Guests include Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Johnny Logan, Alice Taylor, Tony Holohan, Adi Roche, Tol Makay, Jason Smyth and Naomi Long
Joe Duffy returns this September with a new series of The Meaning of Life, in which public and influential figures reveal how their lives have shaped, or been shaped by, their experiences, choices, values and beliefs. An extended interview with former Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin will mark the 100th episode of the programme when the new series starts on September 3rd on RT One.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin talks candidly and emotionally about dealing with the clerical child sex abuse scandals in his former Archdiocese of Dublin, sharing his insights into the behaviour and motivation of perpetrators, their impact on victims, and how publicly addressing that wrong became a priority for him, despite resistance from within the Church. With remarkable honesty, he reveals the difficulties he faced as a seminarian.
Over the course of the 17th season of the programme, Joe also speaks with legendary three-time Eurovision winner, Johnny Logan, popular Irish author, Alice Taylor; former Presidential candidate and founding CEO of Chernobyl Children's International, Adi Roche, World Champion and Gold Medal-winning sprinter, Jason Smyth, singer-songwriter, Tol Makay, former Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, and Alliance Party Leader, Naomi Long.
Joe Duffy said: I am so proud that in this new series of The Meaning of Life we will reach the 100th episode of the programme on September 3rd 2023. I have always believed that the Meaning of Life style interview in depth, personal, brilliantly and meticulously researched has an important place in the schedule of the national public broadcaster. As a young broadcaster, I deeply admired the work of Irish psychiatrist, the late Dr Anthony Clare. As a qualified Social Worker and Family Therapist, I have tried to add those skills with those I've learned in my three decades in broadcasting.
I was deeply honoured that the interviewees in this series, from former Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, singer Johnny Logan, writer Alice Taylor, the remarkable Adi Roche, the former Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan, and many others opened up in such a frank and intimate way about their understanding of The Meaning of Life.
Roger Childs, Commissioning Editor of Religious Content at RT said: It'll never work - two people sitting in a room, talking about God. Who's going to watch that?' As The Meaning of Life enters its 17th season and passes the milestone of 100 episodes, Gay Byrne's own amusingly downbeat first assessment of The Meaning of Life has, thankfully, not proved to be accurate. Presidents, Taoisaigh, rockstars, writers, athletes, actors, politicians, showbiz personalities, scientists, philanthropists, religious leaders, business leaders and, perhaps most memorably, Stephen Fry, have all taken turns to sit in what Gay called the chair opposite , making the series into a Who's Who? of modern Irish life. As Joe Duffy returns for his fourth season at the helm, the series continues to be a hit with guests and audiences.
The Meaning of Life airs for 8 weeks at 22:30pm on RT One & RT Player from September 3rd.
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