Podcasts about Belfast

I'm breaking down exactly what makes a LinkedIn company page work — from the seven-day account rule to admin permissions to why your newsletter might be your best growth lever. Plus an update on Raise Your Visibility LIVE (35 days out!) and why I'm doing a daily video for 30 days ahead of my B2B Marketing Profs talk in November.In this episode:✅ RYVL conference update — Canva & YouTube confirmed as workshop hosts (7 Oct), and I've still got a couple of sponsor tables left✅ Why I'm doing a daily video for 30 days across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts✅ The stat that'll make you fix your company page today (30% more weekly views for fully completed pages)✅ Who can actually create a LinkedIn company page (and the 7-day account rule)✅ The must-haves: banner, logo, overview keywords, specialties, CTA button, 120-character tagline✅ Super Admin vs Content Admin vs Analyst — and why you need to check who has access on yours✅ Why company page newsletters are one of the easiest wins for growth✅ Getting your team to amplify the page (most comments come from employees anyway — lean into it)Mentioned in this episode:Raise Your Visibility LIVE — 7–8 Oct, Belfast + virtual tickets → louisebrogan.com/raise-liveSocial Media Examiner's LinkedIn company page stats carouselResources:Want help setting up or optimising your company page? https://louisebrogan.com/corporate-services/My Canva tutorials → YouTube channel

An unforgettable night in Belfast ❤️ It felt like a proper celebration. Planet Love was the very first show I played, just days after Kaia was born. So with her birthday coming up, having her join me on stage for the first time felt like the perfect full-circle moment. Playing “Lost Without Kaia” with her standing beside me brought back so many memories and made it all the more emotional. From playing that first show just days after she came into the world, to sharing the stage with her all these years later, it's a memory I'll treasure forever. There's no other city in the world where we could put on shows like this. The love and continued support over the years is something I'll never take for granted. The set is a celebration of the past ten years in your great city, featuring some of your requests alongside a few brand-new tracks - including a special new remix of “Pearl River,” created especially for this show. Belfast, thank you for giving us such a special night ❤️

Should Andy Burnham have a say in the future of Northern Ireland? Could "Kitchen Appliances : The Musical" be the next big thing at the Fringe? And will Dion be shunned by the Dungiven whatsapp group when he heads to Belfast this Thursday with Joe to interview Paul Howard? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper continue their Kevin Keegan series, following his 1977 move from Liverpool to Hamburg for a far higher salary and the difficult start marked by teammate resentment, managerial upheaval, a humiliating Super Cup loss at Anfield, and an eight-week ban after he struck a defender in a friendly at Lübeck. They chart his turnaround under Branko Zebec as Hamburg win the Bundesliga in 1978–79, Keegan becomes a German celebrity, learns the language, and wins the Ballon d'Or twice, before turning down Juventus and returning to England with an underwhelming Southampton spell and a breakdown with Lawrie McMenemy. The episode also covers Keegan's burdened England captaincy amid missed World Cups, including a beating by Yugoslav police, threats in Belfast, Euro 1980, and injury-hit World Cup 1982, before his high-profile move to Second Division Newcastle, the lift he gives the city, and his retirement after a sobering FA Cup loss to Liverpool.00:00 Keegan Cashes In01:06 Hamburg Move Explained01:39 The Bubble Perm Era03:40 Frosty Dressing Room06:36 Lübeck Punch Up09:46 Backlash and Doubts10:58 Turning Point Return12:01 Zebec Sparks Revival14:03 Pop Star in Germany17:20 Ballon d'Or Debate21:12 European Cup Heartbreak23:14 Shock Southampton Switch25:07 Saints Reality Check27:22 Keegan Takes Criticism Personally28:27 England Captain Burden30:38 Poland Wembley Heartbreak31:47 Belgrade Police Beating34:20 Euro 1980 Chaos35:38 Thatcher Photo Fallout36:51 IRA Threats Belfast40:28 World Cup 1982 Injury43:50 Newcastle Homecoming Move46:52 Robson Drops Keegan49:31 Keegan Lifts Newcastle55:12 Lawrenson Moment Retirement55:54 Helicopter Farewell Wrap Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Getaway returned to Miami on August 24 after a passenger fell from a stateroom balcony onto a lower exterior deck on the final night of a three-night Bahamas cruise; crew provided life-sustaining measures but the guest did not survive, and the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office Homicide Bureau is handling the case as an unclassified death investigation. Margaritaville at Sea will begin weekly Galveston sailings in October 2027 under an operating agreement approved August 25, making it the seventh cruise brand operating from the Texas port, with the line already homeporting at the Port of Palm Beach and Port Tampa Bay. And Harland & Wolff's Belfast yard has won the 12-week refit of the Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber, the former Costa Fortuna, a project expected to generate 40 million pounds for the Belfast region before the ship begins year-round Caribbean and Bahamas cruises from PortMiami in January 2027.

After mounting London's outdoor pulpit known as St. Paul's Cross on 8th December, 1588, Anthony Tyrrell found himself perched before a skeptical audience. He stood in the shadow of St. Paul's Cathedral to declare his recantation of Catholicism and return to England's official Protestant Church. The trouble was he had been there before – in January of the same year, in fact – to do the same thing. On that occasion, however, he had shocked on-lookers by delivering an anti-Protestant tirade instead of his promised recantation. How could Tyrrell, a serial convert, who eventually changed church affiliation as many as ten times, overcome the doubts of his suspicious audience? Tyrrell and similar converts who made multiple conversions understandably aroused suspicions of hypocrisy that made the performative character of public recantation troublingly evident. Yet as Holly Pickett argues in The Drama of Serial Conversion in Early Modern England (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024), these performative elements are actually indispensable to any conversion, whether an individual's first or fifteenth. Serial converts served as uncomfortable reminders to their contemporaries that religious identity is always unverifiable. The first study to explore serial conversion as a discrete phenomenon in this era, The Drama of Serial Conversion in Early Modern England challenges confessional divisions within much early modern historiography by analyzing the surprising convergence of Protestant and Catholic in the figure of the serial convert. It also reveals a neglected strain of religious discourse in early modern England that valued mutability and flexibility even in the midst of hardening and increasingly narrow understandings of conversion. Michael Shaw is a PhD student in Historical Theology at Union College, Belfast, and a Visiting Tutor at the Irish Baptist College. His research focuses on the thought of the Independent Puritan theologian Jeremiah Burroughs (1599–1646). His primary research interests lie in historical theology, particularly early modern Baptist and Congregationalist theology and ecclesiology. He also serves as the Associate Pastor at Strandtown Baptist Church, Belfast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

After mounting London's outdoor pulpit known as St. Paul's Cross on 8th December, 1588, Anthony Tyrrell found himself perched before a skeptical audience. He stood in the shadow of St. Paul's Cathedral to declare his recantation of Catholicism and return to England's official Protestant Church. The trouble was he had been there before – in January of the same year, in fact – to do the same thing. On that occasion, however, he had shocked on-lookers by delivering an anti-Protestant tirade instead of his promised recantation. How could Tyrrell, a serial convert, who eventually changed church affiliation as many as ten times, overcome the doubts of his suspicious audience? Tyrrell and similar converts who made multiple conversions understandably aroused suspicions of hypocrisy that made the performative character of public recantation troublingly evident. Yet as Holly Pickett argues in The Drama of Serial Conversion in Early Modern England (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024), these performative elements are actually indispensable to any conversion, whether an individual's first or fifteenth. Serial converts served as uncomfortable reminders to their contemporaries that religious identity is always unverifiable. The first study to explore serial conversion as a discrete phenomenon in this era, The Drama of Serial Conversion in Early Modern England challenges confessional divisions within much early modern historiography by analyzing the surprising convergence of Protestant and Catholic in the figure of the serial convert. It also reveals a neglected strain of religious discourse in early modern England that valued mutability and flexibility even in the midst of hardening and increasingly narrow understandings of conversion. Michael Shaw is a PhD student in Historical Theology at Union College, Belfast, and a Visiting Tutor at the Irish Baptist College. His research focuses on the thought of the Independent Puritan theologian Jeremiah Burroughs (1599–1646). His primary research interests lie in historical theology, particularly early modern Baptist and Congregationalist theology and ecclesiology. He also serves as the Associate Pastor at Strandtown Baptist Church, Belfast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few things make Irish people feel more inadequate than being told how well everything functions in Scandinavia. We are constantly told about their education systems, its welfare system and its work-life balance.But have we got it wrong?On Free State, Philip O'Connor, who has been based in Sweden since 1999, talks to us about the upcoming election in Sweden.He explains the rise of the Sweden Democrats and how a party with Neo-Nazi origins may now hold the balance of power.He also tells us how they did it, how they switched from talking about race to talking about culture even if their message is the same. And he explains why Ireland should be concerned.A reminder that on Sept 3rd, Free State will be live in Belfast with Paul Howard to talk about his brilliant new book ‘A Nation Once Again'. Book your free ticket here - https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-free-state-podcast-live-paul-howard-in-conversation-tickets-1998226075984?aff=oddtdtcreator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clearing out his late mother's attic, a man finds a box holding his uncle's folded RUC uniform and a small leather notebook – the private diary of a West Belfast detective working the worst months of the Troubles, who by his second entry has started writing about a hooded figure that keeps appearing at his crime scenes.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/mitm-belfastcopSOURCES and RESOURCES: “Troubles of a Belfast Police Officer” by Finn McCool:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3rnc9df6WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Midnight In The Macabre (MITM), originally aired: August 26, 2026LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING? WEIRD DARKNESS posts episodes 7 DAYS A WEEK! Listen FREE wherever you get podcasts or visit https://weirddarkness.com/listen. • Paranormal • True Crime • Ghosts • UFOs • Cryptids • Unexplained • Want even more? Become an OFFICIAL WEIRDO for commercial-free episodes, bonus episodes, weeknight live chats, audiobooks & more at https://WeirdDarkness.com/OFFICIAL

It is 50 years since a peace movement began in Northern Ireland spawned by the killing of three children. There had been seven years of sectarian violence. On 10 August 1976, Anne Maguire was walking along Finaghy Road North in West Belfast with her children when an out-of-control car plunged into them. It was driven by a member of the Irish Republican Army paramilitary group who had been fatally wounded at the wheel by British Army soldiers chasing him. Six-week-old baby, Andrew, who was in his pram and eight-year-old Joanne, who was on her bicycle, were instantly killed. Their brother John, just two-and-a-half, died the following day in hospital. The children's uncle, Gerry Grehan, tells Josephine McDermott about the life-changing tragedy and how it resulted in the Peace People, founded by Mairead Corrigan (later known as Mairead Corrigan Maguire), Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown.It was a peace movement which attracted support from across the religious divide. The sight of Protestants from the Shankill Road and Catholics from the Falls Road in Belfast walking side-by-side drew international attention. There were dozens of marches in other towns and cities including Ballymena, Londonderry, Enniskillen, Newry and London. Mairead Corrigan and Betty Williams were praised by world leaders and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.Witness History is a short BBC World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories.When you subscribe to Witness History, you'll be taken inside turning points in world affairs from West Africa's fight back against Boko Haram in 2015 to the behind-closed-doors talks that led to the US-Cuba “thaw” and the surprise announcement of restored relations. You'll discover what it was like to experience disasters and how people recovered from them, including the Tabasco floods in Mexico, Portugal's worst train disaster, and the huge clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. You'll explore culture and ideas too: Sweden's Expedition Robinson, often credited as the first modern reality TV game show; the friendship between The Beatles' George Harrison and Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar; and the night a tiger attack brought Las Vegas superstars Siegfried and Roy's show to a sudden end. And if you're curious about inventions, we'll tell you how air fryers, BlackBerry, YouTube, Alexa, GPS, superglue, the shopping cart (shopping trolley) and bubble tea were created.If you're new to Witness History, the appeal is simple: real voices, one strong true story, and a fresh way to understand today through events from history – all in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of tea or a walk around the block. Join millions of BBC World Service podcast listeners around the globe and enjoy the insight, context and detail Witness History will bring you.(Picture: Betty Williams, (left), and Mairead Corrigan lead a rally displaying the telegrams of support they received from all over the world. Credit: Getty Images/Bettmann)

‘We recognise sometimes its signature is written in pencil'With these words Canada's prime minister Mark Carney declared a trade war with its unreliable neighbour, the United States.On Free State today, we look at why so few want to assert what Carney stated so baldly, that America under Donald Trump cannot be trusted.This is a reality the world knows but the leaders instead of acknowledging it, run from it as they try and pretend the world is still the same.A reminder that on Sept 3rd, Free State will be live in Belfast with Paul Howard to talk about his brilliant new book ‘A Nation Once Again'. Book your free ticket here - https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-free-state-podcast-live-paul-howard-in-conversation-tickets-1998226075984?aff=oddtdtcreator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in March 2026. Stephen McCullagh (36) thought he had created a cast iron alibi for himself when he planned the murder of his pregnant girlfriend Natalie McNally (32) in December 2022.An avid gamer he was, he claimed, at home playing a video game live at the time she was killed. But as the PSNI was able to prove, he had in fact pre-recorded hours of himself playing the game. Police found that when he hit “play”, he set off to his girlfriend's house in Armagh where he savagely murdered her.The case against McCullagh was built on circumstantial evidence, so for Natalie's devastated family, conviction was not certain.Seanín Graham is Northern Correspondent of The Irish Times and she was in court in Belfast for the trial.She tells In the News she has never before witnessed such emotional scenes in court as when the guilty verdict was handed down on Monday.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This will come as a total surprise, but I really like James Baldwin. I know, it's shocking. I always kept it subtle, like how I named this podcast after his book The Fire Next Time, and how I have been bringing him up every other episode for years, and how I have a shelf that is just for books by him and about him. The reason I like James Baldwin is that I've found something for me in his work, something that I can not just relate to but also use to understand the wider world, including my own world. This is a curious thing in the context of Baldwin because he was, ultimately, an American writer. An African-American writer, to be exact of course, but his Americanness is something which he took to heart. Not in a weird nationalist way but rather in a sort of matter-of-factly kind of way. So how did I come to relate to him? That's one of the questions we explored here, but to be honest it's not even the main one. What I wanted to know, and what my guest John E. Drabinski has explored in his book So Unimaginable a Price: Baldwin and the Black Atlantic, is why did Baldwin, a man clearly concerned with the fate of the world, rarely engage with the Black Atlantic and might even be described as an ‘anti-diaspora' thinker, at least to some extent. This is a conversation about Baldwin, yes, but ultimately it is a conversation about shifting identities and perspectives in a rapidly changing world, one which seems to be changing even faster now than it did during Baldwin's time.John E. Drabinski is Professor in the Department of African American and Africana Studies, with a joint appointment in the Department of English. Along with Ashley Newby and Brie Gorrell, he co-hosts The Black Studies Podcast, which documents the history and future of the field of Black Studies from the perspective of students, professors, artists, and activists. He is both co-editor of Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy and co-editor of the book series Global Black Critical Thought on Cambridge University Press.Mentioned:James Baldwin ReviewBlack Cultural Archives, BrixtonBeing Black and British with David OlusogaThis episode was first released for Patreon supporters on 14 August 2026 and made public on 24 August 2026.------If you'd like to support The Fire These Times, the best way to do it is through⁠ ⁠⁠Patreon.com/thefirethesetimes⁠. In return, you'll get early access to everything I record, exclusive videos, the mini-series all at once, access to the monthly hangout, discounts on ⁠my classes⁠ and ⁠newsletter⁠, the class recordings (all of them), an invitation to join the Discord chat, merch, personalised thank you cards, and more stuff to come.Registrations for the November class (online) on modern Lebanese history and politics are now open: ⁠https://thefirethesetimes.com/lebanonclass ⁠------Social Media: Elia (⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠), TFTT (⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)For feedback, requests etc: ⁠⁠ayoub@thefirethesetimes.com⁠⁠Everything else is archived on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠the website⁠⁠.------Elia's recent pieces​ShadoMag:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Belfast pogrom was predictable⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​972Mag:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lebanon walks into Israel's trap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Also, for Hauntologies​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Report from Belfast. Day 1.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Recent Podcast interviews​It Could Happen Here:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Media Context for the Belfast Pogrom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​It Could Happen Here:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lebanon's Agreement with Israel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠------CreditsElia Ayoub (host, producer, episode design),⁠ ⁠⁠⁠the rosa artist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (TFTT theme design),⁠ ⁠⁠Wenyi Geng⁠ (TFTT theme design), ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Molly Crabapple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (my profile pic),⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Rap and Revenge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Music), and⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Antidote Zine⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Transcriptions)As always, thank you for listening and take care.

England's mayors will get greater powers to overrule councils in some planning decisions, but will it help the government's new homes target? We hear from house builder Eleanor Deeley of Deeley Group. The mayor of the Italian town Como speaks to us about banning cyclists, after he was hit by an e-bike. Why has behaviour deteriorated in our public spaces? Expert Kirsty Sedgman joins us live.Shipbuilding has returning to the yard which built the Titanic - Harland and Wolff. The BBC's Ireland correspondent Chris Page reports from Belfast, and we speak to the famous firm's new owners. It's harvest time for many amateur growers - allotment holders Katie Razzall, Sir John Curtice and Frances Tophill tells us what's thrived and what's died - and we get growing tips from gardening expert Terry Walton.Our newspaper reviewers are Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, who founded the Black Farmer food range. Calum Leslie, Radio 1's Newsbeat presenter, and the writer and broadcaster Naomi Alderman.

Three more wonderful true stories from our Fleadh event in the Black Box on Weds 5 Aug: Willa witnesses traditional worship changing even for the pet dog; Rania realises Greece & Ireland hold the same traditions sacred; Richard can't compete when it comes to bringing the boys to the yard.. Paul is your host. Tenx9 is a live storytelling event where nine people have up to ten minutes each to tell a true story from their own life on a particular theme. It began in Belfast in 2011 in the Black Box, started by Paul Doran & Pádraig Ó Tuama. You'll find all the upcoming dates at tenx9.com/events, our guidelines at tenx9.com/guidelines & you can submit your stories at tenx9.com/submissions. Email us at tenx9belfast@gmail.com

The Rev Ian Paisley rose to prominence as the face of hardline unionism but the first time some would have heard of him would have been in connection with Maura Lyons. In 1956, the west Belfast teenager was smuggled to Scotland by members of the Free Presbyterian Church. She was a 15-year-old Catholic girl who converted to Free Presbyterianism, in the face of the strong objections of her family. They accused the Rev Ian Paisley of “abduction”. At one point, he gathered his supporters in the Ulster Hall to listen to a recording of Maura's voice at the Ulster Hall, renouncing her Catholic faith as a “religion of fear and dread”. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by journalist Malachi O'Doherty, who grew up in west Belfast. This episode was originally released in October 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James McClean's return to Derry hasn't worked out as anticipated.But beyond the headlines, what was at stake when he was on the receiving end of abuse on social media, in the English media and from the football grounds of England?On Free State today, Dion and Joe look at how McClean was reduced to caricature and how the outrage machine shaped it. We also have some Free State news. On Sept 3rd, Free State will be live in Belfast with Paul Howard to talk about his brilliant new book ‘A Nation Once Again'. Book your free ticket here - https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-free-state-podcast-live-paul-howard-in-conversation-tickets-1998226075984?aff=oddtdtcreator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We turn back the tide as we revisit a few of our ocean-themed episodesBuy tickets to our live show in Belfast on November 1st! https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cheerfulearful/2358617 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland's European heptathlon CHAMPION Kate O'Connor joins Off The Ball Breakfast's Colm Boohig & Dara Smith-Naughton as the gold medal glow finally starts to sink in — and she brings us right inside those two gruelling days.Kate talks through the nerves before the hurdles, the pressure of a third-attempt high jump, and the sheer relief of getting through the 800m with a title on the line. She also reflects on the Irish crowd roaring her home, training full-time between Belfast and Dundalk, and what it'll take to push on towards Worlds and LA 2028...Plus: her favourite events, her Jessica Ennis-Hill eureka moment, and that post-win double burger!Off The Ball Breakfast with Viagra Connect 50mg film-coated tablets. Contains sildenafil. For adult men with erectile dysfunction. Subject to suitability. Maximum dosage one 50mg tablet per day. Always read the label.Catch The Off The Ball Breakfast show LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am or just search for Off The Ball Breakfast and get the podcast on the Off The Ball app.SUBSCRIBE at OffTheBall.com/joinOff The Ball Breakfast is live weekday mornings from 7:30am across Off The Ball

These days, the apocalypse has been on my mind a lot. Maybe that's not surprising, given the state of the world. This can easily descend into dread and hopelessness, which is something I try and avoid for my own sake. When I picked up Moon of the Crusted Snow and Moon of the Turning Leaves, written by my guest Waubgeshig Rice, in a bookshop in Ottawa, I didn't know what to expect. I've always been into 'post-apocalyptic' stories, but I soon found out that there was something different about this cast of characters: their people, the Anishinaabe, had already survived multiple apocalypses at the hands of the Canadian state. In this episode, Waubgeshig and I spoke about the Whitesky saga books, the ongoing wildfires, passing on traditions, learning Ojibwe and teaching it to his kids, Gaza, how the father-daughter relationship in the books inspired my own relationship, and so much more.Waubgeshig's Recommendations:​⁠Buffalo Hunter Hunter⁠ by Stephen Graham Jones  ​⁠The Sorceress of Sky Serpents⁠ by Eden Robinson​⁠County Road Six⁠ by Kevin Hardcastle------This episode was first released ⁠on Patreon⁠ on 11 August 2026, a day after recordingVideo version premiering on YouTube on 17 August 2026 at 6pm UK time: https://youtu.be/37-oFTg6xBIIf you'd like to support The Fire These Times, the best way to do it is through⁠ ⁠⁠Patreon.com/thefirethesetimes⁠. In return, you'll get early access to everything I record, exclusive videos, the mini-series all at once, access to the monthly hangout, discounts on ⁠my classes⁠ and ⁠newsletter⁠, the class recordings (all of them), an invitation to join the Discord chat, merch, personalised thank you cards, and more stuff to come.Registrations for the November class (online) on modern Lebanese history and politics are now open: ⁠https://thefirethesetimes.com/lebanonclass ⁠------Social Media: Elia (⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠), TFTT (⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)For feedback, requests etc: ⁠⁠ayoub@thefirethesetimes.com⁠⁠Everything else is archived on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠the website⁠⁠.------Elia's recent pieces​ShadoMag:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Belfast pogrom was predictable⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​972Mag:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lebanon walks into Israel's trap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Also, for Hauntologies​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Report from Belfast. Day 1.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Recent Podcast interviews​It Could Happen Here:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Media Context for the Belfast Pogrom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​It Could Happen Here:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lebanon's Agreement with Israel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠------CreditsElia Ayoub (host, producer, episode design),⁠ ⁠⁠⁠the rosa artist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (TFTT theme design),⁠ ⁠⁠Wenyi Geng⁠ (TFTT theme design), ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Molly Crabapple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (my profile pic),⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Rap and Revenge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Music), and⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Antidote Zine⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Transcriptions)As always, thank you for listening and take care.

Terence McNaughton joined Off The Ball Breakfast back in February to give a brutally honest assessment of where Antrim hurling is at under Davy Fitzgerald, after a worrying run of league form and that loss to Kildare.He breaks down why the current system isn't suiting the players, the confidence issue in the group, and how key losses like Neil McManus and Conor McCann have changed what Antrim need to be.And it goes beyond the senior team: McNaughton lays out what he sees as the real problem in Belfast and Ulster hurling, from schools links to structures, funding, and why “throwing good money after bad” won't fix foundations.Become a member and sign up at offtheball.com/join

The Minister for Justice has been put on notice of possible legal action because of his department's refusal to issue visas to refugee students from Gaza who have been awarded scholarships by Irish universities, for degree courses that are due to begin within weeks. Pat's joined by one of the legal team involved at Belfast firm Phoenix Law, trainee solicitor Alannah Faulkner.

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to this weeks show.  This week I chat to Sean from Sean Daly & The Shams who are back on tour in Ireland this month.  Catch them in Belfast on the 28th August, Galway on Sept 2nd and Dublin on Sept 4th.  I also talk about the Sean Ross mother and baby home and how sad it is that these survivors are still being left without answers. Support the show

Als im Nordirlandkonflikt bei einem tragischen Unfall Kinder sterben, protestieren am 14.8.1976 Katholiken und Protestanten gemeinsam. Das stoppt die Gewalt - zumindest vorerst. Von Veronika Bock.

Benjamin Netanyahu has said no to Donald Trump's 15-point Gaza plan, and the refusal is flat rather than fudged. In the West Bank, extremist settlers have besieged two Palestinian families in the village of Qusra, apparently hoping to take their homes. The IDF went in but came away with mission very much unaccomplished. With Yonit away, Jonathan is joined by Hadley Freeman, columnist for London's Sunday Times and author of the acclaimed memoir, House of Glass, for what is an Unholy first: two voices from the Jewish diaspora and no Israeli in the room. They talk through the week's news and reflect on what three years since October 7 has done to Jewish life outside Israel, why Israel-Palestine has become the litmus test of the American left and whether anybody speaks for the diaspora.   Plus: a Chutzpah nominee that reached a Belfast stage via Sweden, and a Mensch that arrives from Australia by way of Yiddish.   The Bashevis Singers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G531cgjplcM

The Féile and the FleadhFollowing on from Tradfest - well done Dónal and everyone  involved- Féile and  the Fleadh were mighty. Sixteen days of Féile An Phobail, seperate but running parallel with a week of the first Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to be held in Belfast. An estimated one million plus Fleadh hoppers  meandered their way through Belfast soaking up the music, the craic and the joyful atmosphere as musicians and dancers playing their hearts out on streets and in pubs and music venues. Well done to all involved in organising this marvellous event. From Comhaltas first of all and all the musicans and dancers to Belfast City Council to the Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald who gave £1 million in funding in support of the Fleadh, to all of the business owners who opened their doors and provided the services that the crowds needed and enjoyed. Well done also to the media. The local broadcast radio and television made a special effort, as did TG4. Together they broadcast hours of happy smiling people appreciating the Fleadh, listening to the music and watching the dancers. And not forgetting Niall and Bronagh McClean,and Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCE), the host branch for the Fleadh. This fleadh was six years in the making but it paid off – big time. Not least in its social and societal benefits. I spent some time each day at the competitions in the Waterfront Hall. The standard of the music was amazing. Over 5,000 musicians from over 20 countries participated. That included a number of bands from the Unionist and Loyalist tradition. Fair play to them. They were warmly welcomed by enthusiastic crowds.The Little Lost Bird and the Blue ButterflyAmong the art exhibitions was one by John B Vallely. JB is a renowned artist from Armagh City and a traditional musician and s great champion of the Uilleann pipes. He has been painting for over 70 years and his exhibition for Féile focussed on the loss of innocence; on the children killed at Wounded Knee by the US army in 1890 and the current Israeli genocide in Gaza in which tens of thousands of Palestinian children have been murdered. Two images stand out in his remarkable exhibition. One is of a blue bird dedicated to Zintkála Nuni – the Little Lost Bird. It is symbolic of a baby girl who was found strapped to her murdered mother's back four days after the massacre at Wounded Knee. She had survived four days in the snow. Her name was not known so she was named Zintkála Nuni – the Little Lost Bird.Wildfires and Climate ChangeIt has been a summer thus far that tens of thousands of people in Europe and North America will remember for a long time to come. Climate change has exploded in a series of enormous and dangerous wildfires that have left devastation in their wake. Day after day the media is full of images of forests and farm land destroyed, homes in ruins and families living in makeshift shelters. From Spain to Greece and across Canada and the USA the land burns as a result of prolonged heatwaves and droughts.Of course, there are still those who boohoo even the notion of climate change. But the evidence today is overwhelming and it's not new. As far back as the 1970s I recall warnings about the impact of pollution on the environment. In 1988 the United Nations established two UN agencies focussed on climate change - the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) along with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 

West Belfast comedian Paddy “The Dagger” McDonnell joined the lads this week, and it didn't take long to find out where the nickname came from. Let's just say it involves a stag do, a tattoo convention, and a decision his wife definitely didn't sign off on.Paddy told us about growing up in West Belfast, how getting part of his finger bitten off while working as a doorman somehow led him into comedy, and why that first unexpected seven minute set changed everything. He spoke about going from building sites and taxi driving to selling out arenas, touring the world, and still feeling like there is plenty more to do.And because it's Paddy, there was no shortage of madness either. We got stories about accidental mushroom soup causing absolute chaos, Belfast names making no sense, taxi passengers asking questions no driver should have to answer and gout ruining Disneyland. Paddy also spoke about his culture and identity, what it was like growing up in a place where there were times he felt he could not fully be himself in certain parts of the north and how much that has changed for the better. This episode was sponsored by Rightstyle Furniture. RIGHT PRICE, RIGHT STYLE, RIGHT NOW. Visit rightstyle.ieGet in touch on TalkingBollox@GoLoudNow.com

Fresh off hosting our first Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, I look at Belfast's status as a UNESCO City of Music (since 2021) and the reasons why we might be the best city on Earth right now for music.I also drank 7 pints before recording, so I might be prone to exaggeration.Uppa Fleadh xInline G Merch ⭐️www.Inlineg.myshopify.comInline G Patreon ⭐️www.patreon.com/TheInlineGFlutePodcastInline G will ALWAYS be free of charge, but signing up to the Patreon helps let this podcast reach new heights, if you can afford it. You'll also get to ask questions to upcoming guests as well as get early access to some episodes. Or if you'd rather not spend money, subscribing to my YouTube channel and following me on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok is a HUGE way to support the podcast. It'll cost you nothing, and it really makes a difference to the algorithm gods. So please interact however you can; like, comment, or subscribe, and help keep this podcast lit xIntro music: Rhythm=Power by Spodo Komodo. Used with permission. All rights reserved by the creator.Chapters:00:00 - Uppa Fleadh06:07 - UNESCO City of Music09:31 - Irish Trad and Flute Bands14:02 - Punk, Van and Kneecap

We turn back the tide as we revisit a few of our ocean-themed episodesBuy tickets to our live show in Belfast on November 1st! https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cheerfulearful/2358617 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Members of Kerry Comhaltas were among the talented performers who took part in this year’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann which was held in Belfast. Geraldine Guilfoyle is with Comhaltas; she and two of Kerry’s winners spoke to Jerry in the Killarney studio.

350 miljoner kronor – så stort blev bytet i det som beskrivs som Storbritanniens största kupp. Det var precis innan jul 2004 som rånarna slog till mot två bankchefer och deras familjer utanför Belfast. Rånarna instruerade cheferna hur de skulle föra ut pengarna ur banken. Men hur lyckades kuppen? Vad blev efterspelet? Och kunde polisen spåra och döma rånarna? Gäst: Mikael Jägerbrand, journalist Programledare och producent: Jesper Spanne. Klipp från: BBC Kontakt: podcast@aftonbladet.se. Ansvarig utgivare: Lotta Folcker

Myself and Carl Kinsella just can't stop talking about sports, guys! Seriously though, the drama around FIFA at the moment is top tier so we had to discuss it, along with the magical scenes coming out of Belfast from the Fleadh last week, an update on the so-called ceasefire in Gaza and lots more besides.To support the podcast and access bonus episodes, join the community on Patreon here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To describe the experience of the last eight days, Gavin McKenna, Head of Marketing at Visit Belfast.

Guests include the SDLP's Séamas de Faoite & Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons

As Belfast was transformed for a week by the Fleadh, we had a special tenx9 with live music & true stories of TRADITION: Maureen Boyle fell for the trad-loving seminarian; Houdi McCabe couldn't understand the hypocrisy all around him; Judith McGillion had a gentle moment with the loyalist bandsman. Paul is your host. The podcast contains highlights from the evening recorded live in Belfast's Black Box. Tenx9 is a live storytelling event where nine people have up to ten minutes each to tell a true story from their own life on a particular theme. It began in Belfast in 2011 in the Black Box, started by Paul Doran & Pádraig Ó Tuama. You'll find all the upcoming dates at tenx9.com/events, our guidelines at tenx9.com/guidelines & you can submit your stories at tenx9.com/submissions. Email us at tenx9belfast@gmail.com

Le plus grand festival de musique traditionnelle irlandaise, le Fleadh, a fait vibrer Belfast pendant une semaine. C'est une première pour la capitale nord-irlandaise et seulement la deuxième fois, en 75 ans d'existence, que le festival se tient en Irlande du Nord. C'est un symbole fort dans une région longtemps marquée par les divisions communautaires et où la culture gaélique, y compris la langue irlandaise, s'affichent désormais au grand jour.  De notre correspondante à Belfast, Les violons et les flûtes résonnent aux quatre coins de la capitale nord-irlandaise. « Chaque année, j'allais au Fleadh de la République d'Irlande, alors imaginer qu'il se tienne aujourd'hui ici, à Belfast, c'est assez incroyable, se réjouit Ray, lui-même professeur de musique traditionnelle. Et personnellement, je trouve que c'est une bien meilleure ville que Dublin pour la musique traditionnelle, il y a tellement plus de pubs ici qui accueillent des sessions de musique traditionnelle ! » Auparavant, l'Irlande du Nord n'avait accueilli le Fleadh qu'une seule fois, à Derry, en 2013. Cette édition à Belfast est donc une preuve de l'engouement grandissant dans la région pour la culture gaélique : la musique bien sûr, mais aussi la langue. Ce regain d'intérêt est porté notamment par une nouvelle génération d'artistes, avec Kneecap en figure de proue, ce trio originaire de Belfast qui rappe exclusivement en irlandais. Au centre culturel MAC, Stiofn anime un cours de langue irlandaise, organisé spécifiquement pendant le festival. Et il affiche complet. « À Belfast, on assiste aujourd'hui à un nouvel élan pour la langue irlandaise, indique-t-il, le nombre d'enfants scolarisés en irlandais augmente, de plus en plus de jeunes l'utilisent au quotidien, et beaucoup d'adultes redécouvrent cette langue, ou se lancent dans son apprentissage pour la première fois. » À lire aussiEn Irlande, l'engouement pour la musique traditionnelle Un marqueur identitaire Mais en Irlande du Nord, la langue irlandaise demeure un marqueur identitaire fort, associé à la communauté catholique et républicaine. Un héritage des Troubles, ce conflit qui a opposé pendant trois décennies les républicains, favorables à la réunification de l'Irlande, aux unionistes protestants, attachés eux au Royaume-Uni. « Ce festival est un moment assez extraordinaire, et ce que j'apprécie particulièrement, c'est que toutes les cultures de l'île y trouvent leur place, souligne Padraig, l'un des élèves du jour qui a grandi à Belfast dans les années 80. On y croise aussi des joueurs de tambours Lambeg, des cornemuses écossaises, qui font elles aussi partie de l'histoire de cette île. Et c'est important qu'elles soient représentées aux côtés de ce que l'on considère comme la tradition irlandaise plus classique. » Un message d'inclusion que porte Sorcha, l'une des organisatrices du Fleadh. « Si certaines personnes lui donnent une dimension politique, c'est leur propre interprétation. Mais cette langue est notre langue maternelle, c'est la langue de l'île d'Irlande, insiste-t-elle. Elle n'est donc pas politique : ce n'est pas une langue républicaine, nationaliste. Non, tous les Irlandais possèdent cette langue. Et ça n'a rien de menaçant. C'est une langue magnifique, une occasion de renouer avec sa terre, avec son héritage à l'échelle de toute l'île, et avec notre communauté dans son ensemble. C'est ouvert à tout le monde. » Il y a encore quelques années, une telle célébration de la culture gaélique aurait été impensable à Belfast. Cette année, le Fleadh y a pourtant réuni plus de 800 000 visiteurs. À lire aussiIrlande du Nord: les souvenirs du «Bloody Sunday», à la veille du jugement d'un soldat britannique

Stuart Maconie finds himself "i lár an aonaigh" - at the heart of craic, ceol, and much more at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (All-Ireland Fleadh), as Belfast hosts the festival celebrating Irish music and culture for the very first time.The Fleadh comes second nature to frontman and lead singer of Hothouse Flowers Liam Ó Maonlaí, who was brought up in a household full of traditional Irish music and song. As the band prepares for their "Greatest Hits" tour later this year, Liam reflects on the poignant story behind their hit single "Don't Go", and the time he was left behind by the band's tour bus.Olivia McVeigh mightn't be in a band, but alongside her fellow podcasters of The Girls Groupchat she's taking the show onstage, alongside Irish girl group legends B*witched and even to ABBA Voyage. She tells Stuart about how her diagnosis of alopecia changed her entire career trajectory, into a world of advocacy and empowering others with the condition.Emma Southon may have had a very different career as historian if she hadn't hated history so much at school. She talks about her new book Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire, which sets out to give readers a full picture of the reality of enslaved people in Ancient Rome.And Michael Fry muses on how a period of pure boredom pushed him towards comedy, and why he thinks the medium of radio is ripe for laughs, ahead of his third series of Lunchtime with Michael Fry on BBC Radio Ulster.Plus, musicians Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin and Clare Sands give us just a "blaiseadh beag" - a very small taste of the great music coming out of the Fleadh.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Anthony McKee Technical Producer: Davy Neill Production Co-ordinators: Sylvie Conway and Caoilfhinn McFadden

Spain's Migration Meltdown, Ireland Riots, DSA's Secret Senate Candidate, and the Fauci Diary Bombshell | The RundownThis week on The Rundown, Jillian and Fletcher break down the headlines the mainstream media won't touch. Spain's migration crisis just got worse, with 500,000 North African migrants in Libya now positioned to cross into Greece next. Ireland is erupting, with citizens in Belfast setting up roadblocks after a Sudanese migrant tried to behead an Irishman in the street. Wisconsin's DSA-backed governor candidate Francesca Hong wants Thanksgiving canceled and Trump "86'd." Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's ties to Hasan Piker, ISNA, and CAIR raise serious questions about who's funding his campaign. Plus, Aaron Rodgers gets vindicated after Anthony Fauci's diary reveals he hid his own vaccine injury from the public, and the WNBA won't answer for coaches pushing biological men into women's sports.In this episode:

Stephen Doyle is once again joined by Vinny Perth and Gareth McGlynn to dive into all the latest LOI stories of the week during a busy period for both the league and European competition.The lads dig into the breaking news of the day which is the departure of Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch. The Belfast man took over the club at the end of 2024 after leaving his post at Larne and has had a mixed season and a half with the Candystripes.There is of course the matter of a few ties in Europe to talk about too, with Rovers setting themselves up for yet another visit to European Group Stage competition with a 3-1 win over Egnetia last night and just the small opponent of Ajax at the Johan Cruyff Arena for Shels.Finally, Bohs face Danish giants Midtjylland in Tallaght Stadium tomorrow with less than a 3rd of the season to play too.And as ever, we are looking for your inspiration to help us, fancy getting in touch?You can do so by emailing theloipod@offtheball.comContact us on socials @offtheball across all our platforms.Or if you want to contact us directly message the @offtheball.football account on InstagramAnd as ever, we are on WhatsApp on 087 9 180 180.Become a member and sign up at offtheball.com/joinThe LOI Pod on Off The Ball.

Siobhán McGuigan, Head of Events with Tourism Northern Ireland, discusses the positive impact on Belfast and the wider region of hosting Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann for the first time.

Mark Redmond, uilleann piper & tutor with Scoil Éigse, discusses the living tradition of the uilleann pipes. Síle Fitzgibbon and Lucy Ann O'Brien, musicians, discuss the experience of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast and Emmett Moore, musician and member of St Louis Irish Arts CCÉ, USA, on his journey to compete in this year's Fleadh.

Siobhán Ní Chonaráin, Priomh-Riarthóir, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Brendan McAleer, Príomh Reachtaire with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, and Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly, Lord Mayor of Belfast, discuss the cultural significance of Belfast hosting Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann for the first time in its history.

Maurice Brown, from the Belfast Bands Forum, discusses the Comhaltas Bardic Award he won for his contribution to the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music, song, dance, and culture.

Elia Ayoub is joined by Ayman Makarem (Politically Depressed) to talk about the Ceuta ‘incident' which left at least 70 people dead, the political discourse in Europe, the Moroccan monarchy's cynicism, antisemitic conspiracy theories, and the danger that is Fortress Europe – including for Europeans.Links:​Hauntologies: On Ceuta​Harsha Walia's commentary​Border Violence Monitoring NetworkSupport: You can support my work with ⁠⁠a one-off or monthly donation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Ko-fiMasterclass on Modern Lebanon: ⁠Registration still possible for August 2026⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter: Subscribe to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hauntologies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Social Media: I am on ⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact: Reach out on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ayoub@thefirethesetimes.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or on Signal @ Ayoub.02The Fire These Times​Social Media: TFTT is on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​Transcription: You can help ⁠Antidote Zine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ transcribe TFTT episodes ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​Website: All episodes are archived ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠From The PeripheryTFTT is a proud member of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠From The Periphery Media Collective⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which you can support ⁠⁠⁠on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow on ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Check out other project wherever you get your podcasts:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Politically Depressed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Syria: The Inconvenient Revolution⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠From The Periphery Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Mutual Aid Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elia's recent pieces​ShadoMag: ⁠The Belfast pogrom was predictable⁠​972Mag: ⁠Lebanon walks into Israel's trap⁠Also, for Hauntologies​⁠Report from Belfast. Day 1.⁠Recent Podcast interviews​It Could Happen Here: ⁠The Media Context for the Belfast Pogrom⁠​It Could Happen Here: Lebanon's Agreement with IsraelCreditsElia Ayoub (host, producer, episode design), ⁠⁠Rap and Revenge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Music), ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rosa Artist (TFTT theme design),⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Hisham Rifai⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (FTP theme design),⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Molly Crabapple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (FTP team profile pics) and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Antidote Zine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Transcriptions).

Four days on, and Slipknot still haven't said a word about Sid Wilson. Scott Penfold breaks down where the story actually stands: the single anonymous TMZ source it all rests on, Jim Root telling fans to stop and think — and the song he chose to play underneath it — Mick Thomson's wife Stacy openly mocking the rumour mill, Sid's only post being a merch ad, and the Los Angeles studio doorstep where he was asked point blank and said nothing. Plus Sharon Osbourne confirms a film of Back To The Beginning arrives this year featuring every band who played, and Ozzfest returns in 2027 at Villa Park in Birmingham — which quietly inverts what Ozzfest has been for thirty years. And Megadeth announce Breakout: Hibernation Of The Nations, a 24-date European arena farewell opening March 9, 2027 in Belfast and closing April 13 in Lisbon, with Black Label Society and Testament on the entire run. Off the back of the first number one album of their career — on the seventeenth and final record. Full write-ups on all three at LoadedRadio.com. Stream hard rock and metal 24/7 and get every episode on the free Loaded Radio app for Apple iOS and Google Play.

DEEP DIVE - On this episode we revisit one of the most revered and wildly enigmatic minds in human history; a pioneering engineer, prolific inventor, bonafide genius and all-round kooky eccentric, whose astonishing ideas, theories and inventions were often so far ahead of their time, they couldn't be realised for another century. Nikola Tesla helped build the modern electronic world, and pretty awesomely became known as the legendary 'Master of Lightning' and yet still, somehow managed to succumb to the typical fate of such an extraordinary personality; to die penniless and alone... despite spending years living in a luxury New York hotel suite and carrying on what can only be described as, a serious long-term relationship with a pigeon. Tale as old as time itself! From Tesla's infamous feud with the nefarious Thomas Edison and the AC/DC War of the Currents to harnessing the mysterious and awesome power of the earth itself to generate global free wireless electricity with his Wardenclyffe Tower; top secret and highly advanced government work at Colorado Springs, getting into a billionaires tiff with J.P. Morgan; missing government files including an Earthquake Machine, a Death Ray and even a device that bends the fabric of space and creates time travelling wormholes, as we explored in our episode on The Philadelphia Experiment. We separate the documented history from the astounding legend and ask whether Nikola Tesla was simply a misunderstood genius... or something greater still; a man whose talent, vision and imagination reached so far into the future that the rest of the world has spent the last hundred years trying to catch up. You can get this episode (and all the others) AD FREE and in VIDEO with EXTRA CONTENT for FREE when you join the TCG PATREON (so many capital letters) and you can find the episode here: https://www.patreon.com/thoseconspiracyguys/posts/s09e03-nikola-165321984 or by ⁠clicking here⁠ and you can sign up for a FREE Patreon account, follow TCG and get this and loads more. If you want to support the show and get even more content and exclusives, please consider becoming a subscriber! Thanks to everyone who is already a Patreon supporter; I literally wouldn't be here without y'all!

A Belfast-based tour guide points out the places where native son Van Morrison found inspiration for his music and poetry. Then a Romani author tells us about the variety of communities within her culture, both on the continent and in the US. And an adventure traveler shares some of his favorite scenic hikes in Europe. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Jan Carson has become one of the most imaginative voices in contemporary Irish fiction, blending folklore, magical realism, and the emotional complexities of everyday life. The Belfast-based writer is the award-winning author of 'The Fire Starters,' winner of the European Union Prize for Literature, as well as 'The Raptures' and several acclaimed short story collections. Her new novel, 'Few and Far Between,' imagines an alternate Northern Ireland where the draining of Lough Neagh creates a mysterious archipelago that becomes a refuge from the Troubles. As environmental disaster threatens this isolated community decades later, Carson explores memory, family, belonging, and the enduring scars of history with wit, compassion, and startling originality.

Send us Fan MailA plan to drain a lake sounds like a punchline until you remember it was real. In this episode, I'm joined by Belfast novelist Jan Carson to talk about Few And Far Between, her brilliant alternative history that asks what might have happened if a Northern Irish politician had actually tried to reshape Loch Neagh and “solve” unemployment and conflict with one giant engineering fantasy. From that single archival spark, Jan builds an archipelago, a would-be utopia, and a home that's about to disappear again. We get into why Loch Neagh functions like a character and a warning. Jan connects the story's blue-green algae crisis to the real environmental disaster unfolding on the loch today, and we discuss the messy triangle of farmers, politicians, and environmental campaigners, plus the uncomfortable question of who is expected to pay for cleanup. The conversation also moves into the novel's deeper currents: toxic masculinity, generational trauma, and what Northern Ireland tries to submerge when moving on feels easier than facing what happened. Jan talks about writing parables without turning fiction into a lecture, grounding magical realism so it feels emotionally true, and structuring a book with multiple timelines plus a textbook thread packed with footnotes. She shares what 29 rewrites taught her about editing and what it was like recording the audiobook when footnotes refuse to behave. If you love literary fiction, climate fiction, Irish literature, and authors discussing the highs and lows of their writing process, this one is for you. Subscribe, share the episode with a fellow reader, and leave a review wherever you listen.Support the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

Come along as I take you on a journey through Ireland. But there's no passport required for this trip because in this special BONUS episode, we're going there with our ears.  Instead of sharing photos, I'm sharing "audio pictures"—the recordings I make to capture the moments around me. As someone who is blind, these little audio snapshots help me revisit memories without being able to see them, and today, you'll get to experience them with me. From the lively streets of Dublin and Belfast to the breathtaking Giant's Causeway and places connected with C.S. Lewis and the world of Narnia, you'll hear the sounds, conversations, and little moments that invite us to delight in the beauty of God's creation. So settle in, listen closely, and let your imagination carry you to Ireland—one audio picture at a time. SHOW NOTES: 413Podcast.com/Ireland  Get my weekly email, Java with Jennifer, to be notified when a new podcast episode releases. Subscribe HERE.