Presented in association with Mater Private Network.

Kathryn Thomas sits down for a revealing chat with her old classmate and former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. They chat about their first memories of meeting each other years ago as school friends, his rapid rise in politics from ambitious student where he the country through Brexit and Pandemic. Leo talks about the pressure of being a politician including coming out publicly in 2015 and why he decided to resign so unexpectedly two years ago. He also reveals his love of an unexpected pop legend and what’s next for him - would he do reality TV again? Find out more on this week’s episode.

Next week: hilarious comedian Alison Spittle talks about her weight-loss journey.

An Onic Original Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Presented in association with Mater Private Network. In an emotional episode, Kathryn Thomas speaks with Irish Examiner fashion editor and author Annmarie O’Connor about her best-selling book Twitch which details her life living alongside Parkinson’s Disease - a neurological condition.

Annmarie talks about her Irish-American upbringing in Long Island and later life in Cork, styling Irish stars like Kathryn and many others, plus the onset of her Parkinson’s diagnosis back in December 2021. They debate the importance of empathy over pity and why Annmarie believes it’s important to share personal stories, free of shame. Though Annmarie is no longer working as a stylist due the complications of the condition, she tells Kathryn how she is now an agent of change, an established author and how she embraces life in all forms.

Next week: Kathryn’s old classmate - former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

An Onic Original Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Presented in association with Mater Private Network.

Over some healthy home-baked snacks, Kathryn Thomas chats with bestselling author Cecelia Ahern. Fresh from her big win at The Irish Book Awards, Cecelia tells Kathryn all about the phone call that changed her life just at the age of 21 when Cecelia signed a book deal for her beloved novel, P.S I Love You. Yet despite selling millions of books and producing countless movies, Cecelia’s most proud of her ability to manoeuvre a forklift (!). Long before she was an author, Cecelia explains how she was also a jazz-tapping, pantomime-performing, competition-winning dancer, plus she reveals more about her girl band era put together by Louis Walsh for Eurovision.

Kathryn and Cecelia talk about how they deal with anxiety while also running a busy household and business, while being inspired by strangers all over the world.

Whether she’s driving a forklift, whipping up protein snacks or manifesting, Cecilia Ahern suggests that life and literature are best served when you mix in a little ambition, a dash of resilience, and the odd chicken recipe from San Francisco.

Next week: writer and stylist Annemarie O’Connor talks about her emotional Parkinson’s journey.

An Onic Original Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.