The Mario Rosenstock Podcast

Leon Diop is the founder of the Black and Irish advocacy group, he’s a podcaster, and he’s the author of two books – the latest of which is a memoir called Mixed Up: An Irish boy’s journey to belonging.Leon is mixed-raced and grew up in the 1990s in an Ireland that was far less diverse than it is today. He describes being the only brown boy in his school and naturally that attracted a lot of attention, not all of it welcome, and he experienced a lot of both overt and casual racism (and he describes the difference in our chat). Also, his father had addiction issues and they had a difficult relationship, so things were tough on the home-front too.But as you’re about to hear, Leon has grown up to be a resilient, successful, and very good-humoured  guy who has managed to turn a lot of tough times into something positive. He has a fascinating life story and I hope you enjoy our conversation.  COMEDY - its that special time of year when we give gifts and think about what’s most important to us . Mariah Carey tells us constantly what SHE wants for Christmas, so we asked some well-known people what they want…Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

If you enjoyed part 1 of my chat with Marion McKeone, you're going to LOVE part 2. This time we get stuck into some of the key characters in the crazy story that is the USA today – characters like Robert F Kennedy junior, the anti-vax US health secretary with a worm in his brain; Olivia Nuzzi, the machiavellian journalist that had an affair with RFK Jnr, the late Jeffrey Epstein who is having a major impact on US politics even several years after his death; Pete Hegseth, Howard Lutnick...the list goes on. We also ask some important questions, like really how intelligent is Donald trump ? Did a bullet actually hit his ear in the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania?  And did Jeffrey Epstein really take his own life, or was he killed?Marion has been covering US politics and culture for decades – she’s been all over the country, attended scores of MAGA rallies, been in the white House press group, and met all the big players.COMEDY - its the Fine Gael and Fianna Fail joint Christmas party! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Marion McKeone is one of Ireland’s best known journalists and commentators on the United States. She has been on Matt Cooper’s Last Word  US slot, alongside Cal Thomas, every week for years now and her columns appear regularly in the broadsheets and online.I don’t need to tell you just how crazy and dysfunctional things are in the US right now – we hear about it every day in the news and on social media. But Marion brings a whole new level to the coverage – she lived in America for years, been part of the white house press group, knows all of the key players, and can give us an insight in to what the hell is going on and where its all going,  like no one else can.COMEDY - Marion got a lot of messages on the hotline, from people like Matt Cooper, Cal Thomas, Paschal Donohoe, and even Donald Trump himself! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Keith Barry has been on our stages and screens for 25 years and he been all over the world performing his mentalism in all sorts of situations, including on the sets of Hollywood movies and in the homes of famous Hollywood actors . He shares some great insider stories about Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Keanu Reeves, and Kylie Minogue in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast. Keith is just about to kick off what might be his very ever last tour. ‘Unhinged - 25 Years Inside Your Mind’ will be dark, dangerous, and its also very personal for Keith, as he’s taking his late Dad’s ashes on tour with him. This was one of his Dad, Ken’s last requests and Keith tells me all about this and the relationship they had. We also talk about the qualities of a great magician, nightmare corporate gigs, and why AI is going to make you want to go to more live gigsCOMEDY - There are some great Black Friday deals on offer this weekend, and from some well known people like Ivan Yates, Michael O'Leary, Ray Darcy and Michael D Higgins, who've just launched a new podcast together! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

I’ve been watching Russell Howard on tv for years. He was a regular fixture on the hugely popular comedy show Mock the Week, he’s had Netflix specials, and of course his standup clips are all over social media. So Ive always known that he’s a very intelligent and funny guy. But having met him in person, I can also confirm that he’s a brilliant man to have a conversation with. He can talk at length about any topic you can throw at him, he’s got great stories, he’s funny, and our hour together just flew along. Jump in and take a listen. COMEDY – As Paschal Donohoe leaves Dail Eireann for the World Bank, we hack into his voicemails and find out who has been wishing him well.Produced by Patrick Haughey – AudioBrand

David Gillick is one of Ireland’s most successful athletes. He’s a track and field sprinter, a two time European champion and has set national records , some of which he still holds to this day. When it comes to successful and high profile people  like David, we hear about the wins and the glamour, but we don’t hear about the other side of that life. The sacrifices you make for greatness , the eternal slog of training, constant threat of injuries, the financial and psychological impact of getting an injury.  And in this episode of the Mario Rosenstock Podcast, David spills the beans on the realities of life as a world class athlete - the highs, the lows, and of course the behind the scenes stories.  Check out David’s brilliant new book called The Race: The inside track on the ruthless world of elite athletics.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Dr Harry Barry is a medical doctor with a particular interest in mental health, and what lies behind the conditions that so many of us are familiar with, such as anxiety and panic attacks, phobias, depression, toxic Stress, and addiction.In this episode Harry breaks down the common causes behind these conditions, and explains some of the simple things we can do to break out of them.  We also talk about the impact of social media on young minds, a fast fix for social anxiety, and why your frustration with other drivers on the road might be more serious than you think. Harry also tell me about his memoir called Beneath the Surface: A Doctor's Journey of Empathy, Healing and Self-Discovery.COMEDY – Matt Cooper and Ivan Yates have a heart to heart about their ‘break up’.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Michael Flynn, aka Mattress Mick, has a great story to tell – he’s a true entrepreneur at heart and thrives off the cut and thrust of business. He runs a very successful company now, but this wasn’t always the case -  he has his fair share of very tough times, including when he had to sell his family home to pay his debts.In our chat Mick tells me about the highs and lows of his life in business, some of the hilarious guerilla marketing campaigns he has come up with, including of course where the whole idea of the character ‘Mattress Mick’ came from in the first place, the story of adopting his daughter from Russia, and loads more.Michael Flynn’s new book is called Bouncing Back: Memoirs of a Mattress Salesman.COMEDY - Mattress Mick is such a well-known guy that when I put it out there on my socials that he was coming in for a chat, the voicemails started to pour in from people like Matt Cooper and Ivan Yates, Michael D Higgins, and Miriam O’Callaghan.The Mario Rosenstock Podcast is produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

He’s one of Ireland’s big Eurovision success stories, he has a weekly slot on Newstalk’s Pat Kenny Show called 'The Lyric’s the Thing', and he’s got some brilliant behind-the-scenes celebrity stories from the heyday of Dublin’s nightlife - Paul Harrington is great man to have on a podcast like The Mario Rosenstock Podcast.Paul and I chat about the stories behind some great songs, his favourite Eurovision hits, some juicy behind the scenes stories from the VIP room in Dublin’s iconic Lilly’s Bordello, and memories of our mutual friend, the late, great Tony Fenton.COMEDY – As Michael D approaches the end of his term as President, he’s getting some interesting voicemails. We get exclusive access...Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

I don’t think there’s really such a thing as a ‘normal’ conversation with Michael Harding, and I certainly had no intention of trying to have one in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast. Michael is many things – a writer, a playwright, a podcaster, and a columnist - but he’s also one of the most captivating speakers you’ll have the pleasure of listening to. He has been up and he has been down and he has thought deeply about life and how to live it well, and he loves to share what he has learned, in case you might find it of use.So if you want to hear two grown men do down a whole lot of rabbit holes about amateur Buddhism, existentialism , love, loss,  and the meaning of life – all with a good handful of great craic thrown in - then you’ve just hit play on the right podcast!Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Sometimes I’ll have a long and fascinating conversation with a guest and instead of including all of it in the episode, we’ll chop some of it out, put it into a little folder in the Mario Rosenstock podcast vaults for safekeeping, and then dust it off and pop it in to a special episode of un-heard bits when the time is right.So we’ve two such bonus bits from the vaults for you in this episode – one from Former professional footballer and manager, Roddy Collins and the other from housing expert and former chair of the Housing Agency, Conor Skehan. Neither of whom hold back on their chosen subject!We’ll also be remembering the late, great Manchan Magan, someone who made a deep impression on me and that I had great time and admiration for. We’ll replay a lovely excerpt from the conversation we had back in 2021.COMEDY – David McWilliams is very excited about this week’s Budget – but he lets rip about a couple of tax hikes that are going to hit him straight in the pocket.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Eamon Carr has had the most fascinating life –poet,  playwright,  sports journalist, copywriter in an ad agency, entertainment journalist.  Oh.. and he was also a founding member of one of Ireland most unique and iconic bands, The Horslips! (the band responsible for that  amazing guitar sample in ‘put em under pressure' from Italia 90).  Eamon takes me right back to the start of Horslips and into their heyday, and we also talk about life on the road as a musician and the toll that rock n roll living can take. Eamon also talks about some of the most interesting people that he has interviewed over his long career as a journalist.This is the topic of his latest book, Pure Gold,  full of brilliant stories about his interviews with greats including  Shane MacGowan, Jack Charlton, Gay Byrne, Sinead O’Connor, and many more.COMEDY – its all about the Presidential race at the moment and we’re hearing lots from the candidates. But what about Michael D, what’s going on with him behind the closed doors of the Aras??Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

So we’ve got a very different kind of episode for you this time. A few weeks ago Karl Deeter joined me here on the show and, after we had finished recording, he hit me with an idea – would I be up for the tables being turned, and me being the guest on my own podcast? And as evidenced by what you’re about to hear, I said yes!I’m definitely  little too close to it to have a sense of how it went or what you’re going to think,  so I guess I’m just going to let you have a listen and see for yourself. Hopefully you trust that at this stage, we like to put on a good show here on the podcast and you’ll always hear something that might give you a laugh, something new to think about, or a little bit of escape to wind down from a tough week. Enjoy!Thanks to Deluxe Bathrooms for supporting The Mario Rosenstock Podcast. Check out deluxebathroom.ie and their showrooms in Dundalk Retail Park and Eastgate Retail Park, Little Island, Cork. Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Pretty much everyone in this country, either directly or indirectly, is affected by the housing crisis. And it has come up as topic on this podcast time and time again. We have had lots of guests that are hugely successful in the world of writing, acting, performance, but who can’t afford to buy a home and/or who are looked at very unfavourably by the banks for a mortgage. And its come up in my conversations with campaigners like rory hearne and Ciaran crazy house prices. And it’s a subject that my special guest Conor Skehan has a lot of experience in and a lot to say about. Conor is an expert in planning and architecture and in 2013 the government appointed him as chair of the Housing agency, a role he held for 5 years. And in that time Conor learned a lot about housing – not just the facts and figures and the big picture stuff, but why its is such a complex, emotional issue that we find so hard to fix. He has a lot of strong opinions about it, and he doesn’t hold back in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast. COMEDY - Leo Varadkar has recorded an audio version of his hotly-anticipated autobiography, and he’s even convinced a few of his former political colleagues to take part in the recording. We got exclusive access to the unedited footage that reveals what really happened in the studio Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

John Gibbons is one of Ireland’s best-known and most vocal environmental campaigners, consistently highlighting the climate emergency for well over 20 years. He has appeared on this podcast several times and he also does a weekly slot with Matt Cooper on Today FM’s Last Word. John has just published a new book called The Lie of the Land -  A Game Plan for Ireland in the Climate Crisis, and he joined me here in the GoLoud studio to tell me all about it.We talk about how we have gotten into the situation we’re in, and he deals with some of  the climate-sceptic arguments that are floating around quite a lot at the moment. John also outlines some very clear solutions and he’s very optimistic that its not at all too late to put them into action. He also shares a story about a pretty serious run in he had with a certain, very well-known national broadcaster, now who might that be…?COMEDY - As you can imagine, John’s attracts a lot of attention with his very vocal views, and so as soon as I put out the word that he was going to join me here on the podcast, the Mario Rosenstock Podcast hotline started hopping Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Eileen Magnier spent 35 years as RTE’s North west correspondent, and in that time she covered an incredible number of stories of all different kinds. It was a job that she loved, but it was also very demanding and unpredictable in nature. Sometimes Eileen would have to report on incredibly tragic stories like the Creeslough explosion in co Donegal in 2022, in which 10 people died. This was a part of the job that Eileen took very seriously, as it is so important to cover these stories sympathetically and accurately, and with consideration to those left behind.The physical and emotional toll of the work, after over three decades, was starting to become very apparent to Eileen and so, just over a year ago, she decided to retire and today, she says she has never felt so healthy, so free, and so energised.In this episode Eileen and I have a fascinating chat about her almost four decades at the frontlines of public service news, the various factors that prompted her to make that very big decision to retire, and the amazing things that she has been doing since retirement.COMEDY - when some of Eileen's former colleagues in RTE spotted her walking in the doors of Marconi House to record this interview, they thought she might be 'doing a Claire Byrne' and the Mario Rosenstock Podcast hotline started buzzing!!Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Buckle up and get ready for this one, because Paul Treyvaud has a LOT to say. Paul is a successful restauranteur with a great business, an Amazon Prime series, and a whole lot of TV experiences under his belt.But recently, Paul has also become a very vocal and widely-publicised critic of a range of government policies that he predicts are about to trigger a ‘tsunami’ of closures in the tourism sector. In this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast, Paul lets rip about crazy covid policies, why Ireland’s immigration approach has not worked, and why he thinks he has been effectively cancelled from radio and tv appearances. Paul also shares some great stories from his time in the restaurant trade and the well-known people that he and his  master-chef father Michel have had the pleasure of cooking for. COMEDY - Students all over Ireland have been receiving their CAO offers this week and this has led economist and podcaster David McWilliams on a trip down memory lane… Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

If you follow what happening in the news in the UK then you’ll be very familiar with my guest on this episode, Enda Brady. Originally from Wexford, Enda studied journalism in the UK and ended up carving out a highly successful career there,  spending over 16 years as senior correspondent at Sky News.In this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast, Enda and I have a great chat about the craziness of UK politics, the prospect of Nigel Farage as Prime Minister, and he shares some great behind-the-scene stories of his interviews with people like Tiger Woods, Zlatan, Ibrahimovic, and David Beckham.COMEDY – We got a great reaction to this Gift Grub sketch about the WWE coming to Dublin this week, enjoy!Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Karl Deeter has been a guest on my podcast, and my radio show before that, many times. We always have a great chat about US politics, his take on Trump (which is always interesting), and the big ticket political and societal issues in Ireland.But Karl is also an entrepreneur and has been one of the country’s leading mortgage brokers for many years. A few years ago he developed a tech platform that brought a very welcome and much-needed digital layer to the mortgage application process, and that innovation, combined with many years of hard work and creative thinking, has just delivered a major payday for Karl, and, just as importantly, a true validation of his idea.So we invited Karl back on to The Mario Rosenstock Podcast straight away to tell us the full story – from how he spent years trying to figure out what he was good at, to being ‘crushed’ by the 2008 recession, right up to selling his company in a multi-million euro deal just days ago.COMEDY - Taylor swift has just appeared on her very first podcast, and its not even a music podcast! So now some well-known Irish podcasters are trying their luck and inviting her on to their shows. We got exclusive access to Taylor’s voicemailsProduced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

It has been just over a year since I last chatted with comedian and writer Tadhg Hickey here on the podcast. But since then, things have really moved up a gear for Tadhg, some of it good and some not so good. Tadhg has been a very vocal critic of Israel’s war on Gaza and a staunch supporter of Palestine, and his online videos and comedy sketches about the issue have always been popular. But over the past year his profile has grown significantly and, as well as winning new supporters, he has been attracting new critics. Why? Because, as he describes, he has ‘become dangerous’.So I asked Tadhg to join me again here on The Mario Rosenstock Podcast to chat about the crazy year that he has had – from his continued activism and the negative attention it has been attracting, to his trip to Iran and thoughts on how the Irish and the Iranian people share a lot in common, the new satirical tv show that he is making, and lots more. COMEDY – Its not long before one of Ireland’s most anticipated concerts of the year is here, Oasis! Liam Gallagher has been getting all sorts of messages from the likes of Ronan Keating, Louis Walsh, and Daniel O’Donnell. We got exclusive access to his mailbox…