Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning
Free State is a podcast for the curious that stimulates, provokes, challenges and entertains, while never taking itself too seriously. It covers topics from sport to politics, love to loss, the human condition and how to fix the world, with guests from across the planet including Nigerian princes, former Prime Ministers, ex convicts, footballers, boxers and extraordinary people from every walk of life. The podcast is presented by Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning, who are not motivational gurus or life coaches but two people from very different worlds with one core belief: this is not a high performance podcast.
Episodes
Does Drumcree spell the end for William Ulsterman?
Drumcree is now a peace dividend. Where once the attempt to march led to violence, destruction and death, now it leads to court wranglings, endless negotiations and the support for the Garvaghy Road residents from Noel Gallagher.On Free State, Dion and Joe look at this death rattle for anachronistic unionism and what it means for a new Ireland. Joe and Dion argue about whether calling a border pol
Will Garvaghy Road lead to a United Ireland?
Thousands gathered on Garvaghy Road determined that there would be no going back. A new generation, confident and assured, are determined that the north chooses a different road.But what is it about a parade of elderly orange men that causes these emotions?On Free State today Joe explains why Garvaghy Road represents a new and confident community.Joe and Dion discuss what it means for a United Ire
'I was annoyed for a long time about how a lot of Southerners other Northerners'
Louise Kennedy's first novel Trespasses was a beautiful and heartbreaking story of the Troubles. In her new novel Stations she deals with the loss and sacrifice of emigration. Louise talks to Dion about moving from the north to Naas when she was 12 and the truth about emigration and why Ireland has yet to acknowledge it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nasty Fucker. The obsession of Peter O’Mahony
In November 2023, Peter O’Mahony sat down for a meeting with his coach at Munster Graham Rowntree where the reality of a professional sportsman’s life became brutally clear.On that same day, Peter and Dion met for the first time to begin work on his autobiography. Peter is the guest on today’s Free State where he talks about why having an obsession with winning was essential to his career and his
Ireland’s Shame? From Bazunu to Drumcree
In Drumcree and in Debrecen, we were forced to consider different Irelands last weekend.The determination of the Orange Order to parade down Garvaghy Road brought back memories for so many of the dark days in the north.But does it really show how much has changed?On Free State today, Dion and Joe discuss what happened at Drumcree and in Hungary where Gavin Bazunu told his team mates he didn’t want
Jon Ronson on the manosphere and saving Ulster from sodomy with Ian Paisley
Jon Ronson joins Dion on today's Free State to talk about the manosphere, his time with Ian Paisley and his new book, The Castle. Learn more about Jon's new book here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/455289/the-castle-by-ronson-jon/9780241754771 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why are Ireland playing against genocide (Israel)?
‘We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.’With these words, Irelqnd’s manager Heimir Hallgrimsson tried to rally support for his players before they play their first game against Israel.The Israeli Fa responded by saying, ‘We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, We’re playing against the coach w
‘Yabba-dabba-do, any taig will do’ : The true story of Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair
‘Three things come with taking a man’s life. The first one is the easy bit – going into a room and shooting somebody… The second is preparing yourself if you get caught coming or going and getting life in prison – could you do it? And the third and final and most important is can you live with it for the rest of your life? And that’s where a lot of people fail.’ Aaron Edwards is the great chr
'Trotsky would have said we are in a classic pre-revolutionary period.' Robert Harris on how democracies die.
Robert Harris's book have always been about power. His latest Agrippa tells the story of the close friend of the Emperor Augustus as they take power folloing the assassination of Julius Caesar. Harris talks to Dion about how power erodes and all empire die as he looks to the modern world and how democracy is failign. You can learn more about Robert's new book here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books
Macklemore, the cowardly Ed Sheeran and the new world order
‘I am not complicit’ Ed Sheeran said in his statement after Macklemore was dropped as a support act on his US tour.Macklemore had been dropped because he said the words ‘Free Palestine’ on stage. Sheeran blamed the promoters and the billionaire Robert Kraft said he put pressure on Sheeran to drop Macklemore.On Free State today we ask what lies beneath the pressure to silence Macklemore .What
Donald Trump. The orange man uniting Ireland
What a weekend for Ireland. Donald Trump flew in and across the land, people whooped and hollered as if these were the greatest days of their lives.Before he left, Trump had presented the Irish Open trophy to Shane Lowry, removed tariffs on Irish whiskey and united Ireland.On Free State, Dion and Joe consider the significance of Trump’s comments and whether it brings the prospect of a border poll
All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace?
The great historian Jill Lepore joins Dion on today's Free State to talk about the history of the artificial state and what we can learn from past movements which attempted to advance the cause of machines. Jill takes us on a journey from the Technocracy movement through to today's AI evangelists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ed Miliband, the war on truth and the truth about Israel
When Ed Miliband announced that the UK would take action and sanction illegal Israeli settlements, the response was swift. Britain had lost its moral compass, these moves would only aid Benjamin Netanyahu, the real victims were the Palestinian people were among the lines of attack. Miliband, who is Jewish, was called a ‘Jew hater’ by Mike Huckabee, the US’s ambassador to Israel.On Free S
Free State: Live in West Belfast
What will it take to unite Ireland? In a live Free State we took that question (and Dion) to West Belfast. We were joined by Paul Howard, author of the brilliant new novel ‘A Nation Once Again’ about the government department secretly planning for a United Ireland.In front of a packed crowd, Paul took us through the absurdities of the situation and why bureaucracy says no even if the people s
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Qatar & the unbribeable Mr Trump
Joe and Dion look at the 'cruel and unknowable' Donald Trump, and how Qatar are regretting getting friendly with the 'hyena' in the White House. Meanwhile, the Man With Zero Political Convicton, Keir Starmer, is stepping down as a MP mere weeks after relinquishing his role as Prime Minister - in sharp contrast to Jeremey Corbyn who has remained on to serve his constituents long after leaving his r
Andy Burnham announces border poll for 3026
Should Andy Burnham have a say in the future of Northern Ireland? Could "Kitchen Appliances : The Musical" be the next big thing at the Fringe? And will Dion be shunned by the Dungiven whatsapp group when he heads to Belfast this Thursday with Joe to interview Paul Howard? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why Nobody wants to be a Referee (and what it tells us about the world)
Referees are abused and derided. They are mocked and pursued but what does their demonisation tell us about the world we live in today? William Ralston talks to Dion about his deep dive into the world of refereeing. He talks about his own attempts to referee at the lowest level and the lack of humanity shown to officials - people - at all levels of sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for
‘We used to be neo-Nazis but we're all right now’ - Why Sweden is a warning for Ireland's future
Few things make Irish people feel more inadequate than being told how well everything functions in Scandinavia. We are constantly told about their education systems, its welfare system and its work-life balance.But have we got it wrong?On Free State, Philip O’Connor, who has been based in Sweden since 1999, talks to us about the upcoming election in Sweden.He explains the rise of the Sweden D
Agreement, what agreement? Donald Trump and his disappearing pens
‘We recognise sometimes its signature is written in pencil’With these words Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney declared a trade war with its unreliable neighbour, the United States.On Free State today, we look at why so few want to assert what Carney stated so baldly, that America under Donald Trump cannot be trusted.This is a reality the world knows but the leaders instead of acknowledging it, r
How the world might end with Annie Jacobsen
Annie Jacobsen deals in scenarios. As she says on today's Free State, there are other scenarios around biological war. They are worse. Jacobsen talks to Dion about the world's failure to learn from the pandemic, the Wuhan lab theory and what we can do to prepare for an even more devastating lab leak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How James McClean became football’s Kneecap
James McClean’s return to Derry hasn’t worked out as anticipated.But beyond the headlines, what was at stake when he was on the receiving end of abuse on social media, in the English media and from the football grounds of England?On Free State today, Dion and Joe look at how McClean was reduced to caricature and how the outrage machine shaped it. We also have some Free State news. On Sept 3rd
The Tragedy of Jason Arday
On August 14, Jason Arday was found unresponsive at his home in Battersea in London.In a statement, his family said they were "in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son".They added that the “campaign of misinformation was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone."On Free State today, we look at the life and death of
Mo Salah: The Most Important Footballer in the World?
"Can you tell us how he died, where and why?" On August 9, 2025, Mo Salah tweeted this above a Uefa post which said "Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the Palestinian Pele". Salah's tweet has been viewed 140 million times. On Free State today, Melissa Reddy talks to Dion about the cultural importance of Mo Salah, how he has been held to a different standard and why his last year at Liverpool wasn't w
Total Eclipse of the Heart: How the Gambling Industrial Complex stole sport. With Darragh McGee
Darragh McGee understands sport. As a Donegal man he understands the hold and the importance sport has across this land. So as an academic when he went to investigate the betting industry, he didn’t expect to discover all that he learned about its hold on so many individuals and on society.On Free State today. Darragh McGee talks to Joe and Dion about his book Imitation Games - How Gambling Hijack
Regime Change: Inside the White House of Emperor Trump
David Hearn was once an Olympic canoeist. He was facing ten years in a federal prison for allegedly vandalising the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC before all the charges were dropped.‘It’s a relief, but there’s a detachment to that relief of extreme concern for other people and for our country,’ Hearn said,On Free State today we explain why the story of the Reflecting Pool is a
Writer Michael Thomas on breaking the chains of the past
Michael Thomas found the kind of success most writers dream of with his first novel, Man Gone Down, but his life and career took a different direction. Now he has returned with an astonishing memoir, The Broken King. On Free State, he talks to Dion about addiction, race, and retiring to Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Embrace the Mediterranean life. Embrace death.
July was the driest July on record in Ireland and the second hottest since 1900. Most of us have enjoyed this summer but should we just now accept our Mediterranean climate and whistle past the climate graveyard.On Free State today we look at how climate and migration became weapons to protect the elites and sustain inequality. Dion and Joe look at the way the events in Ceuta were seized
Merchants of doubt. The men who conspired to destroy the planet.
In the 1980s, there were 21 days when the temperature in London reached 30 degrees. In 2026 there have been 24.In Greece, two died in a midair collision between helicopters fighting wildfires. France has seen the greatest civilian evacuation outside wartime as people flee the danger areas. And yet people will take issue with what they are seeing.On Free State we look at the movement that turn
How John Ware searched for the truth in the darkness of the Troubles
Running agents during the Troubles has become one of the darkest element of the history of the north. John Ware has covered this story since the 1970s and produced a ground breaking Panorama on the topic. Ware talks to Dion today about a lifetime covering this subject and the stories of Brian Nelson and Freddie Scappaticci. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mayo vs Gianni Infantino
Can you put a price on what we watched at Croke Park on Sunday? What would you sell a Mayo victory in the All Ireland for?We know that what we watched affects us in ways that money can’t buy but Gianni Infantino thinks he can sell the essence of sport.On Free State today Dion and Joe look at why sport is so important and why men like Infantino are a danger to the things that are most important in
How Mayo Shook Up the World (and Joe Brolly)
Everybody wants to know how Mayo did it, but when something like this happens what is more important is why Mayo did it.Why did these players play without fear? Why did the world weep along with Mayo people on Sunday when they won the All Ireland?On Free State today we look at why Mayo were able to do what they did against Kerry.In a county that has been waiting for so long, Joe and Dion look at h
Joseph O'Neill on how the world got worse during the World Cup
Will the world have changed thanks to the World Cup? Or did the world change while the World Cup was taking place and people were too busy watching the World Cup to notice.On Free State today, the great novelist Joseph O’Neill talks to Dion about what he learned watching the World Cup and how the authoritarian US regime prospered during the tournament as other authoritarian regimes prospered in th
Death, taxes and Mayo’s sorrowful mysteries
Mayo have been denied in All Irelands in every way possible - balls bouncing over the bar, the referee blowing up early, own goals... they've also taken a few pastings along the way, but what will they do with the freedom they will have on Sunday?Somehow Mayo have reached an All Ireland final this year against all odds, but does that make this year different? Does everything change because it woul
Why the World Cup has nothing to do with sport
Did the World Cup final hit different from the million dollar seats or was the best thing about them the helicopter that flew you back to New York City?On Free State, today we ask who mourns the end of Gianni Infantino’s dance with Donald Trump and the depraved nature of football today?Dion does and he explains why football still matters despite the decadence at the top of the game. Things get hea
Eamon Dunphy on the World Cup panel, the truth about Saipan and a united ireland
On the weekend of the World Cup final, Eamon Dunphy is our weekend guest. Dunphy reflects on his astonishing career in journalism, the price he paid for being an outsider and why he didn't care when he left the RTE panel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why England Lose: the true cost of professional sport
England lost at the semi final stage again but what does how players are shaped for professional football tell us about how they perform? England lose when they play a team more cunning than them but they have a system designed for obedience.Kids will be dreaming of playing in a World Cup but what is the reality of professional sport.On Free State today we look at how the attritional nature o
How Mayo can win the All Ireland (don’t walk under any grand pianos)
And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make. It made sense for Paul McCartney and it makes sense when we consider why we engage with whatever gives us pleasure in life. On Free State today we look at the meaning of sport. Why winning doesn’t matter as much as how sport makes you feel. Does this mean Mayo can win the All Ireland? Does it matter? Hosted on Acast. See acast.co
Putin's Billions: The oligarchs and stolen riches
Martin Sixmith was the BBC's man in Moscow as the Soviet Union collapsed and Vladimir Putin came to power. In today's podcast he talks about his time in Russia, the fight for the billions lost and his time working on The Lost Child of Philomena Lee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. The rise and fall of a God fearing paedophile
Jeffrey Donaldson sits in a prison cell, waiting to be sentenced for the most horrific crimes. On Free State today we look at the rise and fall of Jeffrey Donaldson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to buy a World Cup, feat Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino
Donald Trump destroys everyone in his orbit. His transactional nature means that eventually whoever is close to him is ruined Gianni Infantino might soon know how that feels.‘I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States,’ Infantino said as he explained how FIFA had lifted the suspension on the USA forward Folarin Balogun. “During our conver
Original Sin: The man who shaped modern football
You might not have heard of Helenio Herrera but without him, you might not have the modern football manager. Herrera was a lowdown and a dirty football manager who wasn't so much a pragmatist as an absolutist. He was full of contradictions: he hated his players having sex but he ruined many lives with his own pursuit of sex. He would do anything to win and stopped at nothing for victory. He wasn't
How the Gambling Industry Hijacks Young Brains
The World Cup continues to captivate. France stunned the world with their performance against Sweden, with a display of pace and skill that was as good as anything witnessed in the competition.But what is the hidden World Cup? What is the secret anguish that this and all sporting events facilitate.In their final episode in this series looking at the dangers of online gambling, Joe and Dion look at
Addiction by Design-How we became the gambling industry’s lab rats
How many times do you look at your smartphone each day? How often do you pick it up? How aware are you of how it makes you feel?On Thursday’s Free State we looked at how gambling has got out of control.Today Dion and Joe examine how what we are dealing with is an entirely new phenomenon, a supercharged addiction of smartphone and gambling, a dopamine hit of huge power. We look at the dem
Why the west stayed silent over genocide
When Fintan Drury wrote his first book on Palestine - Catastrophe, Nakba II, the manner in which it resonated with people told its own story. Now he has written Genocide - Sponsoring the destruction of Palestine, another searing and detailed account of how the Palestinian people have been failed. He talks to Dion about why now is the time to act. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf
The Imitation World Cup - Gamble Responsibly (LOL)
The 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act prohibited betting on baseball, basketball, American football and most other sports in nearly every US state.In 2018, the Supreme Court declared the act unconstitutional, opening up America to a stampede of betting.On Free State today we look at how the gambling industry achieved such prominence and how they made gamblers feel that the proble
Can the World Cup save America?
‘I have come to sell a product called soccer.’ The former FIFA president Joao Havelange announced himself in 1974 with these words. They have been the model for the expansionist, grasping FIFA that has existed to this day.But maybe what matters was not the product but everything but the product?On Free State today we look at why the World Cup matters and why it might be everything that Donald Trum
An Actor's Life: Power Ballad start Peter McDonald on working with Paul Rudd, dealing with fame and the Monday Club
In Power Ballad, Rick, played by Paul Rudd, a washed-up wedding singer, and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session. On Free State today, old friends Dion and Peter McDonald, co-writer and co-start of Power Ballad, discuss their own late night escapades, Peter's time in the theatre and and his extraordinary time working with the legendary Robert Altman. Hosted o
The World’s First Trillionaire and the Truth about Two Tier Policing
There are no atheists in the foxholes and in the darkness of the night there is nobody who won’t find consolation in the World Cup.On Free State today Joe talks about his own World Cup journey. Joe and Dion look at why the tournament captivates and what it tells us about communities as opposed to the leaders of those communities.At a time when Elon Musk had become the world’s first trillionaire, w
The hypocrisy of Loyalism and why is Jimmy McGuinness having a meltdown?
How have Donegal got themselves in this mess? Has Jim McGuinness’s obsession with Kerry blinded him to the other threats.On Free State today, Joe examines why some counties accumulate All Irelands and others fail, while Dion surprises him with his knowledge of Roscommon’s football history.Joe and Dion also look at how the Belfast Riots happened. For months the PSNI were warned that houses wer
Love and Mercy: The Rise and Fall of Diego Maradona
The World Cup has begun but will there ever be a tournament like Mexico '86 dominated by Diego Maradona? On Free State today, Dion talks to David Arrowsmith about his book on Maradona, the impulses that drove Maradona and how he escaped from poverty but could never escape the sense of being an outsider. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Belfast Riots and the Spanish Gerry Adams
Belfast has burned this week. The horrific knife attack on Monday night shocked everyone. But nobody was surprised by what came next. In Belfast, In Glasgow and around Britain, people came out on the street. Some were there to protest, others were there to intimidate. In Belfast, the intimidation took over.On Free State today, Joe and Dion consider the riots in Belfast and whether there is a diffe
Put ‘Em Under Pressure. How to Stop Ireland playing Israel with Sinead Gibney TD
The FAI have decided to move Ireland’s game against Israel to a neutral venue. But is this a pragmatic move or another attempt to avoid making a principled decision?On Free State today Joe and Dion talk to Sinead Gibney of the Social Democrats about why this is a cop out. Would there be consequences for Ireland if they refused to play the game or would it lead to others following?Sinead Gibne
The Sleepwalkers-John Kampfner on how western democracy will fail
John Kampfner doesn’t believe there is a better way, he believes there is only one way for western democracies to survive.On Free State today he talks about what democracies have to do to survive. They - we - are drinking in the last chance saloon he says. He explains why there has to be a reckoning and why so many politicians do not have the capability to change.He speaks about his new book Brave
Love Island and the Sorrowful Mystery of Frank McGuigan
Have you been watching Love Island? As part of his deep research for the podcast, Dion has and on today’s Free State he shares his concerns about Fitzy and the world he has walked in to.Joe encouraged Dion to watch it but hasn’t done so himself but he marvels at the Love Island universe and what it contains.Yet it is the universe of the late great Frank McGuigan that holds his attention. Joe recal
Radical Forgiveness: How a Palestinian and an Israeli want to bring peace to their lands
Aziz Abu Sarah’s older brother Tayseer was like a father to him. Azis was ten years old when his brother died after he had been tortured and beaten in an Israeli jail. Aziz says his brother’s death sent him to his own prison where all he wanted was revenge.Maoz Inon’s parents were killed by Hamas on October 7th. A couple of days later, he and his family released a message. “For the death of our pa
Love in the Time of War
Sally Hayden is a fearless journalist. She has covered war and conflict around the world. She lives in Lebanon where, early in her new book, she notes that ‘in the past fortnight, Israel has killed more than one thousand people’.Her book opens with a quote from Elon Musk: ‘The fundamental weakness of Western civilisation is empathy.’On Free State today Sally Hayden explains her journey to disprove
The Rise and Fall of Sinn Fein
What do Sinn Fein stand for? What do they believe? And do the other left wing parties believe they believe it?On Free State Joe and Dion look at the state of Sinn Fein following the recent by-elections. Does it tell us something about the scrutiny Sinn Fein are under that there is more analysis of them than of Fianna Fáil which got a comically low vote?Dion and Joe disagree about what Sinn Féin’s
Seven Psalms, Paul Simon and the end of Kerry football
What do great art and great sport have in common? Why do the moments that transport us to another dimension in sport and art have such power?On Free State today, Dion reflects on the spiritual experience of seeing Paul Simon and Joe reflects on writing Kerry off.What does the game between the All Ireland champions and Donegal tell us about the summer to come? And what does it tell us about Jack O’
The Sound of Silence: Ireland and the Magdalene Laundries
On today’s Free State, Dion talks to Louise Brangan about The Fallen, her book about the Magdalene Laundries and what they tell us about Ireland, then and now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Imminent extinction? Never mind, there’s always Love Island
Do you feel like lower value human capital or do you believe you should be on Love Island? Who declares who is of value and who isn’t? Will the future belong to those who refuse to be defined by what the tech overlords decide they should be? On Free State we look at how the climate emergency is being accelerated by data centres and why nobody has the will to stop them. And we provid
I hear you’re a racist now, Bertie?
Bertie Ahern says he rejects ‘racism in all its forms’. So what is it if not racism when a former Taoiseach says ‘we can’t be taking in people from Congo and all these places’?On Free State today we ask how do you talk about immigration and not get mistaken for a racist? Is it best not to say things that a racist might say to begin with?Ahern defended himself by saying ‘I don’t think there is anyt
What’s Another Year? Israel and the Eurovision
When Israel’s contestant in the Eurovision appeared on stage in Vienna on Tuesday night, a lone voice shouted ‘stop, stop the genocide.’ The Israeli contestant kept singing and nothing stopped.On Free State today we look at why the Eurovision became a key part of Israel’s propaganda war.We examine the money that was spent ensuring Israel’s entries got votes and we ask why. We also look at som
Sleeping with the Stars
There was a huge response to last week’s episode on Universal Basic Income.On Free State, Dion and Joe look at the arguments made in the emails and comments.But as they go through the comments, the atmosphere changes and Free State reaches another crossroads… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Heads I win, tails I also win: How private equity took over the world
A study after the covid pandemic established that in care homes controlled by private equity firms the death rate was more than 50 per cent higher than in other homes.On Free State today we look at how private equity is capitalism cannibalising itself. Hettie O’Brien, author of The Asset Class, is on with us to talk about how this happened, how governments retreated from the public realm and left
Why Everyone Needs Free Money
More than 60 per cent of Irish jobs are in positions highly exposed to the threat from AI. So what do we do in the face of this threat? Give everyone free money.On Free State today we look at universal basic income and how it could transform lives.How does it work and why would it be profound? And why does the opposition to this sound like the opposition to every other great transformations in soc
The Story of Us, the Story of Gaza
What does Ireland in 1926 tell us about Ireland today? What do absences tell us about the lives we live whether it is in Ireland a hundred years ago or at a graduation in Gaza today? On Free State, Joe and Dion look at loss and absence. They examine the emotion that can pack a punch from a hundred years ago and the lives that are ripped apart today Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i
Living with an AI psychopath
It would be harder, Jamie Bartlett says, to open a sandwich shop in Dublin than to release a large language model of near infinite power into general public use. On Free State, Bartlett talks about his new book on how to talk to AI and what we are doing when we hand agency to a personality type that is drawing from the worst of impulses. How do we protect ourselves? Is the only winning move n
Handing the conscience of the world over to a king who has his shoelaces ironed
What does the world look like when the world has turned away? On Free State today we ask about the loss of faith that will echo through the generations following the genocide in Gaza. We examine how leaders failed and are left taking comfort in the circus of a visit from a king to the court of Donald Trump. We also wonder how far someone can let themselves go that they don't iron their shoelaces.
Urban-rural toxicity, a Guard's fears for Ireland and the even more toxic Roscommon-Mayo divide
“I’m getting in touch because I’ve written the attached open letter as a serving Garda,” this email was one of many we received since Sinead O’Sullivan came on the podcast. “I’ve never done anything like this before,” it continued, “but I felt I had to say something given how things are going. I wrote it out of a genuine sense of frustration with the direction the country seems to be heading.
Roger Casement - Rebel and Traitor? With Rory Carroll
“The bravest man it fell to my unhappy lot to execute.” These were the words of the hangman who took Roger Casement to the scaffold in Pentonville Prison in 1916.Roger Casement’s final years were lived in pursuit of Irish independence. But was he a driver of rebellion or a hopeless romantic whose brainwaves did more harm than good? On Free State today, Rory Carroll talks about his book A Rebe
Power and Control: How a manager falls to earth
What allows a manager to bring a group with them? What is it? How do they possess it and what happens when they lose it? On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at how managers fall to earth and consider how Ger Brennan can make it work as Dublin manager. They look at the power and control Alex Ferguson had and what happens when a manager becomes toxic and indiscipline spreads. They also consider t
The Premature Birth of a Nation with Sinead O'Sullivan
When Sinead O'Sullivan created a graph which she believed illustrated the problems in Ireland, she hadn't realised what would happen next. She found herself in the middle of an argument about data with many including Leo Varadkar. It raged over what Ireland did and didn't do well. But did it highlight the real problem in Ireland today? A defensiveness from the establishment which could be seen in
Why some people fail and some succeed. The story of Roy Keane and Ireland
As a young Roy Keane headed on the train to Dublin from Cork for a coaching course, he saw some railway workers toiling by the track.‘Look at them fuckers out there and they’re going like the hammers,’ he said. ‘I have to make it as a footballer.’On Free State today we look at what drives a man like Roy Keane and how is the boy the father of the man?Dave Hannigan, author of We Need to Talk About R
Fuel me once: When Leo Varadkar ran out of diesel
This week Irish life returned to normal and Irish politics resumed its normal parlour games.The resignation of Michael Healy Rae was described repeatedly as a ‘bombshell’ and the political parties shouted at each other in the Dail.Outside protestors and malcontents hovered but will their protests take on those who are really exploiting the ordinary people?Since Israel and the US launched their war
How the fuel protests exposed the myth of Irish prosperity
‘Nobody has a right to blockade our country,’ Micheal Martin stated when announcing what the government would be doing in response to the protests that brought the country to a halt.But what does it tell us about the fraying of the social contract that people felt they had to take to the barricades in their country to demonstrate how desperate things have become?On Free State today Joe and Dion lo
The Killing Fields of Oil and Gas
“It is a low bar to ask that people aren’t killed so that I can fill up my car.” Alex Perry is an investigative journalist who has uncovered an extraordinary story.It is a story where the backdrop is the new imperialism. If the first scramble for Africa was led by the imperial nations in the 19th century, the second has been by the oil companies that have so much power in the world today.In Irelan
Trump’s Derangement Syndrome
How close did the world come to annihilation this week? What will happen the next time Trump parades his negotiating skills and can the world always be sure that Trump Always Chickens Out?On Free State, Dion and Joe reflect on a ceasefire which was a defeat for Trump and ignored by Benjamin Netanyahu.Does this mean peace or does it mean we should enjoy the little things that make life worth living
Open the F*****’ Strait, you crazy bastards: Who will stand up to Donald Trump?
Stalin was reported to have asked ‘How many divisions does the pope have?’ when told of the Vatican’s view on world affairs.On Easter Sunday, Pope Leo addressed the crowds at St Peter’s Square and said, "Let those who have weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace."Shortly afterwards, Donald Trump gave his view on world affairs. “Open the F***in’ Strait, you
The country that defied an empire
Olivier Norek says he has never met a killer who wasn’t eaten inside by what they’d done. Before he became a writer, Norek was a policeman in the most dangerous parts of Paris and a humanitarian worker in the former Yugoslavia.On Free State today, Norek tells the story of Simo Hayha, the sniper known as the White Death, who fought for Finland during the Winter War when the Soviet Union invaded the
Victims in the Age of Perfection: The Social Media Pandemic
When a California court ruled that Meta and YouTube had deliberately designed addictive products, many declared that this might be the Big Tobacco moment for the tech companies.The plaintiff was awarded $6 million damages. Meta’s revenue in three months last year was 60 billion dollars. Their share price was unaffected.On Free State today we ask what will it take to make a difference? If the
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