Brendan O'Connor

As the 2026 Leaving Cert class finish their exams, Brendan gets some words of wisdom on navigating adulthood, from singer Mary Coughlan; former footballer Roddy Collins; eight-time All-Ireland winner, Philly McMahon; Comedian, Kyla Cobbler; Poet, performer and playwright, Felispeaks; Comedian and podcaster, Justine Stafford.

Adam Harris, CEO of autism charity, AsIAm, joins Brendan to explain why he’s moving on from the charity he founded, to become the CEO for Social Entrepreneurs Ireland.

Ireland’s most successful male swimmer ever, Daniel Wiffen joins Brendan to discuss his path to Olympic victory, his training regime and the music that gets him through it all - including one Christmas song!

Certified Financial Planner, Leah McMahon joins Brendan to discuss the financial cultures in different groups. How do you navigate a meal out, hen party, or family event where you’re expected to spend more than is comfortable for you?

Whether you’re prepping for a picnic, or sending your kids off to summer camp, Chef Shane Smith joins Brendan to discuss some delicious – and safe – ways to pack a bit more into your packed lunch.

Joining Brendan to discuss the big stories in Sunday’s newspapers are Mary Regan, Political Editor, Irish Independent & Sunday Independent; Alan Barrett, Research Professor at the ESRI; Hazel Chu, Dublin City Councillor and Green Party Deputy Leader and Cormac Lucey, Columnist, The Sunday Times.

Irish Times Writer Patrick Freyne has written his first novel, ‘Experts In A Dying Field’. He talks to Brendan about identifying as a yuppie in his youth, his years playing in bands, work burnout, obsoletion in middle age and why having children isn’t the be-all-and-end-all. He charts his life through five songs from The Monkees to Pixies and more.

Broadcaster Aifric O’Connell explains the trickle-down effect of top influencers and catwalk shows abandoning gel manicures in favour of a return to a healthier, more natural-looking nail, more in line with the recent Quiet Luxury fashion trend.

Joining Brendan to discuss the week’s film and TV highlights are writer, Henrietta McKervey and producer, Eoin Sweeney. They discuss Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, Bad: The Song That Saved My Life, The World Cup, The Isle of Wight music festival and Harlan Coben’s I Will Find You amongst many more.

Olympian Ciara Mageean spent her career representing Ireland and Northern Ireland, including a Gold at the 1500m European Championships in 2024, a year before the cancer diagnosis that ended her career. She talks to Brendan about her career, her terminal diagnosis, grief for the life she’ll never have and why we should all live in the moment.

Fr. Brendan McGuire, AI advisor to the Pope and sometimes spiritual advisor to Anthropic, gives his take as Anthropic halts access to top AI models following a U.S. ban on foreign use. Before his ordination, Fr. Brendan worked in Silicon Valley as an engineer and tech exec. He believes technology should serve humanity rather than control it.

Booker Prize-winning author, Salman Rushdie, talked to Brendan about recovering from a knife attack which saw him lose his right eye, how laughter helped in his recovery, his thoughts on the US v Iran war, how free speech has never been more under threat and his new collection of short stories, ‘The Eleventh Hour’

Writer and broadcaster Stefanie Preissner is back with one of her, by now, legendary gift guides. This time it’s ideas for buying for your father. She’s suggesting concerts, cookery courses, whiskey tasting, introducing your Dad to a day spa, a 10kg box of beef and many more ideas!

Chef and Instagrammer Alannah Sheehan gives ideas and recipes on jazzing up your daily porridge, how to make porridge bread and also a recipe for a healthy and a not-so-healthy granola

Joining Brendan to discuss the big stories in Sunday’s newspapers are consultant in paediatric intensive care at CHI Crumlin, Dr Suzanne Crowe; head of the ESRI’s Behavioural Research Unit, Pete Lunn; political correspondent at The Irish Times, Ellen Coyne; and commentator and head of the Iona Institute, David Quinn.

Joining Brendan to discuss the week’s film and TV highlights are broadcaster, Fionnuala Jones and Andy McCarroll, host of the Extra Vision Podcast. They discuss J. Lo’s romcom “Office Romance”; a new series where Irish people explore their migrant roots, “Backstory”; and the latest show from “It’s a Sin” creator, Russell T Davies, “Tip Toe”.

It’s fifty years since Declan Patrick MacManus burst on to the music scene as Elvis Costello. Ahead of a visit to Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens for a concert on July 5th, with The Imposters and Charlie Sexton, Elvis speaks to Brendan about his Irish heritage, songwriting with Paul McCartney, and producing Shane McGowan.

Musician and broadcaster, Tom Dunne joins Brendan to mark the fortieth anniversary of the brat-pack comedy, ‘Pretty in Pink’ - and the iconic soundtrack album that it spawned.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Elizabeth Strout, joined Brendan to talk about contemporary life in the US, loneliness within marriages, and her latest novel, The Things we Never Say. She was in Ireland for an appearance at the Borris House Festival of Writing and Ideas.

In February, Brendan read out a letter from a listener, about his love affair with a rival athlete, 30 years ago. While watching Heated Rivalry, this listener was flooded with memories of that lost love. After Brendan read this letter on air, the man’s former lover heard it, and reached out to him. The listener fills us in on what happened next.

Host of BBC Masterchef, and owner of Myrtle restaurant, chef Anna Haugh talks to Brendan about unacceptable behaviour in restaurant kitchens, her first season hosting Masterchef, and the perfect food when hosting a summer party.

Psychotherapist Richard Hogan joins Brendan to talk about boundaries: teaching people how to treat you, putting down boundaries within your family and dealing with tricky people who try to undermine you. He also explains the critical difference between being an authoritative parent, and an authoritarian parent.

Stress-free summertime hosting

Joining Brendan to discuss the big stories in Sunday’s newspapers are Oisín Coghlan, public policy advisor; Dan O’Brien, Chief Economist at the Institute of International & European Affairs; Sarah Carey, columnist at the Irish Independent; and Lorna Fitzpatrick, from communications firm, Fenton Fitzwilliam.

Game of Thrones actor, Hannah Murray, joins Brendan to discuss her memoir The Make Believe, which recounts her experience becoming involved in a wellness community that led to her believing she was the saviour of the planet. She reflects on the search for belonging, and how she eventually found her way out.

Irish Independent technology editor, Adrian Weckler, joins Brendan to explore the increasingly sophisticated technology built-in to modern cars. From driver assistance systems and connected services to data collection and privacy concerns, he explains what's happening behind the dashboard and what motorists should know.

Three years after the death of her brother, Brian, former European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, tells Brendan about her search for answers. Since contracting HIV decades ago, Brian lived a very full life, but – despite so much recent progress in treatments - she says his death was reminiscent of a different era.

Tables for one... solo travel... jogging alone... After turning 30, TikToker, Miriam Mullins, has decided to do more activities on her own – with a goal of becoming more comfortable with her own company. She chatted with Brendan about her recent trip alone to New York, parasocial relationships, and the loneliness of being a social media influencer

Larry Donnelly joins Brendan ahead of an MMA cage fight at the White House – to celebrate President Trump’s birthday. They also discuss the Trump plan for a Great American State Fair and the forces shaping modern America.

Actor Jack Reynor joins Brendan for My Life in Five Songs, reflecting on a career that has taken him from Wicklow to Hollywood. He discusses the reality of an ADHD diagnosis, and how family life and the support of his wife Madeline have kept him grounded. His song choices include Brian Eno, The Band and Talos.

Chef and food writer Domini Kemp joins Brendan to champion the versatility of lemons in everyday cooking. She explores how zest and juice can lift everything from fish and chicken to nutty pairings like hazelnuts, bringing brightness and balance to simple dishes.

Joining Dearbhail to discuss the week’s film and TV highlights are Director of the Dublin International Film Festival, Grainne Humphries and Movies Editor with the RTE Guide, Michael Doherty. They discuss Irish films Power Ballad (starring Paul Rudd) and 500 Miles (starring Bill Nighy). Fresh from Cannes, Grainne identifies the big winners.

Joining Dearbhail to discuss the big stories in Sunday’s newspapers, are disability advocate and mother of the late Harvey Morrisson Sherratt, Gillian Sherratt; Irish Times columnist and public affairs consultant, Gerard Howlin; Former Irish Ambassador, Dan Mulhall; and political reporter with the Irish Independent, Aisling Moloney.

Playwright Deirdre Kinahan joins Dearbhail to talk about her latest play ‘Refuge’ which explores Ireland’s complex history with migration, through the experience of an 18th Century German Palatine family and a more recent arrival from Afghanistan. She talks about her long career and why cancer made her more optimistic.

Travel expert Lisa Regan, fresh from a trip to Amsterdam with friends to see Harry Styles, joins Dearbhail to talk about group holidays and why groups of women are the largest growth area in travel. They discuss what makes a group holiday work - from avoiding rows over the kitty, to accommodation options and top tips for activities.

Author Doireann Ní Ghríofa joins Dearbhail to discuss her haunting new book ‘Said The Dead’, which explores the archive, history and lives lived in Cork’s Victorian asylum. The book blends medical notes from the time, the life story of the extraordinary physician, Dr Lucia Fitzgerald, and Ní Ghríofa’s own empathetic quest to understand their world

Garden designer and TV presenter, Diarmuid Gavin joins Dearbhail to talk through the songs that bring him back to moments and milestones through his life. He talks about tragic death of his brother as a child, the love he felt in his childhood home and how it took him until his 40s to overcome his profound shyness and social anxiety.

Professor Robert Byrne, Director of Cardiology at the Mater Private talks to Dearbhail through the difference between good and bad cholesterol, why your cholesterol number matters, what it means for your health now and into the future and he gives his strategies to manage,

The Cupcake Guy Graham Herterich gives Dearbhail baking ideas that include nuts and dried fruit - from a coffee and peacan brack to the ultimate bread-and-butter pudding with raisins. He also gives recipes for indulgent flavoured butters that add depth and zing to all kinds of dishes.

Kai Brosnan and Sophie Hynes - two younger people who undertook a one-week digital detox for the show last January - return to talk about a week of using AI chatbots to help run their lives and offer them advice on personal issues.

Stylist and personal shopper Cathy O’Connor chats to Brendan about dressing for all your summer occasions without compromising your personal style: how to plan your photo pose, what to wear for a Communion, and why you always need to dress for yourself.

Joining Brendan to discuss the stories making the papers today were teacher and broadcaster Emer O’Neill; Jennifer Bray, Political Editor with the Sunday Times; Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics at DCU and Mary Hanafin, Barrister and former Fianna Fail government minister.

Features writer with the Irish Times, Nadine O’Regan and Culture Journalist, Brian Lloyd bring us the hits and misses of the week’s TV and movie offerings, from the new season of the hit series Rivals to the latest Steven Soderbergh film and the new Yellowstone spin off.

Film-maker John Carney chooses five songs from that bring him back to places, people and moments in his life. He talks about the beauty of the sibling relationship, feeling differently wired growing up, his time in ‘The Frames’, making ‘Once’ and ‘Sing Street’ and his new film, ‘Power Ballad’, which stars Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas.

As the Labour Party launches a battle for the soul of Britain, former trade unionist Mick Lynch talks to Brendan about whether Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, will be the next leader of the Labour party and how deep the damage to the party really goes.

Fr. Iggy O' Donovan reflects on the papacy of his old Augustinian classmate, Pope Leo XIV, a year into office, including recent interactions with the US White House. He talks about the state of the Catholic Church in Ireland and globally and why some younger people seem to be staging a quiet religious revival by turning back to the Catholic faith.

Physiotherapist Aisling Frawley joins Brendan to talk about why flexibility matters at every age, why consistent movement and strength are key and how to stretch your way to a tip top flexibility score with exercises to increase your flexibility range.

Food writer with The Financial Times, Tim Hayward, tells Brendan why sad lettuce needs an epic dressing. He talks Brendan through how to make an authentic American ranch dressing and offers a defence of the retro favourite, thousand island dressing.

Joining Brendan to discuss the top stories in Sunday’s newspapers are: doctor and columnist, Maire Treasa Ni Cheallaigh; Sunday Business Post policy editor, Daniel Murray; professor of International Relations at UCD, Ben Tonra; Irish Daily Mail and Sunday Independent columnist, Brenda Power; and London correspondent for The Irish Times, Mark Paul.

Poet and Writer Theo Dorgan joins Brendan to discuss the songs that have meant most to him, throughout his life and career. He talks about being one of 16 children, the happiest man he ever met, and his correspondence with Leonard Cohen.