RACHAEL BLACKMORE "I always wanted to be a jockey. I made my dream come true”

With the return of the Last of Us and The Handmaid’s Tale and the prequel to 28 Days Later arriving in cinemas this summer, writer Peter Murphy talks to Brendan about the enduring cultural fascination with the apocalypse and how it has inspired films, television, books and music since the end of the second world war.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer and podcaster Esther O’Moore Donohoe and Andy McCarroll, Host of the Extra Vision Podcast give Brendan their recommendations for the best T.V. and films to watch for the week ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jockey Rachael Blackmore has made history in the world of horse racing, and now, she tells Brendan about her latest challenge, writing a children’s book. Rachael talks about her idyllic childhood and her life in five songs from The Cranberries to Fred Again.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining Brendan to dissect the Sunday papers are Fr. Iggy O’Donovan, Augustinian Priest, Ellen Coyne, Special Correspondent, Irish Independent, Dan O’ Brien, Chief Economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs and Columnist with The Currency, Lisa Chambers, Former Fianna Fáil Seanad Leader and Head of Public Affairs at Consello.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Summer party season just beginning there is the pressure to deliver a crowd-pleasing dessert, chef and founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School, Darina Allen joins Brendan to give a meringue masterclass with advice on how to perfect the sweet treat,See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poet Rita Ann Higgins joins Brendan with a topical poem about the Munster camogie teamwear controversy - ‘Abort the Skorts’ .See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than just a weekend break destination, travel writer and road tripper Thom Breathnach gives Brendan the lowdown on the Highlands and the magic of travelling around the Scottish Islands.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Psychotherapist Richard Hogan offers advice about navigating the tricky teenage years, the healthy way to approach new behaviours during adolescence, how to deal with raging hormones and the inevitable clashes that come with this phase of life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DCU Professor of Immunology Christine Loscher explains to Brendan how to get through the hay fever season with minimal impact.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacqueline Connolly speaks to Brendan about her book Deadly Silence which details the aftermath of her sister Clodagh’s murder by her husband Alan Hawe in 2016, she talks about identifying the coercive control her sister suffered within her marriage, trying to see a way through grief, dealing with trauma and finding hope in the darkest times.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.