As she turns 80, academic and activist Ailbhe Smyth is feeling energetic and upbeat. Surrounded by bunting in The Irish Times podcast studio and a cake to mark the occasion, she reflects on a lifetime of activism and breaking silences. Recounting various campaigns that she worked on throughout her life, including marriage equality and repeal, she explains that “it was the victories that really mattered, and that made a big change, because we never gave up. We did divorce twice, we did abortion, God only knows how many times we would have done marriage equality again if we’d had to”. As she looks ahead to a new decade, Smyth feels invigorated, but also content. “I think at 80 I’m probably the happiest I’ve ever been,” she says. Speaking on the latest episode of The Irish Times Women’s Podcast, the 80-year old reflects on the stigma women often face as they age and how they “are made to feel old so quickly, so early”. Discussing retirement, the activist highlights how “there isn’t a statute of limitations” on doing work that matters to you and that “65 is a very arbitrary age” to retire. The newly octogenarian highlights that as women grow older – particularly women with children – questions around purpose can emerge. “It’s harder to know what you’re for when you’re older because actually the world doesn’t really want you to be for anything,” she says. However, as she prepares to celebrate this milestone birthday, Smyth is joyous and tells listeners that “my life hasn’t all been good or easy, I haven’t always done the right thing at all, but I have lived it”. The activist is looking forward to the years ahead and is determined to “live for now, live in the moment”. She will be doing just that as she rings in 80 with her friends, family and plenty of dancing to favourites by Madonna, Annie Lennox and David Bowie. “I think we should celebrate our lives and our friends and our families and bringing everybody together … the more difficult the world gets the more we need to have these parties, where we let our hair down, where we enjoy ourselves,” she tells podcast presenter Róisín Ingle. “I’m really thrilled to be 80, to be where I am and to have so many friends who are willing to come to a party because it means that there are those people, at least in the world who are still talking to me after 80 years,” she laughs. She highlights the importance of “anything that moves us beyond thinking that old is somehow decrepit”. In this episode, the feminist explores her life lessons and the advice she has for others. The pair discuss everything from romance and relationships, to how to cope with failure and finding your voice as a woman. You can listen back to their conversation in the player above or search The Women’s Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.