The Comeback with Brenda Dennehy

This week, Brenda sits down with her dear friend Joe Byrne for a raw and honest conversation about identity, addiction and healing. Joe talks about growing up gay, dealing with homophobia and Catholic guilt, and the long road toward self acceptance.

He opens up about his struggles with alcohol addiction and Xanax addiction, his journey through addiction recovery, and the resilience that helped him rebuild his life.

Joe also reflects on his decades of kindness. From giving free haircuts to the homeless to supporting struggling families in Cork, his compassion has touched countless lives and made him a pillar of the community.

A powerful story of courage, generosity and hope.

Sponsored by Fettle. Life gets messy, and Fettle makes getting support simple. Connect with accredited therapists online at fettle.ie.

Timestamps:

19:48 — Joe Builds a Life in Cork & Finds Community

21:05 — The Party Years & Early Signs of Addiction

21:50 — Loneliness, Vodka & the Emotional Spiral

22:59 — Xanax Enters the Picture & the Secret Double Life

25:09 — Meeting Darren & the Rollercoaster of Early Love

26:53 — The Pain of Being Unreliable in the Relationship

27:42 — Hidden Drinking, Secret Bottles & Denial

28:54 — When Darren Begins to Struggle with Joe’s Drinking

29:52 — The Fall in Douglas & Nearly Losing His Life

31:10 — Choosing Help & Entering Rehab at St. John of God’s

Connect With Me:

Most of you will know her as Sarah Burke, now Sarah O’Connor after marrying the love of her life, Keith. Her road to happiness was anything but simple.

In this episode, Sarah opens up about calling off her wedding six weeks before the date, going through IVF, and experiencing a devastating miscarriage. She also talks about the horrific trolling she faced and, for the first time, reads the threatening letter that was sent to her sister’s salon.

Sarah reflects on her mental health journey, counselling, grief after losing Nana Betty, and the fear that came with her father Kieran’s end of life heart failure diagnosis. Today, she is happily married and a mum to three beautiful children, including her miracle babies Isabella and Gabbie.

Taking a tiny break this week… because my live show absolutely took over my life, in the best possible way. It turned out to be one of the greatest nights I have ever had - I am still floating. Thank you to everyone who showed up and supported me.

Missed it? The full live show episode lands before Christmas.

Back next Monday with an amazing guest.

At just 20 years old, Lou Hibbert’s world changed forever. Her dad Barry, a man who had gone from growing up in a council estate to becoming the CEO of a major company, took his own life.

In this powerful conversation, Lou opens up about losing a parent to suicide, navigating bereavement, and how therapy and counselling helped her rebuild self-worth, self-love, and self-compassion.

This Movember, as we focus on men’s mental health and suicide prevention, Lou’s story is a reminder that behind every strong man, there can be silent struggles - and behind every loss, someone learning how to live again.

This week’s episode is sponsored by Damien Long Personal Training based in Glanmire, Cork. Damien helps people get stronger, fitter, and happier with a fun, balanced approach to training. He also featured on podcast earlier this year, sharing his own journey of grief, healing, and mental health awareness after the loss of his daughter Shauna. You can check him out @damienlongpersonaltraining. 

Timestamps

00:00:00 — Introduction and how Lou and Brenda first met

00:01:30 — Growing up in Cookham Dean and school experiences

00:03:35 — Lou’s dad’s childhood, trauma and drive for success

00:06:26 — The first business collapse and early signs of strain

00:09:19 — 2022: escalating stress and emotional decline

00:12:33 — Subtle changes at home and early warning signs

00:16:01 — The day Lou was called out of work

00:17:58 — The moment she learned her dad had died

00:21:02 — Understanding “the surge” before suicide

00:38:15 — Starting therapy and confronting anger

00:46:21 — Life before and after grief: “living two lives”

00:49:24 — Hope, healing and Lou’s final reflections

Connect With Me:

At just 20 years old, Harry Greaney was told he had synovial sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer. He’s battled it not once, not twice, but three times. When doctors could no longer save his arm, Harry had to undergo an amputation - a life-changing moment that would break most people.

But not Harry. Just weeks after surgery, he was already back training and even preparing for a powerlifting competition. His story is one of courage, resilience, and perspective - from managing phantom limb pain to finding motivation through fitness, and showing that discipline beats comfort every time.

This is a powerful story about choosing gratitude, strength, and comeback energy - no matter what life throws your way.