Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

458 Episodes

Reverse

Simon Harris & the Welfare Queens

2026-11-1041:57

Free State is going live this Christmas. The first (and probably last) Free State Live show will take place at Vicar Street on Dec 14th, with special guest, James McClean and much more. Tickets are available here - https://www.ticketmaster.ie/free-state-with-joe-brolly-and-dion-fanning-tickets/artist/5770194. When Simon Harris spoke at the Fine Gael Ard fheis he was pandering to those in his party who say it needs a clear identity.But what was it really about? Was it about cruelty as a political manifesto? On Free State today Joe and Dion look at the reality of Ireland for those who are struggling, for those who get up early because they have no safe place to call home and for those who have been failed by the policies - or lack of them - of Simon Harris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Trump wanted to invade Greenland

2026-11-0739:08

Free State is going live this Christmas. The first (and probably last) Free State Live show will take place at Vicar Street on Dec 14th, with special guest, James McClean and much more. Tickets are available here - https://www.ticketmaster.ie/free-state-with-joe-brolly-and-dion-fanning-tickets/artist/5770194. On today's show we look at geopolitics. In the 19th century, the Great Game saw the British and Russian Empires tussle for supremacy in Asia. In the 21st century, there is a new great game and it explains much about Donald Trump's imperial ambitions. Rana Foroohar joins Dion to talk about why climate change has opened up the Arctic Circle to a new battle for supremacy on the high seas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stewart Kenny. How the genius behind Paddy Power became gambling’s fiercest critic.

2026-11-0501:05:01

Free State is going live this Christmas. Get your tickets here for the first (and probably the last) Free State Live show at Vicar Street on Dec 14th, with special guest James McClean. https://www.ticketmaster.ie/free-state-with-joe-brolly-and-dion-fanning-tickets/artist/5770194Stewart Kenny co-founded Paddy Power. It was his marketing genius which grew the bookmaker into the giant it would become. But as it grew Kenny began to have his own concerns.On Free State today Kenny talks to Joe and Dion about how he helped shape the betting giant, why he still loves gambling but not the isolating, poisonous addiction that is online betting.He speaks honestly about his own role in creating Frankenstein’s monster and what he thinks when people say he profited from the very industry he now rails against. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Happy Lundys - The Protestant group shaming Micheal Martin

2026-11-0344:241

Free State is going live this Christmas. Get your tickets here for the first (and probably the last) Free State Live show at Vicar Street on Dec 14th, with special guest James McClean. https://www.ticketmaster.ie/free-state-with-joe-brolly-and-dion-fanning-tickets/artist/5770194On today’s Free State, Dion and Joe look at Micheal Martin’s newfound love of talking about unity.He is ready to talk about a United Ireland. Up to a point. “What has concerned me about this push for a Border poll since Brexit is that it’s partisan, it’s a one-sided advocacy approach,” he said.But is this better than his previous approach? Do the Happy Lundys, the Protestant group having new conversations about a way forward show a better more hopeful way? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The priest who became a Celtic monk

2026-10-3147:04

Dara Molloy was ordained a priest but it was a trip to the Aran Islands that changed his life. He talks to Dion about leaving the priesthood, becoming a Celtic monk and why the world needs the spirituality of the Celtic way rather than the guilt imposed by the church that colonised Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#box-pro-ellipsis-179436133706881{-webkit-line-clamp:2;}Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning