Ireland Said Yes

In the final episode of the series, Shane chats to Irish royalty - Panti Bliss - aka Rory O'Neill. Panti talks about growing up gay in rural Ireland, their early days of drag, a changing Dublin and their incredible speech at the Abbey Theatre that went global. Thank you so much for listening to this series, it has been a passion project for everyone involved and a true honour to feature so many inspiring voices. Le grá, le chéile - Paul and Shane xoxox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special chat, former President of Ireland Mary McAleese talks with Shane about her pivotal involvement in the 2015 referendum, being an LGBT parent and how the Catholic Church still needs to change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Macgregor (Series Producer) chats to academic, activist and author Katherine O'Donnell about her memories of 2015, before and beyond. Katherine is Professor of the History of Ideas at UCD School of Philosophy. She has been an activist for many years, specialising in feminist justice issues and LGBTQ+ activism. She was a co-founding member of the Irish Lesbian and Gay Archive, now deposited as a living archive with the National Library of Ireland. She works with the Justice for Magdalenes Research group, who were instrumental in having the State issue an apology to the victims and survivors of the Magdalene Institutions, and in successfully lobbying for the Magdalene Redress Scheme. In 2023, she published her first novel Slant, which was shortlisted for the 2024 Kate O’Brien Award.Photograph of Katherine O'Donnell courtesy of Emma Jervis.https://www.instagram.com/emmajervisphoto Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in June 2025, Shane chats to campaigner Ranae von Meding about their ongoing fight for equality for LGBT parents in Ireland and the legal limbo that many queer Irish families often find themselves in, as parents struggle for recognition if they have children through donor conception or surrogacy.After a lengthy delay, the Oireachtas joint committee on health made recommendations in October 2025 on its report on pre-legislative scrutiny of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) (Amendment) Bill. The committee made 18 recommendations in total, including that the bill must include a process to recognise the parentage of those who had children through surrogacy while domiciled abroad. The report stated that provision should also be made to offer a path to parenthood for Irish citizens returning home who are in same sex relationships and whose children were both conceived and born abroad in countries that don’t recognise both same sex parents. Strikingly, the committee also recommended that there should be a path to parenthood for children of same sex female couples who are conceived outside of clinical settings. This is a scenario which to date, the government and the Minister for Health has currently rejected, despite it being the lived reality of many members of the LGBT community.More updates on Ranae's campaign, please visit: https://www.instagram.com/equalityforchildren Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Sheehan talks to Shane Daniel Byrne about his pivotal role in 2015 as Co-Director of Yes Equality - he also discusses the behind-the-scenes drama among Irish LGBT activists divided over Civil Partnership Act five years earlier and why it was an important part of the process. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane chats to Philly McMahon, award-winning playwright and co-director of THISISPOPBABY, about his memories of 2015 and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As she release her new memoir 'Love In a Time of Politics', Shane chats to Katherine Zappone about her groundbreaking time as a campaigner and politician. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane talks to fellow queer comedian Sinéad Walsh about their memories of growing up in Ireland and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ruadhán Ó Críodáin talks to Shane about their memories of 2015 and what's next for Ireland's vulnerable trans community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane talks to broadcaster Brendan Courtney to talk about growing up gay in Dublin, living with homophobic abuse and becoming one of the most visible queer people on Irish TV, along with his memories of 2015 referendum. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane Daniel Byrne chats to broadcaster Seán Munsanje about growing up gay in Ireland, the importance of queer representation in the media and his recollections of 2015. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane chats to Pam and Sarah from Pillow Queens, an award-winning and critically acclaimed queer band from Dublin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane talks to RTÉ 2FM broadcaster and pop culture expert Conor Behan about his memories of 2015 and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane sits down with the charming and outspoken force behind LGBT Noise, GCN magazine and co-founder of queer club night Mother - the legend that is Lisa Connell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane talks to Davina Devine about their hilarious memories of 2015 and how they became drag royalty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane talks to activist David Carroll about his recollections of 2015; his marriage in Canada when it still wasn't legal in Ireland and surviving the horrors of the 1980s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane Daniel Byrne talks to the genius behind the successful Yes vote in 2015, Gráinne Healy. She talks about the campaign tactics, the initial setbacks and her huge legacy 10 years later. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane talks to celebrated author and Irish Time journalist Una Mullally about her personal reflections on the 2015. Shane discusses Una's perspective on the divisions within the LGBTQ+ community around the push for civil partnerships; the strategic approach of the "Yes" campaign, and the key involvement of unexpected public figures like former President Mary McAleese. Una reflects on her personal experience of being diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and how that intertwined with her campaigning for Marriage Equality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane chats to acclaimed artist Joe Caslin about his beautiful artwork, which became the defining imagery of 2015 Marriage Referendum. Joe talks about the mural's origins, the inside help that he received to stay out of the courts, his teaching career, growing up in Roscommon, and what Joe now believes is important for today's LGBT+ youth.See more of Joe's work here:https://joecaslin.com/pages/equality https://www.instagram.com/joecaslin/?hl=en Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first bonus episode of Ireland Said Yes, Shane talks to veteran activist Ailbhe Smyth. She discusses her memories of the 2015 Marriage Referendum, how she's won and lost campaigns, and what advice Ailbhe would give future generations of Irish LGBT+ activists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.