Happy Monday Goys!!

Join Ross, Sorcha and all the gang live in Dublin's Olimpia Theatre for Between Foxrock and a Hard Place! Of course I'm talking about the latest play from Paul Howard, The creator of Ross O'Carrol Kelly...Dublin's foynest rugger!! It's set to be a great production, with all the family getting together..and they're no ordinary family!!

We chatted to Paul about all things South Co. Dublin this week, and Sue may have even created a new character for the next book...lets just say Louis Vuitton bag in the dole Que! It's been 12 books since we all fell in love..or hate with Ross, and what started out as making fun has become an important social commentary! Bound to be a fantastic show!!

And if you want to see how Ross is dealing with the recent climate, pick up the latest offering in paperback ,The Oh My God Delusion

http://www.rossocarrollkelly.ie/





This week GirlsTalkBack got chatting to Caroline Barry the creator behind the blog http://www.misspennydreadful.com/ . With 8 years of fashion behind her and 3 years of PR and event management Caroline decided to establish her blog, which is almost two years ago now!! Originally the idea was to make high street fashion and fashion language accessible to all. She saw it as a great way to write about all the wonderful clothes she herself couldn't afford as a student!

In 2010 she threw a launch party in SPY nightclub in Dublin, which was a huge success and since then the blog has been reviewed in both the Irish Times and the Irish Independent.


Caroline features a lot of different things on the blog including the most successful posts which are the 'what I wore today' posts about whatever items of clothing she has bought or worn.
The meaning behind the name of the blog was because 'penny dreadful' was the name given to cheap Victorian era horror novels, so called because they cost a penny to buy! When Caroline started the blog she posted under a persona which is something she would recommend other bloggers to do as it allows them to be whoever they desire to be and say exactly whatever they want. Caroline’s persona was of course ‘Miss Penny dreadful’. She stated ‘It helped me to write since no one knew it was me’.
Blogging allows people to gain access to a platform which gives them a chance to voice their opinion but the only problem is...are people listening?? Caroline recommended getting all your friends to read you blogs and to plug it anyway you can...you would be surprised how powerful ‘word of mouth’ can be!! She is now proud to say that misspennydreadful has a loyal and steady readership and hopes it continues to grow and grow.
If you would like to get in contact with Caroline you can do so by following the link below and make sure to sign up to the blog for everyday fashion tips and fun reading:
http://www.misspennydreadful.blogspot.com/

Blogging all the way...that is what GTB think anyway :0)

GTB were delighted to speak to the most controversial lady on TV3's The Apprentice! Niamh Humphreys from Lisagry in Co. Limerick, came on the show and gave us an insider peek of life on reality show. The Apprentice is a serious competition, with a serious prize (particularly in this climate. whoever is left standing , gets to be Bill Cullen's apprentice...a job that comes with a hefty salary.

Of course having to work in teams with not only strangers, but competitors brings it's own troubles! oh and did we mention they live together too?? So this begs the question .. Is there any mixing of business and....ahem , pleasure on the show? Niamh ended up in the board room for her second and final time with Ciara an Caroline and got the chop! GTB is excited to see what happens between Caroline and the other two corners of the supposed love triangle, Jamie and Kieran! Her time came to an end after a lucozade lite task became all about camels....confused? catch up on www.TV3.ie by clicking on The Apprentice page!
 
Niamh reckons she went in with her eyes wide open, and was expecting all the little editing tricks that portray contestents in not always the most flattering of lights!! She told us that it was an high tension situtation! And as for the man himself....what you see is what you get. Contestents only see Bill in the board room and at tasks...just like we see at home! Wonderful telly altogther! The Limerick Lady wants hunky Will to win but we'll ahve to wait and see!!We are big Niamh fans and can't wait to hear who Bill's next victim is!!





GirlsTalkBack were delighted to invite one of Irelands fastest emerging talents, up and coming singer/song writer Bairbre Munnis into studio to perform a song ‘Gorgeous Personality’ from her most recent work and have a chat about her music & influences, her thoughts on the Irish music industry, reality TV and its impact on the industry and what we can expect from her in the future!! For such a petit lady Bairbre seriously has one big voice!!

Bairbre comes from a musical background with both her father and brother working in the industry. She was a winner in the RTE 2FM Songwriting Competition, the final of which was broadcast live from Vicar Street. Since then Bairbre has appeared in venues nationwide including Vicar Street, Crawdaddy, The Village, The Ruby Sessions, Watergate Theatre & Mullingar Arts Centre to name but a few.

When asked about reality TV shows like X Factor Bairbre believes these types of shows do give people the opportunity to be heard who might never get that chance, but as an artist who has spent so many years focusing on her talent and perfecting it she could never see herself auditioning for a show that could just as easily break you as make you! Also when quizzed about how the music industry is suffering due to people downloading illegally GTB were interested in hearing her opinion as so many your people have grown up in a world where paying for music was never really enforced. GTB pointed out that the internet provided young people with a free option so it is almost hard for them to understand why they should have to pay and the price of concert tickets are so expensive surely musicians can make their money back on that alone??? Although Bairbre understood that argument at the end of the day she felt it is stealing from people who work so hard for their art and passion and that new laws need to be brought in to protect artists and prevent illegal downloading. GTB had to agree that stealing is never ok and although so many people do download illegally , it certainly doesn’t make it right.

If you want to check out Bairbre in person then head to The Ivy in Drumcondra on the 10th of October or else take a trip down to Sligo on the 22nd of this month and head into Cafe Koko Latte to hear her play. We were lucky enough to hear her live in studio and she is defiantly one to check out!!

If you would like to find out more about Bairbre Munnis follow the links below:

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages#!/pages/Bairbre-Munnis-Music/79451854663

http://www.myspace.com/bairbremunnis

GTB want to wish Bairbre the best of luck in the future, it is rare you get the chance to meet such a lovely girl with such great talent.


 




GTB also spoke to Paralympic Boccia Champion Padraic Moran. Boccia is a bowls like sport played by people with a physical disability such as cerebral palsy. Boccia can be played by individuals, pairs, or teams of three and all events are mixed gender. Padraic played boccia from a young age but began to play competitively in 2005.  After finishing 3rd in the national championship Padraic then knew he could go further. He then went onto Brazil in 2007 for the world cup qualifiers where he qualified for the world cup in Canada in 2007. His team went on to finish 7th in Canada. Next up was the paralympics in Beijing in which he made it to the semi finals. Padraic is now Ireland's champion and is looking forward to competing in London 2012 Paralympics.

October Dvd Releases!!!!!

The Movies worth a peek this month...

October is generally considered the Halloween month so it will be hard to steer away from the horrors in your local dvd store, but here is a couple of the choice picks this month.  Some have been around for a couple of weeks now, but if you missed them, they are definitely worth a look.

Kick Ass – Probably in my top 5 favourite films so far of 2010, Kick Ass follows Dave, a teenager who decides to become a Superhero one day, without any superpowers, or training mind you.  Directed by Matthew Vaughn, (who raised the money for the production at a dinner party), Kick Ass includes some remarkable performances from Nicholas Cage and of course, THE it girl of the moment, Chloe Moretz.  Still not sure if he has proven the point that anyone can be a Superhero....

  

At Girls Talk Back, we are always supporting amazing female talent and it’s no different with one of my favourite releases, Whip It. Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut tells the story of Bliss, a girl pigeon-holed by her mother into becoming a pageant Queen who secretly embarks on a career as a roller derby star.  Barrymore is the whole deal; great story, great script, great performances all brought delightfully together by Spielberg’s protégé.  And it’s not just one for the girls!

  

If you are looking for something a little more sensitive and definitely more controversial, it would be worth checking out Michael Winterbottom’s The Killer Inside Me.  Casey Affleck plays Lou Ford, a small town deputy sheriff whose hidden life slowly spirals out of control following an affair with Joyce Lakeland, a prostitute he was supposed to run out of town.  A three star film at its best, Affleck beautifully holds the entire production together as the psychotic killer, backed up by other great performances from Kate Hudson and curiously, Jessica Alba.  Be warned, not for the faint hearted!

I could go on forever but my last pick of the month would be Iron Man 2.  Look, I’ve heard it all and no, it is not going to change your life but you know what?  It’s a bit of fun and some light entertainment and who doesn’t need that!  Downey Jr.  of course returns as Iron Man with some new additions including Scarlett Johannson who actually makes little impact as Black Widow and Mickey Rourke, who is not present for long enough.  The real villain is Sam Rockwell who adds a particularly slimey and sleazy quality to the character of Justin Hammer.  And don’t forget Downey Jr is always pure cinematic entertainment....

Enjoy!!

Until next time...

Sue xx

GTBs Last Live Sunday....But now making your Monday Lunch times that bit better ;0)

Hey All,


Firstly GTB would like to say a big thanks to you all for tuning in on Sundays, we really appreciate the support and hope that you will be able to continue listening to GirlsTalkBack at our new time (well really back to our original time!!) of 1PM – 2PM every Monday….we like to think we will be turning those blue Monday’s PINK…;0)

First on the show this week GTB covered a topic which we felt needed attention and we would love if all the listeners of the show started to make a conscious effort in making the world we live in a safer and greener place. We need to recognize the importance of valuing social enterprise, reuse in practice and employment, training and social exclusion!! We are all aware of the huge changes that are happening locally and nationally and the people of Ireland need reassurance and guidance. GTB brought Sarah Miller onto the show to discuss the ‘Preventing Waste, Strengthening communities’ conference from the Ballymun Civic Centre.

(below a picture of recycled clothing from rediscover fashion)


There is still to this day a stigma surrounding recycling and a lack of effort from the people of Ireland in trying to make the environment cleaner. The Ballymun Civic Centre is holding this conference in order to provide ideas and solutions on reuse and waste prevention while creating training and job opportunities. They will have contributions from the likes of Sean Coughlan on why investing in social enterprise is value for money, Marc Willem from Komosie on their development as one of the top reuse and training centres in Europe and people will get the opportunity to network and speak with organisers and guest speakers at the event. There will also be an exhibition put on for people to see.

The only people who can help save the environment is us, it needs to become second nature to us not something we have to think about consciously!! It would seem that the youth and older generation are those making the most effort in recycling and giving back so now it is time we all chip in!!

If you would like to find out more about this event then simply log onto http://www.crni.ie/

The event itself will be happening this Thursday the 7th of October at 9.30 and all are welcome.

Ellen Gunning  is a woman with many strings to her bow and her latest offering ia a new Radio Presenting course. She popped into the GTB studio to tell us all about it! Ellen is running a one day radio presenters course in 103.2 Dublin City Fm!Iif you have ever been curious to see how you'd sound on radio this is your chance!! Not only will you be learning about different presentation styles, how to do news, continuity and interviewing, you'll be in studio trying them out for yourself!!

 This is an excellent opportunity for anyone who has always wanted to give it a go!! Who knows? it could be a case of a "get it out of your System" day or it could be the begining of a new career!

You will meet Ellen Gunning, author,journalist and PR oman extrodinare on the day, and you'll also be getting some sound advice from Mick Hanley CEO at Dublin City Fm -pretty good addtions to the contacts book we reckon!

Our favourite part is the evaluation you'll get on the course, you'll be told whats style suits you, what you're good at and what not to give up the day job for. Pretty productive day all round! The course costs €240 and is being held at Dublin City FM on Saturday October 16th. Enrol now at http://www.irishacademy.ie/

      Unfortunately in today's society animals cruelty and neglect is a huge problem in Ireland. We see and hear of so many horror stories of animals left for dead due to them being both mistreated or neglected.  Girls Talk back were joined by Orla Angier from the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The DSPCA is a registered charity which has been around since  1840 and was set up to prevent cruelty to animals. The DSCPA have a shelter in Rathfarnham where many animals go to live out the rest of their lives in happiness or they may just go there until they are re-homed. The DSPCA also run many programmes from how to care for your pet to educating school children  . They also have mobile clinics and a dedicated team who give up their time to help animals in need. The shelter is open to the public and if you do not have time to adopt a pet you can also sponsor some of the animals. For more information you can contact the DSPCA on 01-4994700. 

 

SHOWBIZ NEWS

 

It has been nearly a year since the tragic death of much loved Stephen Gately. It has been revealed that only one of the Boyzone members will be able to make it (Mr Keith Duffy!) to the scattering of his ashes. The ceremony will be held at one of the Gately’s favourite places in Ireland on the 10th of October it is believed. The remaining members of the band are believed to be in OZ at the time!! GTB still can’t believe it is nearly a year since Stephens death…RIP

We all of course remember the man who made ‘Drink’ ‘Feck’ and ‘Arse’ the talking point of Ireland. Well it would seem Father Ted star Frank Kelly is now making a move from craggy island to the Yorksire Dales. Frank has landed himself a role in Emmerdale. But people can be sure that Frank’s new character ‘Dermot Macey’ is very different!!

Finally in showbiz news everyone’s much loved ultimate Big Brother housemate Brian Dowling is returning to Panto! It was revealed that Brian signed a six figure deal to star in The Beauty & The Beast Panto @ the Tivoli Theatre. He will once again play the outrageous character ‘Bridie’ and according to the Metro Herald Brian said ‘I am delight. It’s a;wasy such fun’.

What is happening around Dublin......

Hello All,
We hope you enjoyed this week’s show!! If you for some unmanageable reason, beyond all your control did not get the chance to tune into 103.2fm last Sunday from 12pm well you can stop kicking yourself because we are so kindly going to fill you in on everything u missed!! Here we go…

The lovely Sue Murphy came back onto GTB to fill us in on all the must see films around at the moment! Film critic Sue was at the Dublin Premier of ‘The Town’ a crime thriller produced and staring the ever so gorgeous Ben Affleck. Sue gave the film two thumbs up and highly recommended people to go see it!! It is also starting the beautiful and talented Blake Lively who is mostly known for her role in Gossip Girl as rich kid Serena Vanderkamp!! Blake plays a character nothing like any of her previous work and it was in fact revealed that when Blake auditioned for the part it was written for an older lady but Ben Affleck loved her so much he re-wrote the part for her!! That is some compliment!! The film deals with the trials and tribulations of a criminal Doug played by Affleck who falls for the manager of a bank he is planning to rob! ‘The Town’ is in cinemas nationwide so make sure to check it out!!

The Switch is another film which Sue highly recommends. Jennifer Aniston plays the female protagonist who is a single women wanting to have a child. This film covers very topical issues in relation to single parenting but still manages to stay upbeat and funny. Definitely one to check out!!

Finally one to look out for is an Irish film called ‘Savage’. There has been a lot of talk surrounding the film and as everyone knows we at GTB love showing support to our own so make sure to give it a watch!!It is a story of obsession and revenge! How a man tries to come to terms with a brutal attack and its consequences!! The film has been in cinemas from September 17th so make sure to catch it!!   

Stellar Magazines 'Bachelor of the Year'

After hours of hard work and dedication we at GTB finally found the bachelor we felt most deserved the honour of being crowned Stellar Magazines 'Bachelor of the year'!! It is a difficult job but someone has to do it people!! We decided to give our vote to Mr Patrick Mackeogh!! So we invited Patrick onto the show to have a little chat with him to see why he should get your votes and why he was still single!?? Patrick is a hard working man who runs his own company in personal training!! (Fit body-check!!) The reason he believes he hasn't found a girlfriend yet is that he is shy and just hasn't met the right person! He loves Irish women because of there ability to have a laugh and go out and have a good time!! (Good answer!) His lovely sister actually entered Patrick into the competition, so he is obviously a family man (check!!) and although his friends give him a little bit of stick for being in the competition he doesn't mind and they are behind him 100% at the end of the day! If you want to find out more about Patrick simple follow the link below

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=728700723#!/profile.php?id=100001564085588&ref=ts

And if your already sold on Patrick and want him to get your vote simply text 'Bachelor 121' to 53306. Get voting people!!   Best of luck Patrick, as we have prob mentioned ..you have our votes :0)               

Shouting at Planes

                                                                                         we chatted to one of these strapping lads all about their new single Hospice! keep an eye on these boys, they've already rocked Glastonbury so the only way is up! check out all their tunes and info at http://shoutingatplanes.com/

After speaking to the lovely Jenny Conlon a few weeks back about moving abroad we thought it was best for us to get a professional on to the show to explain the best ways to go about leaving the nest and moving away. Jenny herself moved to London which luckily we do not need a visa for. However there are many young people now who are moving a bit further a field for work to the likes of Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Girls Talk Back was joined by Alan Gallagher who works for visa first. Visa first is a company who assist people in getting visas to any of the above countries. Whether it is a working holiday visa, a skilled worker visa or any of the other many visas’s offered to Irish people for these countries. Not only do they assist you with your visa they also do starter packs for these countries which include sim cards, tax file numbers, bank accounts and you can also get insurance. Visa first also offers advice on other countries and doing volunteer work abroad. For more information on all of the visas and packages offered you can contact Visa First on 01-8783329.

Just incase you’re all feeling a little down in the dumps, girls talk back are here to help! We tracked down Psychologist Shane Martin to cheer us all up!! Shane runs moodwatchers. He runs courses for in which he concentrates on the psychology of happiness, strength and resilience. Moodwatchers says, that it is important to ask yourself questions like “do I believe I have the power to make positive change in my life?”

Basically we all go through trauma and crises, but why to some people fall apart and some get on with it? It’s all about the way we think; we all think very differently and make very different sense out of situations. Things that worry some people have zero effect on others because of the way we think. Negative unhelpful thoughts can be a big part of our daily private thoughts, things like “I’m goin to fail” “things never work out for me” and “I bet she hates me now” . definitely not helpful! If you find yourself thinking these kinds of thoughts, ask yourself three questions, is it helpful? Is it fair? and is it true? Are bets is the answer to all three is no. These stressful thoughts cause..You’ve guessed it STRESS! We could all do without any avoidable stress; it effects us enormously, both physically and mentally. So keep the blood pressure down and actively do something about the two things everyone wants but do very little to get them... Health and Happiness.

Shane is running is course in Dublin for the first time and we at girls talk back wish him the best of luck. For more info check out www.moodwatchers.com




SHOWBIZ NEWS

Louis Walsh


Ireland’s favourite judge Louis Walsh has a new reality show which is to air next week folks. Lois is teaming up with Westlifes Kian Egan for what is to be a two part series which see’s the pair launch new girlband ‘Wonderland’ – Kian’s wife also happens to be in the band (talk about putting you relationship under pressure!!!)
Louis was quoted as saying on iol.ie that ‘Wonderland will definitely be the biggest girl band in the world come the end of next year’
The show which is called ‘The Management’ will air on ITV2 in October!!

Big Brother

It is essentially the end of an era – Love it or hate it at one point in your life you definitely watched it!!!
The ultimate big brother is over- The reality show that changed so many people’s lives has come to an end after 10 years of ups & downs!!!
The show definitely ended on an unexpected high - people were fed up of the show and it was getting old but the love of Josie and John James got people watching and then the genius idea of inviting the best contestants back got everyone’s attention even though’s who tried to ignore it couldn’t!!!
Now all people want to know is if Preston and Chantelle will get back together!! I’m sure we will be told all in an OK magazine interview very soon!!!

Our very own Brian Dowling the Iirsh sweetheart won Ultimate big brother – he definitely has the luck of the Irish winning twice and being the only housemate ever not to get voted!!! That is some achievement!! Congrats to Brian!!!

Amy Huberman –Back to Work

So after the most high profile wedding of the year – it looks like the fun is over and it is back to work for the lovely Amy Huberman. It is believed that Amy is starring in a new TV project penned by Cecelia Ahern!!

The cast and crew were seen filming at a hotel in Dublin’s South city but know one actually knows that much about project. I can tell you that the project is believed to be titled ‘Three Wise Women’ and is rumoured to be a medical drama – So keep an eye out for this people – u heard it here!!

Imelda May

GirlsTalkBack wants to say a huge congrats to the amazingly talented Imelda May whose new album ‘Mayhem’ hit the number one spot.
Her appearance on the late late show, and her performance at electric picnic where she played at the main stage was unreal has resulted in her 2nd album outselling all her rivals.
She was seen last week back at her home in the Liberties with all her friends and family celebrating the great news. Her parents Tony and Madge Clabby have been Imelda’s biggest support travelling with her since she launched her new album –how sweet is that!! Congrats on the number 1 Imelda!!!

Talk Soon, Loves GTB xoxo

Strike a pose!

Miss Universe Ireland- Rozanna Purcell

We were very lucky at Girls Talk Back to have the very lovely Miss Universe Ireland Rozanna Purcell on the show. Rozanna began her pageant career when she won Miss Lillies Bordello in 2009. She then went on to win Miss Universe Ireland. After winning Miss Universe Ireland Rozanna was then approached by Miguel Marinez one of the world top pageant trainers He then flew her to Colombia for her training. After this she then went onto Las Vegas for the Miss Universe Pageant.Rozanna did her country very proud coming seventh  in the whole contest. Since returnign she has been modelling and is now getting ready to head off to New York where she plans to continue her career in modelling. Us ladies at Girls Talk Back wish our Rozanna the best of luck :)






 Alex Hutchinson, photographer.

After getting the low down on what a miss universe pageant is really like we chatted to Alex Hutchinson, photographer. Alex knows the modelling world from both sides, having been a child model in Portugal, Turns Alex’s baby pics graced the pages of many travel publications in their time, his Mum, who was also a model, must be so proud!!

Alex now works with Bella Studios in Dublin. Bella studies could be described as a portrait studio with a difference. They offer a great treat for us ladies, you can go and be pampered, spend a delightful hour in the makeup chair before channelling your inner Tyra Banks for your very own photo shoot. Not to worry though, if you’re a little camera shy, you’ll be put at ease and taught how to pose! Not only will you leave feeling like a diva, you’ll have the beautiful professional photos that show you at your very best.... you might even be tempted to put them on face book. Check out http://www.bellamakeover.ie/ for more info.

Speaking of face book, we can confirm that people with Photoshop skills are altering their face book picas! Alex talked us through the airbrushing process, he spends hours sometimes undoing dodgy face tan, nipping waists and altering colours. Alex told us about the different genres of photography. His favourites are fashion and street photography. Check out some of his photos on Alex Hutchinson photography page on face book! And go in and meet him in Bella studios and have a girl’s day out!



Rachel Lally

Started modelling after she needed actor headshots and bargained with photographer who was looking for red heads to model for him! She was an alternative model, which is any model who does not fit into the usual model stereotype. She had peers with crazy hair colours dreadlocks, tattoos, piercings...anything a bit different and edgy. There were also plenty of curvy girls as alternative models often to shoots in burlesque and gothic styles. Loads of steal boned corsets..(OUCH) and plenty of celebration of voluptuous women! GTB loves the dramatic Dita von Teese look. Work as aan alternative model is scarce enough as the photos are usually for exhibitions and books rather than mainstream magazines.

Rachel signed with Compton modelling agency last October www.compton.ie and we were glad to hear she was told not to lose any weight! We chatted with Rachel about more mainstream work and she maintains she’s having great fun with her modelling career. GtB was delighted to hear that there are plenty of working plus size models out there. A plus size model is anything over a size 12 and most Irish models are about a size 10! We reckon plus size should be called NORMAL size!!

Rachel told us she believes plus size models have a place in high fashion, more of this please! Rachel recommends www.modelmayhem.com if you’re thinking about having a go at modelling yourself and you can also check out some alternative pics of her there too!

EMMA MANLEY

GTB had the pleasure of inviting Irish fashion designer Emma Manley back into studio on Sunday to catch up on how her fashion line is going and her move back to Dublin. With New York and London on the list of stylish places she has worked Emma told GirlsTalkBack that moving back home and starting up her business in Ireland was always her plan.

Emma uses unique mixes of fabrics including pig skin and silk and her price range is between €50- €350. Emma confessed to GTB that she is not a seasonal designer as she prefers to add pieces to her collection allowing her customers to come back time and time again to her contempory separates and luxurious evening wear and add to their wardrobe. When asked what type of woman Emma designs for her answer was simple ‘me’. Emma makes clothes which she herself would wear and lucky for us, her taste and style is so chic that everyone else wants to be seen in it also!! It is very refreshing to meet a designer who wears her own clothes and when asked who Emma herself favours in the design world the marvel Stella McCartney was mentioned!! Emma spoke about how Stella’s clothes are well made, elegant and sharp and the designer herself dresses head to toe in her own creations also, something tells GTB Emma will have just as much success as her favourite designer!!

Emma’s collection can be seen at ‘Bow’ boutique http://www.bowboutique.ie/  in the Powerscourt Centre and her own website will be up and running in a matter of weeks so make sure to check out http://www.emmamanley.com/

Emma discussed how although in her opinion Irish people still concentrate too much on the ‘label’ we have become a lot more fashion conscious and that we are a fashionable city despite what other people might say!!! While in studio Emma filled us in on the key pieces that should be in every woman’s wardrobe which included cardigans, shorts and the new trousers of the moment Jodhpurs. If you want to get in touch with Emma simply email her @ emma.kate.manley@googlemail.com



Quite frankly GTB are delighted Emma has moved back home to continue her successful career in fashion as we just love her clothes and can’t wait to see so much more from her!!!

Ian White lead vocalist in Irish band Seven Days spoke to GTB about winning the ‘Tiger Untamed’ prize worth a whopping €20,000. The boys met during their college days in Ballyfermot and haven't looked back since!! Ian, Darren, Nicky & Ricky played Oxegen in 2009 and have sold out the Academy to their adoring fans. Ian spoke to us about life as a musician in Ireland, how although it is very cliquey they have managed to earn a respectful name for themselves even gracing the pages of top music magazine Hot Press.

Seven Days is a pop/soul/funk band who write their own material from topical issues of the moment. The bands influences include John Mayer, Fleetwood Mac and Paolo Nuttini. If you want to check out more from the guys just go to http://www.sevendaysofficial.com/  where you will be able to see their my space, facebook, twitter and bebo accounts and also all their upcoming gigs around Ireland.

GirlsTalkBack were delighted to be the first show to play the guys new single ‘Voices’ which got such brilliant feedback from our listeners so well done guys. We will definitely have to get Ian and the guys back into studio when the single gets released in October to perform live. We wish Seven Days all the best for the future and look forward to getting them back on the show!!!!!!

One’s to Watch!!!!

We spoke to the lovely Julie Cobbe from StyleFish.ie a unique and clever service for women.Style Fish offers a seven week night course for women , with a two hour class on one evening each week. Right, so we can fit it in the schedule, but what are we learning?? Classes centre around topics like body shape and body confidence, make-up tips, hairstyling, dressing for your shape, with the final class being a field trip - Ladies you're off to House of Frasier, pen and pad in hand, so take notes!!! Yup, you'll be confident in knowledge that you know what to buy for you that's guaranteed to make you feel a million dollars, and therefore truly enjoy your retail therapy! We all get into ruts when it comes to style girls, and with are changing weather we can be expected to rock "beach babe", "snow bunny" and "wellington chick" all of Thursday afternoon. In short we need all the help we can get.


When it comes to mixing it up though, make-up may not be the way to go! Err always on the side of caution. Just because tangerine lipstick is sooooooooo this season and that apple-green eyeshadow looked great on Lady GaGa... you see where we're going here. LESS IS MORE!

So here's your chance to learn how best to use your pampering efforts to get results you want. Don't worry ladies, Style Fish won't leave you high and dry once you've finished the classes. The best part is you'll be become a graduate, and so a member. This allows you to sign into the website and get loads of tips and support every day. You'll get recommendations on the latest fashions that are in stock on the high street and you can keep in touch with fellow members. You'll be the first to know what the "new black" for Autumn Winter 2010 is. Check out all this and more at http://www.stylefish.ie/

Relationship Counsellor Lisa O'Hara

If you didn't catch the show today, this is what you missed.  You might have actually missed one of our best shows! (If Jen had not been off this week it would have been the best show!!!)

For a whole hour we spoke to Relationship Counsellor Lisa O'Hara from Marriage and Relationship Counselling in Dublin.  Lisa had previously been on the show with us and we had such good feedback about the interview that we decided to get her back for an hour special.

As per usual, due to the interesting material we didn't make it through everything again this week but we hope to have Lisa back to discuss aspects of married relationships and couples who have seperated or divorced.

Our focus this week was on single people.  We chatted to Lisa about where you can meet people, she advised us that the pub is often one of the best places to get chatting with someone as with a couple of drinks you are more relaxed and more likely to try get to know a person.

Lisa pointed out that if looking for a relationship you must first have a good relationship with yourself, be comfortable with yourself and focus on what it is you want.  Lisa thought online dating can and has worked but real chemistry can often be what is sought out most.

We also had a discussion about exes, where we raised concerns how a lot of women tend to go back to exes for the comfort of it.  She also pointed out that you may have broken up for a reason!

The main point is to enjoy yourself and remember that relationships take work.  Enjoy the flirting! Try not to give too much away in the initial stages and try to remember to focus on the relationship with yourself first.

If you are in a relationship that's not working or would like any kind of relationship advice and counselling please visit the website www.mrcs.ie and contact one of the counsellors.

If you are interested in any of her other work, here are a couple of articles you may be interested in.

http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=6094

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2010/0126/1224263104460.html

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/love-sex/the-rise-of-the-silver-separators-in-ireland-1910086.html

 http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/love-sex/the-day-i-got-a-message-from-my-lying-partner-to-say-im-naked-and-restless-2211088.html

Pain equals Beauty People........

Today’s show was all about taking care of ‘YOU’ through healthy eating and exercise. We had top experts in fitness and nutrition on the show to answer all those ‘need to know’ questions and we had the ‘Cooks Academy’ on to talk us through all the new ways to enjoy cooking weather your cooking for one or more!!!!

Pro Fitness Ireland

John Carroll director of Pro Fitness Ireland joined GirlsTalkBack to discuss fitness, dietary advice and motivation. Pro-Fitness work with both teams and individuals and their main aim is to provide the best results in minimal time. (Sounds good to us!!)

John spoke to us about Pro-fitness top quality facility that offers the best service possible to each customer. The difference between Pro-Fitness and any other gym was quite simple for John to answer – RESULTS!!! Through healthy eating and exercise John spoke to GTB about how it is possible to reach and maintain your ideal body although John does believe the media are setting unrealistic goals for women and young girls when it comes to body image and the first thing John does with every client is a fitness assessment and talks them through realistic goals!!!

Boxercise is one of the new classes which allows pro-fitness to stay current on new fitness trends. It has proven to be such a huge success that they are going to be adding new classes shortly so more customers can join up. The key to motivation in John’s opinion is the two P’s ‘Patience’ and ‘Persistance’ and he also believes that everyone working out and getting fit should always set themselves a goal so that they have something to aim for.
Although John agreed the weather can have an effect on your moods and your desire to workout he does not believe that money should prevent you from having a healthy lifestyle and sees fitness as an investment in your health!! Pro-Fitness is only €25euro to join which GTB could not believe and if you go onto pro-fitness facebook page http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=728700723#!/profile.php?id=100000535811235&ref=ts  they are offering fantastic deals which you don’t want to miss!!
Finally John left us with two very useful tips in beginning a healthier lifestyle by taking fish oils which you can buy in your local health store and drinking green tea which you can purchase in your supermarket….There really isn’t any excuses left people, if you would like to contact John in relation to any health and fitness advice you can do so by calling 01 8415845 or visiting there website at http://www.profitness.ie/ 

Big thanks to John for coming onto the show and tackling all those questions!!

This week we talked to Alannah Conlan from Cooks Academy in South Dublin. Stomachs were rumbling in the gtb studio as we chatted about all the fantastic classes they offer. There are really affordable specialised classes, such as sushi making, tapas, sauce making and cupcakes and icing, YUM!

You could even brush up on your knife skills and learn all the tricks of the trade!!

Staying in on a Friday and reaching for the takeaway menu may be thing of the past. Gtb loves the idea of the Friday night supper club. Whether your on your own, with your partner, or with friends, head down to Cooks Academy on a Friday evening! All you need to bring is yourself and perhaps some tubberware for the leftovers. You'll have a hands-on cooking experience led my professional chef, in a casual, relaxed environment. It's a great way to meet new people and to learn some great new recipes. At the end of the evening you can chill out with your yummy creation and some Friday night glasses of wine.
With specialised classes in Thai , Indian and Chinese cooking, you may never need the take away again!!
Prices for one session start from around  €50 and there is something for everything.
Cooks Academy also offer group workshops for office parties, birthday surprises and even hen parties.
There is no excuse not to get cooking with 20% off all classes this month!

Looking for a career in cooking? make sure to check out the one month certificate course!
Check out all this and more at http://www.cooksacademy.com/

http://www.nutritionnetwork.ie/

GirlsTalkBack got to chat with nutritionist expert Deborah Staunton about all those myths surrounding food so that we can really start living healthier and happier life!

First on the top of GTB’s list of questions to ask was of course are Carbs really the devil?? And people you will be delighted to hear that NO carbohydrates are not the devil in fact they are very important to maintain a healthy diet and should be eaten regularly. Now the problem most people face is that they do not know the difference between a good and bad carb! So to make it simple anything processed is bad and anything brown is good i.e brown rice, brown pasta and of course fruit and veg!!! Also a tip which many people might not know is that you are not actually meant to eat and drink at the same time!! It is important to chew and digest your food properly first and then drink fluid after or if you prefer before your meal!! Also fact people skipping meals can cause weight gain as when hunger hits all your body craves is sugars and it will do anything to get it which usually means you reach for the junk or takeaway menu so avoid this by simply eating three meals a day with two snacks in-between!!! I

Deborah believes Irish people are improving on their eating habits and are no longer just seen as the nation who eats bacon, cabbage and spuds all day long :-). Irish people are enjoying food and are interested in learning more about it.!!
If you would like to get in contact with Deborah and speak to her in person simply call 0876410655 or you can visit her website at http://www.nutritionnetwork.ie/

Also if you act fast you could be in with a chance of getting 20% off so don’t miss out!!




Hope you enjoyed this weeks show and make sure to tune in same time next week where we will be live on Sunday from 12pm on 103.2 Dublin CIty Fm

GTB xxx

New Talent in Dublin

Here at Girlstalkback we are all for supporting our own home grown talent and this week we were very lucky to be joined by up and coming Dublin singer/songwriter Emy Onyesoh. Emy has spent the last three years on a talent visa in Los Angeles and has worked with some big names including Snoop Dogg and Multi Platinum producer Mr. Dalvin from Jodeci.


Emy seems to be taking the country by storm with his urban electro sounds. He released his first sing ‘FML’ last month and we'll see the release of his second single 'IFNOTWHYNOT' on the 9th of this month. Girlstalkback are big fans so if you haven’t heard his singles we highly recommend checking him out. This Dublin lad is one to watch out for!

We also spoke to Valerie O'Brien, author of In the Shadow of Men.  Valerie O’ Brien was born in Cork where she lived with her mother, father and four sisters before embarking on a career in the Irish Defence Forces in 1996.  Both her father and grandfather served in the army so it was inevitable that she herself would join up. She went on to become one of the first female combat soldiers in Ireland. Valerie served in both Lebanon and Eritrea with the Irish Defence Forces which motivated her to write her first book, "In the Shadow of Men - Is the Army any place for women"  Valerie served terms abroad, including the Lebanon, and found these times away from her family to taxing on her marriage and her family life.  While abroad, she found the behaviour of some of the army to be unacceptable, paying for prostitutes or sometimes having sex with women and refusing to pay them.  She says that she has no regrets about her time in the army and would do it all again.  She now works as a beautician and lives with her children in Co. Kildare.

GirlsTalkBack spoke with Anita James the women behind Ireland’s newest beauty directory - http://www.beautypage.webs.com/  

The website was set up to bring clients the best beauty and hair professionals in the country. Anita wanted to make life as easy as possible for her clients and also promote the best businesses around Ireland. Anita also makes sure that each business that advertises on her website is fully qualified in the industry they work in.

Every beauty page on the website acts as a micro site for a business. On each page you will find everything you need to know about that business including where they are based, the services they offer and their prices. All your questions can be answered straight away on this website.

With the websites ‘matchmaking service’ clients can contact Beautypage with what treatment they require, their budget and the area they live in. The website will then contact up to five professionals for you and let you know which best suits your needs. They can then book them for client if they wish. It is like your very own PA but not nearly as expensive!!!!

For all enquiries, Anita James can be reached at beautypages@ymail.com