From gender balance to parenting and smartphone use to her return to education, Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh shares her views in this frank and honest interview.
The RnaG Radio broadcaster and RTÉ TV presenter returned having recently completed a Masters in UCD and the experience had an enormous effect on the gaeilgeoir.
Bláthnaid: "The shackles of patriarchy have restricted me as a result of the gender I was born into.
"I would not swap my gender for another but how my gender should perform was decided by a patriarchal state and it has emotionally smothered me."
"I went into the world as I am and the world decided that this outspoken vivacious woman did not fit it.
"It chiseled away until I conformed to a point, and doing my Masters gave me the licence to be me and articulate my thoughts.
"In UCD I was amongst such a diverse mix of people and even the lecturers own bias position was a reminder of the reality that would always be there but now needs to be challenged."
"Home is where we learn our gender roles, the value of who we are and what we can be starts in the home.
"It was very important to me to bring my learnings home and discuss with my family and surprising I probably learned so much about my mother and my sons during my studies.
"When one feels vulnerable and like an imposter, it only takes one believer I had that in Dr. Ursula Barry she supported me during my masters and I will always be grateful."
Do you see a time where women will ever not be asked about their looks, clothes, children while their male colleagues in media and/or public life may be primarily asked about their work?
"Never, but women must demand the change without repercussions, we must remind people over and over again that we cannot and will not be undermind, humiliated and sexualised because of our gender.
"We have to be able to speak in a safe space and ask for change in behaviour without losing potential positions of employment."
"My professional experience is that if you complain you will suffer unless we change the structure of power."
Smartphones and their use amongst teens is getting a lot of bad press at the moment - how do you manage their use in your home?
"I have older children so very difficult to now discipline as they are 21, 18, 15 and 14.
"With the older two I can only recommend to leave the phones at night but they do not listen.
"I have had a few experiences recently where I had no idea that a particular Netflix drama series was the cause of certain behaviour and the communal competing on play station was not what it seems!
"So be aware ask the other siblings what might be going on, grab the headphones and listen."
"What’s the network, do you know all their friends, take a drive, ask a question... teenagers talk more when you don’t structure the chat! My experience is when you ask them for the chat they just tense up!"
You have spoken previously about having an open door policy when it comes to discussing issues with your family/children on everything...
"I never planned an approach, but I did, to their embarrassment, discuss from an early age that sex was natural but was to be enjoyed equally with consent and responsibly.
"Being curious about porn is natural but what is the backdrop to the sexual acts you are viewing.
"I reminded them to ask themselves many questions and more importantly what is the storyline to the porn ‘Woman gets puncture. Man fixes puncture. Woman is so grateful so thanks him with a sexual act’.
"Parenting is reactive we can all read articles and read parenting books but it’s like reading books about childbirth, pointless until you go through it.
"I feel I can only help them think before they act."
As a native Irish speaker, the RnaG presenter is passionate about Gaeilge which was clear to anyone who saw her recent RTÉ documentary, Lig Liom.
Bláthnaid told Siún Ní Dhuinn about the one-off show - watch the interview here.
"The Irish language is my first language and English my second, I am fluent in both but my original language, Irish and culture is part of my identity.
"My identity is how I recognise myself and how I portray myself, it is the backdrop to my life."
What about the future of Gaeilge in our schools?
"The language is constantly played like a batting ball for politicians, the language is seen as a commodity, an ‘extra’, a thorn in their sides which reflects very badly on Irish speakers.
"We as a people want recognition for being alive and here in the now, striving for our human right to be respected and acknowledged."
"When the majority of people who are English speakers speak negatively about our language it hurts, it feels like a lash and we often feel we are not wanted, accepted or understood."
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"In a world where cultures and languages live side by side, we are still striving to understand and accept. I am excited for my children to be exposed to all people and as a result, broaden their minds and their opinions."
You speak openly and passionately and seem to wear your heart on your sleeve. You have been in front of the nation since presenting on Young Peoples programming with RTÉ - what's it like growing up in the public eye, is it a positive thing for you?
"I do wear my heart on my sleeve but that is not always a good thing, I cannot change now but I have learned to gauge the room before I give too much of myself.
"Being in the public eye does not worry me at all I have been in the public eye for more than 20 years."
"Is it positive? Yes and no. It has been difficult at times but the majority of time it’s comfortable for me.
"Strangely I have recently enjoyed my own private company more where nobody expects anything of me."
"I have been lucky until now, every programme I did seemed to suit my personal life, when I did daytime I was a young mum!
"When I did current affairs I was really learning about the political structure of this country and had a natural curiosity."
"Now I am taken with gender and how society treats all genders but am struggling with that platform in RTÉ as it does not seem to fit yet for our species, it is the greatest change we have witnessed."
What do you do to unwind?
"Presently doing Crossfit and so far I like it, loving that it varies for every class but it is early days. Always loved Yoga and will return again, it seems to suit me and my body as I hold a lot of stress in my shoulders.
"I am so active in my head and body that if I am not stimulated I fear that I could take to the bed!"
