The Irish Passport

Latest Episodes:

Brexit Update 2018 Jul 08, 2018

Show notes

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 Gaelic Games Jun 20, 2018

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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

After the Eighth. Ireland repeals abortion ban May 28, 2018

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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’s Abortion Referendum: Information Warfare May 03, 2018

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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

1916 and the Invention of Ireland Apr 20, 2018

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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

Halfpints: The Táin Apr 03, 2018

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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

St. Patrick’s Day Special Mar 16, 2018

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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 Mar 09, 2018

Show notes

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

The Invisible War Dec 13, 2017

Show notes

It's the grand finale to the first season! Tim Mc Inerney and Naomi O'Leary examine how a standoff over the Irish border in the Brexit negotiations brought ignorance about Ireland among politicians and media to the surface. We review the biggest embarrassing moments on air from the past few weeks, quiz ordinary English people about what they know about Ireland, and give a quick and dirty roundup of the history you need to know to understand today's news. Tim hears from a group of Northern Irish podcasters about what it's like to be from the forgotten province, and Naomi meets the Irishman who worked in Downing Street in the thick of the Brexit campaign and tried in vain to warn his colleagues of the border problems that were coming. We speak to finance professor Brian Lucey about the myths about Ireland that Brexit has brought to the surface, and hear an audio essay by Gordon Guthrie about Britain's 'great forgetting'. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

Away with the Fairies Nov 16, 2017

Show notes

Just below the surface of modern Ireland, a parallel world exists with its roots in pre-Christian belief. Irish fairies aren't like Tinkerbell - they're more like a supernatural mafia. So be careful what you say, because as the story goes, they're probably listening. Tim Mc Inerney talks to one of Ireland's last seanchaí or story-teller historians, who once managed to get a highway diverted to prevent the felling of a fairy bush. We also hear about modern traditions from the streets of Galway as the Celtic New Year Samhain festival is underway. Meanwhile, Naomi O'Leary discovers that fairies can even make an appearance in modern politics, thanks to Ireland's unique clan of rural populists, the Healy Rae political dynasty of County Kerry. For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish. Support this podcast

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