For most of us, war is something we witness from a distance. For Sally Hayden, it's become her life's work. This week, Claire Byrne meets the award-winning Irish journalist whose reporting has taken her from refugee camps to conflict zones across almost 40 countries.  

Together they explore what it means to live in or return to places most people are desperate to escape, how ordinary people endure extraordinary circumstances, and why telling those stories still matters. 

Sally reflects on fear, resilience, the emotional toll of bearing witness, and the moments of humanity, humour and hope that survive even in the darkest places. And Claire wonders: can anyone truly prepare themselves for a career spent documenting war?  

This Is Also A Love Story by Sally Hayden is published by 4th Estate.