Podcasts about Good Friday Agreement

Mercosur is a bad deal.The European Commission has backed a free trade agreement with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The European Parliament is set to decide on the future of the Mercosur Agreement. It has taken twenty-five years to get to this point. The European Commission has decided to support this proposition and the smart money says the Parliament will follow suit. But perhaps not. It's not over until it's over. There will be a legal challenge to the deal, including Sinn Féin's MEPs, and a vote in the European Parliament. Sinn Féin is also bringing forward a Dáil motion calling on the government to support the legal action and mandating all MEPs to vote against the deal. Nollaig na mBanSome of the traditions that surround Christmas and the New Year celebrations have changed over recent years. For example, when I was growing up Christmas decorations didn't start appearing in homes until a fortnight or so before the 25th December. Now, Halloween is barely over before Christmas decorations start appearing. Previously also, the tree, crib, and the rest all stayed in place until 6 January – the Feast of the Epiphany, the date on which it is said that the three wise men visited the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. This year decorations were mostly down from the start of the new year. And already Easter eggs are in the shops. However, one celebration that has taken on a new lease of life is Nollaig na mBan - Women's Christmas. It is celebrated on 6 January. It used to be confined to rural areas but that is changing.  Nollaig na mBan is the day when the role of women, who generally did  all the work for Christmas, was celebrated. It was the day when women get together with other women and enjoy a brief few hours of celebration on their own. Progress on Casement ParkLast week the draft budget for the Executive, announced by Finance Minister John O'Dowd, included an allocation of an additional £40 million toward the rebuilding of the new Casement Stadium.Sadly, despite the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and its principles of equality and parity of esteem, the decades since then have produced many examples of political unionism continuing to resist investment and funding allocation for nationalist areas. Casement Park is a case in point.Last week's announcement is a positive and welcome development.Irish Unity Must be Priority for EU PresidencyOn 1st July the Irish government will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This will be its eighth time holding this key administrative and political role within the EU and the first time since Brexit. The agenda for this Presidency is enormous and will affect all of our lives. It will include new legislation as well as significant negotiations around all of the major national and international issues affecting the world at this time – the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip, the war in Ukraine, Venezuela, threatened US Foreign Policy adventures toward Greenland, Cuba, Colombia, Nigeria and Iran, famine in Africa, climate change and migration.An Taoiseach Micheál Martin has defined the state's Presidency of the EU as “a Presidency defined by action.”All sounds impressive. But so far no one in the Irish government has said anything about using this unique opportunity to raise the issue of Irish Unity. Thus far, Micheál Martin's approach to Irish Unity can best be described as “a leadership defined by inaction.”

Lewis Lyttle is an ex-Loyalist prisoner. He was sentenced to 15 years for attempted murder during The Troubles and was released early, with the signing of The Good Friday Agreement. Now Lewis works to facilitate cross-community groups with Black Mountain Shared Space, a community center built on the site of a former peace wall and designed to bring people from both Protestant and Catholic communities together to get to know one another and build relationships and trust.Stay tuned toward the end of the recording for some generational insights from Lewis' daughter Roxy, a high school student, who is engaged with programs at Black Mountain Shared Space as well.Credits:Photos and text, John NoltnerField production, summer interns Kate West, Sawyer Garrison, and Kaitlin ImaiAudio Engineering, Razik SaifullahThanks for listening to A Peace of My Mind's podcast. For photos, videos, and additional content, visit our website and follow us on Instagram.

2026 - Bliain Úr faoi Mhaise DaoibhseA very happy New Year to all readers of this column, to the staff of the Belfast Media Group and The Irish Echo. And to you good readers who have stayed with me over the years.None of us know what 2026 will bring but we can be sure it will be interesting. May it also be good to you all and to your families. Beirigí bua. Eyes On The Prize. 2025 was a good year for Irish Unity. All of those advocating for a new Ireland, including Sinn Féin's Commission on the Future of Ireland, worked hard and effectively promoting the message that Irish Unity will be good for the people of the island of Ireland. Crucially, both houses of the Oireachtas, the Dáil and the Seanad, passed motions calling on the Irish government to begin the process of planning and preparing for Unity referendums. These include The Oireachtas Good Friday Agreement Committee. This is the only all-Ireland committee in Leinster House. It is unique in that Members of Parliament from the north join TDs and Senators to work on issues relating to the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.The Good Friday Agreement remains the basis for relations on the island of Ireland and between the islands of Ireland and Britain. However, its implementation has been challenged, principally by indifference from London and a lack of consistent and positive leadership from Dublin.‘I'm so scared, please come'For as long as I have been a republican activist I have been reading and writing about the impact of British colonialism on peoples around the world. As the largest empire in human history Britain's conquests and exploitation of other places resulted in untold misery, death and hardship for those living under British rule - not least here in Ireland. To maintain its domination, the British Empire used violence and dehumanised the peoples it sought to exploit. Behind its claim of being a guardian of the ‘rule of law' Britain stole land and property, exploited mineral resources and reduced native peoples to little more than slaves.Among those many locations was Palestine. British policy is largely responsible for the decades of war that have plighted that land for a hundred years. Current British government policy is facilitating the genocide of the Palestinian people by the Israeli apartheid regime.I have visited Palestine and Israel on at least four occasions, including the Gaza Strip in 2009. I walked along the ‘separation wall' – a monstrous perversion designed to imprison Palestinians into smaller and smaller ghettoes.

Aoife Moore is an independent investigative journalist from Derry, Northern Ireland and formerly worked as a political correspondent for the BBC.She calls herself a victim of England's legacy in Ireland and says that every facet of her life has been marred by British colonialism, including the death of her uncle in the violence of Bloody Sunday.Aoife chose her path to become a journalist because of her frustration with the British media's unwillingness to challenge the government's official narrative of what happened on Bloody Sunday and her desire to be a part of revealing the truth.She is the best-selling author of The Long Game: Inside Sinn Fein, a book that explores the growth of Sinn Fein from the armed struggle of the IRA to its current political dominance in the country.Credits:Photos and text, John NoltnerField production, summer interns Kate West, Sawyer Garrison, and Kaitlin ImaiAudio Engineering, Razik SaifullahThanks for listening to A Peace of My Mind's podcast. For photos, videos, and additional content, visit our website and follow us on Instagram.

An Open Letter to My Unionist NeighboursA Chairde,I want to respectfully reach out to my unionist neighbours at this time of ongoing change on our island and continuous turbulence and conflict in parts of our world. We should count our blessings. Imperfect though it might be we have peace and the ability to work out our difficulties peacefully.This ability to find solutions is frustrated by the British government refusing at this time to permit us to exercise our right to self-determination. So, London continues to interfere in our affairs. In my view, and history supports this view, London will never govern us in Irelands interest. It never has. And it never will. How could it? It serves different national interests.Sometimes these coincide with the attitudes of political unionism. But when they don't political unionism and its attitudes are set to one side by London. This has happened again and again. Betrayal has been followed by betrayal after betrayal. London is only loyal to the unionists when it suits its interests. Those are not my words. These are the words of unionist leaders. I do not think these leaders serve the interests of my unionist neighbours. Certainly not on social or economic issues or the daunting challenges of growing our peace process into a prosperity process. Or a new rights based citizen centred society. Of course, my unionist neighbours are entitled to vote for these parties or anyone else if that is their wish, and political unionism clearly has a deep rooted commitment to the Union with Britain. It used to have things its own way. Maybe some of its leaders still believe that is the case but it isn't. They have lost their electoral majority. The Union is now very conditional and in the upcoming period there will be a referendum to decide the future.The extent of constitutional and institutional change is for the people of the island of Ireland to decide – democratically and without outside interference. The Good Friday Agreement makes clear that constitutional change requires consent, freely given and expressed in referendums North and South. So, political unionism will have its say. But so will the rest of us. On the basis of equality. All the unionist parties have agreed to abide by the outcome of this referendum. This ongoing continuum of change is about shaping a new Ireland, an agreed Ireland, and a new relationship with Britain that enhances our personal and community relationships, strengthens society, makes conflict a memory, ends sectarianism and creates real opportunities to improve the daily lives of citizens. It is about reconciliation and accommodation. It is about the North as a part of the island of Ireland again taking its place as a full member in the European Union.The Good Friday Agreement will provide the best framework of protections for everyone including and especially my unionist neighbours. The Agreement which was democratically supported in referendums North and South and is an all-island international agreement, already provides future protection for citizens.The Agreement guarantees that future governance arrangements will be “exercised with rigorous impartiality on behalf of all the people in the diversity of their identities and traditions and shall be founded on the principles of full respect for, and equality of, civil, political, social and cultural rights, of freedom from discrimination for all citizens, and of parity of esteem and of just and equal treatment for the identity, ethos, and aspirations of both communities; recognise the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirm that their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments and would not be affected by any future change in the status of Northern Ireland.”

Jay Malinowski (Bedouin Soundclash) meets renowned Irish philosopher Richard Kearney for an extraordinary conversation on anatheism, spirituality, doubt, imagination, and the power of music.This Podsongs episode blends philosophy, music, creativity, and spiritual insight—and it all leads to an original song inspired by the interview.If you're interested in deep conversations, faith and doubt, the human experience, Canadian indie music, Irish philosophy, or the creative process, this is one of the most inspiring episodes we've recorded.Jay Malinowski opens up about his artistic journey, life between Victoria and LA, and how philosophy shapes his songwriting with Bedouin Soundclash. Richard Kearney breaks down anatheism, the role of the stranger, interfaith dialogue, humour, hospitality, and why sacredness can be found in ordinary life.

We're solving violence on the Irish border this week as we take a look at the romance(?) of John Frankenheimer's 1998 action classic Ronin! Join in as we discuss 90s De Niro, Jean Reno's literary career, the post-Cold War film milieu, and the Rabbit's Foot! Plus: Did the Good Friday Agreement force a rewrite of this movie? Why is writer David Mamet credited with a pseudonym? What are the other characters' last names? And is there any romance in this movie at all? Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Next week: Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)

We're solving violence on the Irish border this week as we take a look at the romance(?) of John Frankenheimer's 1998 action classic Ronin! Join in as we discuss 90s De Niro, Jean Reno's literary career, the post-Cold War film milieu, and the Rabbit's Foot! Plus: Did the Good Friday Agreement force a rewrite of this movie? Why is writer David Mamet credited with a pseudonym? What are the other characters' last names? And is there any romance in this movie at all? Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Next week: Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)-------------------------------------------------------Key sources and links for this episode:John Frankenheimer biography from TCM"Ronin in from Cold" (Variety)"Giving Credit Where It's Due" (Los Angeles Times)"Mamet Versus Writer's Guild, the Action Thriller Sequel" (Los Angeles Times)John Frankenheimer's open letter on the credit arbitration for Ronin"Marco Rubio Mocked for Filming Talking while Driving Socialism Critique" (Daily Dot)

Despite the protests and the anger of unionists, the Anglo-Irish Agreement endured under superseeded by the GFA. Some see it as a key factor in attracting Sinn Féin into the political process and by many as a vital factor in convincing unionism that it would have to concede to power-sharing with nationalists. Ciarán Dunbar spoke to Professor Fergal Cochran, to Unionist commentator Alex Kane, to Professor Graham Walker, and to Dr. Peter McLaughlin to discuss the long-term legacy and consequences of the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A crackdown on asylum seekers looms this week for the scandal-plagued UK Labour government - but can it save embattled PM Sir Keir Starmer, as three credible leadership rivals loom? Read more about this story, plus see photos, videos and additional reporting, on our website or The Australian’s app. This episode of The Front is presented and produced by Claire Harvey and edited by Joshua Burton.. Our team includes Kristen Amiet, Lia Tsamoglou, Tiffany Dimmack, Stephanie Coombes and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Defending British interestsHilary Benn is the 25th British Secretary of State since the Conservative government of Ted Heath scrapped the Stormont Parliament in 1972. Whitelaw was the first. I met him during the London talks in July that year. There was then a gap of 23 years before I met another British Secretary of State, Patrick Mayhew. I have met most of the rest since then.The 25 were a mixed bunch both in ability and in temperament. Most we had never heard of before they were given the job. Many we never heard of again after they left here.  A few were friendly. Some, like Roy Mason, were wannabe generals or spymasters who bought enthusiastically into the counter-insurgency strategies of the spooks, Brit military and RUC. Some, like Merlyn Rees, were bumblers who hadn't a clue about the North and probably didn't care, and some were or thought they were, clever and devious. Most of them suffered from delusions of grandeur. I used to call it the English disease but that is probably unfair. Not all English people believe they have the right to rule other countries. But whatever their personalities or politics they all had one thing in common – they were here to defend British national interests – whatever the cost.The battle for hearts and minds of UnionismMichelle O'Neill honoured her commitment to be a First Minister for All when she chose to take part in Sunday's remembrance day ceremony in Belfast. Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly chose not to honour her responsibilities by refusing to attend this week's inauguration of Catherine Connolly as the 10th Uachtarán na hÉireann. The two choices taken by both leaders' highlight again the refusal by unionism to accept the core principles of equality and parity of esteem which are at the heart of the Good Friday Agreement.The battle for hearts and minds of UnionismMichelle O'Neill honoured her commitment to be a First Minister for All when she chose to take part in Sunday's remembrance day ceremony in Belfast. Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly chose not to honour her responsibilities by refusing to attend this week's inauguration of Catherine Connolly as the 10th Uachtarán na hÉireann. The two choices taken by both leaders' highlight again the refusal by unionism to accept the core principles of equality and parity of esteem which are at the heart of the Good Friday Agreement.

Jane Buckley born in Derry, Londonderry in Northern Ireland, is a passionate storyteller who brings the complexities of her homeland's history to life. Inspired by her childhood during the Troubles - a deeply rooted conflict that took place from the late 1960's until the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Her ‘Stones Corner' series - Turmoil, Darkness, Light and Hope - cuts straight to the heart of one of Northern Ireland's darkest chapters. Jane writes to make sense of it all. To honour those who lived through it. To make sure it is not forgotten. Her work aims to shed light on a misunderstood chapter of history, fostering understanding and promoting healing. Ultimately her work is realistic and hard hitting story lines based around true events. Jane's next work, written for the US based Project Children, steps back to the powerful true story behind the initiative featured in the series. Between the seventies and nineties, 23,000 children from both sides of the divide were flown to the United States, welcomed into homes and given a taste of peace. It's a story of hope, healing and the quiet power of kindness. One child, one family. One Summer at a time. Website: https://www.janebuckleywrites.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-buckley-writes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janebuckleywrites Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janebuckley_writes/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sharonfitzmaurice.substack.com

27 years after the Good Friday Agreement what is Northern Ireland like, how much conflict still exists? In this wide ranging conversation, Declan Lawn who grew up during the Troubles, became a BBC news reporter and now is the co-creator of the internationally popular series, Blue Lights, briefs Michael Goldfarb on where Northern Ireland is in its post-conflict phase. Lawn also explains how he works on Blue Lights, keeping the show authentic to its Belfast setting.

Recorded November 3rd, 2025. As we approach the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement on 15 November 1985, Behind the Headlines returns to debate whether this was a crucial stepping stone on the path to peace, or a controversial stumbling block. Bringing together experts from across the island, the panel re-examines the Agreement before the Good Friday Agreement, discusses what was so controversial at the time, and debates its impact and legacy. In particular, it explores the response of Unionist and Loyalist communities in Northern Ireland, the political fallout, and the mass protest campaign that followed. The event was chaired by Professor Lindsey Earner-Byrne, Chair of Contemporary Irish History at Trinity College Dublin. Panel Dáithí Ó Ceallaigh, former Irish ambassador, who played a crucial role in the negotiation of the Agreement. Dr Shelley Deane, expert in Security and International Relations at the School of Law and Government in DCU and member of the ARINS project team. Sam McBride, Northern Ireland Editor, Belfast Telegraph Prof Michael Kerr, Professor of Conflict Studies, Kings College London Learn more at www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub

On Thursday, Matt spoke to journalists Fintan O'Toole & Sam McBride about the release of their new book “For and Against a United Ireland”.If it came to pass, what would a united Ireland look like? How much of a role would history and religion play for a generation of people who grew up after the Good Friday Agreement came into effect?Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear what Fintan & Sam had to say.

We are back with another brand new episode, another very special guest, the brilliant Fearghus Roulston, and another fascinating assembly of some very Cursed Objects subjects – histories of conflict, conviviality, getting pissed, listening to punk and misremembering our own lives and favourite counter-cultural spaces.  Fearghus wants to make it clear he is not a “Punkademic”, but that it's fine if other people are. Drawing on his fascinating oral history work on the Belfast punk scene, we start with a pack of cards, a set of pubs, and the internationalism of the Titanic Museum. We discuss gentrification and tourism in Belfast since the Good Friday Agreement – pacification by Guinness? – “defensive planning”, defensive pubs, international Irish pubs, luxury hotels and student housing. How does history get cleaned up for international capitalism? Can tourism embed peace, and can peace embed tourism? What happens when a city designs a version of itself just for the tourist gaze? What gets fetishised, or turned into tourist souvenirs?  Why are we all so emotionally drawn to these stories of unity and progress coming through sub-cultures? Fearghus has the answers: “Max Weber says that politics is drilling through hard boards, and I guess it's nice to imagine change as not involving drilling through hard boards – as something that can happen in the back room of a pub.” Fearghus Roulston is a history lecturer at Strathclyde in Glasgow. He's working on a new book on temporality and the legacy of the Troubles. His last book, Belfast Punk and the Troubles: An Oral History, is available to buy here https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526182463/ And you can support this podcast by paying just £4 a month to become a Patreon subscriber - unlocking the 50% of episodes that are only available to Patrons, and earning Dan and Kasia's eternal gratitude: https://www.patreon.com/cursedobjects

The prospect of a United Ireland is becoming an increasingly regular point of discussion, with the concessions that must be made for a new Ireland being central to this.One such concession being dual citizenship on the island, as protected under the Good Friday Agreement for those of Northern Irish birth.If this right is afforded to those born in the six counties, should it also be granted to those born in the remaining twenty-six?Paul Gosling, author of ‘A New Ireland: A Five Year Review' and Emma De Souza, Writer and Political Commentator join Ciara Doherty to discuss.

Our guest Megan K. Stack began a recent op-ed in the New York Times describing a contentious debate about anti-immigration riots in the Northern Ireland Assembly, “each speaker straining to upstage the last in outrage and fervor.” But unlike many opinion writers, she doesn't go on to expound on the importance of civility in public discourse. Instead, she marvels that this debate is happening at all – amidst the children of Protestant paramilitaries and I.R.A. bombers, people who grew up in communities that battled each other bitterly for about 30 years – but now share power under a peace agreement that's endured for almost as long. Megan K. Stack is a  journalist and contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, who's reported from several conflict zones including Israel/Palestine and Northern Ireland. In this episode, she analyzes key moments and actors in the negotiations that ended the “Troubles,” the 3 decades of violence between Irish Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. And she makes the case for applying lessons from that peace process to Israel's negotiations with Gaza – including on the sensitive issue of disarmament.Read Megan Stack's essay Northern Ireland, Gaza and the Road to Peace.Use this link to share the episode: www.makingpeacevisible.org/megan-stackMusic in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions and Joel Cummins.  ABOUT THE SHOW The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. Our associate producer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.orgSupport our work Connect on social:Instagram @makingpeacevisibleLinkedIn @makingpeacevisibleBluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

Highlights from Talkback. William Crawley and guests discuss the news headlines.

Charles Strozier is the author of Making Peace in Northern Ireland: The Miracle of the Good Friday Agreement. In this conversation with Center Director Joseph Lennjon, Strozier discusses his distinctive approach to history—one that blends psychoanalytic insight with political and cultural analysis—to understand how empathy and inner transformation shaped the peace process. Reflecting on decades of scholarship spanning Abraham Lincoln, 9/11, and apocalyptic thought, Strozier traces how his curiosity about the psychology of violence and reconciliation led him to study figures like John Hume, David Trimble, Ian Paisley, and John Alderdice, the key “dramatis personae” of the Good Friday Agreement.Strozier explores the inner lives behind political change—how the painstaking act of listening across divides created what he calls “radical empathy,” making peace possible after generations of sectarian violence. The discussion ranges from the gendered dynamics of the talks to Northern Ireland's shifting cultural identity in the post-Brexit era, concluding with Strozier's reflections on hope, healing, and his current work on the psychology of idealization. It's an illuminating look at how understanding human emotion and imagination can help explain not only history, but also the possibility of reconciliation in our own time.

Where now for Micheál Martin?The decision by Fianna Fáil Presidential candidate Jim Gavin to withdraw from the contest means the race is now between Independent Catherine Connolly and Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys.But what of the man who asked Gavin to stand? Suffice to say I am not a supporter of Micheál Martin. There is nothing personal in this. I have seen at close quarters how he works and I am not impressed. How Fianna Fáil responds to this debacle which its leader landed it in will determine how it faces into the future. Because the process by which Jim Gavin became the Fianna Fail candidate says more about Fianna Fáil and how Micheál Martin runs it than anything else. No leader can ignore or disregard the views of grassroots or other activists. Diktat may keep a leader in place if he has the guile and resilience to survive. But for what purpose?  Especially for a party which is proclaims itself to be republican. Micheál's instinct will be to brazen it out. But he can only do that if the party lets him. And that risks the party completely losing its sense of itself.Mr. Martins negative approach to the Good Friday Agreement and the Unity Referendum it provides for amounts to a refusal to fulfil his obligations under the Good Friday Agreement, the Irish Constitution and Fianna Fáil's own aims and objectives.The Orange and the Green. Another friend of mine died last week. An Orangeman, Ian Milne. He was also an undertaker. I met Ian in 2003 in Dublin Castle when he spoke at The Forum for Peace and Reconciliation. I thought it was a very good initiative by him in an effort to find a resolution of the Drumcree stand-off caused when the Portadown Orangemen refused to accept a ruling by the Parades Commission preventing them from marching down Garvaghy Road. After the event we bumped into each other in the Men's Room. In those days Men's Rooms were the main venue for the many first informal off the record words between me and some unionists. I told him that Sinn Féin would talk to the Orange if that would be helpful.  Ian was very friendly although he was at pains to tell me that he wouldn't reveal at that time that he talked to me. Eventually we did do the meeting with some Portadown Orangemen. It was in Conway Mill and while it didn't resolve the issues it was a very worthwhile and informative discussion. It's good to talk. And to listen. Ian was also in dialogue with Seán Murray for over twenty years as part of their efforts to advance reconciliation. 

The Troubles remain one of the most defining and misunderstood chapters in modern British and Irish history. In this powerful episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by Oliver Webb-Carter, host of the Aspects of History podcast, to confront the myths, explore the roots of conflict, and reveal why Britain has too often turned a blind eye to Northern Ireland's past.Oliver explains how partition, systemic discrimination, and political mismanagement created a cycle of unrest that escalated into 30 years of violence. From the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to the IRA split, from Bloody Sunday in 1972 to the shocking events of Mad March 1988—including the Gibraltar shootings, Milltown Cemetery attack, and Enniskillen bombing—this conversation cuts through euphemism to show the real human and political cost of the Troubles.For Oliver, the rage is clear: too many in mainland Britain still ignore Irish history, even though its legacy shapes politics and society today. His passion is matched with deep historical knowledge, making this essential listening for anyone who wants to understand the path that eventually led to the Good Friday Agreement.

Arab and Muslim leaders are on board. Israel says yes. But the Trump-Netanyahu peace deal needs a ‘terrorist death cult’ to lay down its arms. Foreign editor Greg Sheridan charts the way forward. View an edited transcript of this episode, plus photos, videos and additional reporting, on the website or on The Australian’s app. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton, Stephanie Coombes and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Clare TD claims a United Ireland would reunite families and allow displaced Shannon residents to reconnect with their ancestral home. The Taoiseach has poured cold water on suggestions a poll on Irish unity will be held before 2030, saying more time is needed to prepare and to unite people across the island. The Good Friday Agreement states that a border poll should be called by the Northern Ireland secretary when they believe there is evidence that public opinion in the six counties has shifted in favour of change. Shannon Sinn Féin TD Donna McGettigan has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons she's observed appetite for reunification in her hometown and throughout the county.

In the early years of Blair's premiership, his supporters liked to refer to Britain as ‘Cool Britannia', in a play on the title of the song ‘Rule Britannia'. Last week, we talked about some of the cooler things the Blair government did at this time, including the breakthrough in the Northern Irish peace process, specifically the Good Friday Agreement.This week, we look at some of the distinctly uncool aspects of its rule and, funnily enough, we'll focus for much of the episode on Northern Ireland again. This time, though, we'll talk about what happened to the person who, perhaps more than any other, made sure the Agreement was reached, Mo Mowlam. And her treatment might well be regarded as far from cool.One of the uncool parts of it was that she was replaced by Peter Mandelson. He's been in the news again in our time, forced to resign for the third time from a political appointment, this time as ambassador to the US. But the first time he was forced to resign, over a financial scandal which was uncool enough, it was just ten months before he came back into government, taking over from Mowlam, which made it uncooler still.Just as uncool was the Ecclestone scandal, where Blair tried to help out the boss of Formula 1 racing, who'd made a large contribution to the Labour Party. What made that particularly uncool was that Blair denied that he'd made the decision to help Ecclestone very quickly, before handing back his donation, and the truth only came out thanks to a Freedom of Information request. And though he introduced the Freedom of Information Act, he later kicked himself for doing it, which was even more uncool.Plenty that wasn't cool, then, in Cool Britannia. For the passage on Northern Ireland, and specifically on Mo Mowlam, from the video of Blair's speech to the 1998 Labour Conference, take a look at:https://www.c-span.org/program/international-telecasts/labour-party-conference/118168Illustration: A photo taken shortly before the bomb blast in Omagh. It's uncertain who the photographer was. The remains of the camera were found in the rubble after the bomb exploded. Image currently displayed by the Irish historian Wesley Johnston on his website: http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/omagh/before.htmlMusic: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License

US Congressman Richard Neal has been one of the most prominent American voices on Ireland, and the Good Friday Agreement, for many years. He has also been a congressman in the US for over three decades. He spoke to Sarah on how we maintain good relations between the US and Ireland at a time when relations between Europe and the US are at a low

The Blair government threw itself into action as soon as it was formed.Rather confirming the existence of a deal between them, something they've never confirmed, Blair quickly appointed Gordon Brown Chancellor. As well as steps, such as making the Bank of England independent and introducing a minimum wage, on which they fully agreed, there's also evidence that, as suspected, Blair had promised Brown authority of his own, unprecedented for a Chancellor, over social security. Brown focused on families with children and on pensioners, and his reforms did bring in a significant redistribution of wealth, increasing the incomes of the poorest at the expense of the richest. Strangely, however, this led to no reduction in inequality: since the 1980s, the time of Thatcher and Reagan, the pressure towards growing inequality, whose effect we feel strongly today in the power of so-called oligarchs, had been sustained and was apparently irresistible. The Blair government acted to improve gay rights, equalising the age of consent for straight and gay sex, abolishing the notorious Section 28 and introducing civil partnerships for gay couples.It also worked on devolution, with parliaments set up for both Scotland and Wales, with substantial powers though nothing like independence, and a new strategic authority for London, which had been without one since Thatcher abolished the Greater London Council in 1986.When it came to Northern Ireland, there was still a lot of work to do. Referendums in both the Republic and in the North endorsed the Good Friday Agreement, despite far lower enthusiasm among Northern Protestants than among Catholics in the province and citizens of the Republic. Now there was some hard, detailed work to do to implement the agreement. That would include a sad collateral casualty. That, though, is something which we'll talk about next week.Illustration: Blair and Brown, working in partnership. For now, Photo from 'The New Statesman'.Music: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License

Sam McBride sits down with Stephen Walker who has published a biography on the Nobel Peace Prize winner, entitled ‘Peacemaker'. ‘David Trimble: Peacemaker' is based on 100 interviews, including with many members of the Trimble family. Later Lord Trimble, he was one of the key architects of the Belfast agreement, leading the largest unionist party at the time, the UUP. Stephen Walker worked as a journalist for the BBC for 34 years. He sat down with the Belfast Telegraph's Northern Ireland editor, Sam McBride. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The role of the Assembly and ExecutiveIf we were to listen to and accept at face value those in the media who criticise the Assembly and the Executive as ineffective, and who question their value or use, we would mothball both institutions and sack the MLAs.Yes, there is justifiable frustration at the failure of the institutions to address concerns on health and education and delivery on Casement Park, Saving Lough Neagh, building the A5, delivering for Gaeilgeoirí, tackling poverty and hate crimes and legacy issues alongside problems in our public services. But that is not the fault of the institutions. It lies with the political parties and others who are blocking progress.Yes, there are problems but it is wrong to tar all our politicians with the one brush and it would also be wrong to hand over responsibility for these issues to unelected civil servants and to the British government. That would be irresponsible and stupid.Does anyone really want another British Secretary of State running this place? There have been 25 British Secretaries of State, mostly mediocre and forgettable, including some who contributed enormously to the conflict.We also need to appreciate that the London government is adding to the difficulties faced by an Executive which doesn't have the financial resources to tackle some of the issues of greatest concern. All of this is an argument for the end of Westminster rule. We need to say that loudly and often. London has never ruled us in our best interests. We who call this place home are the only ones entitled or fit to do that. That includes our unionist neighbours and their representatives. The reality is that the Northern statelet was not and is not a normal society.  Partition was a unionist and British imposed response to the demand by the people of this island to independence and sovereignty. The unionist regime at Stormont immediately and successfully deepened political and sectarian discrimination and the inequalities that were part and parcel of colonisation. The Northern state was a place where non-unionists were to have no say in its running and where the institutions of the state were closed to us. After 78 years of ‘Northern Ireland' the Good Friday Agreement began a process of fundamentally changing that system. It is a process. The Agreement was and is a unique arrangement to facilitate conflicting political visions. Republicans decided to enter Stormont – a place that represented all that was wrong with the Orange State – because we believed that a space was needed in which we and unionism could moderate our differences. Other venues were considered but we believed that unionists would be comfortable within the Stormont setting. And we opted for that. However, did anyone seriously think that generations and centuries of colonisation and prejudice could be overturned quickly? That the deep rooted antipathy to all things progressive or rights based, never mind nationalist or republican, would disappear overnight or even in the short term?  Only the most naive or stupid among us would have thought the British State would acknowledge its wrong doing and embrace equality and democracy?  No dear readers.  It was always going to be a battle a day- a process that demanded and demands perseverance, doggedness, generosity, resolve and strategic focus. Especially strategic focus.Cearta Anios. In May 2022, 20,000 activists took to the streets of Béal Feirste to demand Irish language rights. This An Dream Dearg mass mobilisation of both young and old was highly symbolic, positive, cheerful and confident. Four days after this protest, the British government took the first step to introduce Irish-language legislation, paving the way for historic social change in the Northern state. This legislation provided for the repeal of the centuries old  penal-law ban on the use of I

It was a new dawn. Or at least so Tony Blair said, as he emerged from his landslide victory in the 1997 General Election. It's what he would say, isn't it?Still, there was some truth to the claim. It was the end of eighteen years of Conservative rule. Eleven of them had been under the Iron lady, Maggie Thatcher. And whatever her achievements, she had certainly been the most divisive leader since the Second World War, as she made clear by explicitly breaking with the consensus politics that had marked the postwar scene up to her. It was also revealed in the deeply divided reactions to her death in 2013, with tributes from some (including Tony Blair) and celebration (Ding-dong, the witch is dead) from others.She'd been followed by John Major, in a government marked above all by division within his own party, as well as some blunders. Also marked, however, by one big breakthrough: the beginning of a peace process in Northern Ireland which he couldn't take through to completion, but which got some momentum behind it all the same.That's the theme the episode concludes with, because it fell to Tony Blair's government to take that process forward. Its work would lead to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. That would only be possible thanks to the unflagging support of the governments in both Dublin and London and, indeed, in Washington DC.As well as to the courage and willingness to go out on a limb of an extraordinary woman, the first female Northern Ireland Secretary and someone of outstanding firmness of will combined with willingness to negotiate to anyone she needed to win around. And who was she?Why, she was Mo Mowlam.Illustration: Mo Mowlam. Photograph: Paul McErlane/AP from 'The Guardian'Music: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License

Dr. Alice Donald, Professor of Human Rights Law at Middlesex University, is one of the author's of a report that was recently published this week from the Bonavero Institute at Oxford University on media coverage of the European Convention on Human Rights.We examine the findings of the report, the prevalence and impact of misreporting, the role of the convention in areas beyond immigration, the political debate surrounding potential withdrawal and the impact on the Good Friday Agreement, and the responsibilities of public service journalism in informing the public.The fact that his son liked British chicken nuggets had no bearing on the case, that it was nowhere near strong enough evidence to mean that the man shouldn't be deported. So, a) it wasn't the basis, and b) the decision was overturned anyway. But it continued to be reported.Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatchTo support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership @BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watchemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the late 1960s to 1998, Northern Ireland was gripped by "The Troubles" - three decades of bloodshed, resulting from competing visions for its future. This week, we're releasing a two-part series that explores why this conflict erupted and how it played out. For this, Dan is joined by Dr Thomas Leahy, Lecturer in British and Irish Politics and Contemporary History at Cardiff University.In this second episode we chart the turbulent 20th century, from the Irish War of Independence to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley 9am-10am Relief locally as Fine Gael councillors instructed to block nomination of independents   Good Friday Agreement could have reference to ECHR removed – according to Reform UK's Nigel Farage   We hear about how Galwegians can access healthcare in Northern Ireland  10am-11am Tributes paid as retired Galway Bay fm journalist Ken Kelly passes away after a short illness   Commercial Bus Operators Call for Full Inclusion in New Free Travel Scheme for Children Under 9   Galway Hospice to Host Palliative Care Conference  11am-12pm Galway Great - Jarlath McDonagh   Sports review 

 Say No To Farage. Probably more than any other politician in Britain Nigel Farage was responsible for winning the vote on Brexit in 2016. He exploited racism and anti-migrant sentiment winning new converts over to an English centred- jingoistic view of the world. The dangers of Farage's xenophobic beliefs are evident daily across the British news media. Every day attacks increase on refugees and migrants.Farage has also exploited the divisions within the British Conservative Party. Theresa May and Boris Johnson said they were for completely cutting Britain from all its legal and legislative connections and treaty obligations with Europe. One of these is the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The ECHR was incorporated into the law of the North as an integral part of the Good Friday Agreement. It was written into the Agreement as a way of protecting equality and human rights and preventing any return to the discriminatory and sectarian policies implemented under the Stormont Regime.Farage has now made the withdrawal of Britain from the ECHR a major plank of his political programme for the next British general election. As the right in Britain become ever more strident Farage has set his sights, very publicly, on renegotiating the Good Friday Agreement and clearing the way to extricate Britain from the ECHR. Padraic Fiacc – A Belfast PoetPadraic Fiacc (born Patrick Joseph O'Connor) died six years ago at the age of 94. Several weeks ago a Blue Plaque was unveiled on the wall of the Falls Road Library, close to his birthplace, in memory of this redoubtable Belfast poet.His writing is not as well-known as other poets but his poems stand out for their stark language and brutal rawness, especially when he writes about the conflict. Michael and Brid McKernon, brother and sister, have been campaigning for almost twenty-five years to have Padraic Fiacc, formally recognised and accepted as an outstanding poet of his time. They believe the recent unveiling of the Ulster History Circle Blue Plaque, is a significant step in that direction. Chieftain's Walk, Doire 14th of September. 

As immigration is one of the biggest issues engulfing UK politics. The Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage is hellbent on stopping the small boats and illegal immigration entering the UK. We ask will this plan upset the Good Friday Agreement? All to discuss with Colum Eastwood, MP for Foyle and Former SDLP Leader.

The process of making peace is often imperfect, and can shape the future in both positive and destructive ways. In a five-part series called Inventing Peace, Nahlah Ayed asks panelists to reflect on one pivotal 20th century effort to make peace, and its relevance for our own time. In this first episode, the “constructive ambiguity” of Northern Ireland's Good Friday Agreement, signed in 1998.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · It seems highly likely that former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin has the blessing of Taoiseach Micheál Martin to seek a nomination to contest the presidential election for Fianna Fáil. Cork MEP Billy Kelleher is also seeking support for a nomination through parliamentary party colleagues. Kelleher is a seasoned and formidable vote-getter, but how would Gavin perform should be find himself on the campaign trail? · Catherine Connolly is already well and truly on the campaign trail, with fundraising and volunteer recruitment ramping up. Connolly is very much the anti-establishment candidate, but will she be able to build a vote beyond that? · And Sinn Féin are the missing piece in this presidential race jigsaw – will they put forward their own candidate in the form of Mary Lou McDonald or Pearse Doherty? Or will they decide to throw their weight behind Catherine Connolly instead? Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:· Governor of California Gavin Newsom is trolling Donald Trump, Lara Marlowe is reporting from Ukraine, and what would Reform leader Nigel Farage do to the Good Friday Agreement? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donaldson walked away from the Good Friday Agreement talks but formerly secret files show that he was far from a staunch hardliner, Hours before the deal was signed, the then Lagan Valley MP famously left Castle Buildings in protest at what the UUP was about to sign up to. Jeffrey Donaldson was the political hardliner – at least in public. But newly declassified documents reveal that in private – Donaldson was a very different politician – a moderate, a man with ambitions to lead unionism. Sam McBride joins Ciarán Dunbar with the story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up for the MatchOff on Sunday morning to Croke Park. Dark skies. Lots of grey clouds. Our journey was delayed by Féile An Phobail's 5km and 10km run. Diverted and distracted we eventually got out of West Belfast and on the road to Dublin. Enroute the dark skies lightened. The grey clouds gave way to blue heavens and gentle sunshine. We were off to watch Antrim's Lady Footballers in our own All Ireland against Louth. As we crossed the Border KneeCap kept our spirits high. Their ceol blasted out and the car rocked as we hip hopped to the Capital. A morning after the night before follow-on from Saturday evening's Falls Park Country frolicks.The match in Croker started off positively with Antrim taking an early lead but Louth soon asserted themselves and Antrim was chasing the game from then until the last ten minutes. Some of the players may have been overwhelmed by the big occasion.  If so who could blame them? To play in Croke is mighty and Antrim supporters were out in strength. Everyone, including us, as proud as could be.  Family members, club mates. The number of Northern Gaels was swelled by Tyrone supporters who later went on to win their championship against Laois. Dublin went on to best Meath in the Seniors. A great day of Gaelic football.Gaza – An Gorta Mór – The StarvationThe scenes of desperation as starving people in Gaza try to get basins or pots filled with soup, are shocking images. It is a famine we are told. Last week the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a United Nations panel which had long warned of the threat of famine, concluded that it was now a reality.The use of the word ‘famine' and the images of starving children are a reminder for many in Ireland of what life must have been like during An Gorta Mór in the 1840s. But it is important to note that in a famine there is no food. In Ireland there was plenty of food. During those years the quaysides of ports along our coast were lined each day with abundant produce - all bound for export. It was a starvation.The hunger in Gaza is an Israeli made starvation. Aid agencies and the UN have more than enough food and medical aid ready to enter Gaza. Israel prevents this. It is not a famine – it is a starvationOrangism in the New IrelandThe northern statelet was built for unionism. It was constructed and then managed in a way to ensure that nationalists would never have a say in running the place.We are less than three years off the 30th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Most citizens, and many within the broad unionist section of our people, have grown accustomed to the stability and peace it has brought but there are others who still hanker after the old days of supremacy. The DUP shares the office of the First Minister with Sinn Féin but their strategy is focused on the next Assembly election in two years' time and their aim is to remove Michelle O'Neill as First Minister. That is why there is a battle a day over Irish language rights. That is why there has been no start on building the new Casement. That is why there is negative nonsense over bi-lingual signage in public places.

Planning for the FutureIt was Charles Stewart Parnell who said: “No man has the right to say to his country. Thus far shalt thou go and no further.” This was in the 19th century. He also declared; “Let no one set a boundary to the march of a nation.”Parnell was clearly setting out the right of the people of Ireland to self-determination. Interestingly he chose Cork to make this declaration.  That was the 21st January 1885. One of the current Cork TDs and the current Taoiseach Micheál Martin has a contrary view. Our right to self-determination is contained in the Good Friday Agreement so that right has been won. We now need to exercise it. There is an irony that An Taoiseach has set his face against this and that he refuses to plan for the certain day when the Good Friday Agreement referendums will be held.Planning for the FutureIt was Charles Stewart Parnell who said: “No man has the right to say to his country. Thus far shalt thou go and no further.” This was in the 19th century. He also declared; “Let no one set a boundary to the march of a nation.”Parnell was clearly setting out the right of the people of Ireland to self-determination. Interestingly he chose Cork to make this declaration.  That was the 21st January 1885. One of the current Cork TDs and the current Taoiseach Micheál Martin has a contrary view. Our right to self-determination is contained in the Good Friday Agreement so that right has been won. We now need to exercise it. There is an irony that An Taoiseach has set his face against this and that he refuses to plan for the certain day when the Good Friday Agreement referendums will be held.Our MartinLast week, in the Guildhall in Derry, several hundred friends, comrades and family of Martin McGuinness came together for the launch of Jim McVeigh's authoritative and compelling new book on Martin. Jim is a gifted writer.‘Our Martin' is a very personal, insightful account of Martin's life in Derry and his love for his wife Bernie, and she for him, and for their children, Fionnuala, Emmet, Fiachra and Grainne.Martin said: “What politicised me was the civil rights protest. It wasn't anything I heard in the house, or even in my grandmother's house in Donegal. There was no republicanism whatsoever in my background.”‘Our Martin' by James McVeigh will be launched in Belfast at 1pm on 2 August in St. Mary's University College Belfast, as part of Féile an Phobail. It is available from An Fhuiseog, 55 Falls Road and from www.beyondthepalebooks.com 

My guest this week is Irvine Welsh – who, three decades after his era-defining hit Trainspotting, returns with a direct sequel, Men In Love. Irvine tells me what Sick Boy, Renton, Spud and Begbie mean to him, why his new book hopes to encourage a new generation to discover Romantic verse and shagging, and why MDMA deserves more credit for the Good Friday Agreement than Tony Blair.

My guest this week is Irvine Welsh – who, three decades after his era-defining hit Trainspotting, returns with a direct sequel, Men In Love. Irvine tells me what Sick Boy, Renton, Spud and Begbie mean to him, why his new book hopes to encourage a new generation to discover Romantic verse and shagging, and why MDMA deserves more credit for the Good Friday Agreement than Tony Blair.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk

The untold story of the murder of a gay police officer in Northern Ireland in 1997.Belfast 1997. But not just any part of Belfast, gay Belfast. A place you've probably never heard of before. Cigarette smoke, aftershave and expectation fill the air in the only gay bar in the country. Sat having a drink on a night out is Darren Bradshaw. He was just 24 years old when he was shot dead in front of hundreds of people. His brutal murder by terrorists sparked fears of a return to all out violence as the new Labour government under Tony Blair sought to bring peace to Northern Ireland - on the road to the Good Friday Agreement.This is the untold story of his life and murder. A story of both love and eventually betrayal.Presenter Jordan Dunbar grew up in the city, he was a comedian and drag performer on the Belfast scene and yet this murder and Darren's life was never talked about.Following Darren's story brings to life the struggle of being gay in The Troubles, how Belfast got its first Pride parade only in 1991 and its very first openly gay club in 1994 -The Parliament bar where Darren was tragically shot dead.It's a community surviving as well as thriving against a backdrop of violence and discrimination. He meets the original drag queens, DJs and club pioneers determined to claim back the city centre from the terrorists and create a safe place of their own.Determined to piece together for the first time how Darren was killed that night and why, Jordan uncovers stories of bigotry, bravery and betrayal.

Danny Boyle and Alex Garland tell Tom Sutcliffe about their new film, 28 Years Later; a whole new take on the story which stars Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. It's the follow up to their post-apocalyptic fast-paced, gory zombie movies 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. The Rage virus escaped a medical research laboratory and - nearly three decades later - one group of survivors has learned how to exist among the infected. Tom speaks with James Frey, once described as “America's Most Notorious Author”, about Next To Heaven – his new novel brimming with sex, murder and millionaires.Front Row is talking to all the finalists in this year's Art Fund Museum of the Year prize, and today we're off to Belfast to hear from the Golden Thread Gallery. Founded the year after the Good Friday Agreement, the gallery seeks to promote the work of contemporary Northern Irish artists – as well as leading creators from across the world.Radio 4 has announced today the names of 6 researchers who will be working with the network as part of scheme run with the Arts and Humanities Research Council called New Generation Thinkers … The aim is to put research on the radio. Several hundred academics across the UK applied and Drs Laura Minor and Sarah Smyth have been chosen to work with Front Row over the coming year.Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comChris is a TV broadcaster and author. During his political career, he was a speechwriter for Jimmy Carter and the chief of staff for House Speaker Tip O'Neill. In journalism, Chris was a columnist with the San Francisco Examiner and then the Chronicle, the host of “Hardball with Chris Matthews,” and the host of “The Chris Matthews Show,” where I was a frequent guest. He's also written nine books. He's currently a professor at Fulbright University Vietnam, and he recently revived “Hardball” on Substack — check it out.For two clips of our convo — memorable quips from world leaders, and debating the legacy of JFK — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: growing up a Catholic in Philly with four brothers; showing up late to Mass; the Good Friday Agreement; absorbing Burke as a teen and lauding Bill Buckley; doing Peace Corps in Africa; working for Sen. Frank Moss; a stint as a Capitol cop; running for Congress in Philly; working for Ed Muskie the liberal budget hawk; Rick Hertzberg; writing for Carter and smoking cigs on Air Force One; the Iranian hostage crisis; Tip O'Neill the liberal titan; the corrupt Mayor Curley; Reagan the cowboy and ideas man; his tax cuts; Peggy Noonan's epic speeches; Reagan's humor; taking the piss out of Corbyn; the seductive charm and shittiness of Bill Clinton; his undeserved impeachment; Gore's disastrous run; the collective trauma of 9/11; neocons and the Iraq War; Obama's political genius; the nuclear threat from Iran; debating the woke's role in electing Trump; Biden's leftward lurch and Ron Klain; Tim Walz; GOP lawmakers' fear of Trump; his slavish sycophants; the patriotism that liberal elites don't fully grok; and the beauty of naturalization ceremonies.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: Batya Ungar-Sargon on Trump 2.0, Walter Isaacson on Ben Franklin, Tara Zahra on the revolt against globalization after WWI, Paul Elie on crypto-religion in ‘80s pop culture, Thomas Mallon on the AIDS crisis, Arthur Brooks on the science of happiness, and Johann Hari coming back to turn the tables and interview me for the pod. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

The Good Friday Agreements of 1998 marked a turning point in Irish history, bringing an end to three decades known as The Troubles and laying a course for a better future for the people of Ireland. In this historian Mark Doyle and Friends of Sinn Féin Executive Director Greg O'Loughlin join us for a conversation about Irish history, the status of Irish unification, and how peace is possible even in the hardest of times.   Dr. Mark Doyle is Professor of History at Middle Tennessee State University where he specializes in the history of Ireland and Great Britain. He previously joined us to discuss his books on The Kinks (Episode 169) and John Cale's Paris 1919 (episode 333).   Greg O'Loughlin is Executive Director of The Friends of Sinn Féin and is currently spearheading a listening tour across the United States to learn about Irish-Americans' views on Irish independence. Dates and more information are available at friendsofsinnfein.com.   This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.

Today, we're going to look back at the impact after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.It was the deal that brought an end to 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles - and cost the lives of more than 3,500. Adam is joined by Nick Watt, Newsnight's political editor and Annita McVeigh, BBC News chief presenter, who closely followed events at the time. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.You can join our Newscast online community here: https://discord.gg/m3YPUGv9New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bit.ly/3ENLcS1Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack MacLaren with Miranda Slade. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The editor is Sam Bonham.

Today, we're going back to April 10 1998, the day the Good Friday Agreement was signed in Belfast. It was the deal that brought an end to 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles - and cost the lives of more than 3,500. Adam is joined by Nick Watt, Newsnight's political editor and Annita McVeigh, BBC News chief presenter, who closely followed events at the time. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.You can join our Newscast online community here: https://discord.gg/m3YPUGv9New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bit.ly/3ENLcS1Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack MacLaren with Miranda Slade. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The editor is Sam Bonham.

What ended The Troubles? Why was 1998 the right moment for a peace treaty? Which issues caused the most heated debate? What was the food like in the negotiating room? Exactly 27 years on since the Good Friday Agreement was signed, what does its future look like? Listen as William and Anita are joined by Alastair Campbell, the lead strategist for Tony Blair's New Labour government at the time, to discuss what it was really like to negotiate peace in Northern Ireland in 1998.  _____________ Empire UK Live Tour: The podcast is going on a UK tour! William and Anita will be live on stage in Glasgow, Birmingham, York and Bristol, discussing how the British Empire continues to shape our everyday lives. Tickets are on sale NOW, to buy yours head to empirepoduk.com. Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to receive early access to miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to live show tickets, bonus episodes, book discounts, and a weekly newsletter! Head to empirepoduk.com to sign up. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk  Blue Sky: @empirepoduk  X: @empirepoduk goalhanger.com Assistant Producer: Becki Hills Producer: Anouska Lewis Senior Producer: Callum Hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who was responsible for the murder of Jean McConville? Which IRA secrets were revealed in the Belfast Project tapes? How did Gerry Adams move into politics and become a key figure in the signing of the Good Friday Agreement? Listen as Anita and William are joined for the final time by Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Say Nothing, to discuss how the families of the Disappeared searched for their loved ones after the ceasefire in the 1990s, and Patrick's discovery of who killed Jean McConville in 1972.  _____________ Empire UK Live Tour: The podcast is going on a UK tour! William and Anita will be live on stage in Glasgow, Birmingham, York and Bristol, discussing how the British Empire continues to shape our everyday lives. Tickets are on sale NOW, to buy yours head to empirepoduk.com. Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to receive early access to miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to live show tickets, bonus episodes, book discounts, and a weekly newsletter! Head to empirepoduk.com to sign up. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk  Blue Sky: @empirepoduk  X: @empirepoduk goalhanger.com Assistant Producer: Becki Hills Producer: Anouska Lewis Senior Producer: Callum Hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices