How's Your Ma: Episode 6

How's Your Ma: Episode 6

In this episode, Leanne and Orla sit down with Keith Dixon — personal trainer, coach, and friend for 16 years — for one of the most open and honest conversations yet. Born and raised in Blanchardstown, Keith has spent 25+ years in the fitness industry, but his story goes far deeper than the gym floor. Keith opens up about growing up as the eldest of five in a tight-knit Dublin community, the lessons his parents instilled in him, and how that shaped who he became as a father, friend, and coach. He talks candidly about co-parenting after a separation, the moment he found himself homeless and living in a hostel, dark thoughts that crept in during that time, and how movement, mindset work, and the right people helped pull him through. The conversation takes in men's mental health, loneliness in modern life, the "manosphere" and its influence on young people, unrealistic body image pressures, emotional affairs, and the ripple effect of one person shaping another. Keith also reflects on the ten trainers he's sent out into the fitness world, his relationship with his brother and sisters, and what turning 50 really means to him. Raw, real, and full of Dublin warmth — this one hits different. Timecodes: 00:00 — Introductions: meet Keith Dixon, friend for 16 years and coach 01:28 — Growing up in Blanchardstown, the eldest of five 05:17 — Childhood holidays, community spirit & how times have changed 06:56 — Blanchardstown reality: salt of the earth people, hard lives, and the lads who made it through 09:29 — Co-parenting after separation — putting the boys first, always 10:15 — Quality time with Joshua and Zachary as they grow up 17:00 — Losing the gym: chains on the door and starting over 26:24 — Homeless and living in a hostel — the lowest point 27:03 — Dark thoughts, the window, and choosing to get up and walk 28:23 — Losing people to suicide — personal loss and community grief 33:17 — Men's mental health: meditation, breathwork, shadow work and doing the inner work 35:29 — Loneliness in crowds — the silent epidemic 36:06 — Emotional affairs and the real cost of disconnection in relationships 38:18 — Co-parenting done right: why the boys always came first 42:11 — His sisters, the family tribe, and the Irish mammy way 47:02 — Being best man for his brother — what it meant more than words could say 48:39 — The ripple effect: 10 trainers who started with Keith 50:50 — Mindset over body: why physical change starts in the head 55:43 — What he'd say to a daughter today — body image, safety & the world young women face 57:31 — What he'd say to young men — be your true self, do the work 59:15 — The manosphere, online influence, and guiding kids through it 01:01:20 — His son Joshua and not following the crowd 01:02:46 — Steroids, unrealistic fitness expectations, and the truth about body transformations 01:03:51 — The one song that's always kept him going (AC/DC — Thunderstruck) 01:04:30 — Reflections on turning 50 and how profoundly life has changed 01:05:15 — A heartfelt sign-off between old friends

How's Your Ma: Episode 5

In this deeply moving episode, Leanne and Orla are joined in the studio by Anita — a 57-year-old mother of five, grandmother of six, and domestic violence support worker who reached out to share her extraordinary story. Growing up as the eldest of five in a home marked by domestic abuse, neglect, and emotional trauma, Anita became a little mother at nine years old and carried the weight of her family long before she had a family of her own. From teenage pregnancies and a difficult marriage to raising five children alone without electricity, to eventually building a career, getting her honours degree, and dedicating her life to supporting women fleeing abuse — Anita's story is one of raw honesty, hard-won resilience, and the profound power of even one good person showing up for you. This one will stay with you. Timecodes: 00:00 — Welcome & introducing guest Anita 00:49 — What this episode is about: how our experiences shape the relationships we carry forward 01:04 — Anita introduces herself: 57, five kids, six grandkids, works in domestic violence services 01:45 — Single parenthood, defying expectations & raising five professionals 02:19 — Running a preschool for 20 years, going to college, and earning her honours degree 03:07 — Losing her business during Covid & reinventing herself in domestic violence work 03:12 — What Anita's day-to-day work looks like: crisis support, refuge, housing & education 04:45 — Going back to the beginning: growing up in a traumatic home environment 05:03 — "If I'm ever a mammy, I'll never do this to my little girl" — Anita's earliest memory 05:13 — Domestic abuse and child abuse in the home — physical and emotional 05:50 — Anita as the eldest child: neglect began at nine when her mother returned to work full time 06:28 — Left at home with her father — a heavy drinker with his own history of trauma 07:40 — Money, food, and cigarette butts in the stew — the reality of growing up in that house 09:17 — Did her parents love her? Understanding her father's violence through his own childhood 09:49 — Her mother: idolised as a child, emotionally unavailable as a parent 10:44 — The middle child favourite & what Anita came to understand about her mother 12:23 — Nine years old, cooking dinners and running the washing machine 22:33 — Leaving home at 17 — and what life had been like until then 23:06 — Different outcomes for different siblings & the ACEs framework explained 24:15 — Repeating the cycle: ending up in a difficult marriage, just like home 25:10 — Bringing her mum to her college graduation — and the response she got 25:52 — Proudest moment: four of them sitting around the table doing their studies together 26:58 — Teenage pregnancy: finding out at five months, being given three days to leave home 32:19 — The neighbour who took her in and loaned her the deposit — "you only need one good person" 34:18 — The night her first baby was born — ringing her mother from the hospital 40:49 — Christmas Day and the cycle of violence at home — "we dreaded Christmas" 42:18 — Married, alone, no electricity for nine months — cooking on the fire for her kids 43:49 — He came back, they married — and she knew walking down the aisle it was wrong 44:46 — Moving the family to escape heroin hitting their area 45:14 — Discovering her husband was taking drugs; going missing for days 46:11 — Having baby number five and being sterilised — a friend's husband signed the papers 46:53 — The women who shaped her life at different stages 47:45 — Moving back to Dublin, starting over — first day at work and the fire incident that became the final catalyst 48:59 — Her mother's emotional unavailability — physically present, emotionally gone 50:17 — Getting a job on a CE scheme, moving up quickly to manager, starting to bloom 52:25 — "I can see you're getting strong" — her eldest daughter at 18 53:48 — Her mother's relationship with the grandkids — hilarious but harmful 55:19 — Song of her life: Be a Clown — singing in the beds with her brothers and sisters to drown it all out 56:30 — Wrapping up: what Anita gives back every day to the women she supports 57:14 — "You are an absolute queen. You are an absolute survivor."

How's Your Ma: Episode 4

Orla and Leanne are back for a heartfelt and hilarious reflection episode. They check in on the anonymous listener who bravely shared her story, share the beautiful message she sent back, and dig into the theme of feeling like you're "betraying" your mam by telling your story. From there, the girls get wonderfully side-tracked — covering generational gaps, social media anxiety, dopamine hits from our phones, soup disasters, family finances, and the son-in-law who arrived during Covid and never left. Real talk, big laughs, and a lot of love. * 00:00 Welcome back & a thank you to the anonymous listener * 01:30 She sent a message: "It's nice to know I'm not alone" * 02:50 The fear of betraying your mam by telling your story * 04:25 Everyone remembers the same story differently * 06:08 "How's your ma?" — what that question means for people without a mam * 07:16 Becoming your mother without realising it * 08:45 The generational gap: what mams knew that we didn't * 09:19 Feeling like an alien around younger people * 11:33 Reflecting on Katie and John's story * 13:44 We need to talk slower (but we won't) * 14:06 TikTok struggles & CapCut chaos * 15:17 Orla can bake, but she cannot make soup * 16:37 Social media, Instagram, and keeping up * 18:28 Phone anxiety and anxious attachment in the mid-20s * 19:13 Dopamine Nation & how we communicate now * 21:10 Voice notes, blue ticks, and the pressure of instant replies * 23:34 How Orla "manages" Ed's bank account (financial chaos) * 25:24 "You're not just marrying Orla, you're marrying me" — mams and marriages * 26:43 Orla's brilliant relationship with her son-in-law * 29:11 He's showing your girls what a good man looks like * 30:40 Wrapping up: stories, reflections, and gratitude for each other * 34:33 Next episode teaser: a guest is coming in!

How's Your Ma: Episode 3

Leanne and Orla are joined by Katie for a heartfelt and honest conversation about friendship, motherhood, love, and loss. What starts as a light introduction quickly unfolds into a deeper chat about women’s connections, navigating life’s challenges, and the realities behind the conversations we don’t always have out loud. Katie shares her personal experiences with warmth and openness, offering insight into relationships, resilience, and what it really means to support each other through different stages of life. This episode is full of laughs, honesty, and moments that will resonate with anyone who’s ever leaned on friendship to get through the tough times. ⏱️ Timecodes 00:00 – 01:30 Introductions – Orla & Leanne welcome Katie and chat about how they met 01:30 – 03:30 First impressions, friendships, and settling into the conversation 03:30 – 06:00 Katie’s background and early life discussion 06:00 – 10:00 Relationships, marriage, and building connections 10:00 – 15:00 Conversations around having children and expectations 15:00 – 22:00 Deeper discussion on motherhood and personal experiences 22:00 – 30:00 Love, loss, and emotional challenges 30:00 – 40:00 Support systems, friendships, and coping mechanisms 40:00 – 50:00 Real talk: struggles, resilience, and honesty 50:00 – 60:00 Reflections, advice, and lessons learned 60:00 – End Closing thoughts, final chats, and wrap-up

How's Your Ma: Episode 2

This week, Leanne and Orla share a raw and deeply moving story sent in by a listener — a woman who grew up in a home shaped by infidelity, neglect, and addiction, who became the caretaker of her younger siblings from childhood, and who is now, as an adult, looking after the very mother who failed her. The girls talk about what it means to carry that kind of weight, the guilt and shame that comes with complex feelings toward a parent, and whether it's ever okay to say no. They introduce the concept of "lighthouses" — those rock-steady people in our lives who see us for who we truly are — and reflect on what it means to survive, to grow, and to finally be heard. Orla also opens up about her own experience growing up as a mixed-race woman in Ireland in the 80s, facing racism and poverty, and the lighthouses who helped shape her into who she is today. An honest, emotional, and ultimately empowering conversation. You are not alone. Timecodes: 00:00 — Welcome & introducing this week's listener story 00:32 — The listener's story is read out — infidelity, neglect, and a childhood lost to responsibility 02:55 — "My ma is currently dying of cancer and I despise having to look after her" 03:27 — Orla & Leanne react — championing her strength and asking: is it okay to say no? 06:22 — Introducing the lighthouse concept — the people who are rock steady in our lives 07:28 — What it meant for her to finally get this off her chest 08:12 — Being the eldest daughter and the weight of responsibility 09:48 — Referencing Katrina O'Sullivan's Outside Mullingar — stories of poverty and resilience on stage 11:21 — These stories aren't unique — the hidden impact of adverse childhood experiences 12:52 — Stories lived vs. stories told — the importance of safety and no judgment 14:25 — Growth over comfort & giving yourself permission to say no 15:33 — Invitation to the listener to reach out or come on the show 17:20 — Survivors of life — what it means to watch people get over the hump 19:15 — We want to hear the real you — the difference between the smile you wore and what you truly felt 21:29 — Orla opens up about growing up mixed-race in 80s Ireland — racism, poverty, and identity 24:27 — Don't be quick to judge — you never know what someone is carrying 25:33 — Closing thoughts — a smile goes a long way