<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://share.transistor.fm/e/025865ee"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:390px;height:0"><iframe src="https://share.transistor.fm/e/025865ee" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></figure>Proudly sponsored by An Post InsuranceThe<a href="https://partingwordspodcast.transistor.fm/episodes/episode-3-miriam-o-callaghan-on-anger-faith-and-choosing-joy"> third episode of Parting Words,</a> our new RIP.ie podcast, brings listeners into a conversation that is both deeply personal and unexpectedly uplifting. Broadcaster <a href="https://partingwordspodcast.transistor.fm/episodes/episode-3-miriam-o-callaghan-on-anger-faith-and-choosing-joy">Miriam O’Callaghan</a> joins host Muireann O’Connell to reflect on the two losses that changed the course of her life: the death of her sister Anne at just 33, and the sudden passing of their father only weeks later.What unfolds is a conversation filled with honesty, humour and the kind of clarity that only comes from lived experience. Miriam speaks with a gentleness that never hides the truth, and a strength that never slips into hardness.“Life doesn’t treat you fairly”Miriam recalls the moment she realised how suddenly life can turn. Standing in a hospital lift the day before Anne died, she watched her father whisper, “We’re losing the jewel in our crown.” In that instant, she says, something in her shifted. The belief that good people are somehow protected from tragedy fell away.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%"><img src="https://img-dedicated.rip.ie/Anne_18d297e22f7aee3446a47b3897a2cc8602f0729fb198ecd1.png" /></figure>She speaks openly about the anger that followed — anger at life, and even at God. It’s a rare admission from someone known for her optimism, but it’s delivered without hesitation. “I had never felt anger like it,” she says. “It changed me.”A graveside promiseIn the days that followed, Miriam found herself standing at her sister’s grave, making a decision that would shape the rest of her life. “This is it,” she remembers thinking. “Life is not for messing around.” From that moment, she resolved to live fully, love deeply and waste no time on anything that didn’t matter.It’s a philosophy that has stayed with her for three decades.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%"><img src="https://img-dedicated.rip.ie/Miriam_and_Anne__c8d81a0c93af717004b1317d85b5962506c9f0cea4571caa.png" /></figure>A refusal to fear deathOne of the most striking moments in the episode comes when Miriam talks about her own mortality. She simply doesn’t think about it. “Why would I waste one second thinking about dying,” she says, “when I can spend all day loving my life?”It’s not denial. It’s perspective — the kind that comes from surviving the unimaginable and choosing joy anyway.<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/XronOU4oJeU"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XronOU4oJeU" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure>Light, laughter and the everyday moments that carry usDespite the heaviness of the subject, the episode is full of warmth. Miriam laughs as she remembers sneaking a healer into a hospital room late at night, and the chaos of raising six little girls between two sisters. She speaks about the small signs she still feels from Anne and her father, and the belief that they “had a hand” in bringing her husband Steve into her life.Muireann O’Connell guides the conversation with sensitivity and ease, creating space for both the heartbreak and the humour that sit side by side in grief.A poem for IrelandThe episode closes with a piece of poetry from writer Gerard Devine, reflecting on what it means to be Irish — the history we inherit, the blessings hidden in ordinary days, and the quiet rituals that bind us together in loss and remembrance. It offers a moment of grounding after Miriam’s story, reminding listeners that grief is both deeply personal and part of a shared cultural thread.A community response that means everythingWe’ve been genuinely moved by the response to Parting Words so far. Listeners have shared how the conversations help them feel seen in their own grief, and how comforting it is to hear familiar Irish voices speak so openly about love, loss and resilience.As our Digital Content Editor, Mairead Neary, puts it:“This podcast was created for the community, and it’s clear the community has embraced it with real heart. We are especially delighted to have Miriam O’Callaghan join us for this episode. Her honesty, humour and willingness to speak openly about anger, faith and love have resonated deeply.”<h3 style="margin-left:0px">About the Sponsor: An Post Insurance</h3>Parting Words is proudly sponsored by<a href="https://www.anpostinsurance.ie/life-insurance/funeral-insurance"> An Post Insurance</a>. The partnership reflects the company’s commitment to supporting people as they prepare thoughtfully and compassionately for life’s most difficult moments. The podcast aligns naturally with An Post Insurance’s funeral insurance product, which helps individuals plan ahead and ease the financial burden on loved ones during times of loss.Paul Grimes, Managing Director at An Post Insurance, said the series resonates deeply with their values: “Parting Words is a beautifully crafted series that treats grief with sensitivity, warmth, and authenticity. It aligns perfectly with our funeral insurance product, which helps people plan ahead and protect their loved ones when it matters most. We’re proud to support a project that encourages meaningful conversations around remembrance, resilience, and the bonds that connect us.”One Direct (Ireland) Limited, trading as An Post Insurance, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of An Post and is a tied agent of New Ireland Assurance Company plc for life assurance business. Funeral Insurance policies are underwritten and provided by New Ireland Assurance Company plc.Listen to Parting Words on all major <a href="https://partingwordspodcast.transistor.fm/">podcast platforms</a> and watch full episodes on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XronOU4oJeU&amp;t">YouTube</a>.

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“Life Is Not for Messing Around”: Miriam O’Callaghan on Loss, Anger, Faith and Choosing Joy

<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://share.transistor.fm/e/796416d7"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:390px;height:0"><iframe src="https://share.transistor.fm/e/796416d7" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></figure>Proudly sponsored by An Post InsuranceIn this new episode of <a href="https://partingwordspodcast.transistor.fm/">Parting Words</a>, broadcaster and author Jacqui Hurley joins Muireann O’Connell for a reflective, emotionally rich conversation that leaves echoes long after the final word. Jacqui reflects on the sudden loss of her younger brother, Sean, and how that moment reshaped her family’s world, their priorities and their understanding of what it means to live with intention.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%"><img src="https://img-dedicated.rip.ie/Episode_2_-_Jacqui_Hurley_on_Sudden_Loss_and_Sibling_Grief_264da6b7488c6cbea14fd9738bfedb9f8e594888d8ce7957.png" /></figure>Rather than walking through every detail of her story, Jacqui brings listeners into the emotional landscape of sibling grief. She speaks about the shock that arrives without warning, the surreal quiet that follows, and the fierce instinct to protect the memory of someone who brought so much joy into the world. She also explores the complexity of grieving in public while holding something deeply private close to her heart.A powerful thread runs through the episode: the conversations we have with the people we love can become anchors long after they are gone. One ordinary evening at the kitchen table became a source of strength for her family, shaping how they honour Sean and how they continue to move forward. It is a reminder that the smallest moments can become the ones that guide us.Jacqui also reflects on the rituals that help, the ones that don’t, and the unexpected ways comfort can appear. She talks about the signs that make her feel Sean is still close, the stories that keep him present for her children and the way grief softens and reshapes itself over time.This episode explores themes that many families will recognise:<ul><li>the unique and often overlooked experience of sibling grief</li><li>the tension between public sympathy and private heartbreak</li><li>the importance of storytelling in keeping someone alive in memory</li><li>how families find purpose after loss</li><li>the quiet, everyday ways love continues</li></ul>Jacqui’s reflections are full of warmth, humour and a deep sense of resilience. Her message is not about “moving on,” but about moving forward with the person you’ve lost still woven into your life.Listen to the full conversation to hear Jacqui’s story in her own words, and to discover the moments, insights and memories that have shaped her family’s journey since Sean’s death. It is a conversation about loss, yes, but also about love, legacy and the courage to keep living with an open heart.<h3>About the Sponsor: An Post Insurance</h3>Parting Words is proudly sponsored by<a href="https://www.anpostinsurance.ie/life-insurance/funeral-insurance"> An Post Insurance</a>. The partnership reflects the company’s commitment to supporting people as they prepare thoughtfully and compassionately for life’s most difficult moments. The podcast aligns naturally with An Post Insurance’s funeral insurance product, which helps individuals plan ahead and ease the financial burden on loved ones during times of loss.Paul Grimes, Managing Director at An Post Insurance, said the series resonates deeply with their values: “Parting Words is a beautifully crafted series that treats grief with sensitivity, warmth, and authenticity. It aligns perfectly with our funeral insurance product, which helps people plan ahead and protect their loved ones when it matters most. We’re proud to support a project that encourages meaningful conversations around remembrance, resilience, and the bonds that connect us.”One Direct (Ireland) Limited, trading as An Post Insurance, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of An Post and is a tied agent of New Ireland Assurance Company plc for life assurance business. Funeral Insurance policies are underwritten and provided by New Ireland Assurance Company plc.Listen to Parting Words on all major <a href="https://partingwordspodcast.transistor.fm/">podcast platforms</a> and watch full episodes on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyeJsCh7cZE">YouTube</a>.

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Parting Words Podcast: Jacqui Hurley on Sudden Loss, Sibling Love and the Legacy We Carry

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“Life Is Not for Messing Around”: Miriam O’Callaghan on Loss, Anger, Faith and Choosing Joy

Parting Words Podcast: Jacqui Hurley on Sudden Loss, Sibling Love and the Legacy We Carry

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