From the start, the energy is high with laughs, stories, and excitement about upcoming guests — including a big name from Mrs. Brown’s Boys. The conversation quickly moves into hilarious encounters with celebrities, awkward photo moments, and what it’s really like behind the scenes in entertainment.

Sherin then gets real about confidence, appearance, and the pressure of social media, opening up on how it affects mindset — especially in a world where everything is on camera. The episode blends humor with honesty as the pair dive into podcasting, content creation, and how social media has completely changed the game for comedians and creators.

As things progress, the chat shifts deeper — covering identity, professionalism, and the different “hats” people wear in life. There’s also plenty of raw discussion on current issues, from rising costs and daily stress to media influence and the constant noise of modern life.

It’s funny, real, and unpredictable — a mix of banter, personal insight, and genuine moments that capture exactly what this podcast is all about.

00:00 – Intro & Chaos Opening
High-energy start, jokes, and introduction to Episode 27.

00:10 – Podcast Welcome & Hosts Intro
Welcoming listeners and introducing the crew.

00:35 – Teasing Upcoming Guest
Discussion about a long-awaited guest and excitement around it.

01:00 – Mrs. Brown’s Boys Story
Behind-the-scenes chat about how the show started and its success.

04:00 – Celebrity Encounter Story
Joe shares a story about meeting an actor from a major film/TV production.

06:40 – Networking & Guests
Talking about reaching out to potential guests and growing the podcast.

07:40 – Social Media & Appearance Pressure
Sherin opens up about insecurities, filters, and how podcasts expose reality.

10:40 – Photo Culture & Vanity
Funny discussion about how everyone only checks themselves in group photos.

11:50 – Awkward Selfies with Celebrities
Relatable stories about bad photos with famous people.

13:20 – Meeting Comedians Story
A hilarious story about meeting a well-known comedian and taking photos.

15:30 – VIP Party with Coldplay
Story about attending an exclusive event and phone restrictions.

16:30 – Empowerment Speaking & Career Talk
Sherin talks about her work and public speaking.

17:40 – Comedy Career & Industry Changes
How social media has changed the comedy scene and opportunities.

19:30 – Purpose of the Podcast
Why they moved beyond just comedy guests to broader conversations.

21:00 – Professional vs Personal Identity
Balancing different “roles” in life and being yourself in different spaces.

24:00 – Content Creation Reality
Honest talk about likes, followers, and why people care.

26:00 – Consistency & Growth on Social Media
Challenges of maintaining content while juggling life.

30:00 – Audience Engagement Debate
Discussion about asking people to follow/subscribe.

32:00 – Traffic & Fuel Crisis Talk
Real-life frustrations and current issues affecting daily life.

36:00 – Cost of Living & Taxes
Deep dive into fuel prices and financial pressure.

38:30 – Conspiracies & Media Influence
Debate around news, perception, and “scaremongering.”

42:00 – Mental Health & Avoiding News Overload
Choosing peace over constant negative information.

45:00 – Favourite Podcast Guests
Reflecting on past guests and standout moments.

49:00 – Emotional Guest Story
Discussion about a powerful and emotional previous episode.

51:00 – Future Plans & Podcast Growth
Ideas for improving content, clips, and bringing guests back.

In this episode, Joe sits down with shamanic practitioner Matthew Stevens for a deep, raw, and eye-opening conversation about spirituality, healing, and altered states of consciousness.

Matthew shares his personal journey from corporate life and deep grief into the world of shamanism, including powerful experiences with ayahuasca in Ireland and Peru. The lads dive into everything from DMT, mushrooms, and plant medicine to meditation, soul retrieval, and the idea of multiple spiritual realms.

This episode balances curiosity, skepticism, and real-life experience—covering both the potential benefits and serious risks of these practices. It’s a fascinating listen for anyone interested in mental health, spirituality, or exploring consciousness beyond the everyday.

⏱️ Timecodes

00:00 – Intro & Welcome Back
High-energy intro, Joe sets the tone and introduces Episode 26.

00:10 – Meet Matthew Stevens
Introduction to Matthew, his work as a shamanic practitioner, and how Joe discovered him.

01:00 – Joe’s Curiosity About Ayahuasca
Joe talks about learning from YouTube and his fascination with plant medicine.

02:30 – What Ayahuasca Actually Is
Matthew explains ayahuasca, DMT, and how the brew works in the body.

04:00 – Matthew’s Origin Story
Losing both parents, depression, and the start of his spiritual journey.

05:30 – The “Calling” & First Ceremony
How a chance encounter led Matthew to his first ayahuasca experience.

06:45 – First Ayahuasca Experience (Intense Story)
Fear, “splitting,” and being guided through the experience by a shaman.

08:15 – Other Realms Explained
Introduction to shamanic journeying, drumming, and altered states without drugs.

09:30 – Life Transformation After Ayahuasca
How that one experience changed Matthew’s direction completely.

10:30 – Training & Peru Experience
Trips to the Amazon, working with shamans, and differences between traditions.

12:00 – What Is Shamanism Really?
Breaking down misconceptions—spiritual practice vs religion.

13:00 – Do You Need Plant Medicine?
Why most shamans don’t actually rely on psychedelics.

14:00 – The Three Worlds (Shamanic Cosmology)
Middle world, lower world, upper world explained.

16:00 – Joe on Wanting the Experience
Joe opens up about wanting to try ayahuasca himself.

17:30 – Real-Life Transformation Stories
Stories of people healing relationships and addictions through ceremonies.

19:00 – Risks & Warnings
Matthew discusses bad experiences and why guidance is crucial.

20:30 – Different Types of DMT Experiences
Ayahuasca vs smoked DMT vs frog medicine.

22:00 – Set, Setting & Safety
Why environment and intention matter massively.

23:30 – Meditation & Daily Practice
How meditation can reach similar states over time.

25:00 – Stress, Health & Modern Life
Discussion on stress, illness, and disconnect from nature.

27:00 – Matthew’s Background
Growing up in Ballyfermot, early spiritual experiences as a child.

29:00 – Corporate Life vs Spiritual Calling
Balancing a pharma career with shamanic work.

30:00 – Leaving the Job & Taking the Leap
Matthew opens up about walking away from corporate life.

31:30 – Why More People Are Getting Sick
Stress, diet, modern lifestyle discussion.

33:00 – Psychedelics & Society
Why substances like LSD were suppressed historically.

35:00 – Death, DMT & the Afterlife Concept
Deep discussion on death, consciousness, and crossing over.

37:00 – Shared DMT Experiences
Why so many people report seeing the same entities.

40:00 – Retreats & Real-Life Practice
What actually happens on Matthew’s retreats.

41:30 – Shamanic Tools (Hapé Explained)
Breakdown of the tobacco snuff and how it’s used.

44:00 – Soul Retrieval Explained
One of the most powerful concepts—recovering lost parts of yourself.

47:30 – Healing, Grief & Letting Go
Emotional healing and processing trauma.

48:30+ – Death, Dying & Spiritual Support
Working with people at end-of-life and emotional closure.

🎙️ Joe Irish & Shirin Podcast — Episode Description

Guest: Shane McCarty aka "takelife.back"

In this brilliant first episode of the Joe Irish and Shirin podcast, the lads are joined by the one and only Shane McCarty — better known as the takelife.back — for a rollercoaster of a chat that goes from hair transplants and toupees to heartbreaking stories of the care system, addiction, loss, and community advocacy. Shane opens up like never before, sharing raw, emotional and at times hilarious stories from his life. This one has it all — laughs, tears, and real talk. Don't miss it.

⏱️ Timecodes

00:00 — Welcome to the Joe Irish & Shirin Podcast! Introducing special guest Shane McCarty aka "takelife.back"

01:30 — Hair chat begins — Joe's hair transplant, Shane's toupee ("hair replacement system"), and the lads comparing their follicle journeys

05:00 — Shane's toupee revealed: what it is, how it works, and why it looks so good ("20 years younger!")

08:00 — The feedback and trolls after going public with the hair system; why Shane did it

10:30 — Joe talks about his own hair transplant and the reaction from people around him

11:20 — Mushrooms, mental health, and medicinal conversations — Joe opens up about struggling with anxiety before the podcast

13:00 — Shane talks about his work with the Red Door Project and how he found a way out of the cycle of drink and drugs

16:00 — Shane's proposal story: getting down on one knee in Bosnia (hungover!) and the video that only caught the last two seconds

24:00 — Shane & Shirin discuss what it means for men to speak openly about trauma — and why it matters

28:00 — The care system: Shane shares he went into a boys' home at 15, the last stop after foster homes didn't work out

31:00 — The heartbreaking moment Shane found out his sister had passed while he was in care — and the fear that he might have the same illness

34:00 — Shane on turning pain into power: why he speaks out and what keeps him going

35:00 — Generational trauma, coping mechanisms, and creating an "alternative reality" to survive

36:00 — Shane talks about his mother and forgiving without always getting answers

38:00 — Life inside the boys' home: the abuse, the punishments, sitting upright for hours, and standing up to authority as a teenager

41:00 — The school incident: being grabbed by the throat in front of his entire class and told to say he fell down the stairs

49:00 — Shane's relationship with his dad and visiting him in the nursing home in later years

54:00 — Community, politics, and why people from disadvantaged backgrounds make the best advocates for change

56:00 — Could Shane run for councillor? The lads debate politics and accountability in government

57:00 — What is Shane's vision? His dream of an aftercare project for young adults leaving the care system

59:30 — The lack of community and role models in today's society vs. growing up on the streets with neighbours looking out for each other

01:01:30 — Respect, devilment, and the difference between generations — Shane gets emotional reflecting on how far he's come

01:03:00 — Wrapping up: Shane reflects on his mental health journey and what he's achieved against all the odds

01:04:10 — Shoutouts, future plans for the podcast, and a mention of their first sponsor Sister Sheds 🎉

01:07:15 — Follow Shane! Find him as "Take Back Your Life" on Instagram and TikTok

01:08:40 — Sign off with co-host Jamie and a big thank you from the whole crew