Show Notes
In this episode of The Delusional Optimist, I sit down with broadcaster and former Late Late show host Ryan Tubridy for a thoughtful and deeply human conversation about navigating a very public storm, finding contentment in its aftermath, and what it means to start over. From career highs and intense scrutiny to love, reinvention, and the quiet power of perspective, Ryan reflects on the chapters that shaped him - and the ones still unfolding. This is a conversation about resilience, ide...
More from The Delusional Optimist
What do you do when the dream you’ve built your identity around suddenly falls apart? Before Audrey Hamilton became one of Ireland’s most recognisable artists, she was an actress in Los Angeles. After years of auditions, everything finally seemed to be falling into place... until one fateful day changed the course of her life. In this episode, Audrey shares how that heartbreak led her to painting, the imposter syndrome she still battles today, and how she built a successful creative business ...
For more than 40 years, Louis Walsh has been one of the most influential figures in the music industry. He launched Boyzone, helped turn Westlife into one of the biggest bands in the world, managed Girls Aloud, Jedward and Shayne Ward, and became a household name as the straight-talking judge on The X Factor... But who is the man behind the headlines? In this episode of The Delusional Optimist, Louis opens up about building some of pop’s biggest acts from scratch, why instinct often beats per...
What do you do when the career you’ve spent 17 years building suddenly disappears? When bestselling author Andrea Mara was made redundant from her job in financial services, she had a choice: find another “sensible” job or take a chance to build something new. In this episode, Andrea shares the story behind that life-changing decision and how an unexpected redundancy gave her the time to discover whether writing could become a career. Today, she’s one of Ireland’s bestselling crime authors, w...
She’s one of Ireland’s best-loved broadcasters, but Lucy Kennedy is proving it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. In the first episode of Season 2, Lucy joins me for a warm, funny and honest conversation about taking risks, embracing change and finding more confidence with age. We chat about writing her bestselling novel The Mini Breakers on her phone while on holiday, the leap from broadcasting to fiction, and why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply back yourself. We also ta...
Fashion might look glamorous on Instagram but behind every red carpet moment is a LOT of chaos, spreadsheets, sourcing, fittings, returns, early mornings, and problem-solving that nobody talks about. For the season one finale of the podcast, I’m joined by celebrity stylist and fashion journalist Corina Gaffey for a really honest conversation about building a career in Irish fashion, freelancing, backing yourself, and figuring things out as you go. Corina shares how she went from magazine life...