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The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack

189 episodes — Page 1 of 4

I Want to be in Government – Paul Murphy

Jun 26, 202652 min

I Don’t Want To Write Tragedies

Jun 23, 2026

Jim O’Callaghan’s Humpty Dumpty Biometric Bamboozlement

Jun 21, 202623 min

Mexico’s World Cup and Colombia’s Day of Reckoning

Jun 19, 2026

Protect Our Neutrality – The People’s Forum

Jun 17, 202649 min

The Gaza in my mind is not the Gaza I live in now

Jun 16, 202627 min

We Have an Extremely High Tolerance for Intolerance – Emma DeSouza on the Belfast Riots

Jun 14, 202634 min

The Belfast Pogroms – ‘There’s Always Embers. Leave Them Alone and They’ll Go Out. Add Fuel and They’ll Go Up’

Jun 12, 202641 min

We Don’t Need a Rainy Day Fund When it’s Already Pouring Down

Jun 12, 202642 min

The Societal Cost of Ireland’s Data Centre Boom

Jun 9, 202639 min

‘We Just Ran’ – Mohammad’s Story

Jun 9, 202624 min

‘Sinn Féin’s Left Wing Politics Are Not Up For Debate’

Jun 7, 202641 min

So Jeremy Corbyn, Mary Lou McDonald and Roddy Doyle walk into a festival

Jun 4, 2026

The Trump Regime, Cuba’s Collapse, World Cup of Uncertainty and Colombia’s New Hope

Jun 3, 202643 min

King Charles, Peter Mandelson and a Tyrone Goldmine

Jun 1, 2026

Gaza: My Students Keep Me Going – A Teacher Speaks

May 30, 202645 min

Adam SpiceBag Doyle – You Can’t Let Apathy Win

May 27, 202616 min

The bye-bye, By-Elections Special-ish

May 25, 202636 min

On Violence and Justice for Yves Sakila

May 24, 202644 min

James Leonard – Building Community from the Bottom Up and Getting a Seat at the Table

May 22, 202650 min

Being a Father is My Most Important Role

May 19, 2026

The Byelection Special-ish

May 18, 2026

Starmer, Burnham, the Hapless Horserace and the Need for a New Recipe

May 17, 202640 min

Time to Cut Taxes?

May 13, 202642 min

You Were Elected, Now Do Your Job

May 11, 2026

The First Draft of History

May 10, 2026

One Million Homes

May 8, 2026

Journalism, Boxing, Daniel Kinahan and Why Everything is Upside Down

May 5, 202627 min

What Sierra Leone tells us about DOGE, Trump and Overseas Aid

May 3, 2026

I think I should call the President

Apr 30, 2026

Gaza bleeds as the world looks away

Apr 28, 2026

Barry Heneghan – A Deal With the Devil or Right for the Country?

Apr 27, 2026

Suspended for Seeking Pay Parity – We Don’t Care About Carers

Apr 24, 2026

My Brother Was Food For Wild Dogs

Apr 22, 202625 min

Societal Resilience in a Wartime Economy

Apr 21, 2026

The Fuel Protests – Real Concerns Are Turned Into Anger and Hate with Saoirse McHugh

Apr 17, 2026

Displaced in Gaza – Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

Apr 17, 2026

Gaza Has Shown The World The Truth – Iran and Lebanon is Just a Continuation

Apr 14, 202652 min

New York Mayor Mamdani and the Mad King Trump

Apr 13, 2026

S1 Ep 1577Ireland’s Meta Money, Meta Problems

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Solicitor and Digital Rights expert, Simon McGarr re-joins me to discuss the recent legal woes for Big Tech, the novel legal argument that challenges their business model, the Government's attempts to improve online safety and why what Ireland is planning to do with its EU Presidency is at odds with tackling online disinformation and misinformation. Spoiler: It's deeply ironic that we're arguing for less Big Tech regulation, while complaining that the streets are blocked up by people who were "radicalised online." Rory Hearne on joining the dots from the Fuel Protests to the Cost of Living Crisis:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-155282335 New York journalist Timmy Facciola on Mamadani and Trump is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-155024173 The Hind Rajab jersey for Dignity for Palestine is available here:https://spicebagmerch.com/

Apr 11, 2026

S1 Ep 1579Fuel Protests – ‘Send In The Army’ and it’s Not Left vs Right

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Editors Note: Contains strong language from a part of the protest The fuel protests have caused havoc to people's travel plans and made many turn on the protests. But Dublin City Councillor, Conor Reddy went along twice and despite what you see in the video at the start, he was able to find common ground with many there and engage in civil debate and conversations even with those of whom he disagreed. We have many crises facing this country and if we don't show up to support and offer solutions, another side will and they'll be peddling division and misinformation. It is not Left vs Right; it's Have's vs Have Not's. I'm glad Conor and Paul showed up. New York journalist Timmy Facciola on Mamadani and Trump is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-155024173 The Hind Rajab jersey for Dignity for Palestine is available here:https://spicebagmerch.com/

Apr 9, 202622 min

Displaced in Gaza: My Mother Returned Home to Die

Please visit AFSC.org "We cried with my mother every time. She cried from pain and agony, and we cried from our helplessness and inability to provide assistance, medication, or relieve her pain. My mother suffered all the time, and our hearts were crushed with pain. This is our mother whom we love dearly, whom we do not want to lose, and who loves life and wants to continue it with us in good health." My Mother Returned Home to Die: The Injustices against Elderly Patients in the Gaza Strip is written by Ali Al Owisi and narrated by Irish Parliamentarian and lifelong Palestinian Rights Activist, Richard Boyd Barrett. To purchase Displaced in Gaza click:https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2620-displaced-in-gaza All proceeds go to We Are Not Numbers in Gaza. Production by Tony Groves @ the tortoise shack

Apr 9, 202612 min

Gaza, The Daily Reality As The World Looks Away

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Editor's note: I'd recommend watching this episode as Noor shares some glimpses of Gaza now. Noor Alhinnawi is a Palestinian writer from Gaza. She is graduating this semester and planning to start her career. After multiple displacements and attempts to cross to the south, she now lives in her relatives home after their own home was destroyed by Israel. She shares stories of displacement and surging death with us. Tune in for the full story. Simon McGarr on Meta and Google's legal losses:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-154840735 The ShedSit Pod with Sustainable Urbanism expert Phil Lawton:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-154676562 The YouTube stuff:https://www.youtube.com/@tortoiseshack9314

Apr 7, 202631 min

S1 Ep 1576Iran and the Global Economic Crisis

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Rejoining me on the shack to delve into Iran, the US, Big Tech, the interlinked global financial system and the economic troubles ahead is author of Tax Haven Ireland and editor of the Irish Marxist Review, Dr Brian O'Boyle. This is a deep dive into the economics of this idiotic war, shadow banking, tax avoidance and the long-term geopolitical game behind the game. Simon McGarr on Meta and Google's legal losses:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-154840735 The ShedSit Pod with Sustainable Urbanism expert Phil Lawton:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-154676562 The YouTube stuff:https://www.youtube.com/@tortoiseshack9314

Apr 6, 202654 min

S1 Ep 1574This Feels Like a World War

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack CEO of Emergency Logistics Team, Will Holden has spent years in some of the most dangerous places in the world. From Yemen to Syria and the then ISIS run Iraq, he’s seen a lot. He joined me from Erbil, Kurdistan to talk about the current situation, the supply chain issues created by the war and why this situation has him more concerned than anything he’s encountered previously. Iran, Shadow Banking, Shadow Fleets and the two week war podcast:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-154596249 Song by Cabin proceeds to Ionad Hind Rajab:https://cabin-music.bandcamp.com/album/live-from-the-ivy-house Support the Hind Rajab Centre here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/quick-thank-you-152402329 SpiceBag Hind Jajab Centre Jersey:https://spicebagmerch.com/

Apr 3, 2026

S1 Ep 1572Access to Justice – Planning to Fail

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The Government has sought to limit Access to Justice via their public consultation on the regulation of costs payable in matters prescribed on foot of section 294 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 (Scale of Fees). But it turns out that the public are overwhelmingly (98%) opposed. So what now for the planning eejitry? Solicitor Fred Logue joins me to talk about the report that has given the government the results it did not want and what the implications might and might not be for planning, climate action, bohs jerseys and access to justice. I made up the bohs jersey bit, but would support a bill to ban them. The Report is here:https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/c168d034/Report_Summary_-_Scale_of_Fees_Submissions.pdf Will Holden joins us from Ebril, Kurdistan, Iraq:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-154305070 Song by Cabin proceeds to Ionad Hind Rajab:https://cabin-music.bandcamp.com/album/live-from-the-ivy-house Support the Hind Rajab Centre here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/quick-thank-you-152402329 SpiceBag Hind Jajab Centre Jersey:https://spicebagmerch.com/

Apr 1, 2026

Chasing My Dream

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Shahd Ismail Mahmoud Miqdad , is a PhD student from Gaza, who dreams of a life beyond the genocide where she will complete her education and life a an independent life safe, far from anything that hurts or touches her or her loved ones. Will Holden joins us from Ebril, Kurdistan, Iraq:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-154305070 Song by Cabin proceeds to Ionad Hind Rajab:https://cabin-music.bandcamp.com/album/live-from-the-ivy-house Support the Hind Rajab Centre here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/quick-thank-you-152402329 SpiceBag Hind Jajab Centre Jersey:https://spicebagmerch.com/

Mar 31, 202623 min

S1 Ep 1575Does Cuba Have Any Allies?

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this episode journalist with El Pais in Latin America, Nicholas Dale Leal talks Cuba and the impossible choice facing its citizens, the Trump regime’s mafia style bullying of its neighbours and the lack of support for Cuba from her traditional allies. We also discuss the US-Ecuador attacks on “narco-terrorists” that killed innocent dairy farmers and what is happening in the Colombian presidential election. Will Holden joins us from Ebril, Kurdistan, Iraq:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-154305070 Song by Cabin proceeds to Ionad Hind Rajab:https://cabin-music.bandcamp.com/album/live-from-the-ivy-house Support the Hind Rajab Centre here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/quick-thank-you-152402329

Mar 30, 2026

S1 Ep 1571Boots on the Ground in Iran? – Former US Green Beret, Anthony Aguilar

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Former US Green Beret and Gaza Humanitarian Foundation whistleblower and now US Senate candidate, Anthony Aguilar rejoined me to discuss the current situation in Cuba, Iran and the US. He outlines the military situation and, not to be all doomer, gives a stark assessment of where things are heading. A must listen/watch Vijay Prashad podcast:https://www.patreon.com/posts/jwe-iran-crisis-153857539 Lynn Boylan MEP Pod:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-153100794

Mar 28, 202627 min

Evictions Up 41% – A National Emergency

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack This Reboot Republic again delves into Ireland's housing crisis, government policies, and the influence of international investment on the economy. Rory and Tony analyse the systemic issues, the role of private sector interests, the government fund festival vs the mass evictions that are occuring and the potential solutions for sustainable, green and public owned development. Cuba podcast with El Pais journalist in Latin America, Nicholas Leal here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-153943715 Former US Green Beret, Anthony Aguilar podcast here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-153986148 Song by Cabin proceeds to Ionad Hind Rajab:https://cabin-music.bandcamp.com/album/live-from-the-ivy-house Support the Hind Rajab Centre here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/quick-thank-you-152402329

Mar 27, 2026