How's Your Ma Podcast

Our podcast explores women’s relationships—from mother-daughter to leadership—and how they shape lives, aiming to support and empower women across all relationship experiences.

How's Your Ma Podcast is a society podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 18 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts How's Your Ma Podcast, a society show with 18 episodes published.

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  Episode #17

  How's Your Ma: Episode 17

  Aug 20, 20261h 5m

  This week Orla and Leanne sit down with Claire Malone — singer, actress and frontwoman of hit wedding band Gossip (Wedding Band of the Year 2023, Wedding Singer of the Year 2024). Claire takes us from her earliest days in Dublin's National Performing Arts School and the Gaiety Theatre box office, through Kenny Live, Abba Gold, the Spice Girls tribute circuit, and nine wild years touring the world as lead singer of The Commitments. But this episode goes way deeper than showbiz stories. Claire opens up about losing her mum to a brain tumour at 27, two abusive relationships that nearly broke her, the fertility struggles and surprise pregnancy that led to her two kids, a brutal postpartum year isolated in the countryside, and the devastating story of her wedding day — getting married while her dad was too sick to leave hospital, and losing him just six weeks later. It's honest, it's emotional, and it's very, very funny in between. Grab a cuppa (or something stronger) for this one. ⚠️ Contains strong language and discussion of sexual harassment, abusive relationships, grief, pregnancy loss/complications, and mental health — listener discretion advised. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro with Orla & Leanne, meeting Claire Malone 00:58 – Growing up in Dublin, school and early love of drama 01:19 – National Performing Arts School & the Digges Lane days 02:08 – Factory Studios, dancing and acting 02:28 – Discovering she could actually sing 03:12 – First TV gigs at 16/17 on Kenny Live 04:13 – The tribute band boom: Abba Esque & Abba Gold 05:02 – Touring as a fake Spice Girl 05:54 – Joining Abba Gold full time (age 17–21) 07:10 – Leaving Abba Gold over her 21st birthday 08:02 – Working in the Gaiety Theatre box office from age 15 08:47 – Speaking up about sexual harassment at the theatre 13:08 – Moving to LA to study acting 16:06 – The call that changed everything: joining The Commitments 17:55 – Nine years touring the world with the band 18:26 – Wild life on the road, big gigs and bigger nights out 20:11 – Burning out on the touring lifestyle 23:16 – Her mum's brain tumour diagnosis and death 24:52 – Grief, anger, and falling apart on tour 25:24 – Leaving The Commitments for good 27:15 – Singing at weddings begins almost by accident 29:08 – Buying the name and building her own band, Gossip 30:07 – Meeting her husband Paddy 31:37 – Two abusive relationships back to back 33:44 – Therapy, healing, and finding her way out 38:28 – Settling down with Paddy and deciding to try for kids 38:43 – Fertility struggles and starting IVF 39:53 – The surprise pregnancy that beat the odds 40:43 – Moving in with her dad while pregnant 41:04 – Working through pregnancy and a brutal birth 43:11 – A dark, isolating postpartum year in Louth 45:56 – Second pregnancy and welcoming Teddy 47:17 – Juggling motherhood, marriage and gigging non-stop 47:32 – Acting in "The Spin" and the London premiere 52:02 – Her dad's cancer battle and caring for him 54:59 – The days before her wedding as his health declined 56:23 – Her wedding morning — and the call from the hospital 58:56 – Reflecting on the most emotional day of her life 59:24 – Losing her dad six weeks after the wedding 59:47 – On grief, survival, and learning to feel instead of think 1:03:58 – Wrap up and thanks

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  Episode #14

  How's Your Ma: Episode 14 (Ciara Jones)

  Jul 30, 20261h 10m

  This week, Orla and Leanne are joined by Ciara Jones — mother, full-time carer, and one of Ireland's most tireless autism advocates. Ciara is mam to three and a half children (as she puts it) including Gavin, who is autistic, intellectually disabled and preverbal. In 2018 she left a 20-year career to become his full-time carer. Ciara opens up about her happy childhood in Cabra, her parents' quiet strength, and the devastating loss of her own mother — a moment that pushed her to finally open the autism support hub she'd always dreamed of. She shares the story of volunteering in a Russian orphanage in her twenties, meeting her husband Mick and building their family, and the early, lonely days of parenting a non-speaking autistic child. From there, Ciara talks through the extraordinary advocacy work she's built: the AsIAm 5K, the Autism Support Hub she runs with her friend Caroline, the Sparkle for Autism Ball (which has raised almost €400,000 towards a goal of half a million), and her role as founder of Chasing Justice — a group supporting over 200 families whose autistic children have been abused or secluded in Irish schools. She speaks candidly about the day Gavin ran from her at school, what daily life with him looks like now, the guilt she carries about what lies ahead for her other two children as young carers, and what keeps her and Mick going as a couple. It's a raw, funny, and deeply moving conversation about grief, resilience, community, and refusing to let anyone feel alone. Content note: this episode discusses child illness/death (stillbirth, cancer, end-of-life care), and later touches on the abuse and seclusion of autistic children in schools. Timecodes 00:00 – Intro: Orla and Leanne welcome Ciara Jones 00:14 – Ciara introduces herself: mum of three and a half, full-time carer to Gavin (16), Dara (12) and Éabha/her youngest, plus stepson Michael 01:24 – Who Ciara was before "mummy" — growing up in Cabra 02:08 – Life as a young carer; her dad the grafter, her mam "the most wonderful mother" 03:04 – Her mother's history — printing family, a stillborn baby never spoken of, and Ciara's own birth (an 11.5lb baby!) 03:51 – Her mam's two cancer diagnoses and quiet resilience 07:07 – The day her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 69 — and her mam's dark sense of humour through it 09:16 – Volunteering in a Russian orphanage in 2004 — meeting Debbie Deegan, the inspiration behind her advocacy 13:30 (approx.) – Meeting Mick, becoming a mum, and Gavin's early years 18:25 – Trying for more children, Dara's birth, and the isolation of early autism parenting 20:04 – Fundraising for Gavin's school and finding a sense of purpose 20:48 – Her 20 years working in Aer Lingus and building an autism community there 21:50 – 2018: leaving her career to become Gavin's full-time carer 22:25 – Stepson Michael's journey — from meeting Adam Harris to working at AsIAm 24:05 – Founding the AsIAm 5K — "we're not an island" 25:22 – Realising Gavin deserved to be asked about his day too — communicating with a non-speaking child 28:15 – Her mother's death during Covid, told through the glass at the nursing home 29:27 – "I'm begging you, don't let her die alone" — being with her mam at the end 34:47 – The moment she decided to open the Autism Support Hub 35:18 – The Autism Support Hub with Caroline — DCA forms, carer supports, and a free, all-voluntary service 36:55 – The origin of the Sparkle for Autism Ball 43:30 – Nearly half a million euro raised — and how people can support the cause (Instagram: Ciara Jones — Reaching Out to Autism) 45:03 – A day in Gavin's life — his routines, his independence, and his joy 47:23 – Orla and Dara as young carers, and the guilt of what the future holds for them 49:25 – The day Gavin ran from the car — a story about unpredictability and vigilance 54:59 – What it's really like for her and Mick as parents and as a couple 57:23 – The power of community — "nobody needs to be alone" 59:50 – Founding Chasing Justice — supporting over 200 families whose autistic children have been abused in school 1:00:44 – The pattern of blaming the child, not the adults in the room 1:01:33 – Seclusion is illegal — but it's still happening 1:03:59 – A small win: new child protection guidelines in schools, shaped by Ciara's own case 1:06:07 – Final words of wisdom: "find your community... you need to feel you belong" 1:09:08 – Closing thoughts and thanks

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #13

  How's Your Ma: Episode 13

  Jul 23, 20261h 2m

  In this episode, hosts Leanne and Orla sit down with Courtney — a PhD scientist who walked away from academia to become a Pilates instructor and digital entrepreneur. As the eldest of five, Courtney opens up about the pressure to prove herself, the quiet burnout that came with "achieving and achieving," and the moment she handed in her notice to build a business instead. The conversation moves through her working-class roots and what it meant to carry them into an academic world that didn't always feel like hers, the toxic competitiveness of PhD life and the grief of losing friendships along the way, and the joy of rebuilding a support system through Pilates, business, and community. Courtney also shares the story of her ten-year relationship, her growing "Aligné" brand (Pilates, digital tools for wellness professionals, and a book club), and her honest advice for young women weighing big life choices: know your why, take the risk, and design a life on your own terms. Timecodes 00:00 – Intro: meet Courtney, PhD-turned-Pilates-instructor 00:37 – Courtney's story: years chasing a PhD, then walking away 01:44 – "Who did you do it for?" — proving herself as the eldest of five 02:46 – The turning point: Pilates training and telling her boyfriend she's leaving academia 03:47 – Class, poverty, and staying true to her roots in academia 06:49 – No pause button: school straight through to PhD with no break 08:32 – Starting the business alongside mixed reactions from others 09:36 – Why the work is about people, not just the job 12:07 – Family life: laid-back parents, five siblings, "the whole family has ADHD" 14:04 – Naming the business "Aligné" and quitting the postdoc for good 15:53 – Finding her soul's purpose: helping people directly 17:39 – Learning to look after herself after academic burnout 19:51 – How she met her partner — school sweethearts, ten years together 22:45 – Teaching at the Wellness Center and the story behind "Keith's Elephant" 26:41 – Her boyfriend's life: marching band and the sousaphone 28:15 – Launching Aligné Digital — finance tools for wellness professionals 31:14 – Courtney's Corner book club and always chasing the next idea 31:56 – Looking ahead: marriage, no kids, and a love of travel 34:23 – Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: take the risk, fake it till you make it 37:02 – Her parents' unconditional support in building the business 38:39 – Friendship in academia vs. the new, supportive friendships she's found 43:32 – The grief of losing friendships in a toxic, competitive environment 46:14 – Could she ever go back to academia? 49:12 – Movement as her emotional outlet and coping tool 51:02 – Her closest friends, Sarah and Shannon 52:46 – What would her friends say about her? 55:07 – Final advice for young women figuring out their path 57:24 – Wrap-up and where to find Courtney

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #12

  How's Your Ma: Episode 12

  Jul 16, 202639 min

  This week, Orla and Leanne discuss domestic violence and abuse. Leanne is an Outreach, Prevention & Training Manager at a domestic violence service in South Dublin, and brings her frontline experience to a raw, wide-ranging conversation about what abuse actually looks like — physical, psychological, financial, digital — how it hides in plain sight, why survivors stay, and what it really takes to leave. Together they walk through the statistics (1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men affected), the intergenerational cycle of trauma, the exhausting reality of hypervigilance and "walking on eggshells," and the practical side of safety planning and support services. They also get into how modern dating — situationships, open relationships, age-gap relationships — is reshaping what abuse and healthy boundaries even look like today. It's a heavy topic handled with honesty, humor, and care, ending with a reminder: don't live with it alone, help is out there. Content note: This episode discusses domestic violence, abuse, and trauma in detail. Listener discretion advised. Timecodes: 00:00 – Intro: this week's topic is domestic violence; meet Leanne 00:38 – The many ways women reach out (helpline, refuge, WhatsApp, email) 01:32 – The stats: 1 in 3 women, 1 in 7 men 02:27 – Spotting the signs — a real-life example on a bus 03:27 – Internal coping and normalized abuse from childhood 04:19 – "It was just a slap" — normalization passed down from parents 05:06 – How people first reach out for help 06:03 – Living in chronic fear and constant risk-assessment 06:53 – Survival mode and hypervigilance after leaving 07:14 – Abuse affects every age group 07:41 – The 2014 study: relationships starting at 15, abuse lasting 20.5 years 08:42 – Culture, religion, and family "tradition" shaping the conversation 09:08 – Breaking the cycle — "boulders vs. pebbles" across generations 10:39 – Talking success stories 12:26 – Case study: a couple with clashing attachment styles 14:14 – Learned behavior and generational patterns of abuse 15:27 – Choice vs. conditioning — when abuse is a choice 16:11 – Childhood memories and the "house of horrors" hidden behind closed doors 17:26 – Ireland only began recording femicides in 1996 18:19 – Awareness campaigns: rural outreach and the 16 Days of Activism 19:06 – Psychological vs. physical abuse — "walking on eggshells" 20:15 – The exhaustion of trauma and constant vigilance 21:14 – How chronic fear changes the brain 22:50 – How to help someone and where to send them 23:43 – Safety planning and risk assessment 24:33 – Practical safety steps: documents, an emergency bag, a safe person 25:19 – Supporting someone who discloses abuse to you 26:04 – The podcast Leanne recorded in a nail salon 26:43 – Men, stigma, and asking for help 27:24 – Leanne's brother — a story about being protected 28:03 – "It's an epidemic" — why sharing this episode matters 28:33 – How many attempts it takes, on average, to leave 29:00 – Harrowing stories from the frontline 30:14 – Sacrificing safety to protect family members 30:57 – Watching survivors rebuild and grow 31:13 – Recovery is a long journey 31:40 – Free workshops and healthy relationships education 32:04 – How modern dating has changed — "seeing" someone vs. official 33:30 – Non-monogamy and shifting relationship norms 34:09 – Emotional safety in undefined relationships 34:35 – Dating again after divorce, later in life 35:14 – Age gaps and the "cougar" conversation 35:46 – LGBTQ+, open, and kink relationships — redefining what's abusive 36:49 – Advice: know who you are, don't settle 37:16 – Breaking the cycle for future generations 37:41 – Reminder: help is out there, don't carry it alone 38:24 – Closing thoughts and how to reach the podcast 38:49 – Sign-off

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #10

  How's Your Ma: Episode 10

  Jul 2, 20261h 2m

  In this deeply moving episode, Orla and Leanne sit down with Mandy — known to many as "Cher Mandy" — a shamanic healer whose extraordinary life journey has taken her from the flats of Inchicore to the housing estates of Clondalkin, through grief, fear, addiction, and profound spiritual awakening. Mandy opens up about growing up as the middle child in a family of nine, feeling unseen and at war with herself from a young age. She shares the heartbreak of watching her sister Nicola get caught up in addiction and drugs, the raw grief of losing her, and the precious final year they shared together. She talks candidly about becoming a teenage mother at 16, struggling with postnatal depression, and the years she spent trying to survive rather than truly live — caught between bodybuilding, partying, and numbing pain she didn't yet have the tools to understand. From a Buddhist quote on a door that helped her manifest her first home, to a Reiki session on New Year's Eve that cracked everything open, Mandy traces the winding road that led her to shamanic healing — and to herself. She speaks with honesty and warmth about soul retrieval, ancestral wounds, past life healing, mediumship, and how her own lived experience now powers her work helping others release trauma, break generational cycles, and find their way home. A raw, real, and deeply human episode. Not one to miss. Timecodes: 0:00 — Introductions: Meet Mandy, "Cher Mandy" 0:53 — Where to begin: Growing up one of nine children in Inchicore and Clondalkin 2:37 — Life as the middle child: feeling forgotten and at war with herself 3:33 — Family breakdown, tension, and learning to fight to survive 6:12 — Sister Nicola: addiction, loss, and the stolen soul 8:28 — Nicola's final days and the grief of letting go 12:46 — Becoming a teenage mother at 16: shock, isolation, and postnatal depression 17:32 — The search for space, peace, and belonging 21:41 — Spirituality enters: a Buddhist quote, a prayer, and getting her first home 24:20 — Joining the FCA and finding her fight 27:11 — Bodybuilding, anger, and trying to escape herself 31:41 — Love, loss, and looking for belonging in all the wrong places 33:10 — Childhood traumas: the scald, the haircut, and years of bullying 35:18 — Living in fear: a stalker, a threat to her son, and the moment she stood up 37:49 — Her first healing session: a spirit attachment and a turning point 39:26 — Getting into Reiki and beginning to heal 41:22 — A New Year's Eve call that changed everything 42:05 — Two years of isolation, meditation, and breakdown 43:07 — Meningitis, a full spiritual awakening, and a reset 43:24 — Getting sober and the relationship with alcohol 45:23 — Discovering mediumship and channelling messages 49:35 — Becoming a shamanic healer: soul retrieval explained 52:16 — Past life healing: the priestess, the barbed wire, and reclaiming her voice 53:13 — Ancestral healing and breaking generational cycles 55:34 — Returning a soul piece to her son Carl 57:08 — The twins arrive: trauma and joy collide on the same date 58:32 — How to find Mandy and what her events involve 59:42 — Understanding addiction as a search for wholeness 1:01:05 — Closing reflections: the soul screams until you listen 1:01:46 — Sign-off: walking through the fire to lead others through it

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