This week on The Mind Full Podcast, I’m joined by a man who wears many hats, Niall “Bressie” Breslin. From professional rugby player and frontman of The Blizzards to mental health advocate, podcaster, and author, Niall’s career has been nothing short of extraordinary.
In our conversation, we get stuck into the concept of “mental wealth” and how it shapes his work, from his charity A Lust for Life to his latest Audible series, Madman’s Hotel. Whether you’re here for the mindfulness tips, the inspiring journey, or a bit of everything, this episode has something for everyone.
The Mind Full Podcast is the latest offering in Dermot Whelan’s highly successful Mind Full adventure. The Mind Full Podcast is a home for people whose minds are…well, full! Dermot explores the topics that can help us to calm a frantic mind, understand our behaviour and explore our own potential.
With a new topic of focus each week in discussion with an exciting array of guests ranging from Hollywood stars, musicians and broadcasters to expert technical contributors from the world of science, listeners will get the best information to help them make positive changes in their lives and create that mental space to live their days with more joy.
As a certified meditation teacher, Dermot also presents his own expertise through weekly guided meditations and answering callers’ questions.
It’s serious transformation, without being too serious!
Visit www.dermotwhelan.com for more information.
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This week on the show we have another amazing guest – a former professional rugby player with European giants Leinster, lead singer with one of Ireland’s best known bands, The Blizzards, star of TV’s The Voice, mindfulness expert, mental health advocate, award-winning podcaster, philanthropist, best-selling author – Niall “Bressie” Breslin is my very special guest for today. It has been a long time coming but I think the timing for our chat is just perfect and I know you’re going to love it.
In this fascinatingly informative and insightful conversation, Niall speaks about the crucial role that mental health structures play in the country, the failings and solutions. Niall also discusses his powerful new audio series, which is exclusive to Audible “Madman’s Hotel.” An incredible mix of storytelling, podcast and documentary, Madman’s Hotel traces the story of Mullingar’s St Loman’s “lunatic asylum” as they were known in a different time which was founded in 1855 and closed in 2013. It tells the story of one patient in particular, Julia Leonard and the tragic journey her life took which brought her to spend her days behind the imposing grey walls in Westmeath and the programme also aims to shed light on a mental health system tearing at the seams and explores the mysterious disappearance of 1300 graves.
The Mind Full Podcast is proudly sponsored by WHOOP, the world’s most advanced fitness and health wearable. For one month’s free subscription on us just use this link!
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And don’t forget!
Dermot Whelan Live – The Busy and Wrecked Tour is coming to a theatre near you from Jan 2nd 2025.
Tickets are on sale now so check out dermotwhelan.com for all the details and I can’t wait to get back out on the road and meet you all. The show will be a mix of comedy, craic, meditation and inspiration and hopefully an evening where you can relax and have a laugh and pick up some useful and fun tools too. If you’ve been feeling wound up, worn down, snowed under or bowled over this is the show for you so grab your stressed-out besties and your bedraggled partners, and join me as I travel all over Ireland and beyond and we’ll un-wreck our heads and destress our lives together. Incidentally, I love to see teenagers at my shows too – you just gotta be over 14.
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Niall Breslin, From Rugby to Rock to Mental Health Advocacy
For those unfamiliar with Bressie, his journey started in Mullingar, where he excelled in Gaelic football before playing professional rugby with Leinster. After leaving the pitch, he found his true calling in music, becoming the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for The Blizzards, while also releasing solo work.
Niall’s 2015 memoir, Me and My Mate Jeffrey, was a game-changer. Through his candid storytelling, he personified his anxiety disorder as “Jeffrey” and offered practical advice for navigating mental health challenges. The book resonated deeply, earning him the Irish Book Award for Popular Non-Fiction.
Since then, Niall has continued to lead important conversations about mental health, hosting podcasts like Where Is My Mind? and Wake Up/Wind Down, which combine mindfulness and meditation with everyday insights.
Shedding Light on Forgotten Stories: Madman’s Hotel
One of the most compelling parts of our chat was Niall’s Audible-exclusive series, Madman’s Hotel. This deeply personal project uncovers the history of St. Loman’s Asylum in Mullingar, delving into the lives of its patients, including Julia Leonard, whose tragic story highlights the failures of Ireland’s mental health system.
The series also explores the mysterious disappearance of 1,300 graves, using storytelling and documentary techniques to bring these forgotten narratives to life. It’s a stark reminder of how far we’ve come, and how far we still need to go, in addressing mental health care.
Why Mental Wealth Matters
For Niall, “mental wealth” is about more than individual well-being, it’s about creating systems that prioritise early intervention and meaningful support. Through his charity A Lust for Life and his academic work, including a PhD in mindfulness, he’s pushing for change at every level.
This conversation is packed with inspiration, insights, and practical advice for anyone looking to prioritise their mental health or better understand how to support others.
Listen Now
Tune in to The Mind Full Podcast to hear Niall Breslin’s inspiring journey and his vision for a mentally healthier world. It’s an episode filled with heart, humour, and a call to action for all of us.
The Mind Full Podcast is the latest offering in Dermot Whelan’s highly successful Mind Full adventure. The Mind Full Podcast is a home for people whose minds are…well, full! Dermot explores the topics that can help us to calm a frantic mind, understand our behaviour and explore our own potential.
With a new topic of focus each week in discussion with an exciting array of guests ranging from Hollywood stars, musicians and broadcasters to expert technical contributors from the world of science, listeners will get the best information to help them make positive changes in their lives and create that mental space to live their days with more joy.
As a certified meditation teacher, Dermot also presents his own expertise through weekly guided meditations and answering callers’ questions.
It’s serious transformation, without being too serious!
Visit www.dermotwhelan.com for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week I’m joined by world record endurance athlete, entrepreneur, TV star, podcaster and all-round reformed rogue – Spencer Matthews. Spencer is living proof that you can go from Made in Chelsea, to made for greatness. His adventures have seen him travel to the furthest reaches of the globe including on a journey to find the body of his brother Michael who perished at age 22 after reaching the summit of Everest, an expedition outlined in the award-winning documentary Finding Michael.
While you might know Spencer from reality TV, but these days he’s less ‘Pimm’s o’clock’ and more ‘get up at 5am, meditate, then casually run 26 miles before breakfast.’ He’s just smashed a world record by running 30 marathons in 30 days through sand dunes and searing heat—raising over half a million euro for mental health charities, which is incredible. He also ran around a track for 24 hours straight and what’s more is he’s following that up by doing 7 full Ironman triathlons on 7 continents in 4 weeks. Because apparently one Ironman just wasn’t stressful enough!
If you’re new to the series, why not take the time to go back and catch up on the wonderful interviews that you may have missed!
Visit www.dermotwhelan.com for more information and don’t forget my new book Busy and Wrecked is out now!
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