The JoeIrish and Sherin Podcast

Episode 33 | Farmer Joe

"Farmer Joe, Fasting & the Truth They Don't Want You to Know" Joe and Sherin sit down with the one and only Joe "Farmajo" — health advocate, content creator, and walking experiment in natural wellness. Joe takes us on his incredible journey from fatty liver, 5 stone overweight, and struggling to climb a hill without stopping for breath, to hiking the highest peaks in Ireland, reversing his own health markers, and helping four people reverse Type 2 diabetes. No filters, no pharmaceutical sponsors — just real talk about food, fasting, and taking back control of your health. This one gets deep, gets funny, and might just change the way you look at your breakfast cornflakes. 🌾⚡ ⏱️ TIMECODES 00:00 — Intro / Hands in the air, welcome to Episode 33! 00:43 — Introducing Joe "Farmajo" — how Joe & Sherin first spotted him on TikTok 01:19 — What is Farmajo? Kids TV, animations & the board game getting kids off screens 02:18 — Joe's viral video hit 325K views… then got shut down. Why health content gets suppressed 03:13 — The steam facial remedy & soaking your feet — Joe's nightly self-care routine 05:11 — Attention spans, dopamine hits & why nobody can sit still anymore 06:15 — The best energy drink in the world (hint: it's not Red Bull) 07:11 — Celtic sea salt, morning routines & 50 press-ups before breakfast 07:51 — Intermittent fasting explained — why skipping breakfast might be the best thing you do 09:03 — How to do your first fast without losing your mind (sea salt is the secret weapon) 09:41 — Salt vs. sugar: which one ACTUALLY raises your blood pressure? 10:38 — The sleeping tablet scandal — a woman on pills for 14 years & what Joe did about it 11:31 — Joe opens up: 3 years probation for speaking out. His book is coming. 13:25 — Sherin's personal experience with sleeping aids after losing her mum 15:17 — Joe's major bowel scare, giving up coffee & sugar — and what came out the other side 👀 16:55 — June 2024: diagnosed with severe fatty liver. Doctor wants to put him on tablets. Joe says no. 17:47 — How Joe lost 5 stone in 6 months through intermittent fasting alone 18:15 — The Kellogg brothers & how "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" was invented to sell cornflakes 20:35 — Helping 4 people reverse Type 2 diabetes & the insulin resistance conversation 22:40 — Sugar, cancer & the body only needing 4 grams of sugar a day 24:00 — Why protein powder is just dried waste milk — and eggs are the real superfood 25:12 — Eggs and ADHD: the overlooked superpower food 28:12 — Calisthenics explained: why press-ups and squats are the two best exercises on earth 29:05 — Social media addiction, dopamine loops & how to actually cut back 33:26 — From nearly collapsing hiking Clinch Hill to conquering the highest peak in Leinster 35:36 — How to quit vaping using sea salt (Joe's 50% mindset theory) 40:12 — The coffee debate — Joe & Sherin admit to their caffeine habits, Farmajo issues a challenge 43:08 — 9 teaspoons of sugar in a bowl of cornflakes. Cocoa Puffs = cocaine puffs 🤯 44:21 — Autism rates: from 1 in 25,000 to 1 in 25 — what's really going on? 46:44 — Gestational diabetes, processed food during pregnancy & the link to childhood conditions 51:10 — Parasites, pig meat & Joe's monthly parasite cleanse (yes, really) 53:27 — Sherin's recent breast check & how it made her rethink her diet 54:24 — CBD, cannabis & multiple sclerosis — Joe's brother and a powerful family story 57:42 — Autophagy: what happens to your body after 48 hours of fasting 🔥 58:55 — Jared from Ballymore — 60 marathons in 60 days, world record broken 59:49 — Wrapping up, follow Joe @farmajo_1.64 on Instagram, and the hosts issue themselves a live challenge on air 1:01:11 — Sign off, shoutout to Jamie the producer & see you next week!

Episode 32 | Eilish O'Carroll

Joe and Sherin are joined by the brilliant Eilish O'Carroll — best known as the loveable Winnie McGee from the smash-hit Mrs. Brown's Boys — for a hilarious and heartfelt episode 32. Before they even get into the interview, Joe has to come clean about being left standing in the freezing cold at the wrong City West Luas stop while waiting for Eilish to collect him — a mix-up that had been weeks in the making. Once they get past that, the conversation flows beautifully. Eilish opens up about her journey into theatre, her work directing and mentoring a community women's show, and what it's really like to play Winnie alongside her real-life brother Brendan O'Carroll for over 26 years. She reveals the private backstory she wrote for Winnie in her own head — never shared with Brendan — that helped her stay in character through all the on-screen abuse. She also talks candidly about filming the Mrs. Brown's Boys mini-series while going through chemotherapy, growing up in Finglas and Stoneybatter, her mother's remarkable career as the first female Labour TD, her own one-woman show Do Level of Laugh, and her deep admiration for Brendan's late-bloomer success story. Funny, warm, honest, and full of great craic. Timecodes: * 00:00:00 – Intro / cold open * 00:00:10 – Joe welcomes listeners to Episode 32 and introduces Eilish O'Carroll (aka Winnie McGee) * 00:01:00 – The mix-up that almost never was: Sherin's scheduling chaos and dual alter egos * 00:02:00 – Joe's Luas adventure — wrong City West stop, freezing cold, 30+ minutes waiting * 00:05:00 – Eilish finally arrives (kind of) — the full story unravels * 00:08:00 – Eilish talks about her ADHD and how she relates to Joe * 00:09:00 – The Sister Sheds community show: how it started and how Eilish got roped in * 00:11:30 – Directing the women's show, rehearsals in kitchens, and the chaos of putting it together * 00:14:25 – The show's standing ovation and Eilish's impact as a director and mentor * 00:22:00 – Eilish's theatre background and love of performing * 00:35:30 – The chemistry between Eilish and Brendan on stage and the art of reading your scene partner * 00:37:30 – Playing Winnie: the private backstory Eilish invented that Brendan never knew about * 00:40:30 – What she loves most about Mrs. Brown's Boys and the power of making people laugh * 00:41:00 – Filming the mini-series during chemotherapy: flying Glasgow–Dublin and straight back into chemo * 00:42:00 – Brendan on Strictly Come Dancing and the real family bonds on the show * 00:44:00 – Fan encounters: Australian fans, being "mobbed," and staying grounded despite fame * 00:47:00 – Never really feeling "famous" — and why that's a good thing * 00:48:30 – How Eilish joined Mrs. Brown's Boys: starting as wardrobe, coming back from England * 00:49:20 – Her one-woman show Do Level of Laugh and its personal, emotional content * 01:11:35 – Brendan's Christmas routines and life between Dublin and Florida * 01:12:10 – Returning to Finglas: community spirit, Coronation Street vibes, and going home on TV * 01:14:45 – Emotional visit to the family home and memories of her mother dancing in the lounge * 01:15:30 – Her mother: the first female Labour TD, the Ballymun house, and moving to Finglas in the night * 01:17:40 – Other O'Carroll family members and why Brendan didn't find success until his 40s * 01:19:00 – Brendan's early struggles: debt, running a pub in Finglas, and finding comedy as a way out * 01:20:00 – Brendan's legendary first Late Late Show appearance with Gay Byrne * 01:23:00 – What's next for Eilish: The Circle writing group and a trip to Lourdes * 01:25:00 – Wrap-up, big shout out to Pat Sullivan, and Joe's promise to have Eilish back on

Episode 31 | Adam Burke

Comedian, Bingo Loco host, and all-round force of nature, Adam Burke. Joe and Sherin sit down with Adam for one of their best episodes yet, covering everything from his wild origins as a pro wrestler (yes, really — Ireland's first heavyweight champion, who trained alongside Finn Bálor and Becky Lynch) to carving out a career in stand-up comedy. But this one goes well beyond the laughs. Adam opens up about his day job working with Jigsaw, the youth mental health service, and the pair share deeply personal stories about parenting, anxiety, school refusal, and the shrinking safe spaces for young people in Ireland. Sherin shares her own experience getting help for her daughter, and the conversation gets real fast. There's also a brilliant segment on performing comedy inside Mountjoy Prison — including the legendary moment a supermarket roof joke landed a little too well — plus the full story of how Adam went from small Irish comedy clubs to hosting Bingo Loco in the 3Arena and across the globe. A funny, honest, and genuinely moving episode. Don't miss it. Timecodes: 00:00 — Intro & welcoming Adam Burke to the show 00:45 — Banter about hair, waxing, and getting straight to business 02:18 — Adam explains why mental health professionals need to engage with community media and "get their hands dirty" 03:48 — How did Adam get into comedy? It started with pro wrestling 04:01 — Ireland's first heavyweight wrestling champion — training with Finn Bálor & Becky Lynch 06:14 — Why Adam fell out of love with wrestling (injuries, his wife's concern, and chasing something new) 07:44 — The secrets of pro wrestling revealed: blades, blood, and performing as the villain ("the heel") 10:19 — Winning the belt: the crowd stands and applauds the bad guy 11:42 — Six hours of training every Sunday for 7–8 years; sacrificing football for the craft 13:14 — Transition to stand-up comedy and wanting to be one of the nicest people in the game 29:44 — The Echo in Ballymun and the importance of creative spaces for young people 30:31 — The "shrinking social spaces" for youth in Ireland and what adults get wrong 31:51 — Community parks, antisocial behaviour, and how we judge teenagers unfairly 32:10 — Growing up with autonomy and what that privilege means for parenting 33:28 — Helicopter parenting, letting go, and the village mentality that's disappeared 37:42 — Competitive parenting vs. supportive parenting 38:12 — Adam's work with Jigsaw (youth mental health service, ages 12–25) 39:18 — Sherin shares her daughter's experience with anxiety and how Jigsaw helped 40:06 — The gap in mental health supports for children under 12 — a real problem 41:21 — What young people are presenting with most: anxiety, depression, school refusal, body image, ADHD, autism 50:46 — Bingo Loco: how Adam got involved and what makes it unlike anything else 52:34 — How Bingo Loco opened doors — from the same old circuit to the 3Arena and beyond 54:26 — Staying in your lane, gratitude, and not comparing yourself to other comedians 55:49 — Family as the real anchor: meeting his wife Sandra and what really matters 57:18 — The 3Arena gig vs. 13 people at Ha'penny Bridge — every gig is just a gig 59:36 — Mountjoy Prison gig: how it came about through the school of education programme 1:00:42 — The moral question: should comedians entertain prisoners? 1:01:42 — The supermarket roof joke that accidentally called out the guy who actually did it 1:03:09 — Getting stuck behind Enoch Burke's family at the prison gates 1:03:47 — A prisoner recognising Adam's dad, and the surreal moments only Mountjoy can deliver 1:04:34 — The lads shaking hands at the door: the most respectful end to any gig 1:06:05 — Adam eating a full Irish breakfast with the prisoners at 9am (while Joe watched in horror) 1:07:26 — Rival gangs, a warden's warning, and sniffer dog panic 1:11:28 — Wrapping up: well-wishes, genuine compliments, and what's next for Adam 1:12:02 — What's coming up: summer gigs, Bingo Loco, festivals, and a new sketch show in the works 1:12:54 — Sign-off, shout-outs,

Episode 30 | Susan Morris

Susan Morris, paranormal investigator and psychic medium. Susan opens up about how her abilities emerged out of nowhere at 46, just after losing her mother, and the wild journey of going from seeing energy blobs over people's heads to becoming a fully trained medium who has travelled to England's famous "Hogwarts" of mediumship, Stansted College. Susan gives a live reading to the hosts, explains the difference between psychic and mediumship work, reads auras, and shares some absolutely spine-tingling paranormal investigation stories — including being dragged from a bed by a spirit in France that turned out to be a Nazi soldier. The conversation also takes a touching and honest turn, with Susan and the hosts speaking openly about grief, losing a parent, and mental health — including suicide — with real compassion and no filter. Buckle up. This one goes everywhere. Timecodes: 00:00 — Welcome to episode 31 — introducing Susan Morris, paranormal investigator & psychic medium 00:36 — Susan's story: how her abilities switched on at 46 after her mother passed, while pregnant 01:17 — Seeing energy blobs, doctor visits, brain scans & thinking she was losing her mind 02:37 — Learning to enjoy and lean into the experience 03:55 — Telling her partner — and still getting married after 04:35 — Losing friends and evolving on a different path 05:49 — Finding medium circles "bitchy as hell" and going it alone to Stansted College, England 06:12 — How spirits try to get your attention when your abilities are developing 07:05 — "I'm a sceptic — you're going to have to really show me" 07:50 — Stansted College — the "Hogwarts" of mediumship, locally nicknamed "Spook School" 09:22 — Susan's first solo trip to England — nearly running out the door 10:33 — A day in the life at Stansted — lectures, horses, and getting pushed out of your comfort zone 12:46 — The tutor who kept calling her out in class — and the thank you email she sent a year later 16:33 — Can anyone become a psychic? Breaking down psychic vs. mediumship 18:24 — How Susan tunes in to read someone's aura and what the colours mean 21:15 — The clairs explained: clairvoyance, clairsentience, clairaudience & more 21:53 — Susan gives a live reading to Joe — a dark-haired man behind him holding a precious photograph 23:40 — "Make sure you're spending time with your mother" 23:59 — Reading Sharon's aura — a little green powerhouse pulling in red 25:30 — Jo's big yellow aura — all new journeys and manifestation energy 27:33 — Going public as a medium: "I just rented an office and said — I do this now" 28:52 — What really happens when spirits hug or try to make contact with the living 29:52 — Susan's most powerful experience — feeling her mother sit on the bed and hold her 32:31 — Grief, emotional waves, and the energy drain of psychic work 38:35 — A wave of grief that hit out of nowhere on a normal day in Sandyford 39:30 — Death isn't death — it's just another dimension, another journey 40:41 — What happens to those who die by suicide? A compassionate and honest conversation 44:52 — Grieving while also being gifted — the pain of knowing too much 47:26 — Paranormal investigations — castles, spirit tables and groups of sensitives 49:08 — The Castle in Galway — a shapeshifter, a screaming bathroom incident, and surveillance cameras 52:16 — The spirit table: "it's basically a Ouija board, but I refuse to call it that" 54:04 — The night a spirit tried to drag Susan out of bed in France 56:36 — Researching the area: Nazi camps, a curfew and an angry, earthbound soldier 58:37 — Angelic energy, Archangel Michael, and working with different entities 59:00 — Tarot, a psychic medium on a balcony in Mallorca, and a prediction that came true 01:03:07 — The spirit table in action — Gorilla Glue, dancing spirits and a table leg snapping off 01:07:16 — Do you take calls from people with spirits in their house? Yes — but she screens them first 01:09:17 — The pendulum: anyone can do it, but be very strict with yourself 01:11:20 — Where to find Susan: Lavender Hills Spiritual Connections on Instagram 01:12:02 — Outro — shoutouts, plugs and signing off

Episode 29 | Dean Kenny

In Episode 29, Joe and Sherin sit down with the brilliant Dean Kenny — a Dublin man originally from Ballymun who has one of the most raw, honest, and inspiring stories you'll hear. From growing up in the flats of Ballymun and Finglas, to falling deep into cocaine addiction in his teens and twenties, Dean holds nothing back. He opens up about the chaos addiction brought into his life — the paranoia, the broken relationships, the falling off and climbing back on the wagon — and the turning point that changed everything. Dean is now on an incredible mission — running 5K every single day and raising money for Our Lady's Children's Hospital. With over 700 days of consecutive runs clocked, he talks about how running became his recovery, his mental health lifeline, and his purpose. He also shares the deeply personal story of his son's serious illness and the operation that shook his world, and how that fuelled everything he's doing today. This one is honest, funny, emotional, and motivating in equal measure. If you're going through something tough or just need a reminder that it's never too late to turn things around — this is the episode for you. ⏱ Timecodes 00:00 | Intro & banter — welcome to Episode 29 01:00 | Introducing Dean Kenny 02:00 | Denture stories & classic craic 05:00 | Getting the full background — where Dean is from 05:40 | Born in 1988 — growing up in Ballymun & Finglas 06:45 | Life in the flats — tight-knit community memories 08:00 | Family life — four kids, relationships 09:00 | The addiction story begins — first experiences with cocaine 10:30 | Addiction escalating — everyday use 11:40 | Leaving school at 16 & deeper into addiction 12:30 | Paranoia, money problems, relationships falling apart 13:10 | Moving to England — trying to escape it all 13:50 | Coming back to Dublin, getting his first apartment 27:20 | Dean's son's illness — the operation and the fear 28:30 | Shout out to the surgeons & the child's mother 29:40 | The 5K a day challenge begins — running for Our Lady's Hospital 30:35 | 714 days in — the numbers don't lie 31:30 | Relapse — falling off the wagon and being honest about it 33:00 | Recovery isn't linear — guilt, shame, and getting back up 34:20 | What "falling off" actually looked like — missed days, letting people down 35:20 | Getting back on track — accountability and the mission 36:10 | Responsibilities as an anchor in recovery 37:00 | Social media accountability — how posting keeps you honest 39:40 | 714 days, 5K a day = raising funds for Our Lady's 48:15 | Rise Above It boxing & the finger snap story 😬 50:00 | Where Dean is now — PT course, lifeguard training, college 52:00 | What keeps Dean in recovery — running & mental health 52:40 | "Recovered" vs "in recovery" — a real honest debate 53:15 | Sherin on manifestation and the Law of Attraction 55:10 | Cold water/sea swimming as part of the routine 57:00 | Advice to anyone struggling — reach out, take accountability 58:30 | Come join a run — Saturday mornings! 01:00:00 | Belfast trip chat & signing off 01:01:50 | Final shoutouts — crew, family, fans & barbers union!