Laura sits down with comedian Aoife Dunne for an honest and humorous conversation about everything from grief and fear to the unexpected turns life can take.

Aoife opens up about the sudden loss of her mum while she was backpacking in her early twenties - a moment that changed the course of her life. After spending time in therapy and trying to make sense of the fear she carried, she eventually travelled to Brazil and took part in an ayahuasca ceremony with the hope of letting go of something she felt was holding her back.

Alongside moments of humour, Aoife speaks candidly about fear, self-doubt, and what can happen when we stop trying to control every step of the journey. She shares how her unusual route into comedy emerged from years of searching, reflection, and gradually learning to trust where life might lead her.

Losing her mum while travelling

Aoife reflects on receiving the news of her mother’s death while backpacking in her twenties and the shock of navigating grief far from home.

Learning to live with loss

Aoife talks about how grief shaped her twenties and how it continued to influence the way she approached life and relationships.

The fear that held her back

Aoife talks about the deep sense of fear she carried for many years - something she felt stopped her from fully pursuing the things she wanted in life.

Travelling to Brazil for an ayahuasca ceremony

Aoife explains why she eventually chose to take part in the ceremony and what she hoped to release.

An unusual route into comedy

Aoife reflects on how she ended up performing comedy despite never initially seeing it as her path.

A new perspective on what matters

Aoife reflects on how grief and reflection helped her appreciate the deeper value of love, relationships and everyday life.

Aoife Dunne – Official Website & Tour Dates

Find Aoife’s upcoming shows, including her stand-up show Good Grief, and buy tickets here:

https://aoifedunnecomedy.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGncw1_OANO5trgzPuPL8lgOyBgmPgZt5OmJPMsxM0zj5P22v0kv5jsSqtynaw_aem_CrTmYABNtRBRDzzKsiU62g

Aoife Dunne on Instagram

Follow Aoife for updates, clips and tour announcements:

https://www.instagram.com/aoife_is_never_dunne/

00:00 – Introduction and meeting Aoife Dunne

06:00 – Growing up, family stories and humour

12:30 – “Aoife Dunne is a slut”

18:40 – Losing her mum while travelling in South America

27:00 – The lasting impact of grief

33:10 – Argentinian men vs Irish men

44:00 – Deciding to try ayahuasca in Brazil

50:30 – The emotional experience during the ceremony

58:20 – A new way of seeing her life

01:11:40 – An unusual path into comedy

01:28:00 – Not needing a perfect life plan

01:45:30 – The pressure of expectations in your thirties

Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations.

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Arriving in Ireland from Somalia as a child after years of displacement, Nadia grew up watching her mother sacrifice everything to create stability through education. That path led her into finance and onto a trading floor surrounded by high earners and high pressure — a version of success that looked impressive but never fully felt aligned.

What began with selling her own 08 BMW after a disappointing dealer offer gradually turned into something bigger. From selling cars on her drive to leasing a yard just before the pandemic, Nadia shares the discipline, doubt, criticism and resilience behind building Ashford Motors.

Displacement and Determination

Nadia shares how early instability and migration shaped her resilience.

The Weight of Expectation

Growing up with a mother who sacrificed everything created both pressure and motivation.

Success That Didn’t Feel Like Success

Despite qualifying as a stockbroker, something felt missing.

An Accidental Entrepreneurial Spark

Selling her own BMW revealed a different path.

Building From Her Own Drive

Before Ashford Motors, she was learning, reinvesting, and doing everything herself.

The Shock of the Pandemic

Opening a yard just before lockdown threatened the business before it had momentum.

Visibility Through Social Media

Turning to TikTok became a lifeline when no one knew who she was.

Choosing Belief Over Approval

Receiving SIMI accreditation marked a turning point in confidence.

Ashford Motors – Founded by Nadia, a luxury and premium car dealership.

https://www.ashfordmotors.ie/

Ashford Approved (AM Approved) – Nadia’s second garage, offering more affordable and accessible vehicles alongside her premium range.

https://www.amapproved.ie/

SIMI (Society of the Irish Motor Industry) – The official representative body for the motor industry in Ireland, providing accreditation and governance standards for dealerships and motor businesses.

https://www.simi.ie/

00:00 – From Somalia to Ireland

06:30 – Education and the Path Into Finance

13:00 – Inside the High-Pressure Trading Floor

21:00 – Reselling the 08 BMW

29:00 – Reinvesting Profits and Learning the Trade

36:00 – Opening Ashford Motors

41:00 – Lockdown Shock

46:00 – Marketing Through Social Media

54:00 – Reputation, Criticism and Credibility

01:01:00 – SIMI Accreditation

01:08:00 – Building a Business With Discipline

Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations.

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Liz Dwyer joins the podcast to discuss what life looks like when separation doesn’t bring closure. Still legally married six years on, she reflects on the gaps in Ireland’s divorce process and the contradictions of being asked to co-parent calmly while fighting legal battles behind the scenes.

Beyond the courtroom, Liz talks about the coping tools that kept her going, from the books that helped her make sense of what she was living through to the unexpected fun of dating again.

Liz also speaks about later marriage and family-building in Ireland, and her work on the Future Fertility Show, which focuses on education, access, and support around fertility and reproductive health.

• Honest discussion about cosmetic and pelvic health treatments — what works and what doesn’t
• Why pelvic floor strength matters more than cosmetic procedures
• How Ireland’s divorce system is slow, opaque, and outdated
• The emotional and financial toll of being stuck in long-term legal limbo
• Lack of transparency and consistency in family court decisions
• Being forced to co-parent while legally positioned as adversaries
• Total absence of structured support for people going through divorce
• Comparison with faster, more straightforward divorce systems abroad
• Dating after separation as an unexpected source of healing and perspective
• The need for real support networks around divorce, fertility, and family change

Broken Open – Elizabeth Lesser

A reflective book about how major life upheavals such as divorce, loss, or illness can break familiar structures and open the door to growth, meaning, and change. It explores resilience, identity, and rebuilding after rupture.

Future Fertility Show

A fertility-focused event covering education, clinics, talks, and support services.

📍 Location: RDS, Dublin

📅 Dates: March 21–22

🎟️ Tickets: https://www.futurefertilityshow.com/

Future Beauty Show

A medical-led beauty and health event focused on hormones, wellbeing, and evidence-based education.

📍 Location: RDS, Dublin

📅 Dates: March 21–22

🎟️ Tickets: https://futurebeautyshow.com/

Future Men’s Health Show

An event dedicated to men’s health, hormones, longevity, and wellbeing, developed in response to growing demand for accessible expert-led information.

📍 Location: RDS, Dublin

📅 Dates: March 21–22

🎟️ Tickets: https://www.futuremenshealth.com/

03:10 – Trying beauty treatments to give honest advice

06:05 – Why divorce in Ireland is so difficult

14:10 – Court delays and legal limbo

17:45 – Co-parenting pressures

26:30 – Psychological toll of uncertainty

31:10 – Lack of support structures

36:45 – Books and coping tools

45:50 – Dating after separation

50:40 – Future Fertility Show

Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations.

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This conversation brings together Eimear McCrann, Director EY Entrepreneur Of The Year and Anne Heraty, EOY Judge and Founder CPL Resourced, to unpack the realities of entrepreneurship from two deeply experienced perspectives – one from building and leading a business over decades, and the other from supporting hundreds of founders through every stage of growth.

Anne reflects on the long arc of her entrepreneurial journey, from early beginnings to international expansion, public markets, and ultimately stepping back from the business she built. She shares honest insights into resilience, leadership under scrutiny, and the personal trade-offs that come with responsibility.

Eimear shares what she has learned from working at the heart of the Entrepreneur of the Year programme, including why women often hesitate to put themselves forward despite strong businesses. Together, they explore how community, shared learning, and trusted relationships can make entrepreneurship more sustainable – especially during periods of uncertainty and change.

Leadership Requires Comfort With Uncertainty

Entrepreneurs must make decisions without full information, learning to respond rather than react when things change.

Building Through Cycles of Change

Businesses move through booms, crashes, and reinvention, requiring resilience and adaptability at every stage.

Confidence Gaps Still Affect Female Founders

Women tend to underestimate their readiness, particularly when recognition or visibility is involved.

Peer Networks Accelerate Better Decisions

Access to founders with lived experience helps entrepreneurs navigate challenges more effectively.

Letting Go Is a Leadership Skill

Stepping back from a business requires trust, planning, and an identity shift, not just financial readiness.

Entrepreneurship Is Ultimately About People

Teams, trust, and shared values shape sustainable businesses.

CPL

Founded by Anne Heraty in 1990, CPL grew from a small recruitment firm into a large international recruitment and outsourcing group employing thousands of people across multiple countries.

EY Entrepreneur of the Year

Ireland’s flagship entrepreneurship programme supporting founders through a year-long process focused on community, learning, and long-term impact.

00:00 – Introduction and Focus on Female Entrepreneurship

03:10 – What the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Programme Really Is

06:20 – Anne Heraty’s Early Business Beginnings

10:15 – Scaling, Market Crashes, and Reinvention

15:30 – Confidence, Timing, and Women Putting Themselves Forward

20:10 – The Value of Entrepreneurial Community

24:40 – Expanding Into New Markets and Cultural Differences

29:30 – Leadership, Uncertainty, and Decision-Making

33:45 – Letting Go of a Business and Life After Exit

38:10 – Advice for Young People and Building Relationships

42:30 – Reflections on Meaning, Legacy, and Impact

Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations.

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In this episode, Laura sits down with Síle Seoige to talk about a period in her early thirties when everything changed at once. Síle speaks about being diagnosed with thyroid cancer, the impact that had on her work and personal life, and how it forced her to stop and reassess in a way she hadn’t before.

She talks about anxiety from the inside, not recognising it at the time, only later, and how listening to other people’s stories during the making of her documentaries made her re-examine her own experiences. The conversation also moves through parenting, work, and the practical decisions Síle has made around boundaries, time away from home, and what she will and won’t say yes to now.

The discussion is closely tied to Síle’s new documentary series Séalaí le Síle, filmed over several months and exploring three major themes: parenting, anxiety, and bullying. The series airs on TG4 on Wednesday nights, beginning on Wednesday 11 February, with each episode focusing on one topic. Drawing on conversations with families, experts, and people sharing their own lived experiences in Ireland and abroad, Síle describes the project as an attempt to better understand why so many people are struggling in the world as it is now.

A year that changed everything

Síle speaks about a period when illness, work, and personal life collided, forcing her to stop and take stock in a way she hadn’t before.

Living with anxiety without naming it

She describes experiencing anxiety for years without recognising it at the time, only understanding it later through hindsight and listening to others.

Illness as a line in the sand

A thyroid cancer diagnosis brought clarity about what mattered, what didn’t, and what could no longer be ignored.

Parenting in a pressured system

The conversation looks at how modern parenting is shaped by time, money, childcare, and expectation.

Learning to set boundaries

Síle talks about becoming more boundaried around work, travel, and time away from home, and why saying no has become necessary.

Listening to other people’s experiences

Making the documentaries prompted Síle to reconsider parts of her own life she hadn’t fully examined before.

Bullying beyond childhood

Bullying is discussed as something that affects adults too, particularly in workplaces and public-facing roles.

Questioning what we call ‘normal’

The episode repeatedly returns to the idea that many struggles make sense when placed in the context of modern life.

04:20 – The documentaries and why these topics mattered

06:30 – Parenting, pressure, and guilt

08:10 – Parenting today and the pressure parents are under

17:00 – Anxiety and missing language

25:10 – Illness, shock, and being forced to stop

37:20 – Parenting decisions and limits

44:00 – Media exposure and public life

52:10 – Identity and reflection

Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations.

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In this episode, Laura explores why dating so often feels exhausting, confusing, or discouraging, particularly when one person is ready for commitment and the other is not in the same place.

Drawing on insight from Mairead the Matchmaker, the conversation looks at how timing, life stage, and emotional readiness shape modern relationships. It reflects on patterns that come up again and again, including men waiting until life feels secure before committing, women staying open to connection despite setbacks, and how early communication often sets the tone for what follows.

Rather than offering quick fixes, this episode focuses on clarity and self understanding, recognising when a situation is not aligned with what you want, and trusting that dating should not require you to minimise yourself. It is a thoughtful, grounded conversation for anyone navigating modern dating with honesty and intention.

Readiness matters more than chemistry

Strong attraction does not lead anywhere if two people are not emotionally or practically ready at the same time.

Men and women often date differently

Men often wait until life feels stable before committing, while women tend to stay open to connection.

Communication sets the tone early

How someone communicates at the beginning usually reflects how they will communicate long term.

Dating is a numbers game, without being unkind

Meeting the right person requires consistency while still treating people with respect.

Not every relationship should last

Staying in something unhealthy can be more damaging than leaving.

The right relationship allows you to be yourself

A healthy partnership feels supportive rather than constraining.

00:00 – Introduction and why dating feels difficult

03:30 – Why people are marrying later in Ireland

08:00 – Readiness and timing

12:00 – When one person is ready and the other is not

16:00 – Using dating apps properly

19:30 – Communication patterns and early red flags

26:00 – Dating as a numbers game

33:30 – Confidence built through action

39:30 – How the wrong relationship affects wellbeing

43:00 – Five questions to assess a relationship

49:30 – Knowing when to walk away

56:00 – Staying open without burnout

Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations.

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Laura is joined by dental hygienist Eimear for a clear, practical conversation about oral health and why it connects to the rest of the body, not just your teeth. They talk about plaque, tartar and gum disease, what causes bleeding gums, and why brushing your teeth without brushing your gums misses half the problem.

Eimear explains why interdental brushes work better than floss for most people, how electric toothbrushes remove far more plaque than manual ones, and why soft brushes are better than hard ones. She also talks about mouth breathing, tongue scraping, night guards for grinding, and what happens when plaque is left to harden under the gums.

The conversation then moves into some of the less expected links between oral health and things like menopause, pregnancy, arthritis, diabetes and cancer treatment. Throughout it all, Eimear keeps coming back to prevention, showing how small, realistic habits can reduce risk and protect your teeth and gums over the long term.

Most people are not cleaning where it matters most

Bacteria sits along the gumline and between the teeth, which is why brushing only the visible surfaces leaves disease behind.

Plaque becomes harmful when it is left too long

Soft plaque hardens into tartar and creates a protected space where more aggressive bacteria can grow and damage gums and bone.

Tools matter more than people realise

Electric toothbrushes and interdental brushes remove far more bacteria than manual brushing and flossing.

Saliva plays a major role in oral health

Dry mouth, common during menopause, illness and medication use, changes the balance of bacteria and increases the risk of decay and gum disease.

Gum disease is not just a mouth problem

Inflammation and bacteria are linked with conditions like diabetes, arthritis, pregnancy complications and Alzheimer’s.

Grinding and clenching cause real damage

Night-time grinding can shorten teeth, irritate gums and strain the jaw.

Consistency beats perfection

Regular, simple habits protect the mouth better than occasional intense cleaning.

00:00 – Why gum disease is linked to Alzheimer’s

01:00 – Porphyromonas gingivalis and how it damages the brain

02:00 – The vicious cycle between Alzheimer’s and oral health

03:00 – Why dentists avoid scaring patients with the 70% statistic

17:00 – Diabetes, arthritis and bidirectional gum disease

22:00 – Menopause, hormones and dry mouth

26:00 – Teeth grinding, night guards and jaw damage

28:00 – Mouth breathing and gingivitis

30:00 – Tongue scraping and bad breath bacteria

45:00 – Mouthwash, chlorhexidine and staining

56:00 – Adapting dental care for people with extra needs

Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations.

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