Gript Media Podcasts

The road to the Áras is getting busier as independents vie to earn the backing of the local authorities, prompting Jason and Ben to chat about what will separate the serious contenders from the rest. The ongoing threats faced by Tánaiste Simon Harris and his family, and Gavin Pepper's failure to live up to the leftist's imagining of him, make up the rest of the discussion this week.

Sarah returns to her chair this week, and shares her tale of accident and emergency horror. Also: Why she's not high on Jim Gavin's chances, the media's double standard on Graham Linehan, and reflections on the great flag wars.

On The Long Game this week, Ben and Maria talk about Dublin City Council's attempt to remove Irish flags around the city; the media grilling of Presidential hopeful Catherine Connolly; and Fianna Fáil's apparent lack of faith in any candidate from inside their own ranks.

On this week's episode of The Long Game Podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the state of the Presidential race, the possibility of "President Bertie Ahern", the cult of Michael D. Higgins, and delve further into the state funding of media.

With Sarah still sadly indisposed, John and Laura discuss the stories of the week: The big engagement in America, the controversy around Dr. Umar Al Qadri, the CSO migration numbers.. and that Sunday Indo article about how the nation loves Michael D.

With Sarah away, Laura Perrins joins John and gives him a thorough education in why his support for delivery drones is wrong. They also discuss crime in Dublin, Maria Steen's Presidential prospects, and Laura goes off on Kneecap and Sally Rooney.

As Tony Holohan announces the presidency is no longer in his sights, Ben and Jason discuss why politics may be a nastier business than it used to be, before coincidentally moving on to the State's total disregard of public pushback on a national dis-/mis-information strategy. Also: Are eugenics back in vogue in some fashionable circles?

John and Sarah react to big news in the Presidential race, assess Gareth Sheridan's first week campaigning, talk free contraception. And also: Why Simon Harris's personal brand may never recover from breaking "Kayfabe"

Without beating around the bush, Ben and Jason get into the recent reports of Indians feeling unsafe in Ireland, and the surging phenomenon of 'elsewhereism,' or being primarily concerned about the rights and wrongs of goings on in other places. They also discuss Gript's latest subscriber-only feature, 'The Cost of Politics'.

Sarah re-joins the podcast this week from her Cretan retreat, and she and John discuss topics ranging from the tragic - the death of Harvey Sherrat - to the controversies around assisted suicide and the Mise Eire event, to the love lives of Pamela Anderson and Bonnie Blue.

Ben and Jason ramble through a discussion about whether law and order is breaking down in Ireland, and specifically in Dublin, musing about the merits of raising a family in the city versus in the countryside, before getting back to the news of the kidnapping of an Irish woman in Haiti.

With Sarah away, John is joined by Laura Perrins. They discuss the state of Britain, where immigration has become the defining political issue, as well as the Dublin Stabbing, the Tuam nuns, the progressive war on western history, and Laura's occasional desire to just keep walking. 

This week on The Long Game podcast, Jason laments the EU's latest steamrolling at the hands of Donald Trump, and Ben adds fuel to the fire by questioning the current calibre of Irish thought on economics and borders.

John and Sarah discuss the ethics of marital infidelity, the government breaking promises to themselves on spending, Tony Holohan's Presidential bid, and Molly Malone's bronze boobies.

With Ben missing in action this week, Jason is joined by Gript colleague Maria Maynes to discuss the revised National Development Plan and Maria's coverage of calls for 'Jennie's Law', before complaining about falling afoul of Ryanair's baggage policy and viral infidelity.

This week's podcast begins pretty serenely with a discussion of the Presidential election, before John absolutely loses it over the state of the country. When Sarah calms him back down, they discuss the Tuam babies.

The Housing Minister accidentally blaming the Government for housing holdups, the plight of the pubs and the dangers of technology, as found out by one State agency recently, are all on the cards for Jason and Ben on this week's episode.

John and Sarah start the podcast talking about Jeffrey Epstein, and proceed to have an enormous row about conspiracy theories. Also: Javier Milei's progress in Argentina, re-running referendums, and prickly cyclists.

On this week's episode, Jason and Ben discuss the UN's call for a re-run of the Care Referendum, as well as the tools the State is using to tackle 'wrongthink' in both schools and An Garda Síochana.

The settlement between Ryan Casey and the BBC on foot of comments by Kitty Holland dominates this week's podcast. Also: The state of the parties, the Presidential sweepstakes, and are school summer holidays too long?

This week, the lads discuss the lacklustre start to Ireland's presidential election speculation, what the latest polling data tells us about the lay of the political land, and the Irish delegation that defiantly made its way to Hungary's Pride parade over the weekend.

John and Sarah ask if the Irish Government is addicted to pointless statements on the middle east, discuss the ubiquity of the Pride Flag, and ask why RTE's current affairs shows are so poor. Also: Sarah's favourite new Netflix show is revealed:

With Ben on holidays this week, Jason is joined by Telegraph columnist Michael Murphy to discuss the week's news, including changes to US student visa vetting, questionable reasons for rejecting garda applicants and more.

John and Sarah discuss the Puska family's living arrangements and lifestyle, the free money Irish artists will keep getting, Paul Reid's new job, and the UK officials who still have jobs after the grooming gangs.

Ben and Jason discuss the ways in which a culture of civil mediocrity and bureaucracy is strangling Irish society, from media to AI.

In a packed episode, John and Sarah discuss the case of the Luas "bodily fluids" incident; the Ballymena riots; the French war on Pornhub; an Irish Times' Editor's views on Media Bias; Noisy Drones; and the folly of rent caps.

This week on 'The Long Game', Jason and Ben question whether Garda Commissioner Drew Harris is on top of his brief after a surprising exchange with Ben, the modern trend among Irish elites of denigrating Irishness, and whether Government is up to the task of regulating information itself.

John and Sarah debate the vexxed question of whether John is a racist, as Ruth Coppinger claims. Also: The power of NGOs; are Irish people homogenous; and is the Macron marriage just plain weird?

Poland's choice of president and the state of that country more generally are on the cards for Ben and Jason this week, along with the decline of Pride month and the trials of short men in their dealings with the fairer sex.

John and Sarah devote most of this week's episode to the cost of living, and the various ways Irish families are feeling financial pressure. Also: Nick Delehanty runs for President; Cathal Crowe defends the Brits; and the Children's Hospital remains a disaster.

The lads discuss the Kneecap terror charge, whether Oireachtas scrutiny of IPAS spending is likely to make any difference, and whether or not the Basic Income for the Arts scheme is a good idea after it was publicly backed by Minister Patrick O'Donovan.

John and Sarah ask if Gardai have questions to answer over the Michael Gaine investigation, discuss whether commemorating Normans is appropriate, ask if John's TDS is cured, and talk about the newest Bonnie Blue copycat.

The imminent climate course that will see Leaving Cert students engage in activism is on the agenda for Jason and Ben today, alongside Sinn Féin's transgender woes and the tumultuous European elections at the weekend.

John and Sarah discuss the UK's sharp shift right on immigration, Sinn Fein's George Orwell moment on transgender issues, Sinead Gibney's painted nails, and the role of porn in the Hawes family murders.

Jason and Ben have a look at Ireland's apparent 'BANANA' problem, the EU's decision to start applying pressure to Ireland over its lack of hate speech regulation and share their initial thoughts of Pope Leo XIV.

John and Sarah discuss People before Profit's anti-Gript stance, the big political bunfight about what Camogie players should wear on the pitch, and Sarah offers interesting views on the "sex for rent" bill.

Grilling politicians, chartering flights for refugees into Ireland and the Government-Media-NGO nexus are all on the agenda for Ben and Jason this week - beginning with a brief diversion into the India-Pakistan tensions.

John and Sarah look in detail at the €4.4billion awarded to often obscure companies in Ireland to house migrants; examine Sinn Fein's hypocrisy in Carrickmacross, and discuss Regina Doherty's renewed confusion over men and women.

This week on 'The Long Game' podcast, Jason and Ben react to the weekend's protests and the coverage they received, Regina Doherty's ongoing gender journey and have a look at Ireland's new Counter Disinformation Strategy.

John and Sarah discuss the media's slightly unhinged coverage of the Papal interregnum, dissect Conor McGregor's relevance after that Tucker interview, and argue over women's right to know everything about their partner. Also: Are Paedophile hunters good or bad?

This week on The Long Game Podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the death of Pope Francis and what comes next, the public's low level of trust in RTÉ and their gaming history in light of the imminent Oblivion Remaster.

John returns to the podcast as he and Sarah discuss this week's various triumphs for old-fashioned women: The UK transgender ruling, Katy Perry in space, Mary Lou's poll boost, and so on. Also: Are lots of us pretending to have fake medical conditions?

This week on The Long Game Podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the news that plans for a directly-elected Dublin mayor have been shelved over Conor McGregor-shaped fears, whether citizen journalists are the threat they're made out to be and the new Climate Leaving Cert subject which will see students considering 'environmental racism' and the role of colonialism is 'climate injustice'.

Sarah Ryan, minus her usual whipping boy, is joined instead by her husband Keith on this week's episode. They discuss Trump's tariffs, Ireland's exposure to economic ruin, and then for fun they debate whether libertarianism has any merit whatsoever.

On this week's episode, Ben and Jason discuss the prospect of talking climate with their barbers, the terror Trump's tariffs have induced around the world, and whether or not failing to do the dishes is sufficient reason to consider divorce.

John and Sarah discuss Dublin City Council's move to protect the Molly Malone statue from boob-gropers, discuss Donald Trump's cleavage of the western economy with tariffs, and laugh quite openly at RTE's new campaign to tackle "fake news and misinformation".

In this extremely informal, rambling episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben Scallan and Fatima Gunning discuss everything from rising crime rates in Ireland, to 'toxic masculinity', to what Fatima finds attractive and unattractive in a man, and more.

The Week That Really Was.  John and Sarah ask why nobody ever talks about toxic femininity; discuss the great speaking rights row in the Dáil, and the new transgender controversy engulfing Irish scouting

This week on ‘The Long Game' Podcast, Jason and Ben discuss whether the concept of toxic masculinity makes any sense, the Garron Noone saga, and the achingly boring Dáil speaking rights debacle.

John and Sarah discuss Conor McGregor, Fine Gael's new war on "toxic masculinity", look back on covid five years on, and have a good old fashioned row about the covid vaccines.

On this week's episode of 'The Long Game' podcast, Ben Scallan and Jason Osborne discuss Conor McGregor's St. Patrick's Day White House contributions, a Guyanese migrant with 19 previous convictions attacking an 18-year-old girl within days of arriving in the country, thousands of acres of Amazon rainforest being cut down to 'save the climate', and more.