helpline is a free and confidential service. Call 1800 459 459, Monday to Friday, 9.30am–5.30pm.

Coolmine provides drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services, including community, day and residential programmes. Visit http://Coolmine.ie for information about accessing support.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 112 or 999 or attend your nearest Emergency Department.

This week I sit down with Suzanne Byrne, who shares the story of her husband Jay, and the extraordinary 15-year battle with cancer that they faced together.

Jay was a singer, and over the years the illness took so much from him, including his voice after having his voice box removed. Suzanne was by his side through it all and she speaks so lovely about their partnership, their love, and what it means to watch someone you love endure so much.

We also talk about the end of Jay’s life and the importance of him having a say in how he wanted those final days to look.

This is a conversation about love, loss, dignity and a partnership that carried them through the most difficult of times.

This week I sit down with Craig Coady, a father who has faced an extraordinary amount of heartbreak and who is now fighting with everything he has for his son.

Craig speaks about his wife Della, who is living with Huntington’s disease and is now in full-time care, and their two boys, Rory and Paudie, who were both diagnosed with the rare and progressive condition Friedreich’s ataxia. Last year, Craig faced the unimaginable when 13-year-old Rory passed away as a result of the disease.

Today his 16-year-old son Paudie is living with the same condition, and Craig is campaigning for access in Ireland to Skyclarys, the first treatment for Friedreich’s ataxia, which can slow the progression of the disease.

This is a conversation about enormous loss, a father’s love, and a family who have already endured so much but above all, it’s about Craig’s determination to keep fighting for his son and for hope.

We mentioned at the end of the conversation that there is a march in Dublin this Sunday August 23rd beginning at 12 noon from the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin to Custom Quay House. If you can at all we would love you to get out and support

This week I sit down with Joe Grogan from Tuam, Co. Galway, to talk about his son Shane and a very different kind of grief, living grief.

In 2012, Shane’s life and the lives of his entire family changed in an instant when he was the victim of an unprovoked attack that left him with a severe acquired brain injury. More than a decade later, Shane requires full-time care and is unable to live the independent life that once lay ahead of him.

Joe speaks with incredible honesty about loving the son who is still here, while grieving the life that was taken from him, the future, the independence and all of the ordinary moments they thought they would have.

It’s a powerful conversation about a kind of grief we perhaps don’t talk about enough, when the person you love is still here but life will never be the same again.

🎧 Podcast Description

This week I sit down with Ciara Keegan, who shares the heartbreaking loss of her sister Jessie a young mum of two who died last year from triple-negative breast cancer.

Ciara speaks so honestly about the incredibly close bond she shared with Jessie, the love that surrounded her within their family, and the devastating reality of watching someone you love face such an aggressive illness.

This is a deeply emotional conversation about sisterhood, family, anticipatory grief, and the profound loss that comes when someone so central to your world is no longer there.

🎧 Podcast Listener Offer
Family Flowers Only listeners can get 10% off their first month with BetterHelp:

http://betterhelp.com/familyflowers

This week I sit down with Marian Hastings who shares the loss of her husband James to cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer).

Marian speaks openly about the devastating reality of a diagnosis with so few treatment options, the fight they faced together, and the heartbreak of knowing there was very little hope. She reflects on the love they shared, the challenges of caring for someone through terminal illness, and the incredible compassion and support they received from hospice care.

This is a deeply moving conversation about love, courage, anticipatory grief, and the comfort that compassionate care can bring during life's hardest moments.

🎧 Podcast Listener Offer

I've partnered with BetterHelp to offer listeners 10% off their first month of online therapy.

👉 http://betterhelp.com/familyflowers

This week I sit down with Shaunna Briody who shares the devastating loss of her only sibling Ryan in a tragic accident.

Ryan was a young mechanic with his whole life ahead of him. Shaunna speaks openly about the trauma of his sudden death, the overwhelming grief that followed, and how it led to severe anxiety and panic attacks.

This is an honest conversation about sibling loss, navigating life after sudden bereavement, and finding a way forward after unimaginable heartbreak.

⚠️ Content note: This episode contains discussion of traumatic loss, grief, anxiety, and panic attacks.

If this episode brings up difficult feelings for you, support is available:

📞 Samaritans Ireland – 116 123
📱 Text HELLO to 50808
🤍 HUGG – http://www.hugg.ie

🎧 Podcast Listener Offer

I've partnered with BetterHelp to offer listeners 10% off their first month of online therapy.

👉 http://betterhelp.com/familyflowers

This week I sit down with Andrew Hart who lost both of his parents by the age of just 24.

Andrew speaks about losing his dad to cancer, before sharing the heartbreaking story of his mum's long struggle with mental health and addiction and her death by suicide.

This is an honest conversation about grief, addiction, mental health, and the lasting impact of losing both parents at such a young age.

🎧 Podcast Listener Offer

I've partnered with BetterHelp to offer listeners 10% off their first month of online therapy.

👉 http://betterhelp.com/familyflowers

Brought to you by https://flowers.ie/

Use "5STAR" for 5 EURO off your order 👍

This week I sit down with Maeve Keegan, who shares the heartbreaking loss of her husband Mark, who died by suicide in 2010.

Maeve speaks openly about the complex circumstances surrounding Mark's death. What began as trading gradually became something she now believes was a form of gambling addiction, leaving her to discover the devastating financial reality only after his death.

She reflects on the shock of losing her husband, the legal battles that followed, and the lasting impact of grief, trauma, and PTSD. Together, we also discuss suicide, mental health, and the importance of reaching out for support.

⚠️ Content note: This episode contains discussion of suicide, suicidal thoughts, addiction, and mental health. Please take care while listening.

Support is available:

📞 Samaritans Ireland – Freephone 116 123 (24 hours a day)
🌐 http://www.samaritans.org

🤝 HUGG provides support for people bereaved by suicide and those impacted by suicide. You can find out more at http://www.hugg.ie.

You can find Maeve on Instagram @sanara_psychotherapy and @widowed_young_ireland

And her email is maevekeeganpsychotherapy@gmail.com

🎧 Podcast Listener Offer

I've partnered with BetterHelp to offer listeners 10% off your first month of online therapy.

To claim your discount, please use the link below (the discount is automatically applied when you sign up through the link)

BetterHelp.com/familyflowers

This week, I sit down with Claire Harrison, who shares the heartbreaking loss of her niece Lucy Harrison, who was killed by her father, Claires brother.

Claire and Lucy were incredibly close, with only a couple of years between them, and Claire speaks so openly about the deep bond they shared. She reflects on the unimaginable reality of grieving her beloved niece while also trying to process the fact that the person responsible was her own brother.

This is a profoundly emotional conversation about love, family, grief, and the complex emotions that can exist when tragedy strikes within a family. Claire speaks with remarkable honesty and courage, offering a powerful insight into a type of grief that is rarely spoken about.

This week, I sit down with Ronan Cullen who shares the devastating and very recent loss of his beloved wife Claire.

Claire was in the Dominican Republic for her brother's wedding when she was tragically killed in a hit-and-run incident. In this deeply emotional conversation Ronan speaks about the unimaginable shock of receiving that phone call, the raw reality of grief in its earliest stages, and learning to navigate life without the person he thought he would grow old with.

We also talk about parenting their young child through such profound loss, the challenges of carrying your own grief while trying to support your child, and the moments of love, humour, and connection that still find their way through the heartbreak.

This is a conversation about soulmates, sudden loss, resilience, and the extraordinary strength it takes to keep putting one foot in front of the other when life changes in an instant.