Show Notes
🎙️ Joe Irish & Shirin Podcast — Episode Description Guest: Shane McCarty aka "takelife.back" In this brilliant first episode of the Joe Irish and Shirin podcast, the lads are joined by the one and only Shane McCarty — better known as the takelife.back — for a rollercoaster of a chat that goes from hair transplants and toupees to heartbreaking stories of the care system, addiction, loss, and community advocacy. Shane opens up like never before, sharing raw, emotional and at times hilarious stories from his life. This one has it all — laughs, tears, and real talk. Don't miss it.
⏱️ Timecodes 00:00 — Welcome to the Joe Irish & Shirin Podcast! Introducing special guest Shane McCarty aka "takelife.back" 01:30 — Hair chat begins — Joe's hair transplant, Shane's toupee ("hair replacement system"), and the lads comparing their follicle journeys 05:00 — Shane's toupee revealed: what it is, how it works, and why it looks so good ("20 years younger!") 08:00 — The feedback and trolls after going public with the hair system; why Shane did it 10:30 — Joe talks about his own hair transplant and the reaction from people around him 11:20 — Mushrooms, mental health, and medicinal conversations — Joe opens up about struggling with anxiety before the podcast 13:00 — Shane talks about his work with the Red Door Project and how he found a way out of the cycle of drink and drugs 16:00 — Shane's proposal story: getting down on one knee in Bosnia (hungover!) and the video that only caught the last two seconds 24:00 — Shane & Shirin discuss what it means for men to speak openly about trauma — and why it matters 28:00 — The care system: Shane shares he went into a boys' home at 15, the last stop after foster homes didn't work out 31:00 — The heartbreaking moment Shane found out his sister had passed while he was in care — and the fear that he might have the same illness 34:00 — Shane on turning pain into power: why he speaks out and what keeps him going 35:00 — Generational trauma, coping mechanisms, and creating an "alternative reality" to survive 36:00 — Shane talks about his mother and forgiving without always getting answers 38:00 — Life inside the boys' home: the abuse, the punishments, sitting upright for hours, and standing up to authority as a teenager 41:00 — The school incident: being grabbed by the throat in front of his entire class and told to say he fell down the stairs 49:00 — Shane's relationship with his dad and visiting him in the nursing home in later years 54:00 — Community, politics, and why people from disadvantaged backgrounds make the best advocates for change 56:00 — Could Shane run for councillor? The lads debate politics and accountability in government 57:00 — What is Shane's vision? His dream of an aftercare project for young adults leaving the care system 59:30 — The lack of community and role models in today's society vs. growing up on the streets with neighbours looking out for each other 01:01:30 — Respect, devilment, and the difference between generations — Shane gets emotional reflecting on how far he's come 01:03:00 — Wrapping up: Shane reflects on his mental health journey and what he's achieved against all the odds 01:04:10 — Shoutouts, future plans for the podcast, and a mention of their first sponsor Sister Sheds 🎉 01:07:15 — Follow Shane! Find him as "Take Back Your Life" on Instagram and TikTok 01:08:40 — Sign off with co-host Jamie and a big thank you from the whole crew
More from The JoeIrish and Sherin Podcast
In Episode 39 of the Joe Irish & Shirin Podcast, Joe and Shirin welcome back one of their most popular guests - the one and only Coach Ken - for a proper catch-up on just how much his life has changed. 🎙️😂 From leaving his career and taking a leap into the world of AI, websites, marketing and automation, to travelling solo across Europe and Asia while working remotely, Ken opens up about taking risks, overcoming fear and finally backing himself to go after the life he actually wants. There’s plenty of chat about AI, the future of work, social media, starting a business, learning new skills and why people may need to adapt as technology continues to change everything around us. They also get into Ken’s travels through Croatia, Naples, Pompeii, Athens, Dubai, Bali and Thailand, the freedom of solo travel, manifestation, mindset, spirituality, DMT, meditation and some very questionable plans for future podcast retreats. 😂 Underneath all the madness, there’s a brilliant conversation about fear, failure, reinvention, trusting yourself and taking the opportunity when it appears. A proper catch-up with Coach Ken - with AI, travel, spirituality and absolute chaos thrown in along the way. 🎙️😂 [00:00] — Welcome to Episode 39 of the Joe Irish & Shirin Podcast [00:25] — Coach Ken returns as one of the podcast’s most popular guests [01:18] — Ken’s new camera glasses and recording life hands-free [02:23] — Live translation, music, calls and what the glasses can actually do [03:51] — Looking back at some of Ken’s legendary old podcast clips [04:38] — How does it feel seeing how far he has come? [05:18] — Overcoming adversity and always wanting something more [06:27] — Manifestation, excitement and believing in where you’re going [06:46] — The fear that was holding Ken back [07:05] — Taking a career break and stepping away from his old life [07:54] — Leaving the running club in good hands [08:26] — What’s the worst that can happen if you take the risk? [09:09] — Did Ken already know what he wanted to do next? [09:23] — Studying AI and becoming completely obsessed with it [09:56] — From CRM systems to websites, apps and social media [10:23] — Selling things before he had even figured out how to build them 😂 [11:13] — What AI automation can actually do for businesses [11:34] — Automated customer responses and Google reviews [12:24] — Websites and social media become Ken’s main business [13:08] — Why businesses need to stay in people’s heads online [13:25] — Hooks, memorable content and getting attention on social media [14:19] — Ken’s AI assistants and chatbots [15:47] — Is Ken slowly turning his house into Minority Report? 😂 [16:17] — AI Solutions Dublin and consultancy for businesses [17:15] — Could AI completely change the travel industry? [18:15] — Building instant quotation systems for customers [18:52] — Using AI for everyday problems [19:36] — Are robots going to take everyone’s jobs? [20:13] — Why people need to learn how AI fits into their current careers [21:12] — AI videos, robots and knowing what’s real online [22:29] — Ken’s plans for AI-generated content [23:05] — Helping ordinary people understand the opportunities in AI [24:16] — Selling online and the changing world of work [24:57] — Why adapting to AI is like adapting from horses to cars [25:36] — Europe, America, China and the race to develop AI [26:11] — How Ken’s college course started the entire journey [27:05] — Marketing, targeting customers and generating leads [27:55] — Everyone seems to be starting a new business 😂 [28:25] — Joe’s latest venture into seamless resin flooring [29:51] — Joe offers free floors to build up experience [31:08] — Relearning, retraining and refusing to stay stuck [31:47] — The washing-machine disaster that inspired the new flooring idea [33:03] — Moving on to Ken’s travels [33:26] — Working remotely while travelling the world [34:11] — Croatia and meeting family along the way [34:47] — Naples, Italian history and falling in love with the city
In Episode 48 of the Joe Irish & Shirin Podcast, Joe and Shirin are joined by Joe’s old boss, mentor and longtime friend — the one and only Ozzy - for a proper trip down memory lane. 😂 From growing up in the flats before moving to Tallaght in the late 70s, street fights, community games and the absolute madness of childhood in the 70s and 80s, Ozzy shares stories from a completely different Ireland. There’s plenty of nostalgia, plenty of slagging and some brilliant stories about apprenticeships, site banter, old-school drinking culture, gambling, pranks, builders, broken skylights and why construction sites simply aren’t the same anymore. Underneath all the madness, there’s also a great conversation about friendship, community, learning a trade, how working life has changed and the relationships you build with people along the way. A proper old-school episode packed with stories, memories and absolute chaos. 🎙️😂 [00:00] — Welcome to Episode 48 of the Joe Irish & Shirin Podcast [00:47] — Introducing Joe’s old boss and longtime friend Ozzy [01:09] — Ozzy on growing up in Dolphin’s Barn [02:12] — Life in the flats during the 70s and the arrival of heroin [03:05] — Moving to Tallaght in 1979 [03:53] — Growing up in a brand-new Tallaght and finding your place [05:15] — Moving from the flats into a house and suddenly having your own room [06:17] — Ozzy’s family joining the Mormon Church [07:20] — Did Ozzy ever become a Mormon himself? [08:20] — Vincent de Paul, childhood memories and growing up with very little [09:12] — The milkman, coal man, vegetable man and everyone calling to the door [10:10] — One unforgettable story involving a Jewish salesman and Ozzy’s mother 😂 [11:49] — The kind of parenting you definitely wouldn’t get away with today [12:30] — Ozzy’s mother terrifying the kids through the letterbox [14:32] — Car theft, messing around and teenage trouble in the 80s [15:31] — Why community felt completely different back then [16:14] — Street parties, community games and rival roads [17:21] — When the entire street would come out for a fight [19:30] — The characters everyone in Tallaght knew to avoid [20:39] — How families, neighbours and communities all became connected [21:25] — Kids moving away, coming home and how family life changes [23:18] — How Ozzy got into plastering [23:57] — Leaving Ireland at 18 and heading to Liverpool [24:16] — Meeting at Southampton station with no mobile phones [24:32] — The 11-hour boat journey to Jersey [25:07] — Learning the plastering trade on the Channel Islands [26:32] — Coming back to Ireland and meeting Joe on the job [27:31] — Joe’s early days working alongside Ozzy [28:10] — One of the first construction-site pranks gets completely out of hand [29:51] — Finishing work early and heading straight to the pub [30:25] — Construction sites in the old days versus health and safety today [31:06] — The rabbit-catching prank begins [32:20] — Setting up the snare and planning the perfect joke [32:56] — The dead rabbit… with a cigarette hanging out of its mouth 😂 [34:07] — The job that should have taken two weeks but somehow lasted months [34:49] — How one lunch-break bet stopped Joe gambling for life [35:39] — Why gambling can become one of the hardest addictions to escape [36:02] — Gambling, gaming and how kids are exposed to it today [37:15] — Joe’s first pint on a building site at 15 [38:33] — The legendary hoover prank [40:15] — Getting your workmate out of bed and onto the site [41:32] — Racing to work before the boss catches you doing nothing [42:32] — Joe’s first proper drinking session with the older tradesmen [44:06] — Starting work at 14 and how different apprenticeships are today [44:28] — Why nobody wants to become a plasterer anymore [46:39] — Years of working together and the stories that came with it [46:55] — The £16,000 skylight disaster [48:07] — Realising the skylight has cracked… and waiting for the builder to notice [49:45] — Why construction banter made the hardest jobs e
This week on the Joe and Sherin Podcast, we sit down with the incredible Latifa Jawadi, an Afghan lawyer and human rights advocate whose life changed overnight when the Taliban seized Kabul in August 2021. Latifa shares her journey from working as a lawyer and anti-corruption investigator in the Afghan government, to fleeing the country for Ireland with nothing but the clothes on her back — leaving her young son behind in the chaos. She opens up about hiding from the Taliban, the terrifying scramble to Kabul airport, two days sleeping on the floor of a military transport plane, and finally rebuilding her life in Ireland. We talk about her brother's imprisonment by the Taliban, her sister's incredible work running an underground online school for Afghan girls, and what it means to find safety, community, and a new home in Ireland. A powerful, honest, and moving conversation you won't want to miss. 🇦🇫🇮🇪 Timecodes: 00:00 – Intro & episode banter 02:56 – Meet Latifa Jawadi: lawyer, activist, guest 04:52 – Growing up in Afghanistan & Iran 05:47 – Studying law in Kabul & becoming a lawyer 06:38 – Working for the Vice President's office 07:39 – Fighting corruption in the Afghan government 08:56 – Being a woman in a traditional society 11:10 – The day the Taliban took Kabul 14:18 – Escaping the office, abandoning the government car 15:17 – Hiding from the Taliban for a week 16:05 – Sending her young son to safety 17:20 – Forced marriage & the reality for women under Taliban rule 19:19 – Getting the offer of an Irish visa 21:10 – The hardest decision: leaving her son behind 23:20 – The explosion at Kabul airport 25:26 – Two days on the floor of a US military plane 27:03 – Arriving in Qatar with no shoes 27:40 – Landing in Ireland, September 2021 28:32 – Reunited with her son Benjamin 29:21 – Life as an immigrant in Iran vs. Ireland 31:07 – Learning English & starting over 32:07 – Volunteering with Transparency International Ireland 32:42 – Her brother's arrest by the Taliban 35:11 – Finding out he's alive 37:14 – Her sister's secret online school for Afghan girls 39:26 – Will she ever go back to Afghanistan? 40:13 – Women protesting in the streets of Kabul 43:22 – Understanding Taliban culture vs. Islam 48:08 – Reflections on culture, borders & humanity 50:07 – Wrap-up & thanks to Latifa
This week Joe and Sherin are joined by comedian Dan Stevens for an episode that swings from pure chaos to real heart. It kicks off with a new sponsor segment on sober holidays, spirals into one of the wildest DUI-arrest-in-America stories you'll hear (hillbilly house parties, a night in a Florida county jail, and negotiating for meatloaf with a fellow inmate), and then takes a hard turn into something much deeper — Dan opens up for the first time about his brother Dylan's battle with psychosis and schizophrenia, and the devastating loss of Dylan to suicide. It's a raw, honest conversation about mental illness, grief, and how Dan has chosen to frame and carry that loss forward. The episode closes out lighter, talking comedy, solo podcasting, and Dan's own show. Content warning: this episode contains detailed discussion of mental illness, psychosis, and suicide (from ~28:10 onward).