Topics covered : The Traitors, growing up in Direct Provision, football career, injury, grief, Lupus diagnosis, faith, 2023 Dublin riots, racism.

This week, I’m joined by one of the winners of the very first series of The Traitors Ireland — Vanessa Ogbonna.

But her story stretches far beyond reality TV.

Vanessa once chased a bright future in football until injury and illness forced a dramatic change of course.

In this conversation, while she touches briefly on her time on The Traitors, she mainly opens up about the moments that shaped her life: navigating a lupus diagnosis that altered everything, losing her father, growing up in Direct Provision, and her experience of being a Black woman in Ireland.

You can catch her every week on United FC on RTÉ alongside Jordan Conroy, and you can also catch up with episodes on the RTÉ Player.

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