The Grief Pod

Mike McGrath-Bryan, is a Journalist and Author of ‘Have I Got Your Attention? A Guide to Adult ADHD in Ireland. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Mike discusses how he felt being diagnosed at 33, and how now he reflects on his childhood experiences, feelings of rejection sensitivity and whether living so much of his life feeling ‘different’ has led to a sense of Ambiguous Loss.

Journalist and Author of the best selling novel ‘Esther is now following you’, Tanya Sweeney, lost her Mum Gabrielle to cancer 15 years ago. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Tanya talks about how her grief has surged since having her own daughter, her Mums last weeks in the hospice and her final hours, and the strange, and surprising path grief can often bring you down.

Painter and co-host of The Creep Dive Podcast, Jen O’Dwyer lost her sister, Aisling at the age of 16 to Cystic Fibrosis. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Jen talks about the heartbreak of losing her only sibling, the complexities of how her home and childhood, differed to those of her peers growing up, and how having a seriously sibling gave her a sense of ‘limited time’ from a very young age.

Actress Amy De Bhrun’s new short drama ‘Samhain’ depicts the day to day struggles of a mother parenting her neurodivergent son. Written and starring Amy, the movie gives a candid insight into how her character Emma copes with the everyday challenges many parents of neurodivergent children face ‘behind the scenes' On this weeks episode of The Grief Pod Amy talks about the drama, inspired by her own son, River and the grief a parent feels when their child is diagnosed, the fear of how their child will manage in a not yet fully accepting society, and the importance of learning to inhabit and see the world through your child’s eyes.

At the start of 2020, Emma Charlesworth was a married, working Mum of one, whose life was suddenly turned upside down due to Covid 19. On Mothers Day of that year, they were passing the day as a family in lockdown, when her husband Stuart started running a temperature. He was taken to hospital later that week, and would never come home. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Emma describes the harrowing experience of the Skype calls with her unconscious husband in ICU, the funeral only ten people could attend, and how her blog and publication of her book ‘Is Daddy going to be ok? have helped her navigate her grief.

On September 26th 2007, Bray Firefighter Brian Murray was killed tragically in the line of duty, alongside his colleague Mark O’Shaughnessy . Brian was 46, and Mark was 26. On what would have been his 65th birthday, Brian’s son, Brian, talks about the unspeakable tragedy that unfolded that day, the controversy that followed and why, in his role now as a firefighter he wants to ensure both his Dad, and Mark are never forgotten.

In several of the episodes of The Grief Pod, guests have shared their stories of how the deaths of their loved ones, have inspired them to help others. In this episode, Rebecca Sheridan talks about ‘Gerri’s Place’ the retreat she founded in memory of her Mum, Gerri, who she lost in 2019. After her mum died, Rebecca realised that she hadn’t got the care she actually needed prior to her passing, and how things could have been different had she had the right support, at the right time. A incredibly vibrant, funny and infectious personality often hid the struggles Gerri went through, and the retreat offers hope to those who also need a little bit of quiet.

In this episode of The Grief Pod, TV and Radio presenter and best selling author, Andrea Hayes talks about the many layers of grief and loss that has infiltrated her life. From the deaths of her Dad and cousin, to multiple miscarriages, while also witnessing the many bereavements suffered by her Mum. As a member of The Bethany Bereavement Group, Andrea explains how coming across the charity helped her navigate her multiple losses, and in turn inspired her to help others. Andrea also discusses the many forms of loss, and the beautiful analogy that ‘Grief is like glitter’

DJ and Radio Presenter, Andy Preston lost his little sister Elaine aged 14, from a heart condition, which had been misdiagnosed as Asthma. In the years that followed, he lost both his Mum and Dad, who had adopted him at birth and his close friend, Tony. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Andy talks about the life altering impact Elaine’s death had on his parents, how his relationship changed with them afterwards, the importance of second chances and his growing connection with his birth family.

National Grief Awareness Week is now in its 6th year, it’s run by The Irish Hospice Foundation to help send the message that you are not alone in your grief. This year NGAW focuses on the many different ways we can be aware and support those going through a bereavement and especially those navigating grief in the workplace. Amy Gibney, National Grief in the workplace lead at The Irish Hospice Foundation is this weeks guest on The Grief Pod.

Feilecain Fathers, was set up in 2019 to help and provide support to Dads, who have been bereaved through stillbirth and miscarriage. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Anthony Owens, Founder of Feileacain Fathers talks about his son Arthur, who was born sleeping at 40 weeks, and how his loss inspired him to bring other bereaved Dads together, to talk, play football and offer each other support. Anthony also discusses the difficulties of returning to work after baby loss, the importance of reaching out, and talking.

In the previous episode of The Grief POD, Anthony Whelan, Clinical Psychotherapist, spoke about his own experience of grief and bereavement, and offered advice on how to get through the triggering time of Christmas. The New Year can be equally triggering and exceptionally challenging, when you’ve lost a loved one. This week he joins me again to discuss, why it can be so difficult and how we can navigate it

Anthony Whelan worked for over 20 years, until struggling with the death of his partner, Anne-Marie he decided to completely change his life, and retrain as a Clinical Psychotherapist. In this special Christmas episode of The Grief Pod, Anthony tells of the impact of this change on his life, and how it has helped him cope with his grief and bereavement, and at the most difficult time of the year for so many, how we can mind ourselves and help others

In July 2018 Zoe Holohan’s husband, Brian died tragically in the wildfires that engulfed Mati in Athens - they’d been married just 4 days. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Zoe talks about what happened that day, her own very long physical and emotional journey since, the dark times, and the sign from Brian, that has allowed her to find happiness with her new partner Mark.

In 2014 Katherine Martin opened her beauty business, Lash Envy and was looking forward to the future ahead. Just two years later her Dad passed away suddenly, and she subsequently lost her Mum and her brother, all 3 within four years. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Katherine discusses the magnitude of loss in such a short space of time, the difficulty in grieving each of her loved ones individually, the importance of knowing what to say when someone dies and how lockdown, despite running a small business, offered her relief.

In 2015 Eugene Maher was going for his daily cycle, when he was mowed down in a hit and run, dying just a few later in hospital. The driver came forward six days later. In her first podcast interview, Eugenes daughter Lisa talks about that day, the anger and confusion that ensued before and after the court case, her decision to take part in the restorative justice programme, at the end of which she met an forgave her Dad’s killer, and how being able to forgive has helped her find peace.

Actor, Director & Writer Kevin J Ryan, lost his beloved dog Copper and his good friend, the actor, Julian Sands, within months of each other in 2023. In this episode of The Grief Pod Kevin talks about the pain of navigating that period of his life, the often unspoken heartbreak of losing a pet, coping with the ambiguous loss of grieving a friend while they were still missing and our need to talk more openly about our grief.

The Grief Pod with Venetia Quick - Lets Talk About Grief featuring Suzy Byrne by The Grief Pod with Venetia Quick

Living with Dementia is a process of continuous loss, described by many as a ‘living grief’. The Forget Me Nots Choir, offers sanctuary and support to those living with or affected by Dementia, whereby members can share happy moments with their loved ones or find comfort alongside those who share the same experience. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Orla Orna Founder of the choir and Gerry O’Halloran, share their stories of supporting their mum Kathleen and wife Mary through their journeys with Dementia and the huge impact the choir has had in coping with their grief

Gina Daly became a household name during COVID, thanks to her daily instagram posts about her weight struggles and her evening cook-a-longs with her husband, Karol. Four cookery books then followed, in a success achieved against a background of loss, both through miscarriage and the death of her Dad. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Gina tells me about this life of parallels, the heartbreak of being told her baby was gone, whilst alone in the hospital, her immense sadness losing her Dad, having already lost her Mum in her teens, and the joy and hope her rainbow baby, Gene has brought into her life.

Emma Fogarty was baptised a few days after birth, as the doctor didn’t expect her to live for long, probably not even a week. Now at 41, Emma is the longest living person in Ireland with EB, or Butterfly Skin as it in better known. In her first ever podcast interview, Emma talks about the life she would have had without EB, and while it may have robbed her of a future it’s given her things she would have never had without it. Never asking ‘why me’, Emma talks about the psychological pain of Secondary school, her thoughts on dying, and her work with Debra Ireland. Emma’s new book ‘Being Emma, Living my Best Life with Butterfly Skin’ is out now!

Jack Ebbs is running this years Dublin Marathon in memory of his cousin Jenny O’Riordan, who passed away aged just 26, to sudden cardiac death. In this episode Jack talks about his passion for raising awareness to save others, the symptoms to look out for and the incredible work of CRY Ireland to help support those affected.

TV Presenter and Panto Star, Alan Hughes was just 10 years old, when he lost both his Mum and Dad within 6 months of each other. In this weeks episode of The Grief Pod, Alan talks about how he survived the trauma of losing both his parents at such a young age, his subsequent heartbreak at losing his sister Doreen and his brother David, his mission to make memories for families at the Panto and how proud his Mum and Dad would be.

Author Julia Kelly’s Mum, Delphine passed away swimming in The Galápagos Islands in 2012. While her new book Still is a memoir of her Mum, it is also her way of saying, goodbye. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Julia talks about her Mum and how she embraced life following the death of Julia’s Dad, John. She also talks about the trauma of giving birth to her baby, Lucia, 17 weeks into her pregnancy, and the inhumane way her late partner Charlie spent his last days with dementia, separated from his family during COVID.

Dr Suzanne Crowe is a consultant in Paediatric Intensive Care, President of the Irish Medical Council, and Author of a new book ‘Intensive Care, True stories of healing, heartache and hope from inside Irish children’s medicine’ In this weeks episode of The Grief POD, Suzanne describes how the death of her baby daughter, Beatrice affected her, and changed her purpose as a doctor, the impact of losing a young patient in your care, and how she’s navigated life since the loss of her husband Barry, six years ago.

Tony Griffin, a GAA All Star in hurling, stepped aside from his career to cycle 7,000km across Canada, as he tried to come to terms with the death of his Dad, Jerome. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Tony openly talks about the difficulty he had understanding his grief and expressing it, and how that period in his life inspired ‘Saying Goodbye’ a chapter in his new edition of ‘The Teenagers Book of Life’

In this episode of The Grief Pod, Businesswoman, Entrepreneur and Journalist Norah Casey talks about balancing life and loss, after the death of her husband Richard, the physical exhaustion of grief and the importance of looking forward and not back.

Alan Fletcher played Dr Karl Kennedy in the iconic soap Neighbours for 30 years. In this weeks episode he talks about the challenges of acting out bereavement scenes and the impact the end of the series had for some viewers. Alan also talks about his late Mum’s spirituality, how she inspires his music, the loss of his two dogs Lola and Teddy and our need to be kinder. Alan will be performing with his band at The Sugar Club, Tuesday 12th August

‘Ambiguous Loss’ refers to a loss that remains unclear, making it impossible to grieve in a ‘traditional’ way. This is the sort of grief, many experience when a loved one goes missing. On this weeks episode, Jean Mahon talks about her brother Richard Doolan, who has been missing for 24 years.

Grief and loss run through the core of Author, Liz Nugent’s novels. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Liz talks about her own personal grief, how losing her Dad has impacted on her life, and the connection she has with the struggles of her characters.

Purple House, was founded in 1990 to help families for whom cancer has become part of their daily lives. On this weeks episode of The Grief Pod, Louise Mulgrew talks about losing her Dad, Mum and Sister to cancer, in a very short space of time, how her loss inspired the fundraising Beirne 3 Peaks Challenge, and her work for Purple House

A few weeks ago broadcaster Nikki Hayes spoke openly and honestly about her struggles with addiction, homelessness and her recent journey of recovery. On this weeks episode, Nikki shares what the reaction has been like, the guilt and grief of the lost years with her daughter, the trauma of her Dads passing and the kindness of people she met whilst living on the streets.

The senseless murder of Kathleen Chada’s two boys Eoghan 10, and Ruairi 5, at the hands of their father almost 12 years ago, is a story that still continues to shock and sadden. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Kathleen talks about her campaigning for victims, and the laws that need to change, her struggle during COVID and how her love for her two boys keeps her going

Ten years ago, Joanne Ryan returned one evening to find her partner, Killian had died suddenly at home. He was 31. In this weeks episode, Joanne talks about Killian’s death from sudden cardiac failure, the complexities of trying to move forward and the support she found through Cry Ireland

Singer Paul Harrington, lost his Mum and four of his siblings to cancer, in a short space of time. In this weeks episode of The Grief Pod, Paul discusses the impact such tremendous loss has had on his life, his feelings of anger and regret, and his search for positivity.

On this episode of The Grief Pod, Life and Health Coach, Helen Walsh talks about how to find a ‘new kind of normal’ after a bereavement, how to start over when all you want is for things to stay the same, how grief affects the nervous system and the importance of self care.

Victoria Mary Clarke, lost her husband Shane McGowan 18 months ago. After having been together for nearly 40 years, talks about the coping strategies that get her through the deep dark days, the importance of supporting people going through grief in your community and how Shane would like to be remembered

On this weeks episode, Life Celebrant Conor Clear talks about the alternative ways to celebrate the memory of a loved one, in a way that is fitting to them. Conor also talks about the need for us all to plan ahead, and let our loved ones know how we would like to be remembered, and how we all can create meaningful ceremonies to reflect our unique lives.

One of Ireland’s most beloved singers, Christy Dignam lost his long battle with cancer, 2 years ago next month. On this weeks podcast, his daughter Kiera talks for the first time about the day her Dad died, his reactions to false press reports of his passing, and her continuing journey to come to terms with his death.

Behavioural Psychotherapist, Child bereavement Expert & Founder of Zest Life Therapeutic Services, Stuart Wilson is Venetia's guest on this episode of The Grief Pod. As part of his non profit children’s charity, Stuart has travelled to Eastern Europe, Africa and India, helping Child Prisoners, former Child Soliders and girls sold into slavery, over come their trauma and grief. They also talk about helping children work through their grief and acceptance.

When Stocktons Wing’s, Mike Hanrahan lost his Mum four years ago, he found a new calling to focus his life on Dementia, and how the creative arts could vastly improve the quality of life for those suffering from the disease. In this episode Mike talks about the ‘living grief’ for those with Dementia and their loved ones, the stigma that surrounds it and the importance of contact for those who suffer from it.

Actress, Comedian & Talk Show host, Rosie O’Donnell is my guest on this week’s episode of The Grief Pod. Rosie talks to me about losing her Mum, a few days before her 11th birthday, and how since moving to Ireland in January, she feels her presence more than ever. She also talks about her new documentary, highlighting the importance of service dogs for children with autism ‘Unleashing Hope’, her work with AsIam, the Menendez brothers, and her upcoming role in ‘And just like that’.

In December 2012, Sally Anne Parker Clarkes son Andrew, took his own life at aged 16. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Sally Anne, talks about the continuing stigma around suicide, the everyday grief that his her new normal and the importance of organ donation.

Four years ago, Jason Pooles sisters Jennie, was stabbed to death in her apartment, by her ex partner , while her 4 year old son was the other side of the hall door. On this weeks episode of The Grief Pod, Jason recalls the domestic abuse Jennie suffered in the year leading up to her murder, the absence of any remorse by the perpetrator, and the campaign to bring ‘Jennies Law’ to fruition.

The death of a pet, can be for some, every bit as devastating as the loss of a loved one. For Laoise Downes McGurk, Founder of Outpaws, losing her constant companion, Brokagh 18 months ago was heartbreaking. On this weeks episode Laoise talks about the guilt of having your pet put down, the need for Pet Bereavement Leave, and hw to support someone grieving their pet

Just over 10 years ago, Laura Farrington, Founder of Unbrella Wellness and Host of the ‘Are ya well? Podcast, lost her Dad to suicide. Just a few years later, her Mum passed away from cancer. In this episode of The Grief Pod, Laura discusses losing both her parents, how people can struggle to show support, when somebody takes their own life, and how her Dads suicide encouraged her to change her life for the better

On this episode of The Grief Pod, News Broadcaster and Journalist, Breffni Clack talks, for the first time, about her 6 late miscarriages, and her little boy, Noah, who was born sleeping just a week shy of being full term. Breffni discusses the silence of returning home from a maternity hospital without your much longed for baby and the silence that surrounded her in the months after.

In this episode, Jason Rock talks about the passing of his Dad, the late Irish legend, Dickie Rock. Jason also movingly remembers his beloved Mum, Judy, the profound impact her passing had on his Dad, and what it’s like to share your grief with the nation.

On this episode of The Grief Pod, singer and songwriter Dr Brian Kennedy, talks about growing up in a violent home, during a violent time in Belfast. Brian discusses his sadness at never having a loving and stable childhood, his estrangement from his family, his grief at seeing friends die during the aids pandemic and his belief in hope and happiness.

On the 24th of January 2020, Andrew McGinley arrived home to find his three children, Conor 9, Darragh 7 and Carla who was 3, had been tragically killed. It was a story that shocked and saddened the nation. On this weeks episode of The Grief Pod, Andrew talks about his three happy, and fun loving children, how he’s navigated his daily life over the past five years without them, and the legacies he’s created in their names, so Conor, Darragh and Carla will never be forgotten.