Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

Storm Eowyn swept across Ireland on Friday morning as winds of biblical force shook the nation. 32 counties were joined in a red alert and in towns, villages and cities people sheltered from the storm. But perhaps Storm Eowyn’s greatest show of force was to silence Joe Brolly, as he was among hundreds of thousands who lost electricity and internet. On Free State today, Dion looks back on episode three, the remarkable interview with  Charles Anyaegbunam about his life of privilege in Nigeria and his son the rapper Rejjie Snow.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is Michael Lowry and what does he want? On Wednesday, the sitting of the Dail had to be abandoned after the opposition collectively resisted attempts to allow those supporting the new government to speak also as opposition. Micheál Martin called it a ‘subversion of the constitution’. But Micheál Martin has said many things in the Dail, especially about the effective leader of those independents, Michael Lowry. On Free State today, Dion and Joe examine the findings of the Moriarty Tribunal and what it said about Irish politics. They look at Lowry’s rise and how he operated.  They also discover how Ben Dunne confused a renovation of the Ilaac Centre with the building of a house for Michael Lowry. An accounting error anyone could make. They also answer the pressing question: how long does a crow bear a grudge?Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Donald Trump spoke about pursuing America’s ‘manifest destiny into the stars’ at his inauguration, Elon Musk gurned happily in the background. Trump wants to make Mars great again but what will happen to America? On Free State, Joe and Dion look at the ending of the American dream disguised as making the country great again again. They explain why this isn’t a transfer of power but a heist. The tech bros like Musk are eyeing up an entire country. They also look at what it means for Ireland if the American Empire is coming to an end.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The success of Say Nothing has sparked a worldwide interest in the disappearance and murder of Jean McConville, the role of the Price sisters and the relationship Gerry Adams had with the IRA. It has also led people to ask questions about the Troubles, trauma and what they would have done if they had been part of a community under siege? But what if the history isn’t history at all? On Free State today novelist Timothy O’Grady joins Dion and Joe to talk about the flaws in Patrick Radden Keefe’s book. They ask what impact it has if many elements of the story are told from the perspective of people opposed to the peace process? They consider too how the TV series managed to turned the darkest act of the Troubles into a cartoon.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Mullin has lived a life less ordinary. He was a fearless investigative journalist who became a Labour MP determined to speak, not just truth to power, but to go in search of the truth, however uncomfortable it was. In the second part of his chat with Joe and Dion, Chris explains how the establishment were forced to confront a reality they had tried to suppress once the Guildford Four were released in 1989. Two years later the Birmingham Six were free. If the death penalty had still been in operation they would have been hanged as many other innocents were. The man who was described by The Sun as a “mouthpiece for IRA sympathisers”, explains how his doggedness helped transform the British legal system. He talks about A Very British Coup, his novel which predicted the future, as well as his friendship with Tony Benn. Chris served as a minister under Tony Blair and he talks about how a messianic fever took hold in Blair leading to the disaster that was the invasion of Iraq.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On November 21 1974, five men were taken off a train in Heysham, Lancashire questioned as they went to catch a ferry to Belfast. Earlier that evening two IRA bombs had exploded in Birmingham killing 21 people and injuring 182. It was the largest loss of life in England since World War II. The five men who were questioned were subsequently arrested and charged, along with a sixth, Hugh Callaghan. All were innocent. All were beaten and forced into signing confessions. All were sentenced to 21 life sentences for crimes they didn’t commit. They would have remained in prison without the persistence and courage of one man. On Free State today, Chris Mullin talks to Dion and Joe.  The journalist and MP whose crusading work would eventually lead to their release recalls the mood of the time and how he was demonised by the right wing media in Britain. He also talks about his extraordinary quest to find the IRA bombers who had planted the bombs. He explains why that dangerous mission was essential to proving the innocence of the Birmingham Six.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The phrase Calm The Jets has a special meaning for Joe Brolly. So when he saw a horse with that name was racing on Friday evening, he decided to follow a hunch. On a Free State Special, Joe and Dion look at those with an independent mind and how they are needed more than ever in the media and public life. They recall the day they spent with Peter Taylor and how it led to a friendship between the great journalist and Joe.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In two weeks, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as president in Washington. There is a new order in America but where does it leave those close to the old establishment? Many are scurrying to be onside. Meta are abandoning fact-checking, Jeff Bezos is censoring cartoonists at the Washington Post and Elon Musk might be outstaying his welcome at Mar-a-Lago. “In America, the land of the free, we saw in the past election that freedom is universally valued but not universally defined,” Bono said as he received the medal of freedom from Joe Biden.What does this even mean? On Free State, Joe and Dion look at how the world is changing and how Bono will change with it. Few serious people would claim that freedom was universally valued by everyone at the last presidential election but does this tell us something about how Bono has operated in the US and around the world? In Ireland, in Derry, there are families of those who lost loved ones in Bloody Sunday who are angry with Bono for U2’s song and who were angry again when he received the medal of freedom. But does it just prove that when it came to ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’, Alan Partridge was right?Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last weekend at the White House, Joe Biden bestowed America’s highest civilian honour on a group of what he called “truly extraordinary people”. "Let me just say to each of you, thank you, thank you, thank you for all you've done to help this country,” he added. Shortly afterwards, he placed the Medal of Freedom around the neck of one of those “truly extraordinary people” - Bono. But is there a parallel universe where Bono would have turned down the medal, appalled by the US’s support of the genocide in Gaza? Would that not have been the act of a truly extraordinary person? On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at why Bono would never have done that, why he has operated more often in tandem with the powerful rather than confronting them.His career has been about making the billionaire class comfortable with their wealth rather than upending the system. Has this worked out well for the causes he has championed or has it worked out even better for Bono and those who follow his version of entrepreneurial capitalism?The boys also consider the latest developments in the case of Enoch Burke and why even a snow day couldn’t stop him.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve reached that special time of year when Dion tries to get Joe interested in cricket. He opens with a hard sell this time but will Joe, who recently revealed his in-depth knowledge of the great Australian side of the 1990s, bite? Dion recalls a night watching Peter O’Toole in the West End with Jeffrey Bernard. The boys also look at Luke Littler’s pursuit of a world title and ask where are the great writers on darts? This leads them to reflect on the time the great Pulitzer Prize winning author Richard Ford joined them. They recall his lessons about life, boxing and loss.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is a time of resolution and new beginnings but what do you do when your resolve shatters immediately? Joe wonders about a spectacular resolution fail and what led to the person giving up what clearly gave her and others pleasure. The boys also look at the qualities needed to succeed in sport as they remember two of the most compelling guests they’ve hosted, Philly McMahon and Ger Brennan. While Joe’s mother also has some words of encouragement for Dion.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On New Year’s Eve, Dion and Joe call a temporary ceasefire. Joe talks about Lola’s christening and they look back on the extraordinary life of Jimmy Carter.  During a time of year when many people wrestle with drink and addiction, Dion also reflects on his own struggles. They also go back to an episode from their early podcasts which will resonate with many at this time of year.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colm Tóibín is one of Ireland’s greatest living writers. He joins Dion on this Free State Special for a wide-ranging chat on Ireland today, what he believes is keeping Sinn Fein out of government and the time he spent with Alan Black, the only survivor of the Kingsmill Massacre. He considers happiness and introspection, the rise of Ozempic and the reason why you can’t talk about it with users in America. He also talks about becoming one of Oprah Winfrey’s favourite writers as well as a Tik Tok sensation and why he wouldn’t be on any social media site owned by a fascist.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lola is enjoying her first Christmas but Joe breaks away to look back on another Free State highlight. In another crucial history lesson, Dion educates Joe on the origins of Spiced Beef and the boys wonder when is it ok to call it Boxing Day.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Christmas Eve, Joe and Dion reflect on the meaning of Christmas and if that meaning can include calling someone a c***? Joe remembers a memorable Christmas Eve in Dungiven. They also look back on how they began the podcast and why Dion brings out the worst in Joe.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Eoghan Murphy became minister for housing, he wanted to change everything. He wanted to declare housing an emergency. He wanted a constitutional right to housing. He got neither as the conservative elements won out. Instead he became the face of the housing crisis, the minister for homelessness. On a Free State Weekend Special, Eoghan Murphy talks to Dion about failure and dealing with pressure. He breaks down as he remembers the darkest moment when politics turned him into someone he didn’t want to be. Dion asks him about his recent book event at the Irish embassy in London with Ryan Tubridy. Murphy also remembers an encounter with Joe Brolly in O’Donoghue’s pub but his version has one key difference to Joe’s.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2018, the Israeli foreign ministry summoned Ireland’s ambassador in the country to their offices. Ireland was debating the Occupied Territories Bill so the ambassador was ‘reprimanded’ and told the legislation was ‘hypocritical and antisemitic’. This week Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar described Simon Harris as ‘antisemitic’ as Israel closed their embassy in Dublin. On Free State, Dion and Joe look at what this slur is designed to do and why it has been so effective in silencing the criticism of the genocide in Gaza. They examine how a society can become so blinded to the horrors being committed by their government. They also look at how Israel’s government has used anti-Irish tropes in the past and tell the truth about De Valera, Hitler and the book of condolences.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How important is the GAA in Irish life? How important is it to our politicians? Is it something they cherish or does it provide merely a photo opportunity and a chance to act as if they care? On Free State, Joe and Dion look at the Revenue Commissioners’ probes into county boards. Everyone should be tax compliant but what does the treatment of small sums of money tell us about how the GAA is really valued.Joe looks at the tax breaks given to other sportspeople and the money that has come the way of horseracing and greyhounds over the last 20 years. The GAA is a cultural colossus whose importance is immeasurable. Those who provide the glory enrich the nation in a way those who fumble in the greasy till never could. It is time for Gombeen Ireland to recognise what goes on in the real Ireland.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luigi Mangione was eating a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania when an employee recognised him and called the police. Mangione was arrested and subsequently charged with the murder of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson. Google had to take down bad reviews of the McDonald’s where he was turned which flooded the internet. Mangione has become a folk hero to many, a social bandit taking up the cause of the oppressed and exploited in a world where they are forgotten. In the US, half a million people a year go bankrupt because of medical bills, often after insurance companies like UnitedHealthcare have denied their claims. What does the response to the killing tell us about a society fractured like America’s? In a world where Benjamin Netanyahu is on the shortlist for Time’s Person of the Year, is it any wonder if people’s moral compass directs them to cheer a murder? Dion and Joe look at the staging posts on the way to the murder of a CEO. Have the last twenty years created the conditions where people feel that justice does not serve them, only the elites? There is also another update from the Dungiven GAA Whatsapp and their love-hate relationship with Dion.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Micheál Martin will be Ireland’s next Taoiseach. He returns to the most important position in Ireland at a critical time in Irish life.But during the election campaign he spoke about how the IRA waged a war ‘on its own people’. What does this tell us about his worldview and how he views the north? On Free State, Joe and Dion disagree about Micheal Martin’s comments and what they reveal about the man. Joe looks at why the origins of the Troubles dispute Martin’s statement. Dion reveals a family connection to Liam Mellows which only leaves Joe more disappointed in him but still extends an invitation to the Kevin Lynch’s GAA club. Joe also reveals why he never considered joining the IRAFree State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the court where he faced Nikita Hand, Conor McGregor had money but he didn’t have power. On the streets where some continue to idolise him, McGregor still has power. On a Free State Weekend Special, Joe and Dion look at the fight for those who are influenced by McGregor and the work being done by many to offer another way. The decision to award costs to Nikita Hand following the verdict in the high court case was another blow to McGregor. Joe considers the judge’s ruling and why there is little hope for McGregor in the courts. He is now being ostracised in Irish society. But does that matter when around the world he can be lauded by the same people who hail Donald Trump or Andrew Tate? Does it matter when he has supporters in Ireland among those invisible to the political classes? McGregor offers easy answers. Dion and Joe look at some of those offering other solutions. The race is on and the outcome has huge implications for Ireland.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past 18 months Free State has wrestled with the big issues in Ireland and across the world. But today they confront the most intractable of them all: how to get a crying baby to sleep. Reluctantly Joe shares some of the old Brolly secrets about how to soothe an infant in distress. What does Joe Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden tell us about the morality of world leaders? They also consider what’s next for Jim Gavin. A man who can persuade a GAA Congress to do exactly what he wants is capable of achieving anything. Joe wonders exactly what that might be and makes a fascinating proposal.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The General Election was a glorious example of democracy at work. Ireland showed that it is a place where ideas are debated, policies fiercely contested and, at the end of the counting of votes, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael remain in power (and the far right crash). On Free State today Joe and Dion look at what the election results tell us about Ireland. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are on the verge of returning to power but are they now just the Irish Political Party? While other parties want them to merge as their differences are negligible, Dion and Joe look at why that is not in their best interests. They also ask why Sinn Fein need to form an alliance of the left for the common good as outlined by Richard Boyd Barrett. Joe also considers the pardon of Hunter Biden and how he was fooled by the president.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than a million people tuned into RTE’s final election debate and if he could Simon Harris would have thanked every one of them. Instead he thanked Sarah McInerney and Miriam O’Callaghan for every question as he tried to recover the ground he has lost. Harris’s encounter with the woman in Kanturk Charlotte Fallon has defined the election campaign. But what has really led to Fine Gael’s slump? On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at what the establishment parties took for granted during the campaign and how it might still cost them. What has the media’s role been and is it time for RTÉ to explain the contact they had with Fine Gael about the Kanturk encounter? They also have a politician’s tip for how to make a mark at a funeral.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conor McGregor believes he lives in a world without rules, a world where he hears only the laughter of his entourage and answers to nobody.  Like Andrew Tate, he is mainstreaming misogyny and violence to an audience of young men who idolise him. On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at the world McGregor lives in and how he came to believe the law doesn’t apply to him. McGregor has boasted about running for president. Will the verdict in the court case make any difference to his appeal? Or like Tate, will he continue to deny reality and depend on the support of those who idolise him. Joe talks about the statement he made to the guards about McGregor’s tweets on the day of the Dublin riots. Why he asks was nothing done? Last week, Conor McGregor had to answer to Nikita Hand. Hand had accused McGregor of raping her and a jury in Dublin’s High Court agreed. She got the verdict her bravery deserved. As a criminal barrister, Joe analyses the case and asks the question Nikita Hand’s family had asked too. Why did Nikita Hand have to crusade for justice? Why did the state fail her in the case of Conor McGregor?Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does RTÉ influence politics in Ireland? During an election campaign dominated by photoshoot which are just government press releases on camera, is power being questioned as it should? On Free State today, Dion and Joe ask what does press freedom mean in Ireland? They argue about Sinn Féin’s independent review into RTE’s coverage of Gaza. Joe also looks at the history of censorship by the establishment in Ireland, while Dion learns that the Dungiven WhatsApp group have been keeping an eye on him.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Paul Mescal said meeting King Charles was ‘not on his list of priorities’, some were appalled. We should be thanking the British not booing them, one commentator said. On Free State today, Dion and Joe argue about what the British have ever done for us. Why is the history of Empire still concealed from so many? And do we all have a reckoning with history? History remains with us too. The British colonisation of Palestine isn’t in the past as the Israeli government have clearly learned from them in more ways than one. The Conservative leadership candidate Robert Jenrick said Britain’s former colonies owe a ‘debt of gratitude’ to the Empire. Joe explores the true cost for those who were colonised and all they have to be grateful for.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does the selection of John McGahon as a general election candidate tell us about Fine Gael and their attitude to power? On Free State today, Dion and Joe look at the controversy, what it tells us about Irish politics and how power has been acquired in Ireland through the generations. Will people continue to vote as their forebears vote or has that vanished in Ireland today? Joe also considers the new Derry manager and why the professional managerial cartel could spell doom for the GAA.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are the election candidates’ favourite biscuit? Who is the best runner? Who can pour the best pint? Given the photo ops that have marked the election campaign so far these would seem to be the issues convulsing Ireland. On a Free State Saturday special, Dion and Joe ask if these stage managed stunts are what will decide the election. Or will the issues that matter to people like housing and the cost of living take over? Joe reveals the contents of The Monk’s election manifesto, including his plan to abolish extradition. When Eoghan Murphy tells us that when he was Fine Gael Housing minister he didn’t solve the housing crisis because Fine Gael did not want to, do we believe him? Will it make a difference to voters once they learn about a candidate’s love of custard creams?Dion and Joe also tell the truth about small talk while extending an invitation to the Taoiseach Simon Harris.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is Mary Lou McDonald’s vision for a United Ireland? On the second part of a Free State Special, Mary Lou McDonald talks about the Ireland she believes in and the 32 county country she imagines.With half a million new voters added to the register this year, McDonald outlines how she wants to change Ireland. She explains what led Sinn Fein to alter their policy on immigration and why the far right protestors were not disenchanted Sinn Fein voters. Mary Lou also talks about her difficult relationship with her father and what she said to him before he died earlier this year.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mary Lou McDonald is promising change but will Sinn Fein be able to deliver? On the first Free State election special, Mary Lou McDonald joins Dion and Joe for a major podcast interview.She talks to Dion and Joe about the challenges facing her party and why she believes the media is hostile to Sinn Fein. Will Dion indulge in ‘IRAing’ or are these legitimate questions to be asked of the leader of Sinn Fein? When does IRAing come to an end and normal politics begins? When it does will Sinn Fein bring the same radical change as Bernie Sander and Jeremy Corbyn promised? Or will they be destroyed by the system before addressing Ireland’s fundamental problems. Will this be the first podcast where one of the interviewers storms out? And will any hamsters be harmed in the making of the podcast?Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When historian Rick Perlstein is asked what awaits America under Donald Trump’s second presidency, he quotes Clubber Lang in Rocky III - Pain.On a Free State Special, Perlstein talks to Dion and Joe about the long rise of the right in the US. Through his books Nixonland and Reaganland, Perlstein has chronicled the Republican Party and their journey to the world beyond truth.He tells Dion and Joe how Trump is now ready to take full control of American democracy and what will happen to that democracy.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you destroy democracy and will anyone notice if it happens in America? On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at how Donald Trump became US president again. Was it the economy, stupid, was it the weakness of Kamala Harris or did America embrace the hateful elements Trump has tapped into.Joe Biden’s role in Trump’s return can’t be overlooked. What will Trump do with the power which is coming his way and which he is ready for this time. Are there any warning for Ireland in what has happened in America? Democracy might be under threat but do the 70 million Americans who voted for Trump care?Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America gets ready to vote but what is really at stake? Kamala Harris doesn’t have a radical plan to tackle the inequality that plagues America. Donald Trump might have a radical plan, but it looks a lot like fascism. On Free State Dion and Joe look at the polarisation of America, Trump’s Project 2025 plan which attacks democracy at its heart and why Trump might not care about the polls. Joe also reveals a letter to his new baby from a surprising sourceFree State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What drives people to behave recklessly? What is it that motivates men to send dick pics without a thought to the consequences? On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at the anatomy of scandals and how they unfold. They move on to disagree about the developments in the Brian Stanley affair. They also consider the new drama Say Nothing and argue about the damage it may or not do to Sinn Fein.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you happy with the Ireland you live in? Are you happy with the Ireland your children are going to grow up in? When the General Election is called, it won’t be a parlour game, but a chance to shape Ireland for the better. On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at the media coverage of the crises that have engulfed Sinn Fein and how it affects the opportunity for change. Will the election be shaped by these issues or will the need for radical change in housing, health and education dominate? What would make Ireland a better place to live in?Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roddy Doyle is the great chronicler of Dublin in our time. On the latest Free State special, he talks to Dion about working with Roy Keane, the housing crisis and an encounter in a toilet with Liam Gallagher. Doyle’s new book The Women Behind the Door has been nominated for an A Post Irish Book Award. Doyle talks about his long journey with the main character Paula Spencer from the seminal series Family to today. He remembers the abuse he and his mother received at the time. He also explains why death threats aren’t what they used to be.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is at the heart of the media response to the Sinn Fein ‘omnicrisis’? On Free State today, Joe and Dion debate the coverage of Sinn Fein. Is it just a new form of IRAing, a way of denying Sinn Fein a platform to talk about how they would change Ireland or are these serious issues being covered seriously by the media.Joe argues that the talk of glove puppets and unseen controllers insults those in the north who have voted and relied on Sinn Fein, while Dion believes there are legitimate questions.But is this because Sinn Fein also ate his hamster?Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world is divided into the bereaved and unbereaved. On Free State today, Dion talks about the death of his mother, the enduring pain of loss and how some sadness has deepened with time. Dion and Joe ask the question we all will face-how do we keep going when death visits us? They talk about the rituals we have to cope with death and they also make up after a weekend falling out.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the difference between winning and losing? In 2023, Ireland lost another World Cup quarter final to New Zealand, but was this different to their other failures? In the second part of the Johnny Sexton interview, he talks to Dion and Joe about how Ireland had only one goal in 2023 and what failure felt like. He speaks about other obsessives, the agonies he put his body through and why he responded so well to the black and white philosophy of Joe Schmidt. Sexton explains why loyalty would make him a bad pundit and how he thinks his mother will respond when she reads his book.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What drove Johnny Sexton? What did he have that separated him from other players?On a Free State Special, one of the world’s great rugby players joins Dion and Joe to talk about obsession, falling out with people and Irish rugby culture.He explains why telling the truth in his autobiography was difficult and he gets to the bottom of a story involving Tadhg Furlong and duck eggs.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Almost nobody in the world who has ever got power has wanted to lose it,” author Robert Harris tells Dion during this special episode of Free State. Harris was once a political journalist and he became close to Tony Blair but absorbed the change in Blair as he moved from everyman to a messianic figure. Dion and Harris discuss what drives politicians and how they are different from the rest of us. Dion also solves a mystery that has bothered him for nearly 20 years.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2002, Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the US congress as the drums for war in Iraq beat louder and louder. “If you take out Saddam I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region,” Netanyahu said. He supported the decision to invade Iraq. “The choice of Iraq is a good choice, it’s the right choice.” Netanyahu was horrifically wrong but he had established his credentials with the neocons. On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at how the Israeli government has turned the horror and trauma of October 7 into a narrative that advances war and slaughter. As Beirut is attacked as Gaza was once attacked, Israel are beating the drums of war as loud as they can again. War with Iran may be inevitable. Joe and Dion consider The Troubles and why how we deal with trauma determines how we respond to it. They also have news about a new weekend podcast where Dion will be listening to someone other than Joe…Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the horrors of October 7, Israel has waged war on the people of Gaza with genocidal intent. The slaughter now has spread to Lebanon with the west offering little but hollow words and repeating the mantra that Israel has the right to defend itself. On Free State, Joe and Dion look at how it reached this point and how the media has failed not only Palestinians but the world. There’s also the latest in parenting with Joe Brolly and the tragedy of Aidan O’Shea.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you are building a bike shed in the Oireachtas or the new children’s hospital, Ireland is a good place to live. But what about those marginalised who ask: what does Ireland stand for? Whether it is Gaza, Lebanon, housing or asylum seekers, the ruling elite recoils from action that would have meaning.On Free State, Joe and Dion look at how Ireland is entering a dark place, unable to resist the impulse of right wing movements across Europe of blaming the country’s problems on immigrants and the most in need.In a political culture driven by opinion polls and giddiness about election dates, will anyone provide the leadership Ireland needs?Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you reason with a 13-day-old baby? On Free State, Joe deals with the after effects of a night trying to soothe an unsoothable newborn while Dion feels like he’s taken a role in Falling Down. They look at Israel’s attack on Lebanon. Israel is preparing for a ground invasion of the country. Will the west do anything to stop them after the sickening failure to stop the slaughter in Gaza? They reflect too on the death of Kris Kristofferson, a singer of integrity with a relentless commitment to justice, which he knew had to be justice for all.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In one of the most personal episodes of Free State, Joe talks to Dion about his childhood growing up surrounded by violence and trauma. He talks about how it shaped who he was as a TV personality and a barrister who wanted acclaim and recognition. But too much was never enough so he reached a point where he knew it would have to change. He speaks honestly about the decision to seek help and how even then he wanted to manipulate the situation. Instead he found a new way of looking at life and viewing what he had endured.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s Free State is the podcast you didn’t know you needed. Joe provides tips on nappy changing, getting babies to sleep and dealing with the unreasonable demands of a newborn baby. Joe was in Belfast last week. He saw the families protesting over the Legacy Act lay out the shoes of their loved ones. It was an act of memory and honour. It was a reminder of the trauma endured by so many. Dion and Joe also reflect on last week’s episode and an extraordinary message from the son of William Strathearn, who was murdered by members of the Glenanne Gang in 1977.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG Productions.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the British government announced a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane, the news was met with the same noises from the usual chorus. On Free State, Joe tells the real story of the Finucane family, a story of a mixed marriage and children raised to be non sectarian. Pat Finucane was murdered in 1989, a brutal time in what Heaney called ‘the man-killing parishes’ that Northern Ireland had become. Joe and Dion argue about what it means to speak honestly about those times. Joe accuses Dion of ‘IRAing’ and Dion wonders who Joe would actually vote for.Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Free State today we celebrate life. Joe spent the weekend on the maternity ward and he speaks with joy and wonder about the experience of being present as a new life come into the world. He is equally in awe of those who work in hospitals and provide guidance and inspiration during the darkest hours before the dawn. One of those who contacted Joe this week was John Finucane. John Finucane watched loyalist terrorists murder his father when he was eight years old in 1989. Joe reflects on his friendship with this remarkable man and the grace that comes from being around those who provide hope.This episode of Free State is sponsored by Manscaped. Visit https://www.manscaped.com/ and get 20% off and free shipping by using code freestate20Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.