The Mario Rosenstock Podcast

Fintan has been one of the top thinkers, writers, and speakers in Ireland for as long as I can remember. He has so much to say about so many things and always has a deeply thought-out and fresh perspective on the big issues. So when we get stuck in to a great conversation, I let it run for as long as he'll let me!This is part one of a two-part conversation we've just recorded, covering immigration and the ‘idiots' of the far right, why Donald Trump uniquely combines fascism and comedy, how Charlie Haughey got away with it, and what it really means to be Irish. Enjoy!Comedy - Now that Elon Musk has dramatically vacated his government job as head of D.O.G.E, Trump is looking for applications for the role - and we've got hold of some of them…Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

As the saying now goes, what happens in Leinster House…ends up in Gavan Reilly's new book, ‘The Secret Life of Leinster House: what you really need to know about how the country runs'. Gavan is a former colleague of mine from back when he was the correspondent for Today FM and Newstalk. He now leads Virgin Media's political coverage and he's also one of the presenters of the great Group Chat podcast. When it comes to politics and politicians, Gavan has been there, done that, and got the t-shirt – and now it's time to write the book . In this episode of The Mario Rosenstock podcast Gavan joins me to share the juicy stories, behind the scenes intrigue, and the insights into how politics really works, that he has gathered over his many years as a political reporter. COMEDY- Did you see that Ryanair Boss Michael O ‘Leary has just become 100m euro richer? …This has caught the attention of a few well known people and they've been leaving messages for Michael on his phone…we got exclusive access. Produced by Patrick Haughey, Audiobrand

A couple of weeks ago Dave Hannigan joined me to share the fascinating story of how a Kerry man called Butty Sugrue managed to convince the one and only Muhammad Ali to come to Ireland and fight Alvin Lewis in Croke Park. It's a fantastic yarn and if you didn't hear it, I'd strongly recommend doing so.But Dave has lived in the US for over 25 years and so I couldn't let him go without getting his thoughts on what its like to be an Irish man living in Long Island, which is true Trump territory, and all that comes with it. Dave and I go deep on politics, media, the 'flooding of the zone', and even the fall of the Roman empire!The Mario Rosenstock Podcast is produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

He joined me here on the podcast a couple of years ago but he's such a brilliant character and so much has happened in his life since we last met, that it was high time we did it again.Born into a highly dysfunctional family, Willa White became addicted to solvents by the age of 7, which was followed by several years of heroin and alcohol abuse, stints in prison, and mental breakdowns. The story of how he got clean and into a good place in his life and head is a real lesson in tenacity, resilience and the power of being surrounded by good people.Willa's new show is called Dead Man Talking and you should definitely check out the details and see if you can make it along – right after you listen to this episode of The Mario Rosenstock podcastProduced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Lisa Harding and I go way back, right back to Trinity College Dublin in the early 90s where we both did our degrees and became very involved in acting. We both went on to pursue acting careers, however neither of us decided to stay on that path but we ended up succeeding in different, yet still related careers. In Lisa's case, that career was writing fiction, something that she has excelled at from day one. Her latest novel is called The Wildelings and it is set back in those crazy college days in the early 90s in Dublin and because I was there at the time myself, I was dying to get stuck in to this book and have a chat with Lisa about it here on the Mario Rosenstock podcast. We chat about how people from unconventional, even dysfunctional backgrounds tend to find each other college and band together. Lisa also tells me about falling in love with acting – and falling out of love with it again; why writing is a lot like acting, the craziness of creative people not being able to get mortgages to buy a home, and lots more. COMEDY - We have managed to get exclusive access to the voicemail box of the Eurovision song contest headquarters. Their phones have been hopping since Ireland's entry failed to make it through to the final. Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Picture the scene – its 1972, Ireland is a very different place to what it is today, the country is very monocultural and feels isolated out on the periphery of Europe. Its all a bit grey. Enter from stage left, one of the most interesting, charismatic and successful sports stars in the world – the great Muhammad Ali – and he's here to fight in Croke park stadium. The story of how all of this came about has fascinated me for years. It involves the world's greatest sportsman, a pretty questionable Kerry-born circus strongman, and an Ireland that is almost unrecognisable to the Ireland of today. Journalist and history lecturer Dave Hannigan is the man who decided to bring this story to life – and to a new generation – and it all comes together in his new book called The Big Fight: When Ali conquered Ireland. This story has everything, its told by a brilliant story teller. Enjoy. COMEDY - Joe Duffy has announced his retirement after almost forty years in RTE. And he gets an unexpected call that sets him rushing out of the studio. Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

As a big fan of all things Cork, I was delighted a couple of years back to come across a fantastic ‘pure-cork' comedy character called Reggie from the Blackrock Road. Reggie is a very old-money, conservative and highly snobby character who has a lot to say about a lot of people, very little of it complimentary. I find him hilarious. Reggie is the brainchild of journalist, writer, and comedian Pat FitzPatrick. You may have enjoyed Pat's excellent writing in the Sunday Independent, he also wrote jokes for Brendan O'Connor on his Saturday night tv show and he had a very popular fake agony aunt column in the Examiner called Ask Audrey. In this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast, Pat tells me all about Reggie Blackrock Road, the inspiration behind him, and his current tour https://www.reggieblackrockroad.com/ . We also talk lots about Cork (of course), class and comedy. Comedy – With Kneecap getting so much attention for their controversial political statements, some well-known Irish musicians are trying to get in on the action. There's no such thing as bad publicity, is there? Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand.

(…and what we can do about it). Dermot Whelan and I worked together in Today FM for many years, until he made the decision to leave the Dermot and Dave show to focus on his wellness business and pursue his passion for making mindfulness accessible and relatable to everyone. And since he has been doing this work, the two words that people have said to him most are ‘busy and wrecked'. So he set out to find out why we are all so busy so much of the time, why burnout is becoming so prominent, and what are the small, achievable actions we can take every day to buy some of that precious time back for ourselves. And he joins me on this episode of the Mario Rosenstock Podcast to tell me what he found out.COMEDY - Some well-known characters share their tips for staying mindful and avoiding burnout Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

As far as careers go, crime journalism is up there with one of the most, let's say, ‘unique'. Its not for the faint hearted – you're dealing with dangerous people who do terrible things, and your job is to make as big an audience as possible aware of the crimes they commit.So who'd want to do a job like that? Well, Nicola Tallant for one. Nicola is one of Ireland's best-known crime journalists. After years writing about crime, she then started talking about it on a podcast she created called Crime World – which is now one of the most-listened to podcasts in the country. She also does live stage shows, writes a book every year and regularly appears in the media.In this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast, Nicola and I talk about why she is so fascinated by crime journalism and what and drives her to work so hard at it. We also talk open and honestly about those characters we all seem to find so compelling, like Christy and Daniel kinihan, Gerry the monk hutch, and Conor McGregor. And there are also quite a few very funny moments. If you'd like to catch Nicola at her next live event, follow this link https://www.kilkennylawfestival.com/speakers/nicola-tallantCOMEDY - Rory MclIroy's phone is hopping after his big win at The Masters.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

He was the star hurler who gave it all up to travel across Asia, spending months meditating in a Buddhist temple in Thailand, then returning home to live in the wilds of Kerry and become a champion of Irish culture, language and spiritualism. Diarmuid Lyng's life has been far from conventional. Diarmuid has spent a lot of time thinking about his life and his purpose in life – and he has had the courage to make some very difficult decisions in order to stay true to himself and what he believes he has been put on this earth to do. This episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast gets quite deep at times, but we also have some great laughs and get stuck in to things like the madness of hurling,, the beauty of the irish language , and Diarmuid's creative crowd-funding idea for finding a permanent home for his wild Irish family (CLICK HERE to learn more about that)COMEDY: Racing time, and the ‘What the hell is going on in world markets' handicap hurdle is about to get started…Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

I have always loved my chats with Larissa Nolan, Features Editor and Columnist at the Irish Mirror. She always has a fresh, interesting and quite frankly brave take on the things that capture the public imagination from time to time. So when the chatter about the rise of toxic masculinity reached a new level recently, I knew who to call.Its being fuelled by stories like like the Trump / JD Vance / Dana White ‘bro-ligarchy ‘in the US, Conor McGregor's appearance in the Oval Office, the ongoing issue of Andrew Tate, and the new Netflix show Adolescence,.I wanted to sit down with Larissa and try to figure out whats going on, if it's something we should all be worried about or if its just another swing of the pendulum, and what even is toxic masculinity anyway?COMEDY - Tuesday was Liberation Day folks, and when it came to doling out economically punishing tariffs, the Donald was taking no prisoners. But, true to form, he was happy to apply tariff exemptions in the cases where it suited him personally...Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

How does your childhood shape you as an adult and impact your career choices? That's the theme of a new GoLoud podcast hosted by comedians Karl Spain and Tony Kelly, and its also what we chat about on this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast.You might remember Tony from previous episodes of this podcast – he's the Waterford man that dreamt of making a movie and after a lot of hard work, grit and determination, release a feature film called The Hurler, which has been in cinemas nationwide and also features on Amazon Prime!Karl Spain of course is one of Ireland's best-known comedians, but maybe what you're not so familiar with is his very successful career as a writer for other comedians – he has crafted gags for performers like Kevin Bridges and Al Porter and many others.I was one of the first guests on their new podcast and just after we recorded that, I turned the tables on them, and learnt about the childhood experiences that shaped them and led them to become comedians.COMEDY – It has been a tough week for Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy, who now may face a vote of confidence in the Dail. And it turns out there are a few well-known people waiting in the long grass in case she doesn't – and they've been leaving messages on the Mario Rosenstock Podcast hotline outlining their suitability for the role.Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

He'll openly admit that he's not the best dancer in the world, but chef Kevin Dundon certainly captured the public's imagination on the most recent series of RTE's Dancing with the Stars and the people of Ireland voted to keep him in week after week. But the fact that he stayed in for so long while some very good dancers were getting voted off also wound a few people up and the so-called controversy even featured on Joe Duffy's liveline! Kevin wasn't too happy about this and that just one of the things we talk about on this episode. We also chat about his recent struggles with weight gain and what he did about it, how coming from a broken family has shaped him as a father, selling Dunbrody house, and lots moreCOMEDY - Kevin's success on the show is causing quite the stir on Joe Duffy's Liveline Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

Just over two years ago, Melanie Finn was doing the school run when suddenly she found herself lying on her side in the middle of the road with her kids staring down at her. She couldn't remember what happened, and like many busy working parents, she put it to the back of her mind and went about her day. A short time later, she was undergoing emergency brain surgery.In this episode of the Mario Rosenstock Podcast, Melanie shares the full story of a surviving a life-threatening health scare and how it has changed her life. COMEDY - Michael Martin's phone was hopping after his much-anticipated meeting with Donald Trump for St Patrick's Day. We get exclusive access to his voicemails.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand.

After running one of Ireland's top restaurants for over 30 years, Derry Clarke has a lot of great stories to share. L'Ecrivain was high-end, Michelin starred, and attracted international celebrities and wealthy business people from all over the world, as well as diners who were just splashing out for a special occasion. Derry ran the restaurant throughout the heady days of the Celtic Tiger and he has weathered the storms of economic recessions, and he has seen it all.In this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast, Derry Clarke gives me a fascinating insight into what it's like to run a Michelin-starred restaurant, as well as sharing loads of juicy stories about flagrant spending, celebrity diners, bar fights, Taoisigh with a penchant for fine food, and lots more!And Derry is now creating that Michelin-star experience for diners in the comfort of their own home. To find out more you can email him directly – derryclarke@gmail.comCOMEDY – Bertie, Trump and John Delaney leave messages for Derry on the hotline.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

What's it like to get back on the dating scene in your 40s, after years of marriage and zero experience of the online dating world? Actor and comedian Norma Sheahan knows all about it and she reveals ALL on this episode. You'll recognise Norma from shows like Bridget and Eamon, The Clinic, Moone Boy, and more recently, Kneecap. She was also a regular guest on my Today FM radio show, Mario's Sunday Roast. On this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast, Norma shares a few great stories about her time on Tinder and we also chat about divorcing amicably, the perils of modern parenting, her memories of the late great Jon Kenny, why she isn't getting botox, and tonnes more.Norma's new tour 'It's Wine O'Clock' is on now - check out the dates HERECOMEDY - Roy Keane, Matt and Ivan, Brendan O'Connor, and Arthur Gourounlian phone in to share stories and opinions about online dating Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

I meet a lot of very hard working people on this podcast and Donal Skehan must be up there with one of the hardest working of them all. He's a true grafter and someone I really admire. After spending years in the music industry, and with a couple of Irish number 1s under his belt, Donal followed his lifelong passion for food and created a remarkable career for himself in that world. He has over 11 cookbooks, countless TV shows, a meal planning web platform (donalskitchen.com), a collab with Dunnes Stores and many others strings to his bow.And on top of all that, Donal has recently become embroiled in a wonderfully frivolous and entertaining Eurosong feud, involving contenstent Samantha Mumba, and his fellow judges Laura Fox, Arthur Gourounlian and Bambi Thug. It has been described by comedian Joanne McNally as the “showbiz feud Ireland needs and deserves”, and personally I'd have to agree with her. Press play to get the inside story!Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

It's hard to get away from Trump and his tough talk on tariffs these days. But what exactly are tariffs, how do they work, and why should we care about them?One person I have often turned to when I wanted to understand complex economic stories is Constantin Gurdgiev. Constantin used to live in Ireland and during the economic recession he was all over the media, breaking down what it all meant in layman's terms.Constantin lives in the US now so I thought he was the perfect guest for this week to talk about all Trumps tough talk on tariffs, life and the general mood in the US, and, as a Russian man living abroad, how he feels about what's happening in his home countryCOMEDY – David McWilliams also has a lot to say about Trump and tariffs on his podcast, but maybe not the kind of commentary you'd expect…Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

He's one of Ireland's most intelligent, interesting and, at times, incendiary characters, and he's also one of the people I most love to interview. Eamon Dunphy, having put his podcast The Stand on pause after over 2000 episodes, is now embarking on his next adventure. And on this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast, he tells me all about it.But as you might expect from Dunphy, there are a few issues – and people – that are grinding his gears right now: Trump, Michael D Higgins, Elon Musk, and Fintan O'Toole to name but a few! He also tells some great stories from the heyday of the Dublin social scene, and we get a bit deep too, as Eamon shares his thoughts on ageing, life, and death.The Mario Rosenstock Podcast is sponsored by Delux BathroomsProduced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Alan O'Reilly of Carlow Weather has become a bit of a phenomenon in the last few years. He loves weather, he loves IT, and he loves turning complex information in to plain English, and when he combines all three, he turns into a highly accurate predictor of the notoriously unpredictable Irish weather.Alan has now become so well-known, that I had to make him the star of a gift grub sketch. But I also wanted to meet the man himself and find out how it all got started, how he manages to call it right so often, his thoughts on our changing climate, conspiracy theorists and what they say to him, and of course what he thought about my gift grub sketch about him!Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Neil Delamere is a man of many talents – he's best known as one of Ireland's leading comedians, but did you know that he's also a very talented quizzer? He's been a contestant on The Chase with Bradley Walsh, Beat the Chasers, Celebrity mastermind, a panellist on QI and the dictionary corner guy on Countdown! He's a very intelligent and funny guy, and he's also great storyteller – and on this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast we chat all about his current tour, Achilles Neil, the other comedians that he finds funny and why, what its like behind the scenes of some of the big UK TV shows that he's a regular on, and tonnes more.Comedy – Micheal Martin has been sworn in as Taoiseach, and it seems he's taking the Donal Trump approach to his first few days in office.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Henry McKean is not accustomed to doing interviews, usually he's the one asking the questions. But on this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast we turn the tables on Henry and reveal the man behind the mic. If you're a regular listener to Newstalk radio, you will be familiar with Henry's very distinctive voice and interview style. Having spent years travelling the country and talking to people about all sorts of fascinating subjects, I knew he must have a few great stories to share – and I wasn't disappointed!Henry and I chat about the weird and wonderful people he has met, the big stories he has covered, and some of the pretty hairy situations he has ended up in. He also talks about his own fascinating background and family history.Comedy – Eamon Dunphy has just stepped down as host of The Stand – but two well-known podcasters have already taken his place..Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally!Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

As the saying goes, it takes many years to become an overnight success, and this is something that Chris Kent knows all about. Having worked for years as an electrician, Chris wanted to try his hand at comedy and started to graft hard on the scene. Things started to take off for him and he was able to work at his comedy full time. But then Covid hit – the dream ended and Chris went back to his trade to make ends meet. But today, Chris is back on the horse and he's selling out venues all over Ireland and the UK. On this episode of the Mario Rosenstock Podcast he tells me his fascinating story and we go deep on all things comedy, writing and life as a performer Comedy – we got exclusive access to Met Eireann's voicemails this week, and some familiar voices have a lot to say to them! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Whenever my Today FM colleague Dave Moore and I get in to the podcast studio, we talk A LOT about music. We're both completely fascinated by things like how compositions are structured, the formula behind a great pop song, what makes a great producer, that kind of stuff. The last couple of times Dave was on the show, we held back a few bits that we didn't have time to include in the final edit, and Ive wrapped them up for you here in this special ‘unheard-bits' episode. First Dave tells us the story of a life changing moment for him, when his music caught the attention of one of the world's biggest bands. Then he talks about his obsession with thrash metal and why he believes it is such a great style of music – and he's quite convincing!

This week, its story time and Im delighted to be able to dip back into the archives and revisit one of my favourite episodes with, in my opinion, one of Ireland's best storytellers, Peter Sheridan - author, playwright, and director. Peter has driven across America with actor Sean Penn, developed a cocaine addiction through his friendship with an LA dealer named Cuban Mike, auditioned top Hollywood actresses like Renee Zellweger, and learned rebel songs directly from Christy Moore. He has done it all, and he's here to tell the tales on this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand.

Over the last 20-years, Steven and David Flynn, aka The Happy Pear, have built one of Ireland's best-known health food brands – and they've also become international healthy living influencers, known for the 5am sea swims, the handstands, the yoga in jocks, and all of the quirky things that they have become so famous for. And as a result, they have a massive following of people who love them, and indeed those that don't. And that divided public perception is just of the things we chat about in this really fascinating conversation. . We also talk about things like being identical twins and what that feels like, why we're all too obsessed with protein and are neglecting something far more important, and some pretty out-there places they ended up in on their travels. I think you're going to see a very different side to The Happy Pear in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast.Comedy – Matt and Ivan, and Taoiseach Simon Harris leave voice notes for the twins.Check out their latest book The Happy Pear 20Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

You probably know Paul Williams well from his journalism and regular appearances on radio and TV. However, you may not be aware of how and why he got into crime journalism in the first place, what daily life is like for someone with a job like his, and how passionately he feels about the victims of crime. We get stuck in to all of that in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast and Paul also tells me about his new book, Crooks: The Stories behind the headlines.COMEDY – Paul gets voicemails from The Monk, Simon Harris and Fintan O'Toole.Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

It's the time of year for reflection and I've been thinking a lot on how far we've come with this podcast since we started it almost four years ago - millions of listens, some big awards and nominations, and a lot of friends made along the way. And it's all thanks to you for being a loyal listener and supporting us along the way. So I thought it would be fitting for this week's episode to go right back to the very start and revisit my very first interview on this series, with the great Ian Dempsey of Today FM. Having shared a radio studio with Ian for well over 20 years, there was no one better to send me off into this brave new world of podcasting, knapsack on my back, excitement and trepidation in my heart.You might have heard interviews with Ireland's most-loved breakfast show presenter before, but you haven't heard one quite like this. Ian reveals things about himself that even I didn't know – like why he would never, ever get a massage; his desire to be able to drop an F-Bomb on the radio, his memories of the infamous Fr Joseph Marmion, and the real reason for his obsession with David Bowie. He even blew me away with his impressions of Paschal Donohoe, Joan Burton, Matt Cooper and many more! Produced by: Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand.

Whenever I want to get stuck into a really great chat about US politics, Irish politics, or any kind of tending social issue, I have a couple of go-to guests that I love to thrash things out with – and Karl Deeter is one of them. We don't always see eye to eye, but in my opinion that's often the essence of a great conversation.As a mortgage-broker turned tech-founder, Karl is well-known for his knowledge of the property market and various economic issues, and he's a regular on radio and tv giving his expert views on these subjects. But he's also very interested, knowledgeable and opinionated on politics, geo-political issues like conflicts around the world, and even the challenges of just having an opinion in the first place! He always has so much to say, and in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast we get stuck in to issues like the General Election, Trump, The Monk, Irish attitudes to Israel and loads more.COMEDY – it's the eve of the election and the politicians are leaving voicemails on out hotline like nobody's business. And Simon Harris is feeling particularly sparky!Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Comedian Ross Browne has written for and starred in several hidden camera shows including RTE's The Fear and Scorchio, alongside Fred Cooke, Hilary Rose and Jennifer Zamparelli. And he has also personally pranked The White House, CIA headquarters and Enda Kenny! (here's a link to the one with Enda)Ross is also a lead writer for the latest series of The Young Offenders, he has an Amazon Prime Special show, and he's a successful stand-up comic. Oh – and there's the small matter of his former career as a professional wrestler! So as you can imagine, we had tonnes to talk about in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast, and a lot of laughs were had.COMEDY – It seems politicians are all about getting on podcasts these days, so we've been getting quite a few requests for 'air time' from election candidates this week! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

So much has changed for Dave Moore since he last joined me here on the Mario Rosenstock podcast. Not only has Today FM's Dermot and Dave show now become ‘The Dave Moore Show', after Dermot Whelan left to focus on his mindfulness career, but Dave can now call himself an author!He has just published his first book, ‘Dave's Bad Jokes' - a carefully curated collection of questionable gags sent into the show by listeners over the last few years. Press play to hear all about it, and indeed some well-known personalities phoning in to read out their favourite bad jokesDave and I also nerd out over music, accents, and comedy, and he talks about life on air without the co-host he has shared a studio with for over 20 years.COMEDY – Matt Cooper loses the rag over Donald Trump's crazy cabinet appointmentsProduced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

He has been on our screens with Ireland AM for 25 years and on stage in your favourite pantos for over 30, Alan Hughes must be the hardest working man in showbiz. He's also so refreshingly honest, irreverent and funny – the perfect ingredients for a guest on The Mario Rosenstock Podcast.In this episode we talk all about Alan's remarkable career, what drives him to work so hard , misbehaving celebrities, why he thinks panto is suffering from political correctness and lots moreComedy – Donald Trump, Matt and Ivan, and Louis Walsh all leave messages for Alan on The Mario Rosenstock Podcast hotline.Produced by Patrick Haughey, Audiobrand.

I am obsessed with US politics. Not only is it full of drama and fascinating characters, but the results of this upcoming election could have a real, tangible impact on Ireland. So I wanted to get stuck into all things election-related with one of Ireland's best-known experts on this subject.Larry Donnelly was born in Boston into an Irish-American family steeped in politics – most notably, his uncle Congressman Brian Donnelly, introduced the “Donnelly visa” enabling more Irish people to legally emigrate to the United States. Just over 20-years ago, after a short trip to Ireland, Larry knew that he wanted to move back to the family's ancestral home and he now lives in Co Galway, and lecturers in NUIG.In this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast Larry talks about growing up in one of America's most Irish-American cities, the moment that he knew he wanted to move ‘home' to Ireland, how America (and Ireland) has changed in his 20+years in Galway, and why the Trump/Harris election is so hard to call.COMEDY – There's a lot of excitement about Larry's appearance and The Mario Rosenstock Hotline has been hopping! Check out the voicemails from Matt Cooper, President Higgins, Donald J Trump, and Joe Biden! Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

I'm pretty sure that you will not have heard an interview with Tánaiste Micheál Martin quite like this one before. The man is great craic, full of funny stories and banter – it's a side to him that we rarely get to see in the Dail and on current affairs shows, but we certainly get a taste of it in this episode. We talk about his love of impressions, and he even does a few for us! He tells me what he thinks of my Gift Grub caricature of him, he also talks about his relationship with Leo Varadkar behind the scenes, time he spent in the north trying to understand the unionist perspective, the return of Bertie and his rumoured bid for the Presidency, getting into bed with Sinn Fein, and and lots more. We actually stayed in studio chatting for over an hour and a half and so we've decided to break the conversation up into two parts, the first of which you're about to press play - and if you'd like to hear part 2 afterwards, jump back to Oct 2023 on this menu. I hope you enjoy what I think is a very different kind of interview with one of Ireland best-known politicians. Comedy – Eamon Dunphy and John Giles discuss the massive cocaine haul off the Irish coast this week. Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

This is one of my favourite interviews from last year. I've always noticed that rugby players, in particular retired rugby players, have brilliant stories to tell. There's so much craic and mischief going on behind the scenes in the changing room and when they're off on tour and then you and I are lucky enough to hear all about it, when a sufficient amount of time has passed and its safe to share the stories!Tommy Bowe is one of those great former rugby internationals who also happens to be a brilliant storyteller, so I was delighted when he agreed to join me as special guest here on the Mario Rosenstock Podcast. I got some juicy behind-the-scenes stories and gossip which I think you'll enjoy, but we also talk about his childhood growing up in a border county when the British army very much still a presence there, how he very nearly did not become a professional rugby player, his new career as a TV presenter (known for regular hilarious gaffes – 10 siblings, anybody?), and his successful clothing company XV Kings which has just turned 10 years old.COMEDY - David McWilliams reminisces about causing trouble on ‘culchies shopping day' on 8th December in his youthProduced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ride a motorbike alone from the bottom of South America to the very top of North America? My guest on this episode did just that. Peter Murtagh, having retired from the Irish Times after decades of doing the work he loved to do, hopped on his motorbike, and spent eight months travelling 45,000 kms alone through deserts, mountains, jungles and cities, and he joins me to tell me about the places he saw, the people he met, and what he has learned about himself and the world.Check out Peter's book about the whole experience: 'Tip to Top: The Journey of a Lifetime, From Chile to Alaska'.COMEDY – whats the story with the Irish ‘Summer' this year? The Mario Rosenstock Podcast hotline has been hopping with messages from well-known voices.Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

In the 12 months since Tony Kelly was on this podcast, his life has completely transformed. The comedy character that he created at a house party over ten years ago, is now the central character in a feature film that has gone global, streaming on Apple TV and Amazon Prime. So Tony is back on the pod to tell me all about how it all happened and where to next. We also talk about his personal struggles with alcohol and drugs and how that side of his life has been going for him since the very dark times he went through not so long ago. COMEDY – Tony gets voicemails from Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Brendan O'Connor, and the great John Mullane!!

I am a tennis nut. I have been playing and loving the sport since I was ten years old and continue to love it to this day. So I'm delighted to be joined on this episode by the best tennis player ever to come out of Ireland. Conor Niland played for many years at a professional level, he was coached at the tennis academy run by legendary coach Nick Bollettieri, and he even qualified for Wimbledon, one of the only Irish players ever to do so.He has also met and played some of the tennis greats and on this episode he takes me behind the scenes of this fascinating world. Conor has just published a fascinating book called ‘The Racket: On Tour with Tennis's Golden Generation – and the other 99%', and he tells me all about it in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast.COMEDY – Taylor Swift is in Ireland and her phone is hopping! We got exclusive access to her voicemailsProduced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

Professor John Crown is one of Ireland's best-known and accomplished cancer experts. He has spent his entire career trying to improve outcomes for patients and fighting to improve the way Ireland's health system works, so it was no surprise that, recently, John was crowned with the Outstanding Contribution to Cancer Medicine and Research Award from the Irish Association for Cancer Research.In this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast we talk about John's fascinating background, what inspired him to become a cancer specialist, what we all need to do (and stop doing) to live longer, healthier lives, where the health system has gone wrong and how John believes it can be fixed.COMEDY – we throw back to one of my favourites: RTE boss Kevin Bakhurst has just introduced a salary cap for RTE presenters – his voicemail box is hopping!Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Brendan Ogle is one of Ireland's best-known activists and trade unionists. Having fought Margaret Thatcher and her plans to privatise the railways in the UK, Brendan returned home to Ireland in the early 90s and has been fighting for workers' rights and social justice ever since.He has now decided that its time to move from protest to politics, and to try to effect change as a member of the European Parliament. Brendan is always a compelling podcast guest – he's a real character, he's got loads of war stories from the decades he has spent in the trade union movement, and its clear that he has plenty of fight left in him yet.COMEDY – Donald Trump's phone has been hopping ever since he was found guilty of falsifying his business records. Check out the messages he has been getting from some well-known Irish peopleProduced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Laura and Rob are from very different worlds. Laura is a stand-up comedian and actress, best known The School and Bridget and Eamon on RTE. Rob is one of Ireland's most successful Olympians, competing in five different Olympic games, and winning a gold medal at the Moscow World Championships.But together they present a very successful podcast called Red Raw where they talk very openly about their lives and share stories about body image, trying to conceive, Rob not hitting puberty until he was 17, and Laura being a virgin into her mid 20sNothing is off the table when it comes to their podcast – and nothing was off the table when it came to our chat too.COMEDY – with 2fm losing some of its biggest stars, some of Ireland's favourite podcasters audition for their roles…Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

When Niall Boylan joined me here a couple of years ago we had a fascinating conversation about his 30-yearr career in radio, his reputation as a so-called ‘shock jock', and his incredible life story. But recently Niall decided to put his lifelong radio career on hold so that he can run as a candidate in the Dublin constituency in the upcoming European elections. Having spent so many years as a phone-in radio presenter Niall believes that he has a unique understanding of Irish voters and the kind of representation they need at a European political level. In this very open and honest conversation about some of the big issues facing this country right now, Niall explains why he's the man for the job and what he plans to do.COMEDY – Niall's hosting a phone-in about OnlyFans, and some very familiar voices call in to express their opinions..The Mario Rosenstock Podcast is produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

A story like Israel's war on Gaza naturally gets wall to wall news coverage. But sometimes blanket coverage over a prolonged period of time can start to lose its power, we start to get inured to it and its impact decreases. So in order to keep getting the message out there, you need a new angle - and comedian and writer Tadhg Hickey certainly has that angle. Tadhg has become very well-known over the last few years for unique brand of comedy, which highlights global political issues in a very fresh and accessible way. He has always covered the Israel / Gaza conflict but over the last few months he has doubled down on it. Tadhg joined me earlier this week for a very interesting conversation about this terrible conflict, how and why it all started, why it might sound the death knell for Zionism, and how he's trying to do some good through comedy.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

We hadn't planned to talk about it, but the Israel - Gaza war and the failure of well-known people in the wellness industry to speak out about it, was one of the highlights of my chat with broadcaster and podcaster Sile Seoige. It's a subject about which Sile feels incredibly passionate right now and she explains why in this episode.But of course we talked about all sorts of other things in the hour we spent together, like Sile's hugely successful podcast Ready to be Real, some of the tough personal episodes she has been through , and what she has learned from them , and that recent controversy about the Irish language, stirred up by Sile's former Newstalk colleague Ivan Yates! Comedy – Daithi O'Se, Ivan and Matt, and Blindboy leave voicemails for Sile on the Mario Rosenstock Podcast Hotline. Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand.

Something that has always fascinated me about former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy is how she could have one of the toughest, most serious and emotionally impactful jobs in the country and yet be so upbeat and positive outside of the job. In a way maybe that's the only way one can successfully do it. Marie and I get in to all of that in our chat, as well as what its like being a pathologist, why she wanted to become one, the famous case that made her decide it was time to go, and lots more. Check out Marie's GoLoud Podcast HERE The Mario Rosenstock Podcast is produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Lots of people THINK about running for election, lots of people TALK about it, but very few actually do it. Having spent many years loosely involved in politics, Cormac Lucey has now decided to go all the way, and he has just thrown his hat into the ring of the local elections in June.Cormac is a Sunday Times columnist, a lecturer in Finance in Trinity College, and a very familiar face and voice on media. I wanted to know what makes somebody like him, after years on the fringes of politics, decide to enter the fray – and he had a lot to say about it.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

What a story we have for you on this episode. Nadia Adan was born in Somalia but had to flee when the war broke out, and after years of travel, refugee camps, and time in prison, she and her mum found refuge in Ireland, where they have lived happily for over 20yrs. Her passion for hard work and business have made Nadia very successful and she's now Ireland's only female car showroom owner, known for her unique approach to marketing on social media and her controversial stance on electric cars. In this chat, Nadia shares her amazing backstory, her entrepreneurial journey, and her opinions on electric cars, social media, and immigration.Comedy – Simon Harris's phone has been hopping since he became Taoiseach, check out the voicemails!Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Anna Geary has a lot of strings to her bow: All Ireland-winning camogie captain, coach on RTE's Ireland's Fittest Family, radio presenter, former contestant on Dancing With The Stars… the list goes on. She's also now an author, having just published her first book. It's called Anna's Game Plan and it's a practical toolkit to help people become more confident and be more in control. Achieving everything that Anna has achieved so far has taken courage, confidence, resilience, and the ability to handle that inner voice that can sometimes seem to work against us, and in this chat she talks about how she has done that, and how we can do it too. Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

With all the recent talk and speculation about politics, the next government and the future Fine Gael, we thought it was timely to repost this fascinating interview with Minister Paschal Donohoe. Published a few months ago, this is probably one of the most open, honest and personal interviews he has done, covering how and why he got into politics, what drives him to stay in a very demanding and often thankless job, his love of football and music, and what does to unwind on a Friday night!COMEDY - Kevin Bakhurst, RTE Director General, has just introduced a salary cap for presenters – and they're not happy. We got exclusive access to his voicemails.Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

Pat Sheedy was released from prison just last August. He was there because of all of the scams he pulled to make money to feed his all-consuming gambling addiction – it ruined his life. And he travelled from Limerick to Dublin to join me here in the studio to tell his story. We talked about how and why he started gambling - and why he couldn't stop - the crimes he committed in order to feed his habit, his opinions on gambling companies, and life during and after prison, and lots more… COMEDY - There's only one story this week – Leo's shock resignation .Check out who has been leaving voicemails for him… Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

As Liam Neeson would say, Kayleigh Trappe has a very particular set of skills. She takes clips from TV shows and podcasts that have gone viral, and recreates them perfectly on camera. And her ‘victims' are paying attention, earning her name checks from the likes of Peter Crouch, Louis Walsh, Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally and a few more leading lights.If you've never seen Kayleigh's work, check it out on Instagram right now. And then come back and listen to this great conversation where she reveals how she does it, why she does it, how celebs have reacted to her sketches, and her decision to give up her full time job to dedicate everything to her unique talent.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand