We still ‘Feelgood' after 25 years

Irish Examiner

25-04-2025

Cherry trees are bursting out all over in blousy candy-pink blossoms. The exuberant seasonal display is a reminder of Feelgood's birthday, and even more so this year, as we celebrate 25 years around the sun.
Much has changed in Feelgood since the first edition rolled off the presses. And while women have increasingly found their collective voice, our focus has shifted.
More than 14,000 articles have been published, most reflecting the concerns and interests of their time. It would be overambitious to comment on each one, so, instead, I've decided to look at the standout themes and developments.
Body politics
Our early editions followed in the footsteps of popular women's magazines, so it was natural that weight loss was a recurring theme. Tabloid-style headlines, such as 'Hotpants diet' and 'Drop a dress size' and 'Get beach ready,' were commonplace. Gradually, the focus shifted to health and well-being, regardless of body size.
Feelgood now has articles on building strength, improving flexibility, and eating well for overall health — not weight loss. A January 2020 cover story on intuitive eating, headlined, 'What diet? Eating what you want, when you want it', neatly captures our stance on body positivity.
However, some sectors of society remain fixated on body size. The parade of super-thin female celebrities on the red carpet, for example, points to entrenched, oppressive standards.
The arrival of the drug semaglutide, known as Ozempic, in 2017, has been a game-changer. It was first prescribed for type 2 diabetes, and quickly rolled out as a treatment for obesity, which is now regarded as a disease. Highly influential talk-show host Oprah Winfrey described how the drug turned down the volume on food noise and she acknowledged using it as a 'maintenance tool' in 2023. (She left the board of WeightWatchers a year later.)
The interest in the drug shows no signs of diminishing. Nearly every time we publish an article about Ozempic, we see a spike in online interest. A recent one on the TikTok obsession with 'oatzempic' — a filling blend of oats, lime juice, and water — also drew a large readership. (You're welcome, Flavahans.)
Let's talk about sex
From the outset, Feelgood didn't shy away from sex. We aimed to open the discussion about what makes it good and satisfying. The lad culture of the '90s did little to encourage intimate communication between couples.
But by the noughties, the ground was shifting, thanks to progressive writers who weren't afraid to talk about sexual organs, vibrators, and orgasms. In 2013, sex columnist Suzi Godson joined Feelgood.
Her unique blend of psychology, research, and common sense encourages readers to embrace and enjoy sex for all its life-giving and joyful qualities.
In 2013, sex columnist Suzi Godson joined Feelgood. Picture: David Bebber
The explosion of the #MeToo movement in 2017 revealed the depth and breadth of sexual harassment in the entertainment business, with sex seen as an entitlement by some in positions of power. But sexual power politics also play out in our everyday lives.
We've run numerous articles on consent in Feelgood to highlight what constitutes a good sexual experience. Sex educator Olivia Teahan put it eloquently, when she wrote last year: 'Knowing and owning our body is where the magic happens.'
Consent education programmes are going a long way towards making sex safe and enjoyable for couples.
Irish students' unions picked up the baton, running campaigns with catchy titles, such as SHAG and SHIFT, to highlight why consent cannot be assumed and why it's essential to keep checking in with your partner. (The sex scene between Connell and Marianne in Normal People in 2020 is a masterclass.)
Menopause for thought
When Feelgood first started running stories about menopause, it was difficult to get women to come forward and speak about what they were going through. The stigma went deep. However, some were determined to break the mould.
In a 2012 article, author Sheila Flanagan, singer Mary Coughlan, and social entrepreneur Mary Davis discussed the impact of hormonal changes on their lives, including how it affected their sense of femininity. Six years later, we were keen to initiate a discussion about supporting women in the workplace who were experiencing menopause, but we struggled to find an HR expert to discuss it with us — one laughed at the suggestion.
But all was about to change.
On May 5, 2021, Sallyanne Brady, founder of the support group the Irish Menopause, spoke to RTÉ's Liveline about the 'living hell of menopause'. Her raw honesty opened the floodgates. Such was the response that a dedicated phone line was established.
Davina McCall is on a mission to end the silent misery many women experience during perimenopause and menopause. Picture: TUI Blue/PA.
A week later, Davina McCall stormed onto our screens in a Channel 4 documentary about menopause. She wanted to end the silent misery many women experience during perimenopause and menopause, and argued that HRT should be brought in from the cold.
HRT was widely used in the US and Europe from the early 1970s. However, in 2002, the Women's Health Initiative, an American study of more than 16,000 women, reported that breast cancer rates rose in HRT users. The findings hit the headlines around the world, leading to millions of women stopping their hormonal treatment. However, the study was discredited years later.
In October 2022, the Bank of Ireland introduced an extensive menopause support policy, leading the way for other companies to follow.
The public debate continued to build with two national menopause summits held in Dublin (March) and Cork (October) in 2023, headlined by Davina McCall and Mariella Frostrup, respectively. I attended both events and was struck by the women's willingness to speak openly and honestly about the impact menopause had on their lives. They were no longer prepared to suffer silently.
Laura Dowling — aka the Fabulous Pharmacist — is on a mission to educate women about their bodies, particularly their vulvas. Picture: Moya Nolan.
Into this shame-free space stepped Dublin pharmacist Laura Dowling — aka the Fabulous Pharmacist — who is on a mission to educate women about their bodies, particularly their vulvas.
Dowling was a Feelgood guest columnist in 2024, covering topics such as vaginal thrush, sex, and orgasms, her trademark directness bouncing off every line.
Proving that women's health education could be fun, she hosted the Viva La Vulva roadshow — a sassy and entertaining event encouraging women to be proactive about their health and to get support when needed, be it for urinary incontinence or a flatlining libido.
The Women's Health Taskforce, established in September 2019, deserves credit for the positive impact it has had across the country.
We now have free contraception for females aged between 17 and 35, six regional fertility hubs, specialist menopause clinics, and community-based period poverty initiatives.
While a new scheme to provide free HRT for women was scheduled to commence in January 2025, it has yet to be delivered.
Covid and lockdown
The first lockdown was announced in March 2020, and we switched from daily commutes and busy offices to working from home. The weather that April was glorious, and many took the opportunity to work on their gardens, repaint the house, or even build a new patio.
Fitness instructors quickly pivoted to online platforms, offering live and recorded classes to their clients. For many, it was an ideal opportunity to increase their fitness in the comfort of their sitting room. Feelgood also played our part, featuring Greg O'Shea's workout advice, along with Maeve Madden, and Ray Lally, also known as the Happy Fitness Guy.
However, fear of the virus was never far from the surface and was not unfounded. Some 1.7m cases were reported in Ireland and 9,791 deaths up to December 2024.
Almost 90% of those who died were over 65. Those over 70 were told to cocoon at home, and while it was intended to protect them, the cost was profound. Loneliness and lack of outdoor exercise proved crippling for many. In response, Feelgood ran a special report in May 2020, asking readers to describe their experience. A 67-year-old man from Galway bleakly reported that lockdown had 'robbed me of hugs from my adult children and grandchildren, all of whom I love dearly'.
Young adults on the cusp of independence also felt the brunt of covid restrictions. In a joint project with youth charity SpunOut, Feelgood surveyed more than 1,400 third-level students. Some 70% said they were 'anxious', 60% felt 'uncertain', and 34% described themselves as 'sad'. Additionally, 28% were 'pessimistic' and 25% were 'fearful'.
Few want to dwell on the pandemic. Yet, its impact lingers, from those who are still battling long covid to young children who missed key developmental opportunities afforded by family and social gatherings.
Trailblazing women
Cervical cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan sent shockwaves around the country in 2018, when she addressed a knot of reporters outside the High Court, after winning her case against Clinical Pathology Laboratories.
She surrendered her privacy so other women would know that theirs was not an isolated case and would seek compensation for the laboratories' failure to identify their false negative smear tests.
Vicky Phelan sent shockwaves around the country in 2018, when she addressed a knot of reporters outside the High Court, after winning her case against Clinical Pathology Laboratories. Picture: Naomi Gaffey.
It was a privilege to work with her the following year, when she guest edited a special Feelgood edition to mark International Women's Day. One of the articles she was proudest of was on the impact of brachytherapy, internal radiation that, while killing off deadly cancer cells, can damage the vagina to the extent it makes sex impossible. No topic was off limits for this trailblazer.
Phelan had plans to do more work around raising awareness about cervical cancer, but time was not on her side. To mark the first anniversary of her death, in November 2023, Feelgood realised her wish to promote cervical screening, with a hint of her trademark mischievous sense of humour. Our creative campaign, 'Read My Lips,' was supported by high-profile Irish women who wanted to drive home Vicky's critical message. It was rolled out across print, social media, video, and audio and received a record response from readers online.
Last month, another woman on a mission collaborated on a special Feelgood edition on bowel cancer. Dr Sarah Fitzgibbon was working as a GP when she was diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer in 2014. She responded well to treatment and returned to work.
However, last summer, the mother of three was told the cancer had returned and that she needed further treatment.
Dr Sarah Fitzgibbon collaborated on a special edition on bowel cancer.
Although still under medical care, she played a central role in shaping the content, advising on the main themes, connecting us with experts, and giving feedback on submitted articles.
While most would understandably retreat, Fitzgibbon has, instead, used her illness as a platform to educate us about bowel cancer. And for those who find it difficult to contemplate taking a sample of their poo to BowelScreen, she pointed out in an article: 'People happily stand in the middle of the street manhandling their dog's poo with a flimsy plastic bag, yet a potentially life-saving interaction with our waste product seems a step too far for some.'
Challenging times
We are now faced with other, troubling global challenges: The climate crisis that is gathering pace, grinding war in Gaza and Ukraine with no end in sight, and recent US trade tariffs that have left markets in a tailspin. These are matters over which ordinary citizens have little control. However, we do have agency over how we live our daily lives.
I hope that the articles you find, and continue to find, in our Feelgood will help you live your best life. Your loyalty to us over the years is what brings us to our desks every day.
In the push and pull to publish, week in, week out, somehow 25 years have passed. Each and every edition has been powered by a band of mostly freelance journalists who conduct interviews, carry out in-depth research, check facts, and weave all the strands together to make a coherent article. Their ongoing commitment deserves praise and recognition.
Special appreciation goes to talented deputy production editor Jay Carcione, whose unique design stamp has been on every page since he joined our department.
My colleagues recently organised a party to celebrate our milestone anniversary. Looking around the crowded room, I could only think of how Feelgood is possible because of the combined efforts of all departments, from advertising and marketing to graphics, picture desk, social media, page design, subbing, printing, and distribution.
To quote a line from John Spillane's joyful The Dance of the Cherry Trees: 'Well done, everyone, well done.'
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