Home Podcasts Insights with Sean O'Rourke
Insights with Sean O'Rourke

Insights with Sean O'Rourke

RTÉ 82 Episodes Sep 19, 2026

Insights with Sean O'Rourke is a long-form interview podcast hosted by the veteran Irish broadcaster Sean O'Rourke. In each episode he sits down one-to-one with a well-known figure from public service, culture, sport or business. The conversations dig into their motivations, the achievements they are proudest of and the regrets they carry. Together they build a portrait of what shaped these people into who they are today.

Episodes

Nóirín O’Sullivan 
Nóirín O’Sullivan  Sep 19, 2026 3653 Former Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan tells Sean about her rise through the Garda ranks, the sexism she encountered along the way, her stormy tenure at the top of the organization, and the impact that the furor surrounding the Garda whistleblower controversy had on her and her family. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jack Chambers
Jack Chambers May 28, 2026 3591 Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers joins Sean to discuss all things infrastructure, becoming the country’s youngest Minister for Finance since Michael Collins, his changing views on abortion, and the response he has had since he came out publicly as a gay man. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mary Davis
Mary Davis May 14, 2026 3327 Former CEO of Special Olympics International Mary Davis speaks to Sean about bringing the Special Olympics to Ireland in 2003, running for Presidency, working with the Kennedys and meeting US President Donald Trump.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
John Saunders
John Saunders May 7, 2026 3481 Chairman of one of the world's largest communications agencies FleishmanHillard John Saunders shares with Sean his experiences growing up in Artane, working in RTÉ as a sports journalist and his life in public relations. He speaks publicly for the first time about his daughters abuse at the hands of someone close to the family.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fr John Joe Duffy
Fr John Joe Duffy Apr 30, 2026 3351 Curate for Cresslough Fr John Joe Duffy joins Sean to discuss the tragedy that happened in the small village in Donegal on October 7th in 2022. Father Duffy arrived at the scene a short time after an explosion at the Applegreen Service Station which killed ten people. He shares his journey and how the community have been coping since.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Caitríona Perry
Caitríona Perry Apr 23, 2026 3159 Chief Presenter with BBC News and former presenter and Washington Correspondent with RTÉ Caitríona Perry shares with Sean what life is like in Washington second time round and how her experience in Newstalk, Today FM and RTÉ has led her to anchoring in front of millions of viewers both in the US and globally.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Professor Colin O’Gara
Professor Colin O’Gara Apr 16, 2026 3243 Consultant Psychiatrist, Head of Addiction Services at St John Of God University Hospital and Clinical Professor at UCD’s School of Medicine Professor Colin O’Gara speaks to Sean about growing up in Cork in a family steeped in rugby and although he did play the sport like his famous brother Ronan he was more of a windsurfing enthusiast. He shares how he spends his time now advocating for those in
Kevin Healy
Kevin Healy Apr 9, 2026 4856 Former Director of Radio Programming and Public Affairs in RTÉ Kevin Healy joins Sean to share his journey as a journalist for the Cork Examiner and RTÉ and his decision to change careers in his fifties to retrain as a barrister. He opens up about the end of Scrap Saturday, his time involved in the Confidential Committee of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation and dealing with tra
Leslie Shoemaker
Leslie Shoemaker Apr 2, 2026 3083 Chartered Counselling Psychologist and lecturer in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in TU Dublin Leslie Shoemaker shares her journey with Sean from Pittsburgh to Ireland and how her dad’s side are one of the founding families of Pennsylvania. As co-founder of OCD Ireland, she explains what the disorder is and how she treats it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform
Daniel Lambert
Daniel Lambert Mar 26, 2026 3025 Manager of Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, chief commercial officer at Bohemians Football Club and former owner of Bang Bang cafe in Phibsboro Daniel Lambert joins Sean to share his journey from working in the Department of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations General Assembly in New York to managing Kneecap who have had a number of legal challenges against them. He opens up about growing up in Fing
Darragh Ennis
Darragh Ennis Mar 19, 2026 3166 Star of ‘The Chase’ and ‘Beat The Chasers’ professional quizzer Darragh Ennis speaks to Sean about his journey from Rathcoole in Dublin, where he was suspended twice in primary school, to graduating from Maynooth University with a PhD before swapping it all for life in Canada and Oxford. He opens up about his breakdown on The Chase following his father’s death from Dementia in 2024 and how he’s wr
Dáithí O’Ceallaigh
Dáithí O’Ceallaigh Mar 12, 2026 3969 Former Irish ambassador Dáithí O’Ceallaigh joins Sean and explains what life was like serving in places like London and Belfast during the Troubles. He also opens up about his wife’s dementia, his Sheriff Street roots in Dublin’s inner city and how he was the first in his family to go to secondary school.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recommended