Family Flowers Only by Grief Ireland

This week I sit down with Sinéad Hall who shares the heartbreaking loss of her baby son Ruadhán (Ruadh).In a deeply emotional conversation Sinéad speaks openly about the devastation of losing a child, the love she has for her son, and the profound grief that comes with carrying a loss so unimaginable.With incredible honesty and vulnerability she shares what life has looked like since Ruadh's death, the reality of navigating each day without him, and the enduring bond between a mother and her child.This is a deeply moving conversation about motherhood, love, loss, and the grief that exists because that love was so great.For more information on their foundation visit https://www.teachruadhfoundation.ie/

This week I sit down with Andrea Gilligan, well-known broadcaster and host of Lunchtime Live on Newstalk for a deeply personal conversation about the loss of her dad Gerry.Andrea speaks about the incredibly close bond they shared, not just as father and daughter, but as genuine friends. She reflects on his cancer diagnosis, the heartbreak of losing him, and the profound impact his death had on her life.With honesty, and her trademark openness, Andrea shares what grief has taught her, the ways her dad passing has changed her and the reality of learning to live without someone who was such a huge part of her world.This is a heartfelt conversation about parent loss, love, friendship, and the enduring connection that remains after someone is gone.

This week I sit down with Evan Daly, who speaks with such love and honesty about losing his dad Iggy to an extremely aggressive cancer, Cholangiocarcinoma. Evan’s dad died just one month to the day after his diagnosis, and Evan reflects on the courage and calm acceptance his dad showed from the very beginning and how that strength carried their family through the hardest weeks of their lives.Beyond the loss itself, this conversation gently opens into something many people experience after grief, loosing your way, feeling disconnected from your body, your routine, and yourself. Evan shares his perspective as an online coach, speaking about compassion, empathy, and meeting yourself where you are, especially after loss, when motivation and structure can feel impossible.We also talk about Evan’s coaching platform app Glean and how movement, routine, and self-kindness can become supports rather than pressures during grief.For anyone looking for additional support you’ll find my membership space After the Flowers here https://after-the-flowers.circle.so/checkout/after-the-flowers-membershipFor upcoming Grief Workshops - visit https://www.griefireland.com/For more information about the incredible work Evan is doing visit: https://www.gleanapp.com

Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicide, mental health struggles, and family estrangement.In this weeks episode I’m joined by Ailbhe O'Donnell, who shares her experience of loss, survival, and the long-term impact of family estrangement.Ailbhe speaks openly about loss in its many forms the loss of family connection, the loss of identity, the loss of belonging and what it means to grieve people who are still alive.This episode also explores Alva’s journey through profound mental health struggles in her early adulthood, her experience of feeling unsupported at critical moments, and the slow, hard process of rebuilding a life rooted in self-worth, resilience, and compassion. At its heart, this is a conversation about survival, and learning how to become your own source of care when no one else can.This episode does not seek to assign blame or make allegations about any individual. All reflections shared are from Ailbhe’s personal perspective, memory, and emotional experience and are presented as such.Listener CareThis episode may be difficult for some listeners. Please take care while listening, pause if you need to, or skip this episode entirely if it feels like too much right now.If this conversation brings anything up for you, support is available:Ireland: Samaritans — 116 123 (24/7)Contact your GP or local mental health servicesInternational listeners: please seek crisis or mental health support services in your own countryYou don’t have to go through this alone.After the Flowers – Grief Support MembershipIf this episode has resonated with you, I’ve recently opened a gentle support space called After the Flowers, a low-cost monthly membership for people navigating grief in all its forms.It’s a place to connect with other people who understand, take part in group conversations and live Zoom support calls, and access sessions designed to support the nervous system through grief, including breath work, meditation, EFT, and grounding practices. Members also receive exclusive access to podcast video episdoes and conversations.There’s no pressure it’s simply there if and when it feels right for you. You can join herehttps://after-the-flowers.circle.so/checkout/after-the-flowers-membership

This week I sit down with Charlotte Finn, who speaks openly about losing her dad Michael to oesophageal cancer. Charlotte was just 13 when her dad was diagnosed and 14 when he died. Now 19 she reflects back on that time with remarkable honesty and insight.Charlotte shares what it was like to be a teenager watching a parent become ill and how even knowing he was sick she never truly believed he would die. She speaks about the shock of losing him so young, the way grief showed up during her teenage years and how that loss has shaped who she is today.It’s a powerful conversation that offers a rare and important perspective on parental loss through the eyes of a young person.For more information on joining our membership please visit www.griefireland.com