Family Flowers Only by Grief Ireland

Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicide, mental health struggles, and family estrangement.
In this weeks episode I’m joined by Ailbhe O'Donnell, who shares her experience of loss, survival, and the long-term impact of family estrangement.
Ailbhe speaks openly about loss in its many forms the loss of family connection, the loss of identity, the loss of belonging and what it means to grieve people who are still alive.
This episode also explores Alva’s journey through profound mental health struggles in her early adulthood, her experience of feeling unsupported at critical moments, and the slow, hard process of rebuilding a life rooted in self-worth, resilience, and compassion. At its heart, this is a conversation about survival, and learning how to become your own source of care when no one else can.
This episode does not seek to assign blame or make allegations about any individual. All reflections shared are from Ailbhe’s personal perspective, memory, and emotional experience and are presented as such.
Listener Care
This episode may be difficult for some listeners. Please take care while listening, pause if you need to, or skip this episode entirely if it feels like too much right now.
If this conversation brings anything up for you, support is available:
Ireland: Samaritans — 116 123 (24/7)

Contact your GP or local mental health services

International listeners: please seek crisis or mental health support services in your own country

You don’t have to go through this alone.
After the Flowers – Grief Support Membership
If this episode has resonated with you, I’ve recently opened a gentle support space called After the Flowers, a low-cost monthly membership for people navigating grief in all its forms.
It’s a place to connect with other people who understand, take part in group conversations and live Zoom support calls, and access sessions designed to support the nervous system through grief, including breath work, meditation, EFT, and grounding practices. Members also receive exclusive access to podcast video episdoes and conversations.
There’s no pressure it’s simply there if and when it feels right for you.
You can join here
https://after-the-flowers.circle.so/checkout/after-the-flowers-membership

This week’s episode is a catch-up conversation with previous guest Sophia Murphy where we reflect on how she has navigated Christmas and the months since we last spoke.
Sophia’s grief journey is complex and deeply personal. In this episode, she speaks about surviving childhood sexual abuse at the hands of her father, the long-term impact that trauma has had on her life, and the work she has done around healing. She also shares her experience of engaging in restorative justice, including visiting her father in prison to confront the past, and how this process has supported her own recovery.
This is an honest, thoughtful conversation about trauma, survival, and the different paths people take toward healing. We also reference our previous episode together which listeners may wish to revisit for further context. Just search for Family Flowers Only with Sophia Murphy.
⚠️ Content notice: This episode contains discussion of childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, and trauma, which some listeners may find distressing. Please take care while listening.
For those looking for ongoing support, I’ve created a private membership space called After the Flowers.
Join here - https://after-the-flowers.circle.so/checkout/after-the-flowers-membership
To hear more from Sophia her own podcast is called "Having the chats with Peter and Sophia" and you can find that wherever you get your podcasts

This week I sit down with Charlotte Finn, who speaks openly about losing her dad Michael to oesophageal cancer. Charlotte was just 13 when her dad was diagnosed and 14 when he died. Now 19 she reflects back on that time with remarkable honesty and insight.
Charlotte shares what it was like to be a teenager watching a parent become ill and how even knowing he was sick she never truly believed he would die. She speaks about the shock of losing him so young, the way grief showed up during her teenage years and how that loss has shaped who she is today.
It’s a powerful conversation that offers a rare and important perspective on parental loss through the eyes of a young person.
For more information on joining our membership please visit www.griefireland.com

This week I sit down with Edel Killilea for an incredibly moving and emotional conversation. Edel’s story is one of huge love and immense loss.
She speaks about loosing her baby daughter Sienna who was born with a heart condition and lived for just a few precious days. In the months that followed Edel also lost her baby nephew who lived for only one day and later her brother Kevin to cancer.
At the heart of this episode is Edel’s story of true love with her husband John who was diagnosed with a rare form of Parkinson’s known as MSA. Edel speaks so beautifully about the life they shared, the pure character he was, and the indescribable ache of loosing her soulmate.
Edel also shared some of her incredible poetry, her therapy and coping mechanism. She closed the episode by reading one of her own poems and holding little "Sienna bunny" a teddy who was on her lap the whole time.
For more information about Grief retreats and the "After the Flowers" Membership coming soon visit www.griefireland.com

This week join me from my home for a solo episode! I wanted to be with you this New Year's Eve to highlight how hard the day can be while navigating grief.
As this year comes to an end I also wanted to share a couple of touching voice notes from listeners and past guests. This really feels like a community here and Im just so grateful to be with you all each week as you walk this difficult road.
Thank you all so much for listening and for sharing. I will see you all on Sunday with another episode. Kathie x
For more information on the upcoming membership join the mailing list on www.griefireland.com