Each week on the podcast, the presenter Irish Times journalist Kathy Sheridan asks listeners a question and this week in Mary Robinson provided the inspiration:
“This Saturday November 7th marks 25 years since Mary Robinson was elected the first female president of Ireland. So who do you think will be the next woman President?” she asked.
Over to you. Will it be RTE broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan? European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly? Who would do a good job as President and why? You can email your answers to thewomenspodcast@irishtimes.com or tell us through facebook and twitter @itwomenspodcast.
“To be honest I’m not sure I’d like to put anyone through that ringer but then anyone who survives it is a keeper as we know,” said Sheridan.
Last week’s podcast question was prompted by the Feminist Film Festival which was on in Dublin. We asked: “What film should every woman see and why?”.
We had a massive response with most listeners finding it difficult to keep to just one movie recommendation. Author Marian Keyes gave us lots of suggestions including Gone with the Wind "because that there Scarlett O'Hara is fabaliss." And Disney's Frozen "because the true love is between the sisters and not between the lady and the man". One more from Marian: Roman Holiday. Because it shows how NOT to live a life - being dutiful and doing what's expected - also Audrey Hepburns's hair.
Daphne Earner emailed us at thewomenspodcast@irishtimes.com to say Fried Green Tomatoes and she wasn't the only one:
“Firstly because it’s a delicate film that talks about sensitive subjects in a delicate way and because the character portrayed by Kathy Bates (whose supermarket parking scene is my all-time favourite) highlights how difficult it can be for “nice” ladies to break the binds that hold them back - the “not so nice” ones have a distinct advantage when it comes to knocking over society’s barriers.”
Marie Moynihan picked Distant voices, Still Lives because she said "it shows the hardship and difficulties that women faced in post war Britain. Many young woman have no knowledge of how much things have improved for women since then due to the feminist revolution"
Maire Reidy had a long list and many of you agreed with these selections:
Bridget Jones Diary - because every woman is Bridget Jones in one way or another.
Working Girl - because its about a woman who works hard who wants to have a better life and how she goes about that. (And Harrison Ford strips off).
Educating Rita - for the same reason (minus Harrison Ford).
Shirley Valentine - because she is a legendary character that a lot of married women from that era could and can identify with. And because it's really funny.
Frances Ha - similar theme to Educating Rita and Working Girl - its about a young woman trying to find her way in the world in that time after college but before her working life takes off and the ups and downs she encounters.
Darling - starring Julie Christie as a young model who is bored with her marriage and her life, is looking for more but can't seem to figure out what that is... She looks like she has everything but she has no idea who she is or what she needs.
Poor Cow - directed by Ken Loach, about a young working class mother and her struggle to find a better life.
Emmett McNamara tweeted us to nominate Winter's Bone because it's the type of story that's usually told from a male point of view but not this time. Really good.
The Women's Podcast is uploaded every Monday on irishtimes.com/womenspodcast. Individual episodes of the podcast are available on Soundcloud, iTunes and Stitcher.
