Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

When the news broke that Mickey Harte was the new manager of Derry, some accepted it as part of how the modern GAA operates. But for others it struck at the heart of the GAA. In a powerful and emotional episode of Free State, Pat Gilroy is back with Joe and Dion to talk about Mickey Harte and loyalty. What is the GAA about? What do we want? Is the association becoming a sham, where there are more barter accounts than at RTÉ?Are the old ideals of loyalty, amateurism and doing good for its own sake disappearing?As professionalism becomes more brazen we ask if the GAA can be saved.Joe also explains the mystical bond he had with his Derry brothers and why that is shattered by the Mickey Harte appointment.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Collins was dead inside. This is where hatred led - to a library with mothers cowering in fear, sheltering from an attack from his far right group. The sound of hatred was the sound of a pregnant woman crying and begging for mercyHis life changed that day when he realised that violence is always where hatred leads. Hatred of asylum seekers, Jews, people of colour, the trans community, Muslims, librarians…anyone will do. In Part Two he talks to Dion and Joe about the violence and why he changed. Today he works as a ‘fat James Bond’ taking on the far right. He explains what that means and how he protects his family from death threats.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once upon a time, Matthew Collins would have been standing with the mob outside Dáil Éireann erecting gallows and spitting hate. This unexceptional teenager fell under the spell of older Neo Nazis and became, in his own words, a vile violent hater, who wanted nothing more than to smash someone, anyone, in the face with a hammer.Matthew joins Joe and Dion on Free State this week for a two-part interview. He explains why he once had those feelings, the hold the far right have over their supporters and the moment he had to change.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the families of those murdered by security forces collusion, the truth was all they had left.In Part II of Unquiet Graves, Joe and Dion look at the fight for truth from the families affected by the Legacy Bill. The truth would not set them free but it would provide some peace. It would honour the memory of the dead. They hope to see them some day, walking in, smiling like they’ve never been gone.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The past lives in everyone traumatised by the Troubles. The Legacy Bill has layered misery and anxiety on top of suffering and injustice. For the families who are haunted by the graves of their loved ones, the Act will bring only silence. The families want the truth about the past, the truth about state collusion and murder.On Free State, Joe and Dion look at the stories of those families whose lifelong search for justice is in peril. They explain why the Legacy Bill was a death rattle of British colonialism. And why there are so many unquiet graves.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With around 35% of people north and south supporting the Sinn Fein movement, Dion & Joe wonder why there isn’t a single person from a Republican background in the mainstream Irish mediaOn Part 2 of ‘Wrap The Green Flag Round Me Boys’, we discuss how change is coming in Ireland and why politicians will be followers not leaders. Also can Joe Brolly be persuaded to agree with himself?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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is ‘Ooh Ah, Up the Ra’ the best the Irish establishment can do in the face of the existential threat posed by Sinn Fein? In the week that Michéal Martin said Sinn Fein were “infecting” the people of Ireland, Dion and Joe discuss the FG/FF Culture wars against Sinn Fein. They reflect on the family dynasties that replaced the British in Ireland: WT Cosgrave in his top hat, Charlie Haughey on his stallion. And there is a special bonus for our Fine Gael listeners…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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the Rose of Tralee a national embarrassment or does it represent something precious? On this week’s Free State, Joe and Dion look at Irish culture and what makes it different. There’s also Pele’s (and Joe’s) lack of concern about erectile dysfunction as well as a cost busting alternative to Viagra.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part Two of Roddy Collins is a W****r, Roddy Collins talks to Joe and Dion about his failed attempt at an IRA hold up as a teenager, his days going AWOL with Vinnie Jones and the love story that has shaped his life.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don’t mess with the Cabra boys. In the first of a two-part interview, Roddy Collins joins Dion and Joe on Free State. He talks about the confidence trick they played on Chris Eubank, the deeply superstitious middleweight champion of the world. He remembers growing up in Cabra, his uncle Terry, Reggie Kray, banjoeing ‘The General’ Martin Cahill and much more.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stalin said one death is a tragedy, a million deaths are a statistic. On Free State this week, Dion and Joe discuss the tragedy of tens of thousands drowning in the Mediterranean. They wonder how we lost touch with our own humanity and why people fall for the same tricks of hate peddled for centuries. They also ask why did four of our own MEPs vote against a resolution that would have ramped up search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean?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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fresh from Dublin’s triumph in the All Ireland final, Joe and Dion welcome an old friend back to Free State. Pat Gilroy returns to talk about why the most vulnerable have always been a target throughout history and why inequality is at the root of society’s problems. Pat also explains what a GAA World Series would look like and outlines his radical solution to the Dublin housing crisis…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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump continues to demonstrate how reality can be hijacked by lies. This week Dion and Joe look at how America and Britain have been lost to populism while wondering why the Falkland Islands are more loved in Britain than Northern Ireland. Joe also undertakes not to sue his own 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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can you sustain an orgasm for 15 minutes? Joe and Dion help you unleash the superhero within and they disagree about the power of the mind. Joe also remembers a fiery encounter with Enda McNultyFree State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes a champion? Philly McMahon and Ger Brennan talk to Joe and Dion about what they were prepared to do as they helped to shape that great Dublin team. Philly tells the extraordinary story of his father’s life on the run while Ger explains why he was drawn to the priesthood before taking another path. They speak about hate and glory and the power in finding a thing - whatever it is - that is bigger than you.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve got to pick a pocket or two...You can say what you like about Ryan Tubridy but do not question his soul, his love for the decent people of Ireland and, in particular, the decent people of Louth. In Act II of RTÉ The Musical, Joe and Dion look at the evidence the Toy Man, his agent Noel Kelly and the RTÉ executives provided to the Oireachtas committees. They also extend an invitation to Ryan Tubridy…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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show me the (taxpayers) money...What does the RTÉ scandal tell us about Ireland? Joe and Dion explain why this was always about more than Ryan Tubridy’s salary. The Late Late Show’s decline from the glory days of Gay Byrne shows how RTÉ has been captured and why it can’t be a public service broadcaster and an advertising agency at the same time.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you know the words to The Sash? Is it culture or hate that sees effigies of politicians including Leo Varadkar burned on bonfires? This week Joe and Dion discuss the Twelfth of July, the role it plays in the siege mentality of the DUP and how to change it. Also is it better for RTE to have Gregory Campbell on the airwaves or Noel Kelly’s clients? And Dion finally persuades Joe to talk about cricket.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Ford, the Pulitzer Prize winning author, joins Joe and Dion on this week’s Free State.Before he became a novelist, Richard was a sportswriter. He talks to Dion and Joe about why he will defend America when people attack it, his views on President Biden and an extraordinary and hilarious encounter with Muhammad Ali in 1969.We also find out what happened to Joe’s own unfinished Great Irish Novel, a novel inspired by the works of Richard Ford.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Humans have always been drawn towards violence but is there a limit to the licence to thrill? Violence has always been a part of sport but now with events like Power Slap, sport is a tiny part of violence. Where will it end? Dion and Joe welcome back an old friend and ask, as Saudi Arabia takes over sport, could public executions one day become a pay per view event?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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens if you speak out against the tribe in Unionism? Is there only free speech for Catholics in Northern Ireland? Joe and Dion argue about commemorations and discuss the Irish language and the secret meeting Joe attended with concerned Protestants. Also do people in the south need to do more to make unionists welcome?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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dion and Joe debate and disagree about friendships and links between the north and south. They recall some fascinating incidents from the Troubles, including the forgotten heroism of Major Mike Guerin of the Light Air Defence regiment of the Royal Artillery, a real life Bruce Willis. And if a young man gets an excruciating tattoo after losing a bet in Vegas, you might think he would do it for a greater cause than Joe Brolly. Dion also reveals that some of his best friends are Protestants.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you achieve the perfect orgasm without a sexual partner? What precisely is the reverse cowgirl? Where can you buy an orgasmatron? Dion & Joe explore these crucial questions. They also look at how a tiny group of Eton posh boys hijacked the U.K., handed out billions to their pals and used an entire kingdom as their reverse cowgirl. As a bonus, Joe gives an apology masterclass. Enjoy.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to confront addiction? Do we still have a stereotype when it comes to imagining what somebody with a drink problem looks like? This week Dion and Joe talk about drink and what is left when you drain the pool. Dion takes Joe through his own story of recovery and explains why war stories are for amateurs.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Birds do it, bees do it, but nobody does it like northern catholics, even the educated ones. Once again the demographic changes in the north have been framed in terms of a trope that Catholics are out breeding Protestants. In this week’s Free State, Joe and Dion look at the history of the Unionist view of Catholics in the north, how it fed into the south and why it persists. Also, why would anyone want to randomly hit Joe Brolly?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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Dublin became the greatest Gaelic football team ever seen, they were the best known failures in Irish sport. Pat Gilroy was the manager who turned Dublin around. He joins Joe and Dion to talk about his years at Trinity with Joe, the players he wanted to dump who went on to become multiple All-Ireland winners and why he disagrees with Joe on the importance of psychology in sport. He also explains why they had to hand out pictures of Seán Cavanagh in the Dublin dressing room.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What unites the US Republican Party, Brexiteers and the DUP? This week, Joe and Dion look at the magical thinking that has replaced reason among those who once believed they were born to rule in Washington and London - and how the DUP showed them the way. Behind the three-word slogans, the bluster and the demonisation of minorities, what insecurities are driving the supremacists? And what would your reaction be if, as Joe once did, you answered the door to the Reverend Ian Paisley?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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you were offered a lift on Air Force One would you take it? Joe talks to Dion about his time with Joe Biden in Ireland and the extraordinary empathy shown by the president when visiting end of life patients at the Mayo Roscommon Hospice. He also gives some fascinating insights into what happened behind the scenes during the president’s visit. Finally, brace yourself for a cringeworthy & hilarious encounter between Brolly and a priest in Dublin City centre. No wonder Dion calls him Larry David…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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second part of Ooh Aah, Up Which Ra, Dion and Joe wonder what being honest about history really means and if Ireland wants to be Austria or Germany. Joe talks about Martin McGuinness and how many people were angered by what he wrote after McGuinness’s death and he also recounts an eye-opening experience at an Old Firm game.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Irish women’s football team qualified for the World Cup, their achievement was overshadowed by a video of them singing ‘Ooh Aah, Up the Ra’. In this week’s episode Dion and Joe talk about why the song triggered such debate and if there are double standards involved, not just when certain groups are criticised and others aren’t, but in talking about the IRA itself. What does the issue tell us about Irish identity and how we understand our history? And Joe and Dion find they can agree on one thing at least.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charles Anyaegbunam had a privileged upbringing in Nigeria as a Nigerian prince. His first meeting with Joe Brolly took place either during an escapade around Ireland or an escapade around Florida. He talks to Dion and Joe about his son, the rapper Rejjie Snow, his own view on racism in Ireland and the time himself and Joe tried and failed to buy the Jacksonville Jaguars.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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you know where to find your optimism muscle? In this week’s episode Joe and Dion look at how the 21st century has become a factory and why a banal uniformity has invaded so many areas of life, including sport. With stories of John Morrison, Eamonn Coleman, Stan Bowles, Phil Lynott & Thin Lizzy, Dion and Joe wonder if all that was missing from their lives was an attitude of gratitude? Joe also explains his quest to find that optimism muscle...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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everybody wants to be happy but what if simply wanting to be happy is as crazy as simply wanting to live on Mars? In the first episode Dion and Joe examine how vulnerable people have been exploited by wellness gurus and in a time of uncertainty why those who offer easy and misleading answers have thrived. There's also an exiting executive position in the sporting world to discuss...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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreestatepodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Free State is a podcast for the curious that stimulates, provokes, challenges and entertains, while never taking itself too seriously. Free State 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. Free State is presented by Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning. Brolly is a barrister, an original thinker with a fascinating backstory, who donated a kidney to a stranger and then led a crusade to transform organ donation on the island of Ireland, and Fanning is an award-winning interviewer and author. 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/To get in touch with the podcast: [email protected]: @dionfanning @JoeBrolly1993 @freestateirl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.