Newstalk Daily

To say it’s been a tumultuous few weeks in American politics might be the understatement of the year. The kidnapping of the leader of another sovereign nation, threats to annex the territory of a fellow Nato member, an outspoken defence of the killing of a US citizen by a federal agent and that’s just this month. These sorts of actions have been labelled “unprecedented” by many but is the Trump Presidency something new or indicative of a side of America that we in Europe have failed to notice but which has always been there?Broadcaster Edward Stourton is the author of a new book called Made in America: the Dark History that Led to Donald Trump, in which he puts forward the argument that far from being a modern anomaly, much of the policy of the current administration is just a continuation of broad historical patterns in American history.

Psychotherapy has moved from the margins to the mainstream in Ireland. More people are turning to therapy to deal with anxiety, grief, trauma, relationship problems, and the everyday pressures of modern life. But as demand grows, so do the questions — especially around who is qualified to practice, how therapists are trained, and how the profession is regulated. On today’s podcast, Shane Beatty takes a close look at psychotherapy in Ireland: what it actually involves, how people become psychotherapists, and why new standards proposed by the health and social care regulator, Corú, have sparked concern across the profession. Corú says its proposed framework is designed to protect the public, setting minimum education and training requirements, and introducing statutory regulation for the first time. But leading professional bodies warn that key safeguards are being weakened — including clinical training hours and the long-standing requirement for trainee therapists to undergo personal therapy themselves. To explore what’s at stake, Shane is joined by psychotherapists Belinda Moller, chair of the Irish Council for Psychotherapy, and Mary Cullen. They explain how psychotherapy works, what clients should look for when choosing a therapist, and why many practitioners believe the proposed standards could have unintended consequences. You’ll also hear from Corú’s Claire O’Cleary, responding to those concerns and outlining the regulator’s thinking behind the new proposals. And as the debate intensifies, we ask: who ultimately decides how psychotherapy is regulated in Ireland — and does the Minister for Health need to step in? You can hear Claire O’Leary’s full interview on Alive and Kicking here: 🔗 https://www.goloudplayer.com/episodes/coru-on-regulating-the-psychothe-ZGQ4N2ViYmI2NmE1ZmFhMDgxNTdiYzA0MDYxZTA1ODM=  

Though it may not move the needle quite so much here in Ireland, the most watched sporting event worldwide this weekend will likely be the final of football’s African Cup of Nations.By all accounts it’s been a great tournament on the pitch but the biggest story, and indeed the most iconic image from the tournament has been provided not by one of the players but by Democratic Republic of Congo fan Michel Nkuka Mboladinga.Sport and politics rarely make for comfortable bedfellows but could this be a sign of things to come at this summer’s FIFA World Cup?Off The Ball's David Wilson joins Shane Beatty to discuss

The idea of a directly-elected mayor for Dublin has been circling Irish politics for decades — recommended by a Citizens’ Assembly, backed by some parties, resisted by others, and still unresolved. Today on Newstalk Daily, Shane Beatty asks why Dublin remains the odd one out, while cities around the world hand executive power to mayors who shape housing, transport, and climate policy. Professor Ricky Burdett from the London School of Economics joins the podcast to explain why mayors have become such influential political figures in recent years, not because cities are growing faster in Europe, but because urban areas now sit on the frontline of challenges like inequality, climate change, and migration. He also outlines how much power mayors actually hold in cities like London, Paris, and New York — and why Dublin’s largely ceremonial model stands apart. Green Party chair and Dublin city councillor Janet Horner makes the case for giving Dubliners a direct say over who leads their city, arguing that a directly-elected mayor could bring clearer accountability, stronger leadership, and better coordination across things like transport. She also addresses concerns about populism, central government resistance and whether Ireland really needs another powerful political office. 

When Donald Trump first floated the idea of buying Greenland and it was widely treated as a joke. Now it’s being discussed in far more concrete terms, including reports that the White House has explored direct cash payments to Greenlanders themselves. Representatives of Greenland and Denmark are meeting with US vice president JD Vance today.So, what happens when you try to put a price on a place that isn’t a company or an asset, but a society? Greenland has a tiny population, a narrow economy built almost entirely on fishing, vast mineral potential that’s mostly locked under ice, and a half-billion-euro annual subsidy from Denmark that keeps the state running. Add in strategic military value, Arctic shipping routes, Indigenous rights, international law and political consent, and the calculator starts to melt. On today’s podcast, Sean Defoe joins Shane Beatty for a deliberately imperfect thought experiment: adding up the numbers as the conversation unfolds, not because anyone thinks Greenland is actually for sale, but because the exercise exposes how flimsy the idea really is. From trillion-dollar mineral estimates to six-billion-dollar cheques, and from Cold War baselines to modern Arctic geopolitics, this is a story about money, power — and the things that refuse to be priced. Newstalk’s Josh Crosbie also reports from Nuuk on how Greenlanders themselves feel about being talked about as a strategic acquisition. 

Awards season is officially underway, and Ireland had plenty to celebrate after Jessie Buckley’s Golden Globe win for her performance in Hamnet, which has now put her firmly in the Oscar conversation. But beyond the headlines and highlight clips, today’s podcast asks a bigger question: what do awards ceremonies actually mean in 2026? Do they still shape careers? Or have they become glossy, self-referential spectacles designed mainly to generate social media moments? Shane Beatty is joined by Screen Time’s John Fardy, who’s spent years on red carpets and inside awards bubbles, to take the temperature of an industry that still loves a trophy. Journalist and critic Zara Hedderman weighs in on whether ceremonies like the Golden Globes, Oscars and Grammys still help people discover great work — or simply confirm what’s already popular and well-funded. The conversation ranges from studio influence and campaign culture to the growing power of algorithms, streaming platforms, and online buzz. They discuss why younger audiences know the awards but rarely watch the shows, whether fan-voted prizes fix or worsen credibility problems, and why controversial wins or snubs can sometimes overshadow the art itself. There’s also a look at politics on the awards stage, including Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar speech for The Zone of Interest, and whether moments like that prove there’s still integrity — and impact — left in the spectacle. 

Hunger striking is one of the most extreme forms of political protest — and one with a long, painful history on this island. As members of the Palestine Action group continue a hunger strike in British prisons, with serious concerns about their health, Newstalk Daily looks at what refusal to eat is meant to achieve, and the human cost that comes with it. Shane Beatty is joined on the podcast by Laurence McKeown, who spent 16 years in prison as a young man and went 70 days without food during the 1981 Maze Prison hunger strike. He came close to death, fell into a coma, and survived only after his mother intervened. Laurence reflects on the physical and psychological toll of hunger striking, the emotional impact on families, and the moment when protest collides with survival. He also discusses whether hunger strikes can ever truly force political changes. Now an author, playwright and academic, Laurence draws on decades of reflection to explore why hunger strikes persist as a form of protest, how they shape political understanding, and what lessons — and warnings — they offer to activists today. Laurence McKeown’s memoir is And Flowers Grew Up Through the Concrete: A Prison Memoir, 1981–1992. 

Micheál Martin has just finished a four day official visit to China.  On Monday he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing and by all accounts the trip has been a glowing success.It’s been an eventful week geopolitically with Donald Trump and Nicolás Maduro making most of the headlines. But quietly beavering away in the background was Micheál Martin as he pressed the flesh in Beijing. The trip came off the back of an internal study by the Department of Foreign Affairs into the Government’s diplomatic soft power and included a notable non-answer to a question on the events in Venezuela from the Taoiseach.So just how much is achieved by these visits? To what degree is the off camera dialogue reflected by the on the record rhetoric? And does Ireland’s soft power pack much of a punch internationally? Today on the podcast, Shane Beatty speaks with former Irish Ambassador to France, Rory Montgomery about diplomacy, soft power and what really goes on behind the scenes on these state  visits.

A long-running European trade deal is heading for a crunch moment, and it’s sparked one of the loudest rows in Irish politics in years. As EU ambassadors prepare to move on the EU–Mercosur agreement, farmers are warning it could flood the market with cheaper meat – especially beef and poultry from Brazil – and undermine rural livelihoods. A major protest is planned in Athlone this weekend, with farming groups urging the government to stand firm. But Irish business sees a very different picture, arguing the deal could open doors for exporters and protect Ireland’s place in a volatile global economy. Today on the podcast, Shane Beatty hears both sides of the argument. First, Agriland editor Stella Meehan explains why farmers are so deeply opposed. Then, Chambers Ireland CEO Ian Talbot makes the case for why business wants the deal done. And along the way, we ask a question many listeners are quietly thinking about: could more competition actually help hard-pressed shoppers? A trade deal, a political headache — and a country divided. 

William Shakespeare is back in the cultural spotlight with the release of the film Hamnet, starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. But while the film renews interest in the playwright’s life and legacy, it also raises an awkward question closer to home: why does Shakespeare still hold such a dominant, compulsory place in Irish schools? English teacher Conor Murphy joins Shane Beatty on the podcast to argue that while Shakespeare’s brilliance is not in doubt, his privileged position in the curriculum is. Conor suggests that making Shakespeare mandatory crowds out other voices — including Irish writers and dramatists — and reinforces the idea that English literature has a fixed centre with the Bard permanently at its core. They discuss whether students are engaging meaningfully with Shakespeare or simply learning how to “pass” him for exams, whether plays are being taught in the wrong way, and how much space is left for writers like James Joyce, John McGahern, Marina Carr, or Doireann Ní Ghríofa. With curriculum reform on the horizon, the conversation asks whether it’s finally time to rebalance what — and who — we value in Irish classrooms. Hamnet opens in Irish cinemas this Friday. If you go to see the film, we’d love to hear your reviews! Send us an email to newstalkdaily@newstalk.com. 

January 6th marks Epiphany, Nollaig na mBan, and the official end of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year. It closes the door on a remarkable twelve months that included the death of Pope Francis, the election of Pope Leo, and a renewed push to reconnect with young people. On today’s Newstalk Daily, we look back at what the Jubilee was meant to achieve — and whether it worked. From the million-strong Jubilee of Youth in Rome to the quieter reality of declining Mass attendance at home, what does success look like for the modern Church? We also examine the early signals from Pope Leo XVI: a calm, methodical leader described as a “centrist dad Pope,” favouring order and tradition over disruption, and taking a cautious approach to reform. Joining Shane Beatty on the podcast is Michael Kelly, Director of Public Affairs at Aid To The Church In Need and author of a recent biography of Pope Leo, on where the Church stands as 2026 begins — in Ireland and across the world. You can find out more about the work of Aid To The Church In Need Ireland here: 👉 https://www.acnireland.org/ 

On paper, Gaza is in a ceasefire. On the ground, Israeli military operations continue, borders inside the strip are shifting, aid access is tightening, and more than 400 people have been killed since the agreement came into effect last year. Humanitarian organisations, including Doctors Without Borders, have been suspended from operating in Gaza under new Israeli registration rules, while reconstruction remains blocked and civilians are being killed near expanding control lines. At the same time, new Israeli settlements have been approved in the occupied West Bank, raising further questions about whether the ceasefire is stabilising the region or quietly storing up the conditions for more violence. Professor Fawaz Gerges of the London School of Economics argues that what now exists is not a ceasefire at all, but a region-wide low-intensity war. He joins Shane Beatty on the podcast to assess whether the current arrangement was ever designed to hold, how credible the US role as mediator really is, and why the risk of renewed conflict between Israel and Iran in 2026 may be higher than many are willing to acknowledge. Is this a genuine pause on the road to peace, or simply a different phase of the same conflict? 

This year, the United States marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. What was meant to be a sweeping national commemoration — exhibitions, reenactments and reflection — has instead become a flashpoint for political and cultural conflict, with funding rows, museum controversies and a White House determined to shape how the story is told. On today’s podcast, Sean Defoe is joined by Dr Sandra Scanlon, lecturer in American history at University College Dublin, to ask what the American Revolution was really about — and why its legacy is proving so contested 250 years on. They discuss the Declaration of Independence, mythmaking around 1776, how anniversaries shape national identity, the challenge of commemoration, and whether it’s possible to celebrate the founding of the United States while confronting slavery, exclusion, and inequality. They also explore Donald Trump’s policing of “patriotic history,” the fallout from statue debates and Black Lives Matter, and what a genuinely successful 250th anniversary might look like. 

During 2025, the Catholic Church celebrated its Jubilee of Youth. At the same time, polling research in Ireland and the UK revealed growth in spirituality and religious practice among young people. In this podcast from the Newstalk Daily archive, Ciara Doherty is joined by Colm Flynn, Vatican correspondent with EWTN.

One of the biggest streaming hits of the year was The House of Guinness on Netflix. In this podcast from the Newstalk Daily archive, Ciara Doherty is joined by journalist and author Emily Hourican, whose The Guinness Girls novels also fictionalise characters from the famous Dublin dynasty. 

Five years ago, the fallout from an Oireachtas Golf Society event at the Station House Hotel in Clifden, county Galway, became one of the most politically explosive stories of the pandemic: Golfgate. In this podcast from the Newstalk Daily archive, Sean Defoe is joined by the journalists who broke the story for the Irish Examiner, Aoife Moore and Paul Hosford. 

The Irish pub has always been about more than drink. In part two of this conversation, Tara Duggan is joined by social historian Donal Fallon to explore the quieter, deeper layers of pub life — from snugs and gendered spaces to music, photography, county associations, and the pubs that shaped communities before disappearing from the map. They talk about how pubs are responding to shifting drinking and socialising habits, the experience of women in pubs for much of the twentieth century, and (Tara’s personal bugbear) the awkward placing of ladies’ toilets.  📘 Further reading The Dublin Pub: A Social and Cultural History by Donal Fallon is published by New Island Books 👉 https://www.newisland.ie/product/the-dublin-pub/ 

On St Stephen’s Day, many of us gather in a particular social space — the pub. In this special edition of the podcast, Tara Duggan is joined in the snug of Dublin’s Palace Bar by social historian and podcaster Donal Fallon to talk about why the 26th of December has such a powerful connection to the Irish public house. From Wren Boys and folk traditions to politics, literature and community life, Donal explains how pubs became Ireland’s great meeting places — and what disappears when they close. 📘 Donal Fallon’s book The Dublin Pub: A Social and Cultural History by Donal Fallon is published by New Island Books — and explores the pub as a social, political and cultural space in Irish life. 👉 https://www.newisland.ie/product/the-dublin-pub/ 🎙️ Donal Fallon’s podcast Three Castles Burning dives into Dublin’s hidden histories — from streets and pubs to politics and protest. 👉 https://threecastlesburning.libsyn.com/ 

Christmas Day can be loud, busy, and full of expectations. But for some people — by choice, or by circumstance — it’s quiet. This Christmas Day edition of Newstalk Daily is made for anyone spending the day on their own. It’s not here to fix anything, or to tell you how to feel. It’s simply here to keep you company.Beatty talks first to journalist Jennifer McShane, who has written about time alone at Christmas can be underrated, even joyful. She reflects on the difference between being alone and feeling lonely, the pressure to “perform” Christmas, and why opting out can sometimes be an act of rest rather than rejection.Then, Shane is joined by Dr Joanna McHugh Power from the Department of Psychology at Maynooth University. She offers gentle, practical advice for anyone who didn’t expect to be alone today and may be finding it difficult — from creating simple structures, to managing social media, to finding connection without overwhelm.Wherever you are today, and however you’re feeling, you’re very welcome here.🕯️ ALONE Support and companionship for older people experiencing loneliness, including over Christmas. https://alone.ie Helpline: 0818 222 024📞 Samaritans Ireland A listening ear, day or night — you don’t need to be in crisis to get in touch. https://www.samaritans.org/ireland Freephone: 116 123💙 Aware Support and information for people affected by depression, anxiety, and low mood. https://www.aware.ie Support line: 1800 80 48 48

They were children when the Celtic Tiger collapsed. Teenagers when the IMF arrived. And now, they’re adults in an Ireland that in many ways still hasn’t fully recovered.The “Bailout Babies” are the generation born into the boom and shaped by the bust. They never benefited from the good times, but they’ve lived with the consequences ever since, in housing, work, relationships, politics, and mental health. And in 2025, it feels like something has shifted.From CMAT’s Euro-Country to Kneecap’s cultural breakout, from housing protests to emigration, this generation suddenly seems to be everywhere — angrier, funnier, more creative, and more politically engaged than before.On this Christmas Eve podcast, Sean Defoe is joined by journalist Adam Maguire, author of The Bailout Babies, to ask who this generation really is, and why this year feels like their coming-of-age moment.They talk about growing up during the crash, the long shadow of austerity, the housing crisis as a barrier to adulthood, and how living in box rooms into your thirties reshapes dating, work, and family life. They also explore why inheritance has quietly become a housing plan.Adam Maguire’s The Bailout Babies is published by Gill Books.