Podcast Episodes

When Ali met Ireland

Episode 265

When Muhammad Ali visited Ireland in 1972, the country was a different place.

Nobody believed the greatest sportsman the world has ever seen would fight in Dublin except the men who made it possible.

O…

Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago

Through a Glass Darkly. The sobering of Dion Fanning

Episode 263

As Dion celebrates a personal milestone, on Free State today Joe and Dion look at how to live without drink.

They consider how dark it can get for those on the other side and what helps people become …

Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago

A summer on the brink

Episode 262

In the summer of 1976, the world was a different place.

In Ireland and Britain, it was a summer of a heatwave. But were there cultural and political changes brought about by the long hot summer of 197…

Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago

They’re behind you! How the mass murder industry is trying to spook Ireland into wasting billions on weapons of war.

Episode 261

Have you locked yourself in a panic room? Have you got your tinned foods and toilet rolls in for when the Russians invade? If not, why are you so complacent? Why don’t you understand the threats Irel…

Published on 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Superman unleashed. Can anyone stop David Clifford & another Golden Years?

Episode 260

After Sunday's All Ireland final proved yet again why David Clifford is Superman in shorts, Joe wonders can any team stop a new Golden Years style reign for the Kerry footballers? On Free State today…

Published on 4 months, 4 weeks ago

A War Correspondent in Gaza

Episode 259

As a young reporter Phoebe Greenwood worked as a war correspondent in Gaza. She inhabited the world of fixers where journalists stayed at the Al Deira hotel and Israeli government spokespeople provid…

Published on 5 months ago

Can Donegal beat David Clifford? Or are 15 mortal men enough against the God of football?

Episode 258

How do you stop a genius? How does a genius thrive? 

David Clifford is the greatest Gaelic football who has ever lived but will that be enough on its own to bring Kerry an All-Ireland?

On Free State to…

Published on 5 months ago

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 5 months 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 5 months, 1 week 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 5 months, 1 week ago