Boxer Katie Taylor, Baroness Margaret Hodge, The impact of having an absent father.

Nuala McGovern (0:00)

Hello, this is Nuala McGovern, and you're listening to the Woman's Hour podcast. Hello and welcome to the program. Well, this hour, Labour peer Margaret Hodge, from a stateless child to now a member of the House of Lords. We're going to hear about her life story as published this week in her memoir, Battleaxe. Also today, a very moving interview with our listener, Julie, who responded to our request for stories about the impact of an absent father. Julie begins the conversation in our series this week, Daddy Issues. Hers is such a compelling account. Plus, can you think of a time that you quit while you were ahead? Top of your game, in your prime, and you walked away.

Where were you? What were you doing? Why did you make that decision? You can text the program, the number is 84844 on social media or at BBC Woman's Hour or you can email us through our website. For WhatsApp message or voice note, that number is 3 700 100 444

And I'm thinking about that this morning as I spent Saturday night watching the Irish boxer, Katie Taylor, electrify a packed stadium as she fought for the final time before retiring. Definitely ending on a high. Now she knew when she wanted to go and how to make that happen. Is that you? Or instead are you thinking of a time when you stayed way too long and in retrospect, it's clear you should have walked away, oh, so much earlier. Why are we doing that story? Because once upon a time, a 10 year old girl wanted to box. She wanted to be a fighter. She wasn't allowed to as a girl. So she drew her ponytail up into her helmet and pretended to be a boy to get into the ring.

30 years later, that little girl is now a woman who sold out a stadium, Croke Park in Dublin. Over 80,000 people turned out to see Katie Taylor perform one last time before she laid down her boxing gloves in the most spectacular farewell as she retires. Katie is considered by many Ireland's greatest athlete and one of the greatest female boxers of all time. So with me to discuss is Ireland's first female world boxing champion, Deidre Gogarty.

Good to have you with us Deidre.

Deidre Gogarty (2:16)

Great to be here. Thanks for having me.

Nuala McGovern (2:18)

You're now a coach and an inspiration to Katie as a child, which we will hear all about. Also on the line is the sports writer, broadcaster, boxing pundit, Steve Bunce, or Buncey as many of them will know you Steve.

If you're listening to Five Live Boxing with Steve, great to have you on with us. How would you describe what happened on Saturday night?

Steve Bunce (2:38)

Well, I'm not sure where to start because Fairy Tower and Dream Come True and Trailblazer and Exit, all of that stuff seems inadequate. Eighty three thousand people there for her and an impossible dream all those years ago, as you said, when she was posing as a boy. What I find amazing about that clip is that she said she put her blinkers on. Well, I did her walk. She came through Muhammad Ali's tunnel. Okay, and I did it at two in the afternoon in front of about 200 men in yellow jackets. And even I was getting nervous because she's six foot up in the air on her own. She's got flames either side of her. She's got 83,000 people. You've still got the echo of both Westlife and a rendition of Grace that left everybody in tears. And she was the calmest human being in the building. She's built differently, trust me. Plus, and I'll just say one thing. I know you claim you were there, but so do about 5,000 extra people already. But it may be proof going forward.

Nuala McGovern (3:31)

I have to say, I was very lucky. I went by myself, got a single seat. Maybe that was why I was able to get a ticket and happened to be in front of that platform where she does the ring walk. And I will echo what you said. She walks out, she's very religious. She has a psalm that she quotes constantly. And she had a song that she came out that is a Christian song. Arms extended and took a moment on the corner of that ring walk to stop and look around.

I was, I would say, so struck, almost struck dumb, which is very seldom, in the sense of how much she was in possession of that moment and in possession of that stadium. I was struck a five foot five woman, maybe 139 pounds, commanding 83,000 people in the palm of her hand, really, as she made her way towards the ring. So yes, I was there, Steve, and shall continue to claim so.