Hector Ó hEochagáin - "My brain surgery involved scooping around my pituitary gland"

Athlete and Broadcaster David Gillick and RTE Sport's Des Cahill pay tribute to the Irish Olympian and European Champion Ciara Mageean whose death was announced this morning after a battle with cancer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining Brendan to discuss the main stories in Sunday's newspapers are:  Oisín Coghlan, public policy advisor, Louise Burne, Political Correspondent at the Irish Examiner, Peter Brown, Managing Director The Irish Institute of Financial Trading, Brigid Laffan, Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author, Tech Entrepreneur and former RTÉ Washington Correspondent, Mark Little, previews Tuesday's US midterm elections, explains why he thinks they're more consequential than a US Presidential election would be and outlines how the various final scenarios would affect America and the wider world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food guru Rick Stein joins Brendan to share some of what he's learned since starting out in the business. His new book 'Rick Stein’s Cookery Course' draws on 60 years of cooking, with everything anyone could need to know, including how to joint a rabbit and why he likes his beef from a castrated male!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer and podcaster Esther O'Moore Donohoe and host of the 'Here and Back Again' podcast Dave O'Callaghan join Brendan to discuss the biggest new shows and films this week. Their previews include: 'Dexter: Resurrection', 'Nocturne' starring Stephen Graham, 'Wild Horse Nine', 'Primetime' with Robert Pattinson and George Michael: The Faith Tour. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clinical Psychologist Dr Maureen Gaffney has spent six decades in the world of psychology, writing bestselling books 'Flourishing' and 'Your One Wild and Precious Life'. Her latest book is 'About Life: Notes on Staying Grounded in Unsettled Times', based on lessons she's learned from her personal and professional life on how to live your best life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hector Ó hEochagáin joined Brendan to talk about facing brain surgery last summer, having had a small tumour removed. He's marking 30 years of TG4 with his new South American adventure series. HIs latest book, Irish Words for Every Occasion: Conversations in Irish for every day of your life, is the last in a trilogy designed to get people talking rather than worrying about the modh coinníollach. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Actor John Connors is starring in the new RTÉ series, The Galway Bay Murders. He talks Brendan through his life and career through the prism of five songs ranging from Patsy Cline to Damien Dempsey to DMX. He also speaks about losing his father to suicide, being segregated into a traveller class in primary school, going to anger management classes as a child, his love of boxing, his close bond with his grandfather and developing religious faith later in life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you feel that Christmas sometimes drags, Communications Consultant and Travel Enthusiast Lisa Regan has travel ideas for breaking up the 'Twixmas' period by taking a break to cities like Paris, Copenhagen, Tallinn or London. Or the potential blue skies in Spanish cities like Malaga or Seville  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zara Hedderman, Arts and Music Journalist, and Brian Lloyd, Freelance entertainment journalist and host of the Screenland Podcast join Brendan to discuss the biggest new shows and films this week. Their previews include: Dr Marie Cassidy Investigates Ireland's Last Witch Trial, Slow Horses, Norm: The Tale of Norm McDonald, The Lowdown, Wildwood, The Devils. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.