Culture That Made Me: Paula MacSweeney of Today FM picks her touchstones
Born in 1985, Paula MacSweeney grew up in Piltown, Co Kilkenny. In 2012, she started on air with Today FM, initially doing daily showbiz reports on the Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show and later presenting her own programmes, including the early breakfast show.
In 2022, she began hosting the radio station's evening show, 7pm-10pm, Monday to Thursday. She also presents a Sunday night rock music show on Today FM. See: www.todayfm.com.
A Woman's Heart
I remember my mam bought A Woman's Heart. Every household had a copy of it in 1992. As a family, we used to hop in the car – eight of us going on holiday with my granddad, so nine of us in a car; you wouldn't be allowed to do it now – and we used to drive to France, children literally hanging out the windows. We had that album on tape. I remember listening to it constantly. I knew every word from those holidays. Even though it wasn't meant for a six-year-old girl, it had a real impact on me. I loved it. I rediscovered it on Spotify a couple of years ago, and it's just beautiful.
Take That
I was a huge Take That fan. My first ever album was Take That & Party. Santy brought it for me – that's how young I was. I was about seven. I absolutely loved it, and I loved Take That throughout the Nineties.
There was a Take That vs. Boyzone rivalry; I was always Take That. I loved the five-piece. Now that Robbie has left, and I think they're down to about three, I've kinda lost interest a little bit!
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais.
I'm a huge Ricky Gervais fan. I know he's not for everyone. Some people find him too much. People love to give out about him online. With his observations, sometimes I even find myself going, 'He's gone too far, he's gone too far,' but I still love it because dark humour is something I find very funny. Comedy's gone a bit dull, so I love when Ricky Gervais goes for it. I love the way he uses satire to critique societal norms, politics, celebrity culture. Nobody is safe. He's witty. He's clever. I love him.
Britney Spears
As I grew a bit older, into my teenage years, I loved Britney Spears. She came out when I was about 13 so throughout my whole teenage years – like a lot of girls who were into pop at that age – I was obsessed with Britney. Because we didn't have social media at the time – and she was being absolutely harassed by paparazzi – I was one of those buying the magazines to see what she was up to. I owned every album. I knew every word. I love her.
Lily Allen
I'm an enormous Lily Allen fan. I've loved her since 2004-2005 – when she was young and very new. She hasn't released music since 2018. It's been quite a while, and she only has four albums. I went to see her when she was on at Electric Picnic in 2014. I'll never forget it. She was on early in the day. It was Sunday, maybe about 6pm, so it was bright. I was waiting for her set all year. I was so excited to go and see her. She was promoting her album, Sheezus, which probably is her worst album. I'll never forget standing there with a cup of warm beer, in a field, it had been raining, and I felt the happiest I'd ever been. I'd finally got to see her live on stage, and it was magnificent.
Gavin & Stacey
Gavin & Stacey.
I'm very passionate about Gavin & Stacey. The word play in it is clever. James Corden and Ruth Jones are phenomenal writers. The characters are so clever, so well-developed. I love the character arc as well from when they started 20 years ago to that amazing Christmas special finish. Their finale made my Christmas. Every line was perfect. It's like a warm hug on the TV. It's my go-to whenever I need a little pick-me-up. It's gorgeous TV.
The Sopranos
My favourite TV box set of all time is The Sopranos. It's perfect – the characters, the storylines are amazing. There are unexpected twists. Nobody was safe in that show. It explores the American dream, and what it takes to obtain that. There's nuanced exploration of stuff like identity, loyalty, the human condition. Tony Soprano is so multidimensional. He's flawed. He's brilliant. He's funny. I've probably watched it from start to finish at least 10 times in my life. Every time I watch it, I find something new that I hadn't seen or heard before. It's so entertaining.
The Pillars of the Earth
The best book I've read is Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth. He's an extraordinary writer. It's set in the twelfth century, in England during a time of political turmoil, religious strife, and the construction of a magnificent cathedral. He travelled around Europe years before writing his book to understand architecture and how these cathedrals were built. That side of the book is very detailed. Even though I didn't find that bit particularly interesting, it's so powerful. The drama is gripping. It has complex characters. It's a rich tapestry of human experience, with insight into human ambition, and the power of the church. It's brilliant historical fiction. The book had a profound effect on me. I remember finishing it thinking I want to restart it.
Ian Dempsey
Ian Dempsey.
I loved Ian Dempsey on RTÉ 2fm. I remember, in my teens, the moment when Today FM announced, 'Look who we've poached for breakfast' and he moved to Today FM. It was such a big deal. It was huge news. Everybody was talking about it. I was a huge fan. All I ever wanted to do was work with Ian Dempsey. It was a life goal. It's funny because we've worked together now for, like, 13-14 years. He's the greatest of the greatest, and he's only getting better. There's no slowing down.
Then She Was Gone
I read seven Lisa Jewell books in a month about six months ago because of this book of hers, Then She Was Gone. Some of her books are better than others. Then She Was Gone is full of suspense and mystery. I couldn't put it down. It is sad, I have to say. It's a hard read at some points – because some of the best things are – but it's brilliant. The book has it all. It has amazing twists, a real page turner.
The Baby Tribe
I have three children aged six, four, and two. I've come out of my era of listening constantly to parenting podcasts, but The Baby Tribe is a podcast I listened to religiously for about two years. It's hosted by Professor Afif El-Khuffash, a neonatologist in the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, and his wife, Dr Anne Doherty, who is an anaesthesiologist. It's evidence-based fun, and ways to learn about stuff. There's no opinion. It's all 'according to research', which is so reassuring. They have some good guests on it as well. It's very good.
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