Made In Chaos with Ryan Curtis

Why Do So Many Working-Class Young Men End Up in Prison? - Bob Cullen

He Went From Addiction, Violence and a Seven-and-a-Half Year Prison Sentence to Studying the Very Behaviour That Destroyed His Life. Bob Cullen on Violence, Class and Whether People Can Really Change. Bob Cullen grew up in Blanchardstown as, by his own account, a shy and sensitive kid — and became a violent, addicted young man who ended up serving over seven years in prison. What makes his story extraordinary is what he did next: he studied criminology from his cell, and is now finishing a master's, trying to understand exactly what turns an ordinary child into a violent criminal. Ryan — who shares a lot of common ground with Bob — sits down for a genuinely thought-provoking, at times challenging conversation that pushes back on both sides. What we get into: What actually turns an ordinary kid into a violent criminal Why Bob believes violence is a "pathogen" you catch through proximity Masculinity, patriarchy, and how young men build status when they have nothing Why he argues the harsher a system punishes, the more crime it creates The difference between explaining your actions and excusing them Systemic vs street crime: why a bike shed can cost more than people go to prison for stealing Why the same few postcodes fill every prison in the country Addiction, two suicide attempts, and the moment he decided to stop Prison abolition — what it actually means, and the pushback he gets Delusional self-confidence, luck, and the doors that have to open Routine, discipline, neurodivergence, and how structure saved him The one lesson he learned the hard way: the love you need has to come from you Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis If anything in this episode affects you, support is available in Ireland. Samaritans are free, 24/7, on 116 123. Pieta (suicide and self-harm support) is on 1800 247 247, or text HELP to 51444. The HSE Drugs & Alcohol Helpline is on 1800 459 459. 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

Paul Hughes: The Steroid Problem in MMA Is Worse Than You Think

Doctors Told Him He Might Never Fight Again. Now He's One of the Best Fighters Ireland Has Ever Produced. Paul Hughes on Injuries, the Usman Fights, PEDs and the Real Cost of Winning. Paul Hughes is one of the biggest names in Irish MMA — a former Cage Warriors world champion who's twice gone five rounds with Usman Nurmagomedov for a world title, and beaten some of the best fighters on the planet. But the road here nearly ended before it started: multiple hand fractures early in his career had doctors telling him he might have to retire. Ryan — who's trained alongside Paul at Fight Academy Ireland — sits down with him for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about belief, sacrifice, and the parts of the fight game nobody sees. What we get into: Where his almost abnormal competitiveness actually comes from The brutal reality of cutting weight, and why it's the hardest part of the sport Delusional self-belief, "proof," and how confidence is really built Four hand fractures, surgery, and two years out at 19 — and what got him through The "filter": why every level weeds more people out, and how he uses that mindset Why "success is just who's willing to suffer more" — and the real cost of winning The two Usman fights, and how good Usman Nurmagomedov actually is The untold story: fighting the second Usman fight on a badly broken body Why he views MMA as "kill or be killed" in the cage, and pure respect after Fighter pay, fighter welfare, and why so many leave the sport with nothing The PED problem in MMA, out-of-competition testing, and why he's speaking out Why he chose PFL over the UFC — and has no regrets What he wants to do when fighting's over Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

How To Reprogram An Addicted Brain Through Hypnosis & Neuroplasticity - Angela Carney

She Was Sober for 16 Years. Then She Lost It All, and at 53 Rebuilt Her Brain From Scratch. Angela Carney on Hypnosis, Addiction and the Subconscious Mind. Angela Carney got sober in her early thirties and stayed sober for 16 years while building a successful business from nothing. Then her mother died, the pressure mounted, and a "harmless" habit reopened a door she thought was closed for good. What followed was years of cross-addiction, the loss of her business, and a rock-bottom moment at 53 where she sat down and Googled four words: "Can I fix my brain?" What she found, neuroplasticity, the theta brainwave state, and the power of the subconscious mind, became the foundation of her recovery and her work today as a hypnotherapist helping others beat addiction. Ryan sits down with Angela for a genuinely fascinating conversation about how the mind actually works. What we get into: How someone relapses after 16 years sober and what "cross-addiction" really means Why your dopamine system never forgets, and how addiction hijacks the reward pathway The conscious mind is 5% of you your subconscious runs the other 95% Why you can consciously want to stop and still be unable to Neuroplasticity: why your brain can change at any age, not just before 25 The theta brainwave state, and how the first 7 years quietly shape your whole life The night Angela felt overwhelming joy in the middle of withdrawal, and what it taught her Why advertising is a form of legal hypnosis, from Pringles to Nike Why the subconscious doesn't hear the word "don't", and how to talk to it instead Self-pity versus self-compassion, "mood hoovers," and training your brain toward the positive Ryan's own visualisation story after his accident, and where it overlaps with Angela's Her message to anyone who's tried to stop ten times and thinks this is just who they are Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis If anything in this episode affects you, support is available in Ireland. The HSE Drugs & Alcohol Helpline is free and confidential on 1800 459 459, and Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123. 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

He Built a Property Empire Without Owning a Single Property - Adam McEnroe

He Grew Up in the Flats Obsessed With Money. Now He Runs 55 Properties Across Four Countries — Without Owning a Single One. Adam McEnroe grew up in Dolphin's Barn, obsessed with money from the age of four — selling toys off the step, hustling card games, always looking for the next way up. What he didn't have was anyone around him who'd built real success, or the belief that someone from his area could. This episode is the story of how he built one anyway. Ryan sits down with Adam for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about money, mindset, business and the reality behind the highlight reel. What we get into: Growing up money-obsessed in the flats, and what poverty really looked like Why "the poorer the area, the bigger the brand" — and the trap of going broke to look rich The boss and mentor who gave him one-on-one business lessons and changed everything How he discovered the rent-to-rent Airbnb model everyone laughed at The day he found out he was having a son and his mam had cancer — and why it lit the fire Building the business from Dubai, the early losses, and getting scammed out of thousands Airbnb and the housing crisis: genuine cause or easy scapegoat? Why he believes most people buy houses for the wrong reasons The reality of business nobody sees: the losses, the pressure, the day-to-day grind Endurance, hardship and why not everyone is cut out for business Taking accountability, ego, and what religion taught him about handling hard times Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

Chats in the Flats Creator Richie Power on Showing the Real Working-Class Dublin

People Are Quick to Judge the Flats. Very Few Ever Stop to Listen. Richie Power Is Changing That. Richie Power grew up in the Liberties and created Chats in the Flats — the Instagram page showcasing a side of working-class Dublin that rarely makes the headlines: the humour, the talent, the grief, the pride and the sense of community behind the concrete. In a media landscape built on clicks and the worst-case story, Richie set out to show the everyday people instead. Ryan sits down with him for a warm, wide-ranging conversation about community, identity, the power of the mind and the Dublin we're at risk of losing. What we get into: Growing up in the Liberties and only realising later how different it was Why he built Chats in the Flats one authentic take at a time, against the hook-and-chop grain of social media How the local credit union helped him get it off the ground Why the media only seems to notice the flats when something bad happens The accent as identity — and why he'll pronounce his words but never change how he speaks Old Dublin, and the fear that we're losing it block by block Why he keeps his focus local — self, family, community — before anything else The doctor's throwaway comment that changed how Richie's guest on the show, Ryan, thinks about the mind forever His late mother's words: "Let yesterday's news get you through this journey. Don't let this journey ruin yesterday's news" Why being Irish, and being proud of where you're from, is a kind of superpower Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis | and Chats in the Flats on Instagram 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

One of Ireland's Best ADHD Therapists on Anxiety, Overthinking & the Emotional Mind - Enda Murphy

Why Do You Keep Repeating the Same Patterns Even When You Desperately Want to Change? One of Ireland's Best-Known CBT Therapists Explains. Most people think their problems are stress, anger, anxiety, bad habits or overthinking. But what if a lot of the chaos in your life is coming from patterns you don't even realise you're repeating? Enda Murphy is a psychotherapist, author and one of Ireland's best-known CBT therapists. He's spent decades helping people understand the emotional mind — why we react the way we do, why we avoid uncomfortable feelings, why we sabotage ourselves, and why so many people get stuck in the same cycles even when they want out. Ryan sits down with Enda for a genuinely eye-opening conversation about how the mind actually works. What we get into: Why the way you describe yourself is almost never who you really are ADHD, neurodivergence, and why Enda calls it a difference, not a disorder How the emotional mind works, and why your feelings aren't facts Why you keep repeating patterns you consciously hate The real reason people avoid uncomfortable feelings Why trying to force happiness often backfires What anxiety actually is, and how to relate to it differently How to actually break a cycle instead of white-knuckling it Why self-awareness is the starting point for real change Practical ways to interrupt the patterns running your life Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis This conversation is for information and reflection, not a substitute for professional support. If you're struggling, help is available in Ireland — Samaritans are free, 24/7, on 116 123, or text About It on 50808. 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

A Working-Class Poet on Masculinity, the Manosphere & What a Man Actually Is - Emmet O'Brien

A Working-Class Poet Who Can Perform for Thousands But Struggles to Say How He Feels. Emmett O'Brien on Grief, Masculinity & Finding a Voice. Emmett O'Brien is a poet, actor and storyteller from Cabra who's built a reputation for putting into words what so many people feel but never quite know how to say. He started writing at 13, after a 14-year-old friend was killed in a hit-and-run and a counsellor suggested he find a way to express it. What began as rap became spoken word, and it's carried him from ten people in a basement to stages across the world. Ryan sits down with Emmett for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about creativity, class, masculinity and mental health. What we get into: Growing up in Cabra and why he was the "outlandish" kid Starting to write at 13 to deal with the death of his friend How rap became spoken word, and the artists who shaped him The working-class accent as identity, and being paid to write but not to speak Why he can perform for thousands but can't talk about his own feelings The one-man play about hitting rock bottom that nobody knew was about him Grief, his ma's passing, and the moment his emotions finally opened up Masculinity, the manosphere, and what a man actually is Why it's good men capable of violence, who choose not to use it, who matter Imposter syndrome, Damien Dempsey, Kelly Harrington and self-doubt Calculated luck, the 10,000 hours, and why sacrifice is the whole game Surrounding yourself with genuine people, not yes-men Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis If anything in this episode resonates with you, support is available in Ireland. Samaritans are free and available 24/7 on 116 123, and Text About It can be reached by texting 50808. 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar, Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

Why You Can’t Buy a House & What The Housing Crisis In Ireland Is Really About - Ray Cooke

He Built One of Ireland's Best-Known Estate Agencies, Lost Almost Everything in the Crash, and Came Back. Ray Cooke on Housing, Money & Sacrifice. Whether you're trying to buy your first home, stuck renting, investing, or you're just convinced the whole system is broken, you have an opinion on the housing market. Ray Cooke has watched it all from the inside. He built one of Ireland's most recognisable estate agency brands, survived the 2008 crash when he couldn't afford to feed himself, and has seen firsthand how policy, interest rates and supply shape thousands of lives. Ryan sits down with Ray for an honest, no-spin conversation that goes well beyond house prices. What we get into: Growing up in Rathcoole, dyslexia, and why hard work became his "superpower" Working in the pub at 11 and the money habit that shaped everything Setting up his business in 2005, then watching the 2008 crash nearly destroy it Viewing one house 82 times before it sold, and living on beans on toast The bank manager who ripped up his business plan three times and saved him Why 2008 won't happen again, and how lending has completely changed The truth about estate agents, ghost bidding and why they get so much abuse Whether the housing crisis is really the agents' fault, or the government's His honest, blunt take on sacrifice, saving and getting on the ladder What he'd change first if he woke up as housing minister How to build wealth starting with 20 grand The biggest money mistake ordinary people make without realising Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

Philly McMahon: The Dublin GAA Legend Who’d Rather Talk About His Community Than His Medals

One of the Greatest to Ever Wear the Dublin Jersey — But This Isn't About Football. Philly McMahon on Ballymun, His Brother, and What Really Shaped Him. Philly McMahon is considered one of the greatest Gaelic footballers to ever play for Dublin. But behind the medals and the All-Ireland titles is a far more interesting story: growing up in working-class Ballymun, losing his brother John to addiction, becoming a father, and spending his life trying to understand what really drives people from communities like his. Ryan sits down with Philly for a wide-ranging, honest conversation that goes nowhere near a highlight reel. What we get into: Growing up in the Ballymun flats and the community that shaped him How systemic decisions, not just individual choices, ghettoised whole areas The hero's journey, slaying the dragon, and why hardship is where the growth is The story of the footballer he transformed by sending him to feed the homeless Losing his brother John to addiction, and what his mother taught him about love and connection Why "tough love" often isn't the answer, and what actually helps someone struggling Fashion, identity and status in working-class communities Parenting: how much hardship to pass on, and how much to protect them from Why our prisons are full of people from a handful of postcodes, and what that says about class Adverse childhood experiences and how much of our lives trace back to childhood What Philly hopes people remember about him, and why it isn't football Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

His Mother Was Homeless and Addicted, Now He Saves People on the Same Streets - Brandon O’Connor

He's 23 and Has Spent Years on Dublin's Streets Helping the Homeless — Not Because It's His Job, But Because He Chose To. Everyone has walked past someone sleeping rough. Most of us glance, wonder, and keep walking. Brandon O'Connor spends his nights sitting beside those people — hearing their stories and watching addiction, trauma, kindness and hope all exist on the same street. Brandon founded Dublin Homeless Awareness at just 16, as a transition year school project. Years later, his team run first-aid patrols, missing-person searches, river-safety patrols and mental health interventions across the city. In this episode, Ryan sits down with him for an honest, eye-opening conversation about what really happens on Dublin's streets — and what needs to change. What we get into: Why most people develop addictions after becoming homeless, not before How Dublin Homeless Awareness started as a school project and grew into a frontline service The reality of night patrols: overdoses, mental health crises and river rescues The systemic gaps that leave people with nowhere to go Why homelessness can happen to almost anyone — including nurses, guards and charity workers Brandon's own story: growing up with a mother who was homeless and addicted What frontline work does to your own mental health, and how the team protects each other The small acts of kindness that people never forget What every one of us can do differently when we walk past someone sleeping rough Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis To support or report a concern, find Dublin Homeless Awareness on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

Kenny Egan: I Won Olympic Silver, Then Hit Rock Bottom in Two Years

He Won Olympic Silver in Beijing. Two Years Later He Hit Rock Bottom. Kenny Egan on Winning, Addiction & Finding Himself Again. Kenny Egan has one of the greatest stories in Irish sport, a ten-time senior champion, the only man ever to win ten consecutive senior titles, and an Olympic silver medallist in Beijing 2008. But once the gloves came off and the homecoming faded, Kenny faced a very different fight. Ryan sits down with Kenny for one of the most honest and important conversations Made in Chaos has had, about what happens when the biggest win of your life doesn't fix everything, the loss of identity that followed, the two-year spiral into addiction, and the long road into recovery that he now values more than any medal. What we get into: ​Growing up one of five brothers in Clondalkin and how boxing found him ​Losing three All-Ireland finals in a row and nearly quitting at 13 ​The coach who told him he was a "2 out of 10", and how that rebuilt him ​Gary Keegan drawing a line on the gym floor and changing Irish boxing forever ​Beijing 2008, five near-flawless fights and an Olympic silver medal ​Why winning the medal sent him from zero to rock bottom in two years ​The loss of identity: "Who am I now?" ​Walking away from a 10-year professional contract while in active addiction ​The night his mam walked into a pub and said "Come home, son" ​The day he got sober, 12th of August 2010, and never looked back ​Becoming a psychotherapist and what real purpose looks like now ​Why his sobriety means more to him than any Olympic medal ​His upcoming charity fight for the Irish Cancer Society in memory of his late mother Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar, Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

Why Achieving Your Biggest Goal Won't Always Make You Happy - Prof. Ross G. White

Real Strength Isn't Pushing Through Everything. It's Learning to Bend Without Breaking. A Clinical Psychologist Explains. Most people think mental strength means never slowing down, never breaking, never letting anyone see them struggle. Professor Ross G. White, clinical psychologist, author and performance specialist who works with the Irish Rugby Football Union, argues that this exact belief is why so many people are burnt out, anxious and quietly losing themselves. Ryan sits down with Ross for a conversation packed with usable frameworks on resilience, purpose, pressure and emotional avoidance, the kind of practical psychology that genuinely changes how you think about your own life. What we get into: The get, threat and reset modes, and why high achievers neglect the one that keeps them well Why being "relentlessly relentless" guarantees burnout The arrival fallacy, why hitting your biggest goal won't make you happy Shallow success vs deep success, focusing on values and process over outcome Why you don't find your purpose, you form it Treating emotions as messengers, and why there's no such thing as a negative emotion The inner critic, where it comes from, and self-compassion as strength turned inward Survivorship bias, why copying Michael Jordan's mindset won't make you Michael Jordan Towards moves vs away moves, the one question that can change every decision you make Strong intention, light attachment, protecting your identity beyond one pursuit What burnout actually is, and why it's not your fault "You're not broken, you're stuck", and how a flexible mind helps you get unstuck Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar, Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

From Being Homeless To World Champion & Losing My Best Friend to Suicide - Craig 'Coco' Coakley

He Built the Road for Irish Muay Thai Himself. Two Years Homeless. A Best Friend Lost. World Champion. Craig "Coco" Coakley is one of Ireland's most accomplished Muay Thai fighters a Dublin Combat Academy fighter who became Irish Fighter of the Year, won multiple titles including a world title, and fought for Yokkao, Muay Thai Grand Prix and ONE Championship. But what makes Craig's story remarkable isn't the trophy cabinet. It's everything that happened underneath it. Ryan sits down with Craig for an unfiltered conversation about growing up in Dublin's inner city, falling into fighting almost by accident, spending two years homeless while building a career at the same time, losing his best friend to suicide, and walking away from the security of the biggest promotion in the sport because his sanity mattered more than the contract. What we get into: Growing up in Dublin 1, community, hardship and what people get wrong about "rough areas" How Craig fell into Muay Thai after getting battered in his first boxing match The brutal reality of fight week, fight camps and the sacrifices nobody sees Two years homeless in a hotel room with a newborn while still actively competing The loss that nearly broke him, his best friend James, and the system that failed him Why fighting is more mental than physical, and what losing taught him about who's really in your corner Walking away from ONE Championship and choosing his sanity over the biggest contract in the sport Becoming a father and how it completely reshaped what he was fighting for What he wants people to actually remember about Craig Coakley when it's all said and done Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar. Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

The Eating Disorder Expert Who Recovered After 22 Years and Why Ozempic Scares Her - Cara O'Loughlin

It's Not About the Food. A Life Coach Who Spent 22 Years in an Eating Disorder Explains What It's Really About. On the night her mum died, Cara O'Loughlin was 15 years old. That same night, she picked up her first eating disorder behaviour. What followed was 22 years of anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, exercise addiction, a stroke at 29, osteoporosis, infertility warnings, and eventually, full recovery. Today, Cara is a life coach specialising in eating disorder recovery, a yoga teacher, and one of the clearest and most credible voices on why these patterns start and what it actually takes to break them. This is one of the most important episodes Made in Chaos has ever recorded. What we get into: Why eating disorders are never about food, and what they're really about The genetic predisposition, the personality traits, and the trigger that sets it off The physical toll most people never see: bone density, fertility, heart, thyroid, stroke Why Cara was at her sickest when she looked her healthiest What Ryan's own experience with weight cutting in MMA revealed about disordered eating in sport The HALT framework, and why overwhelm was always Cara's trigger Orthorexia: the unhealthy obsession with eating healthily that nobody is diagnosing yet Why 98% of diets fail, and the set point theory that explains everything Ozempic: who it's for, who it isn't, and what Cara is seeing in her clients How to raise children with a healthy relationship with food without ever mentioning weight The division of responsibility, and why finishing your dinner is doing more harm than you think Men and eating disorders: Bigorexia, gym obsession and the conversation nobody is having What someone struggling right now needs to hear, and where to get help Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar - Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

Dec Pierce: Why I Refused to Let Two Life-Threatening Illnesses Break Me

A Brain Haemorrhage. Then Breast Cancer. Same Man. Two Years Apart. Dec Pierce Gets Completely Honest. Most people know Dec Pierce as the voice of Block Rockin' Beats — the man who brought thousands together through music, through lockdown, through the nights they'll never forget. But behind the energy and the stage presence, the last three years of Dec's life have been extraordinary in the worst possible way. In 2023, Dec suffered a subarachnoid brain haemorrhage mid-run in Ringsend. In 2025, he was diagnosed with breast cancer — a condition so rare in men it accounts for just 1% of all cases. Two life-threatening illnesses in two years, in a man who doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, exercises, eats well and does everything right. Ryan sits down with Dec for one of the most important men's health conversations Made in Chaos has ever had. What we get into: Growing up as a quiet, bullied kid and how music became his alter ego Recording his own pretend radio shows at 8 years old from a ghetto blaster Dutch courage, a garden shed in Ballybrack and how pirate radio changed his life Why dance music and nostalgia connect with people on a deeper level than almost anything else Starting Block Rockin' Beats at his lowest professional point — and doing it for free for six months How the birth of his daughter Ava removed every roadblock and fear of failure overnight The bomb that went off in his head mid-run — and the sliding doors moment that saved his life What a subarachnoid haemorrhage actually does to the body, and the long road back The lump he found in New York in the shower — and almost let sit there The phone call he got on the first day of his holiday in Spain Why men don't check themselves — and why that silence costs lives The youngest male diagnosis his specialist had ever made — and the earliest detection Telling his 9-year-old daughter about the mastectomy scar The nights when catastrophic thinking takes over — and how he got through them What two life-threatening illnesses gave him that nothing else could Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who have turned adversity into something worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

Imposter Syndrome, Self-Sabotage & Why Getting Uncomfortable Is the Only Way - Dr. Brian Pennie

He Was Addicted to Heroin for 15 Years. Now He Has a PhD in Neuroscience. The Same Brain Did Both. Brian Pennie started using heroin at 16. By 20 he was chronically addicted, every single day for 15 years. He held down a job, sold drugs to fund his habit, and accumulated 50 grand in debt to dealers and money lenders. He had a violent seizure from benzo withdrawal, nearly died, and hit a moment of complete surrender in a hospital on a trolley at 35 years old. What happened next is one of the most extraordinary personal transformations Ryan has ever had on Made in Chaos. Brian went to detox, discovered the human mind, met a doctor who told him he had a sharp brain, and four years later was teaching in Trinity College. He now has a PhD in neuroscience and lectures across Ireland and the world on addiction, trauma, habits and change. What we get into: The operation as a baby with no anaesthetic, and the trauma he didn't know he was carrying Why heroin felt like "the anaesthetic I never got as a baby" Why the choice theory of addiction is wrong, and what actually drives people to substances The difference between Brian and his best mate who got addicted: two traumatised people in the same group The ABC habit loop, why tackling the behaviour is completely the wrong starting point Why the opposite of addiction is awareness, not sobriety The eagle in the chicken coop, and why most people die thinking they're something they're not Why your brain doesn't care about your happiness, it only cares about avoiding pain and chasing pleasure Imposter syndrome reframed: it's not a warning sign, it's a compass pointing toward growth Self-deception, limiting beliefs and building a wall of evidence instead of self-belief Why motivation is bullshit, and what actually changes behaviour Social media, AI and the terrifying perfect storm quietly destroying our ability to think What Brian would say to someone who feels completely stuck right now Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

• Transcript

I Knew I Had Cancer Before The Doctors Told Me - Carly Mahady

She Knew Before the Doctors Did. Carly Mahady on Cancer, Being Dismissed & Why Pity Never Saved Anyone. At 16, Carly Mahady found a lump and was told she was fine. At 22, she noticed something else, and this time the doctors listened. What followed was a diagnosis of secretory carcinoma, a cancer so rare only 0.02% of people in the world have it, a mastectomy scheduled for her 25th birthday, chemotherapy during COVID, and a fight that most people never saw the full picture of. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Carly for one of the most honest, funniest and most unexpectedly deep conversations Made in Chaos has ever had, about identity, illness, ADHD, avoidance and what it really means to come back as yourself. What we get into: Noticing a lump at 16 and being completely dismissed by her GP How she decoded the body language of medical staff before they said a word The man in the suit — how she figured out the waiting room system before anyone told her Being diagnosed with secretory carcinoma: 0.02% of the world, no clear playbook Scheduling her mastectomy on her 25th birthday and why she insisted When the cancer spread to her lymph nodes — the second blow Chemotherapy during COVID and finding genuine joy on the ward Whether suppressed emotion and carried resentment caused her cancer — and why she believes it did Pity vs results: you can have one, but you can't have both ADHD, object permanence, protective pessimism and being violently avoidant of herself Why she stopped talking about her cancer online — and what people misunderstood about that Trauma porn, oversharing and finding the right delivery for a story that's still yours Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

• Transcript

Recession, Paralysis & 90 Grand in Debt. - How Niall McMahon Survived It All

Less Than 1% Chance of Walking Again. Three Doctors. Three Hammer Blows. One Decision to Never Give Up. Niall McMahon opened Alfie's on South William Street in Dublin in 2008, the same year the recession began. He survived debt, pandemics, rising costs and 18 years of one of the toughest industries in the world. Then, in November 2023, a blood vessel in his spine burst without warning. Within days, he was paralysed. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Niall for one of the most powerful conversations Made in Chaos has ever had, two men who've been through near-identical journeys comparing notes on paralysis, recovery, mindset and what it really takes to come back from the unthinkable. What we get into: Growing up in the restaurant business, his parents built Joelle's from a trucker café Opening Alfie's the day before his 30th birthday during the worst recession in living memory 90 grand in debt with nothing in his pocket, and the walk on Bray beach that changed everything The Japanese TV show that saved his menu and his business The cavernoma, the blood vessel he was born with that nobody knew was there Three consultants, three hammer blows: wheelchair for life, less than 1% chance, permanent bladder damage The moment he lifted his knee 2 inches and said goodbye to the Bentley wheelchair Pat, the roommate who gave him everything and was dead 4 months later The hill, the biscuits and the last day at the NRH Why the doctors who deliver bad news need to think about how they deliver it What both Ryan and Niall believe is the real difference between people who come back and those who don't Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. He rebuilt his life from the ground up. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've faced real adversity and come out with wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

• Transcript

Why 80% of Irish Workers Are Sleep-Deprived And What to Actually Do About It - Tom Coleman

You Don't Have a Sleep Problem — You Have a Boundary Problem. Ireland's Leading Sleep Expert Explains Everything. 80% of Irish workers are sleep-deprived on any given day. And the solution isn't a supplement, a sleep tracker, or blue light glasses. Tom Coleman — Ireland's leading sleep expert, who has worked with Olympic athletes, global corporations, and shift workers — joins Ryan to dismantle everything you think you know about sleep. What we get into: Why you don't have a sleep problem — you have a boundary problem The racing mind: the one thing almost every poor sleeper has in common What alcohol is actually doing to your sleep cycles (it's worse than you think) Melatonin — hormone or supplement, and why getting it wrong can backfire The sleep aid sitting on pharmacy shelves that's linked to long-term dementia risk Magnesium bisglycinate vs citrate — and which one actually helps sleep Deep sleep vs light sleep vs REM — the biggest myths debunked Your brain cleans itself every night — and what happens when it can't Sleep trackers: why they're only 60% accurate and why you shouldn't let them dictate your mood What waking up at 3am is actually telling you — and the counterintuitive strategy that works Shift workers: the hidden health crisis affecting 20% of the Irish workforce How sleep deprivation destroys relationships — including what newborns do to couples What Tom has seen inside Coca-Cola, eBay and Pfizer behind closed doors Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis 🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar — Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio with over 5,000 five star Google reviews. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory

• Transcript

Overnight DJ Success, Grief & The Pressure Men Don't Talk About - Robbie G (Belters Only)

From a Bedroom in Dublin to the World's Biggest Stages — Robbie G on Success, Grief & What It Really Costs. Robbie G is one half of Belters Only, Ireland's most successful DJ duo, diamond-certified at home, platinum across the world, and now playing stages from New York to Tokyo. But this episode isn't just about the highs. Ryan sits down with Robbie for one of the most honest conversations Made in Chaos has ever had, about going from bedroom producer to global artist overnight, about what it's really like inside the major label machine, about playing the 3Arena months after losing his ma, and about what happens when the thing you love starts to feel like a burden. What we get into: Growing up in a musical family — his grandad was touring America with a showband in the Joe Dolan era How remixing Boyz II Men on Bended Knee led to a Universal LA deal at 17 The passport story — and how he missed his invite to Manhattan Why Ireland had no scene when he started — and how that's completely changed Dublin's nightclub crisis and the fight to extend licensing laws Going from two young fellas with a dream to Polydor Records in London overnight Imposter syndrome, the pressure of follow-up hits, and the reality of major label life Why talent alone no longer gets you anywhere in the attention economy Burnout, grief and playing the 3Arena in the same year he lost his ma Why he's only now starting to understand what rest actually means Ryan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. He rebuilt his life through sheer determination. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've faced real adversity and come out the other side with something worth sharing. Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtis Brought to you by Irelands Best Tattoo Studio: The Ink Factory

• Transcript