Síle Seoige’s new series tackles anxiety, parenting and bullying
If you've spent any amount of time doom-scrolling late at night (guilty), you'll know that parenting pressures, anxiety and online bullying are the kind of topics that dominate our group chats and our minds. They're big, messy and deeply personal. Which is exactly why Síle Seoige's new TG4 documentary series feels so timely.
Síle Seoige: An Saol Mar Atá kicks off on 11th February at 9.45pm and across three episodes, Síle tackles three of the biggest challenges facing Irish society today: parenting, anxiety and bullying. If you're familiar with her podcast Ready to Be Real, you'll already know she brings a rare mix of compassion and curiosity to difficult conversations. This series leans into that same energy but with even more depth.
Síle Seoige
Episode One: The Parenting Pressure Cooker
The first episode, airing on 11th February, dives straight into parenting and honestly, it sounds like essential viewing for anyone who's ever questioned whether they're doing enough (so, everyone). Síle sits down with journalist and new mum Siún Ní Dhuinn to chat about the highs and lows of early motherhood. Then Orla O'Connor from the National Women's Council weighs in on Ireland's childcare crisis, which let's be real, is putting unsustainable stress on families everywhere.
But Síle doesn't just focus on the struggle. She also looks at what's possible when systems actually work, visiting Niamh Ní Bhroin in Oslo to see Norway's childcare model in action. Back in Ireland, she meets parents Brían and Síle Mac a'Bhaird in Monaghan, who share the heartbreaking challenges of getting support for their disabled daughter Romy.
There's also a deeply moving podcast-style interview with journalist, senator and mum Evanne Ní Chuilinn. And in a moment that'll probably hit harder than expected, Síle's friend and psychologist Gerry Hussey turns the tables and asks her the difficult questions about her own life as a parent.
Episode Two: The Anxiety Epidemic
The second episode, airing on 18th February at 9.30pm, explores anxiety and why it feels like everyone you know is either dealing with it or knows someone who is. Síle opens up about her own experiences with anxiety, which immediately makes the whole thing feel less like a lecture and more like a conversation you'd have over coffee with a friend who just gets it.
She speaks with Katie Whelan, who's lived with anxiety since childhood and is navigating the pressure of starting a new job. In Dublin, psychologist and neuroscientist Professor Ian Robertson breaks down how anxiety actually affects the brain, while in Cork, Professors John Cryan and Ted Dinan discuss their groundbreaking research on the gut-brain connection (yes, your stomach really does have feelings).
Síle also travels to Tipperary to meet Mags Casey and a group of Traveller women who talk candidly about how inequality fuels anxiety in marginalised communities. Back in the podcast studio, she chats with influencer and author Meghann Scully about grief and its impact on mental health. Conall Mac Dhonnagáin discusses neurodiversity and anxiety, while Síle and her friends open up about how the menopause can send anxiety levels soaring.
It's a lot, but in the best way. The kind of episode that'll make you feel less alone.
Episode Three: Bullying in the Digital Age
The final episode, on 25th February at 9.30pm, takes on bullying and it sounds like it doesn't hold back. Síle interviews screenwriter Antóin Beag Ó Colla, who shares the devastating impact bullying had on him as a young man. Dancer Tura Arutura also opens up about being targeted for being different.
Psychologist Allison Keating helps unpack the psychology of bullying, while Deirdre Donnelly discusses why she left politics. In Galway, Dr Tom Felle gives Síle a sobering look at the abuse faced by public representatives in Ireland today, though Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik offers some hope that things might be changing.
Síle also speaks with Dr Niamh Ní Bhroin in Norway about the impossible task of protecting young people online. And as someone who's been in the public eye for years, Síle knows what online bullying looks like firsthand. She's joined by presenters Aisling Ní Dhonnabháin and Síle Ní Chonghaile, who share their own experiences and some genuinely useful tips for managing it all.
Produced by Tyrone Productions and funded by Coimisiún na Meán, Síle Seoige: An Saol Mar Atá isn't trying to solve everything in three episodes. But it is opening up space for honest, necessary conversations about the things that keep us up at night. And sometimes, that's exactly what we need.
The series starts on TG4 on 11th February at 9.45pm.
