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Brendan O'Connor

RTÉ Radio 1

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.

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  • 89 episodes
  • Avg 22 min
  • English

Episodes 89

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  • August 9 · 9 min

    “Real life horrors are on your phone instantly”

    After the hospitalisation of blogger Perez Hilton this week, Dave Hanratty of the No Encore podcast talks to Brendan about Hilton’s rise, the darkness of the celebrity internet culture of the 2000s and the disturbing voyeurism of social media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 9 · 13 min

    The Watchlist

    Arts and Music Journalist, Zara Hedderman and Business Post Film critic, John Maguire join Brendan with their film and television recommendations for the week including The Shards on Disney+, In Time - a documentary about Dónal Lunny and the Anthony Bourdain biopic ‘Tony’ . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 9 · 25 min

    “Jeremy Irons can hold his own at a seisiún ” - Martin Hayes

    One of Ireland’s finest musicians, fiddle player, Martin Hayes talks to Brendan about the music that shaped his life, the melancholy of the songs he grew up with in Clare, discovering The Beatles, the magic of Tommie Potts and reinventing traditional music with The Gloaming. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 9 · 47 min

    The Newspaper Panel

    Joining Brendan to discuss the top stories in Sunday’s newspapers are: Former Government Press Secretary, Chris Donoghue, Lorna Fitzpatrick, Co-Founder of Fitzwilliam Fenton Public Affairs Company, Dan O’Brien, Columnist and Chief Economist with IIEA, Louise Burne, Political Correspondent with the Irish Examiner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 8 · 10 min

    The ultimate cheeseburger

    Food Historian and columnist with the Financial Times, Tim Hayward chats to Brendan about the simple joy of the cheeseburger, the certain alchemy of cheap cheese combined with meat from the smash burger to its gourmet reinvention. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 8 · 9 min

    “People used tea bags and gravy browning to tan their legs!”

    From Coco Chanel introducing tanning as a style statement to the war effort of mimicking nylons with teabags, fake tan has always been in vogue. Beauty and fashion historian Laura Fitzachary joins Brendan to give a potted history of fake tan and why Irish people are its biggest fans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 8 · 27 min

    “I didn’t think Ferris Bueller would last 40 years” - Matthew Broderick

    Star of the stage and screen Matthew Broderick talks to Brendan about finding fame in the cultural phenomenon Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, his childhood summers in Ireland, being a stage Dad to his son and his Abbey Theatre debut in Ulster American. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 8 · 23 min

    “I think I'll miss being given out to by Brenda Fricker the most!”

    Friends of the late Brenda Fricker, Liz Duffy, costume designer Joan Bergin and filmmaker Tadgh O’Sullivan share their memories of the actress. They talk to Brendan about her work, the woman they knew offscreen and her strength in the face of illness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 8 · 27 min

    “Marriage needs conflict” - Prof. Katriona O’Sullivan

    Prof. Katriona O’Sullivan joins Brendan to discuss the nuances of marriage, reflecting on the knotty dynamics of a committed relationship, the work of connection with a partner and how our parents' marriage maps our emotional lives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 2 · 10 min

    The Watchlist

    Joining Dearbhail to discuss the best shows and films arriving this week, are producer Eoin Sweeney and Director of the Dublin International Film Festival, Grainne Humphreys. Their choices include mafia prequel Gomorrah: The Origins, Enda Walsh’s coming-of-age drama, Ish, and John Creedon’s Musical Atlas of Ireland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 2 · 8 min

    Literary feuds – “She shot to fame in a film that sexualised a young girl”

    Author Edel Coffey joins Dearbhail to discuss literary feuds. The conversation is prompted by a growing controversy around the memoir of celebrated author, Rachel Cusk, which details her difficult relationship with a famous actor, widely believed to be based on Natalie Portman. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 2 · 27 min

    Ellen Keane: “I came back from the Paralympics and my motivation was in the bin”

    Five-time Paralympian, Dancing with the Stars contestant, and coach on Ireland’s Fittest Family, Ellen Keane, tells Dearbhail about her career, training regime, and life outside the pool. She also chooses five songs that have inspired her along the way, including choices by Eminem, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 2 · 55 min

    The Newspaper panel

    Joining Dearbhail to discuss the top stories in Sunday’s newspapers are Kerry Today host, Jerry O’Sullivan; Green Party Chair and Councillor for Dublin’s north inner city; Managing Director of Baggot Investments, Peter Brown; political reporter with the Irish Independent, Aisling Moloney; and Europe correspondent with Euronews, Shona Murray. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 1 · 29 min

    Weinstein survivor, Ashley Judd: “Not all men are violent, but most men are silent”

    Hollywood star and best-selling author, Ashley Judd, joins Dearbhail to discuss her career, her activism and her prominent role in the #MeToo movement. The star of ‘Heat’ and ‘Double Jeopardy’, and UNFPA Goodwill ambassador, talks about breaking the silence on Harvey Weinstein, for which TIME magazine named her one of their People of the Year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 1 · 18 min

    Viral Clare businesswoman: “I was born with resting bitch face, and I’m proud of it!”

    Diane Kelly, Director and Co-Founder of LL Solutions, took to social media to share her thoughts on how difficult it is to be a woman online, constantly judged for her appearance, not her work. It struck a chord with millions of women including presenter Carol Vorderman and singer Pink, Diane shares her story with Dearbhail. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • August 1 · 29 min

    “You don’t need a free bar two hours before the meal” - Noel Cunningham on hosting a recovering alcoholic

    Hotelier and recovering alcoholic, Noel Cunningham, joins Dearbhail with advice on how to host guests who are guarding their sobriety. He speaks candidly about his own addiction, recovery and shame. He outlines the challenge of working in hospitality, where serving alcohol to others is almost unavoidable. He also offers great mocktail recipes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • July 29 · 38 min

    Glen Hansard Interview - February 14th 2026

    From the Brendan O'Connor archives, revisit the interview with the Oscar-winning songwriter and The Frames frontman who died on Wednesday, 29th July 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • July 26 · 8 min

    “Camping is just THE BEST way to explore Ireland”

    Glamping... wild camping... camper-vaning... With hotel prices going through the roof, Matthew McConnell, Editor at Outsider.ie, talked to Dearbhail about affordable alternatives in the camping world, and gave tips for the inexperienced. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • July 26 · 9 min

    The Watchlist

    Fionnuala Jones, Pop Culture Journalist and podcaster and Michael Doherty, RTÉ Guide Film Editor join Dearbhail to preview the latest T.V. and cinema releases including Furious on Disney+, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, on HBO, and In the Opinion of the Censor, on RTÉ One. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Showing 61–80 of 89 episodes