She’s one of Ireland’s best-loved broadcasters, but Lucy Kennedy is proving it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.

In the first episode of Season 2, Lucy joins me for a warm, funny and honest conversation about taking risks, embracing change and finding more confidence with age.

We chat about writing her bestselling novel The Mini Breakers on her phone while on holiday, the leap from broadcasting to fiction, and why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply back yourself.

We also talk about perimenopause, female friendships, raising teenagers, the reality of working in television, and what Lucy has learned after spending years interviewing and living with some of the world’s most famous faces.

I hope you'll love this conversation as much as I did recording it!

Support the show

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast and would like to show your support, you can buy me a coffee at the link below. Every contribution helps me keep creating honest, uplifting conversations about reinvention, self-belief and the messy middle. Thank you for being here 🤍

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545407/support

Stay up to date with The Delusional Optimist Podcast on Instagram, here. You can follow host Diana Bunici on Instagram here - expect lots of cute pics of her dogs Benny & Charlie!

Fashion might look glamorous on Instagram but behind every red carpet moment is a LOT of chaos, spreadsheets, sourcing, fittings, returns, early mornings, and problem-solving that nobody talks about.

For the season one finale of the podcast, I’m joined by celebrity stylist and fashion journalist Corina Gaffey for a really honest conversation about building a career in Irish fashion, freelancing, backing yourself, and figuring things out as you go.

Corina shares how she went from magazine life at KISS and Stellar to styling major names like Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally, and what fashion styling actually looks like behind the scenes.

We also talk about:
• “faking it till you make it” and learning on the job
• the reality of freelance life when the inbox goes quiet
• the pressure behind red carpet styling
• confidence, personal style, and social media trends
• why copying someone else’s style never really works
• rejection, resilience, and building relationships in the industry

It’s an insightful and honest chat about creativity, career pivots, self-belief, and finding your place in a competitive industry. I hope you enjoy!

Support the show

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast and would like to show your support, you can buy me a coffee at the link below. Every contribution helps me keep creating honest, uplifting conversations about reinvention, self-belief and the messy middle. Thank you for being here 🤍

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545407/support

Stay up to date with The Delusional Optimist Podcast on Instagram, here. You can follow host Diana Bunici on Instagram here - expect lots of cute pics of her dogs Benny & Charlie!

Winning a Paralympic gold medal is supposed to be the happy ending… but for Ellen Keane, it was only part of the story.

From becoming Ireland’s youngest Paralympian at 13 to winning gold in Tokyo, Ellen shares what we don’t see - the pressure of being “the good girl”, the mental crash after big highs, and the loneliness that can follow even your proudest moments.

We talk identity, self-worth, and the voice in your head that can be your biggest critic. Ellen opens up about growing up with a limb difference, learning to stop hiding, and building a mindset rooted in self-belief... even when it feels “delusional”.

We also get into the reality of what comes next: retiring, losing a sense of identity, and having the courage to start again - stepping into media and using her voice for disability advocacy and representation.

This is a conversation about resilience, reinvention, and being kinder to yourself along the way.

Support the show

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast and would like to show your support, you can buy me a coffee at the link below. Every contribution helps me keep creating honest, uplifting conversations about reinvention, self-belief and the messy middle. Thank you for being here 🤍

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545407/support

Stay up to date with The Delusional Optimist Podcast on Instagram, here. You can follow host Diana Bunici on Instagram here - expect lots of cute pics of her dogs Benny & Charlie!