The Irish Passport

In this first episode of Season 3, Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney explore the fascinating story of Irish women in politics from 1916 to the present day. We ask why women - integral to the foundation of the state - almost disappeared from the country's political landscape until relatively recently, and why 2019 could represent a new era of revolutionary change. Historians Mary McAuliffe and Emma O'Toole explain why radical feminist politics was so central to the Irish Revolution, while journalist Martina Fitzgerald outlines the challenges faced by female politicians during the 20th century. Naomi speaks to Hazel Chu, who is vying to become the country's first Irish-Chinese political representative, and Union of Student of Ireland representative Aisling Cusack tells us why things are changing, and changing fast ... For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Season 3 of The Irish Passport podcast is made with the kind support of Biddy Murphy, online sellers of genuine Irish goods. Check them out on www.biddymurphy.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcripts/transcript-women-in-politics/ Support this podcast

This St Patrick’s Day weekend we’re bringing you a bonus live show! Tim Mc Inerney comes to you from the Museum London, where he speaks to journalist Séamas O’Reilly and historian Danielle Thom about the London-Irish Diaspora, past and present. We’ll also hear about how London's historic Irish community was formed, with a few words from the Museum of London’s Director of Content, Finbarr Whooley. Special thanks to the organisers of this Young Ambassadors event, William McQuillan, and the staff and crew of the Museum of London. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

The Irish Passport’s first live show takes on the issues of race, politics and history between Ireland and the United States. We hear the backstage gossip from St. Patrick’s Day at the White house from RTÉ broadcaster Caitríona Perry, author of In America: Tales from Trump Country. We find out how strong the Irish-American lobby really is in Washington, and what that could mean for Brexit. Academic, broadcaster and author of Don’t Touch My Hair, Emma Dabiri, breaks down the fascinating and complex history of Ireland, slavery and the abolitionist movement. Recorded with a live audience at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris on February 15, 2019. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

A sneak preview of a bonus episode published to thank our Patreon supporters. Hear the full episode at patreon.com/theirishpassport. How has Brexit transformed the debate on Irish unification? Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney hear from locals in Northern Ireland on why a referendum on unity some thought they'd never see in their lifetime suddenly seems closer than ever. Naomi describes the mood on the ground and lays out polling that shows why the border is such a decisive issue. David McCann of Slugger O'Toole explains how politics in Northern Ireland has transformed since the referendum, and we hear from self-described unionist Raymond McCord on why he's battling for clarification of the circumstances under which a vote on unification could be held. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

It's the Season 2 finale of the Irish Passport Podcast, and we're taking on Irish Nationalism. Naomi O'Leary interviews Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald about her concept of progressive Irish nationalism, and why she believes its anti-colonial roots distinguishes it from counterparts in continental Europe. Tim Mc Inerney speaks to historians Richard English and Aidan Beatty to find out why race, gender and a whole lot of misunderstandings made Irish nationalism what it is today. And guest reporter Michael Lanigan heads to Dublin, where a Republic of Ireland versus Northern Ireland soccer match offers an interesting perspective on one of the newer national identities on the island: Northern Irish. This episode is sponsored by Tigh Neachtain pub in Galway. This sponsorship allowed us to hire an audio editor for this episode: thank you very much to Alan Meaney. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcripts/transcript-nationalism/ Support this podcast

Strange things are happening in Co. Roscommon, where a controversial eviction has set the internet on fire. Who were the unidentified men who ejected an elderly family from their farm house last week? Why do ex-British soldiers appear to be involved? And where do the rumours stop and facts begin? Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney uncover the dramatic story of this eviction and its deep historical resonances in the Irish cultural consciousness. They trace out the facts of what exactly happened in the townland of Falsk, how it inspired a vicious vigilante counter-attack that has gripped national headlines - and why you should pay very close attention to what happens next. This episode includes exclusive unreported revelations about security guards from Northern Ireland who carried out the eviction. Trust us, you're going to want to listen to this one. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

Ireland's main political parties are not split on a traditional left-right model, but instead represent different sides of a bloody civil war in the 1920s. But why is this war spoken about so little today? Could it be that its memory is too painful? Or is it because it still so strangely dominant in modern Irish politics? In this episode, Tim Mc Inerney traces the history of Ireland's Civil War from 1922-23, and how it shaped the country's political landscape. Meanwhile, Naomi O'Leary pays a visits the Irish Seanad or senate in Dublin, where she meets two politicians who have been deeply influenced by Civil War politics, albeit in very different ways. One is Senator Mark Daly, a descendant from anti-treaty rebels still questing for a 32-county Ireland, and the other is Senator Ian Marshall, the first northern unionist ever to be elected to the Irish Seanad. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcripts/transcript-irish-politics-and-the-civil-war/ Support this podcast

A hundred years since the end of the First World War, the remembrance poppy remains a controversial symbol in Ireland. Why? Writer Kylie Noble explains what the poppy meant to her as a child growing up in Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, and how she reconciles it with her British and Irish identity today. Naomi O'Leary traces the roots of Ireland's complex relationship with the poppy and how it intersects with her own family history, and interrogates what the fundraising appeal is for according to the accounts of the Royal British Legion. Should Taoiseach Leo Varadkar be wearing a shamrock poppy? You decide. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Featuring Cello Duet No. 1 by Chief Boima Support this podcast

Ireland's housing crisis is at boiling point, with homelessness at record levels and even well-paid people struggling to afford soaring rents and house prices. It's the political issue everyone is talking about -- but it's one with a long and dramatic history. Tim Mc Inerney and Naomi O'Leary trace the backstory to how an agrarian revolt turned Ireland into a kind of property-based welfare state. Guest reporter Molly May O'Leary visits an 'occupation training' session by Take Back the City, the activists who are grabbing headlines by seizing empty buildings in Dublin and demanding they be turned into social housing. How did Ireland go from the excesses of the Celtic Tiger property boom, to bust and back again? And what does diaspora minister Ciaran Cannon say about the impact on those hoping to move home? Hear the whole story in this episode. Featuring insights from University College Dublin Professor Michelle Norris, University College Cork Professor Cathal O’Connell, and Lorcan Sirr, who’s senior lecturer of housing at the Dublin Institute of Technology. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcript-the-housing-crisis/ Support this podcast

Tim Mc Inerney and Naomi O'Leary travel to Belfast for the peak of Northern Ireland's marching season: the 11th and 12th of July, when unionists and British-identifying communities light enormous bonfires and parade through the streets to commemorate Protestant military victories of the 17th century. We speak to experts including Donald MacRaild and Dominic Bryan of Queens University Belfast who explain the meaning of the tradition, and visit loyalist and republican communities in Belfast to understand what this time of year is like for them. We find many sides to the Glorious Twelfth: it can be a beloved community event, but it's intimidating enough that it drives most Catholics off the streets of Belfast. Naomi and Tim come face to face with the darker side, as they find themselves caught up in the thick of openly sectarian celebrations. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcripts/transcript-the-glorious-twelfth/ Support this podcast

Pope Francis visits Ireland in the wake of the abortion referendum, as Church infighting over the legacy of abuse in Catholic institutions threatens to derail the trip. We hear from people who protested the papal visit, and feature a special guest who decided he wanted to hear what the pope had to say for himself. Naomi O’Leary and Tim Mc Inerney discuss what the low turnout tells us about how the country has changed, and whether the visit closes a chapter in modern Irish history. This is a Halfpint episode, the extra content created to thank our Patreon supporters. Due to strong demand for an episode about the pope’s visit, we’ve released this Halfpint to all listeners. You can listen to our full archive of bonus episodes by signing up as a supporter on our Patreon page. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

Derry: ground zero for the outbreak of conflict in Northern Ireland. Is it once again being threatened with instability as Brexit causes deep uncertainty over the border? Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney travel north just as unrest breaks out in the ancient city as Protestants and unionists prepare to mark the 12th of July: a yearly celebration of their culture. We chat to a man who lost his father in Bloody Sunday, speak to children building a bonfire about why they burn the Irish flag, and sketch out why this city of so much promise has been held back by decades of discrimination. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcripts/transcript-derry-irelands-jerusalem/ Support this podcast

The British government has locked itself in a country mansion to debate Brexit, like a demented Agatha Christie novel. In Brussels, Irish and European leaders grimly start planning for a cliff-edge, no-deal outcome. What's going on and what does it all mean? Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney untangle the latest developments and discuss the implications for Ireland and the border. We speak to UK opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn about his Brexit border stance and his plans for Northern Ireland if he became prime minister. Meanwhile, Irishmen at the heart of Brussels Dara Murphy and Commissioner Phil Hogan explain the challenges of the negotiation and why Europe is preparing itself for the worst. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

The most popular sports in Ireland are the Gaelic games: uniquely Irish sports with an ancient history and a dramatic political backstory that are finding increasing international success. Tim Mc Inerney visits the Paris Gaels to hear why players who have never set foot in Ireland have taken to Gaelic football, while Naomi O'Leary explores the importance of the intensely local amateur sports to communities in Ireland. We hear from sports historian Paul Rouse of University College Dublin on how the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884 was deeply linked to the nationalist politics of the time. From Bronze Age myths about hurling matches between ancient tribes, to a devastating massacre in Croke Park stadium in 1920, we hear why modern Ireland can't be understood without the GAA. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

Ireland has voted by a landslide to end its near-total abortion ban. We hear the voices of victorious campaigners in Dublin Castle in the moments when the result was announced. Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney discuss the historic moment in a Dublin pub. We ask what this means for Ireland, what it means for the world, and whether Northern Ireland is next. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

Ireland is fighting it out on whether or not to remove its constitutional abortion ban in a referendum on May 25. We investigate how tactics seen in the Trump and Brexit campaigns have come to Ireland, turning it into a battleground for progressive and conservative forces in a global culture war. Naomi O'Leary's deep dive into Facebook advertising with journalist and transparency campaigner Gavin Sheridan leads us down a rabbit hole that leads to Houston, Texas. Tim Mc Inerney asks Minister of State for the Diaspora, Ciaran Cannon, whether the strict abortion laws he supports is causing young women to emigrate. We hear from a 23-year-old who spends his spare time knocking door-to-door in Wicklow to keep abortion illegal in Ireland. And we meet the woman behind "In Her Shoes", the Facebook page that has caused a viral outpouring of confessions from women who have suffered under the 8th Amendment. Special thanks to Aine O'Neill. Featuring Against the Wall by BoxCat Games. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcripts/transcript-irelands-abortion-referendum-information-warfare/ Support this podcast

The rebellion of a raggedy band of teachers, nurses and poets sent shock waves around the world and changed Ireland forever. But why does the Easter Rising of 1916 still cause controversy? Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney introduce the countess, the grocer's daughter, the carpenter and the ex-cobbler who all picked up guns on the morning of April 24 1916 and marched out to declare an independent Irish republic. Leading historians give their analysis of how the concept of Ireland was forged, and how the centenary celebrations in 2016 changed how the Easter Rising is remembered. This episode analyses how 1916 remains an intoxicating idea in Irish politics, and explores the cultural movement that created an 'idea' of Ireland so powerful, it was to die for. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcript-1916-and-the-invention-of-ireland/ Support this podcast

A tale of powerful matriarchs, fearsome warriors, and supernaturally potent bullocks from Ireland's ancient past. What's not to love? Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney take on the Táin Bó Cúailnge, a tale of cattle-raiding derring-do from before Christianity made it to Ireland. The first episode of our Halfpints mini-series, available to our Patreon subscribers only. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

A bonus special episode in honour of our national day! We discuss the annual pilgrimage of Irish politicians to the White House that inevitably results in scandal. Tim Mc Inerney tells us the surprising origins of the St. Patrick's Day festival and the murky history of the leprechaun mascot. Naomi O'Leary investigates the global empire behind the viral spread of Irish Pubs from Hong Kong to Panama, but discovers how a friendly Irish bar can be a real asset for immigrants far from home. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

A United Ireland: the idea has been a political force in Irish and British politics for centuries, and it has been given fresh momentum by Brexit. Tim Mc Inerney explains how the concept long pre-dates the partition of the island and was once championed by Protestant elites. Naomi O'Leary visits a public meeting about unification in central Dublin, and asks why it matters to people -- and when they expect it to happen. We hear from expert Katy Hayward on the potential options for Northern Ireland after Brexit, and why she believes talk of a United Ireland should be avoided altogether. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast