Podcast Episodes

Cork, a study in failure. Donal Og’s destructive legacy

Episode 257

Did Cork lose the All-Ireland hurling final at half time or was defeat guaranteed long before?

On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at what a sporting humiliation does to a team and if they can ever…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

The Trump Dictatorship with writer Joseph O’Neill

Episode 256

One of Ireland’s great writers Joseph O’Neill is today’s guest on Free State.

O’Neill’s novels Netherland and Godwin have reflected the centrality of sport in people’s lives. He talks about why sport …

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

Blocking a cross-community cricket camp. Unionists are draining the pool so no one can swim

Episode 255

The Fairground Park pool in St Louis Missouri was the largest pool in America when it was built in 1919. It had enough room for 10,000 swimmers. All of them white.

But when integration came to Missour…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

The Sherlock Holmes of Donegal. Jimmy McGuinness and the winning formula.

Episode 254

Jim McGuinness isn’t a pragmatist. He is, Joe says, a pragmatic extremist.

On Free State, Joe and Dion look at the clash between genius and control. 

Through the history of sport, geniuses have always …

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Writer Timothy O’Grady on the trauma of war, imagining the life of a sniper and writing Stephen Rea’s memoir

Episode 253

In January, Timothy O’Grady joined Dion and Joe on the podcast to talk about Say Nothing and what it got wrong.

What stayed in people’s minds was his reading from his novel Monaghan.

With the publicati…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Postmodernism and the Twelfth. In Moygashel, they’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats

Episode 252

When the pictures emerged of the loyalist bonfire in Moygashel in Co Tyrone, most people were horrified at the migrant boat effigy at the top. 

Politicians condemned it and called for action but other…

Published on 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Diogo Jota and the surprising truth about people

Episode 251

What kind of world do you think you’re living in?

Most people when asked will have one view but on Free State today, Joe explains a surprising truth. 

Joe was in Portugal last week when Diogo Jota and …

Published on 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Life and Death in Iran: With Children of the Jacaranda Tree author Sahar Delijani

Episode 250

Sahar Delijani was born in Evin Prison in Tehran. Her mother, who had been part of the movement that toppled the Shah in Iran, had been jailed as the new regime silenced some of the coalition that br…

Published on 2 months ago

Death Death to the IVF

Episode 249

In the aftermath of having their US visas revoked following their comments at Glastonbury, Bob Vylan issued a statement saying they were “a distraction from the story”.

“We are not for the death of Je…

Published on 2 months ago

David Clifford defeats Armagh to reach All-Ireland semi-final. Can he go all the way?

Episode 248

On Sunday at Croke Park the glory belonged to Kerry but who was responsible for this victory and will Joe have to apologise?

On Free State today Joe and Dion look at how Kerry beat Armagh and David Cl…

Published on 2 months ago