Podcasts about Good Friday Agreement

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.

Những tuần qua ở Anh rộ lên phong trào treo cờ xứ Anh, màu trắng-đỏ, như một biểu hiện của phong trào dân túy, xác lập « nước Anh là của người Anh ». Tại cuộc tuần hành hơn 100 nghìn người ủng hộ phe cực hữu ở Luân Đôn hôm 14/09/2025, nhiều nhóm thanh niên nam người Anh đã khoác lá cờ xứ Anh và quốc kỳ (Union Jack) của Vương quốc Anh lên vai để hô khẩu hiệu phỉ báng Hồi Giáo và chống người nhập cư. Thủ tướng Anh Keir Starmer sau đó đã lên án hành động của họ và lên tiếng rằng « Không thể để quốc kỳ Anh bị chiếm đoạt ». Nhưng lá cờ xứ Anh có khá nhiều thăng trầm trong lịch sử và việc dùng nó làm biểu tượng chính trị đang gây lo ngại cho các cộng đồng nhập cư tại Vương quốc Anh. Thông tín viên Nguyễn Giang tìm hiểu chủ đề này từ những tháng qua. RFI Tiếng Việt : Đầu tiên, xin anh cho biết trước cuộc biểu tình ở Luân Đôn ngày 14/09 thì Anh Quốc đã có hiện tượng treo cờ khắp nơi ở những chỗ không phải là cột cờ, công sở ? TTV. Nguyễn Giang : Đúng là từ hai ba tháng qua, chính xác là giữa mùa hè 2025, những người sống ở Anh như chúng tôi đột nhiên thấy lá cờ England flag - màu trắng có chữ thập của Thánh George màu đỏ, được các nhóm thiên hữu tự tổ chức treo lên các cột đèn, buộc vào thành cầu vượt trên xa lộ để phản đối di dân, phản đối nhiều cờ của cánh tả như cờ cầu vồng ủng hộ người đồng tính, lưỡng tính (LGBT+) được một số hội đồng địa phương treo. Cũng có ý kiến từ phía hữu phản đối điều họ gọi là « ý thức hệ cực tả », áp đặt các giá trị khác với truyền thống Anh, ví dụ như cổ vũ cho phong trào Black Lives Matters, có nguồn gốc từ Mỹ. Điều cần nói rõ là Anh quốc tôn trọng tự do cá nhân và tự do biểu đạt nên ai muốn treo cờ ở vườn nhà riêng, ở cửa sổ nhà riêng thì cứ thoải mái. Tôi thấy ở nơi mình sống thường thì trước các sự kiện thể thao như bóng đá, rugby thì cờ Anh (England), cờ Ireland, cờ Scotland, rồi cả cờ Jamaica, cờ Ý... được người dân treo ở nhà của họ. Tức là cả người Anh và di dân cứ treo cờ của đội tuyển quốc gia mà họ ủng hộ. Dân nghiền bóng đá treo cả cờ các đội bóng như Barcelona (Tây Ban Nha), cờ Đức khi có các trận của Giải Bundesliga (Liên bang Đức) thi đấu. Các trận tranh tài thường được chiếu ở các quán bia và tôi từng đi xem nên thấy có quán chăng cả dãy cờ. Đó là chuyện rất bình thường. Nhưng điều bất thường với hai lá cờ England flag và quốc kỳ Anh (Union Jack) là chúng được ai đó treo khắp các chỗ công cộng nhưng không phải là ở cột cờ, ở công sở, trường học, ở sân bóng, sân rugby. Treo ở công sở thì là chuyện bình thường nhưng đây là hàng loạt lá cờ được các nhóm tự phát trèo lên các cột đèn, trên cây, tạo ra không khí khá căng thẳng. Bởi vì nó không nói lên sự vui mừng hân hoan của các giải thể thao mà mang tính chất đe dọa ai đó không phải người thuộc nhóm sắc tộc Anh gốc, bản địa da trắng. Có ý kiến nào trên báo Anh phân tích về hiện tượng này chưa ? Có khá nhiều. Ví dụ nhà báo Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, cây bút của trang The iPaper cho rằng cờ Thánh George đột nhiên xuất hiện ở khắp nơi không phải là hiện tượng hiền lành, vô hại (harmless), mà khiến những ai không muốn bị ép buộc phải tuân thủ « tình ái quốc kiểu Anh » sẽ thấy họ bị « loại ra khỏi cộng đồng ». Thay vì tạo sự đoàn kết quốc gia thì việc buộc và treo cờ khắp nơi gây cảm giác « chủ nghĩa ái quốc Anh » có tính loại trừ (exclusive) đối với người không thuộc nhóm sắc tộc Anh tức là English. Một số nhà bình luận khác, như Ian Birren cho rằng việc phe cực hữu giành lấy quyền sử dụng lá cờ Anh là biểu hiện của chủ nghĩa sắc tộc và dân tộc Anh (ethnonationalism). Các trang Facebook đã xuất hiện khá nhiều « tấm gương yêu nước » của ai đó sơn chữ thập đỏ và nền trắng lên toàn bộ tường nhà họ, rồi có chỗ họ sơn trên kính hậu của xe hơi, kèm dòng chữ : Love England or Leave It. Thông điệp bài ngoại khá rõ ở đây : Hoặc các người hãy yêu xứ Anh, hoặc biến đi. Mới đây nhất, một người đàn ông Anh còn tự bỏ tiền ra mua hàng trăm lá cờ để treo dọc một xa lộ 8km (đường A1198 ở Cambridgeshire) để « bày tỏ lòng tự hào là người Anh » nhưng báo chí địa phương phản ánh rằng không ít người dân gốc nhập cư cảm thấy lo ngại bị họ cho là « bị áp chế tinh thần ». Về lịch sử và pháp luật thì lá cờ chữ thập đỏ trên nền trắng này có gì đặc biệt và vì sao nó lại được các nhóm cánh hữu Anh sử dụng ? Cũng cần nhắc là trong lịch sử châu Âu thì bốn dân tộc Anh, Scottish, Welsh và Irish trong Vương quốc Liên hiệp Anh và Bắc Ireland, có bốn vị thánh khác nhau phù hộ họ, theo đức tin Ki Tô giáo: Thánh George của người Anh, Thánh Andrew của người Scotland, Thánh David của người xứ Wales và Thánh Patrick của người Ireland. Tất nhiên các dân tộc khác ở châu Âu cũng có thể tôn thời chung một vị thánh, theo đức tin ngày xưa của họ. Cờ Thánh George (chữ thập đỏ trên nền trắng) không phải là cờ độc quyền của người Anh (Englishmen). Nó cũng không xuất phát từ đất Anh mà là cờ mang tính tôn giáo của những quân đoàn Thập Tự chinh ở châu Âu sang Trung Cận Đông « giành lại đất thánh » chống người Hồi Giáo ở các thế kỷ 10-12. Các vương quốc ở Địa Trung Hải như xứ Sardinia, Genoa đã dùng lá cờ này. Và quốc kỳ của nước Georgia (Gruzia) ở Hắc Hải cũng có mẫu giống hệt. Huyền thoại nói vua Richard Sư tử tâm của Anh được Thánh George hiện ra trước một trận đánh vào thế kỷ 12 ban phước nên ông đã dùng Thập tự Thánh George vẽ lên cờ. Sau đó, một số vua Anh như Edward I đã dùng cờ này, và vì là cờ của vua nên nó trở thành cờ của xứ Anh, còn Scotland, Wales lại có cờ riêng của họ. Thời Nữ hoàng Elizabeth I đã bỏ lá cờ này và sau đó, đến năm 1606 thì triều đình Anh chọn lá cờ Liên hiệp Anh - mà ngày nay là cờ nền xanh dương đậm, có thập tự Thánh George màu đỏ và Thập tự Thánh Andrew màu trắng lồng vào nhau. Đây mới là lá cờ ngày nay được Liên Hiệp Quốc công nhận là quốc kỳ của Vương quốc Liên hiệp Anh và Bắc Ireland. Cờ xứ England chỉ tồn tại trong thể thao và một số sự kiện văn hóa. Nó không có trên văn bản hay trên hộ chiếu, bằng lái xe. Cờ của Hoàng gia Anh cũng không có lá cờ England. Trên cờ hoàng gia, xứ Anh được biểu hiện bằng hình sư tử nằm vươn móng, bên cạnh các hình như đàn harp của Bắc Ireland và sư tử đứng của Scotland. Việc lá cờ xứ Anh được đưa từ sân bóng đá, từ lễ hội tôn giáo ra ngoài phố gây tác động thế nào, tiêu cực hay tích cực trong dư luận và với chính quyền ? Chính vì thiếu một biểu tượng rõ rệt cho England, quốc gia đông dân nhất (56 triệu) trong Liên hiệp Vương quốc Anh nên các chính quyền địa phương lo ngại việc những nhóm cực hữu dùng nhiều lá cờ này theo ý riêng sẽ thổi lên tâm lý bài ngoại, không chỉ với người nhập cư mà còn chia rẽ đoàn kết giữa bốn dân tộc bản địa của Vương quốc Anh, như người Irish, người xứ Wales, người Scotland. Như đã nói, họ đều có các vị thánh bảo trợ cho dân tộc của họ, nên nếu người Anh áp đặt cờ Thánh George của Anh là gây mất đoàn kết ngay. Tôi vào các trang Facebook thấy giữa bốn nhóm cư dân bản địa ở Anh đã có tranh cãi. Có người viết, « Này, đừng bắt Scoland thuộc về England nhé. Chúng tôi có vương quốc riêng. » Có người Irish thì phản đối việc gọi dân Bắc Ireland « là một dân tộc - nation », và viết rằng « chúng tôi muốn thống nhất với miền Nam - tức là Cộng hòa Ireland, tránh xa England! ». Chúng ta cần nhớ là xung khắc tôn giáo và dân tộc ở vùng Bắc Ireland chỉ mới chấm dứt nhờ Thỏa thuận Ngày thứ Sáu Tốt Lành (Good Friday Agreement) năm 1997. Còn trước đó là các cộng đồng địa phương có hiềm khích, thậm chí có các vụ đánh bom của Đội quân Cộng hòa Ái Nhĩ Lan (IRA) nhắm vào quân đội, cảnh sát Anh mà họ nói là « quân chiếm đóng ». Việc đề cao chủ nghĩa dân tộc đặc thù của người Anh là không khôn ngoan. Thế nhưng cộng đồng mạng cũng có những phản ứng hài hước. Có người còn vẽ biếm hoạ là cờ xứ Wales bị một đàn cừu trắng trên lưng có vẽ chữ thập Thánh George màu đỏ bước vào, với dòng chữ « Bọn cừu Anh để yên cho xứ Wales nhé ! ». Báo Daily Express vừa đăng là dân làng Henllyes ở xứ Wales phải họp nhau lại tổ chức các nhóm đi xóa hình graffiti cờ Anh ai đó vẽ lên bến xe bus, lên tường nhà của họ. Vì người xứ Wales có cờ riêng và họ phản đối cờ Anh được coi là « quan trọng hơn ». Không lạ khi mà chính phủ Vương quốc Anh phê phán việc dùng quá tải biểu tượng của một trong bốn dân tộc gốc của đảo Anh tức England vì họ cũng thấy phản ứng mạnh của dân ba xứ còn lại từng bị người Anh (English) thống trị. Đây là bằng chứng chủ nghĩa dân tộc không bao giờ là chất xúc tác kết nối xã hội mà chỉ gây chia rẽ. Và rồi có các nhóm nhập cư mới hơn như dân gốc Jamaica, gốc Hồi Giáo, họ cũng treo cờ của họ bên cạnh lá cờ England trên cột trong vườn, hoặc theo báo đăng thì có một gia đình nào đó cũng lên cầu vượt ở xa lộ chăng luôn 10 lá cờ các nước khác nhau, để đáp trả phong trào đề cao một hai lá cờ « thuần túy Anh quốc ». Về phía chính quyền thì có thể thấy rõ là nhà nước Anh chỉ khuyến khích việc treo và dùng lá cờ của cả Vương quốc chứ không khuyến khích cờ xứ Anh. Tất nhiên, các hội đồng địa phương ở England thì có quyền treo cờ chữ thập đỏ nền trắng đó. Còn tại các sự kiện âm nhạc như BBC Proms thì phần cuối luôn có màn phất cờ và người ta phất cờ Union Jack, cùng cờ EU, cờ Pháp, cờ Mỹ. Một người bạn tôi đăng thử hình cờ England vào một nhóm Facebook cộng đồng chính thức, do chính quyền địa phương mở (community page) ở Kent thì chỉ 5 phút sau là bị admin xóa. Lý do là biểu tượng quá rõ thể hiện thông điệp dân tộc chủ nghĩa Anh dễ bị cho là gây chia rẽ cộng đồng dân cư đa sắc tộc. Cuối cùng, là công dân Anh gốc Việt, anh nghĩ gì về vấn đề lá cờ và « chủ nghĩa dân tộc Anh » ? Khi tuyên thệ nhập tịch Anh, gia đình chúng tôi tuyên thệ trung thành với Hoàng gia và tại buổi lễ có lá cờ Liên hiệp Vương quốc Anh, nên sự tôn trọng với lá quốc kỳ Anh đó là điều người nhập cư nào cũng hiểu được và tuân theo. Lá cờ xứ Anh với tôi cũng là một biểu tượng của dân tộc Anh và lịch sử Anh. Chỉ riêng điều đó không có gì sai hay đúng cả. Bản thân tôi quan tâm đến lịch sử và rất thích tìm hiểu về các phù hiệu, biểu tượng quý tộc, phong kiến, hiệp sĩ châu Âu. Đó là những giá trị văn hóa rất hay, nhưng nên để chúng trong sách, trong phim ảnh. Còn đem các biểu tượng xưa ra ngoài phố, dùng nó quá đà và áp đặt các niềm tin bản địa, rồi cài vào đó ẩn ý phân biệt đối xử thì lại là hiện tượng chính trị-xã hội thời nay rất nguy hiểm. Ví dụ trên một số trang Facebook của phe cực hữu Anh đã xuất hiện các tranh vẽ (dùng AI, khá mới) có hình cậu bé hiệp sĩ tóc vàng cầm gươm chém rồng để bảo vệ tổ quốc Anh. Chủ nghĩa tự vệ bản địa (nativism) này là một hiện tượng xã hội quan trọng vì người dân cảm thấy mất quyền kiểm soát các vấn đề lớn, như toàn cầu hóa, và di cư ồ ạt. Phải nói rằng bất cứ việc áp đặt quá mạnh quan điểm và biểu tượng của phe tả cứng rắn (hard left) hay cực hữu (far-right) đều làm cho không gian tranh luận văn minh, bình đẳng, tôn trọng lẫn nhau bị thu hẹp và những người ôn hòa cảm thấy bị áp chế. Yêu nước Anh thì mỗi người có cách yêu của riêng mình, không nên áp đặt và đe dọa, bắt phải yêu theo một kiểu của đám đông. Thêm vào đó, việc biểu tượng tôn giáo từ các cuộc thánh chiến thời Trung Cổ để kêu gọi « bảo vệ nước Anh », thì có vẻ như họ đã gián tiếp cổ vũ bạo lực trong bối cảnh căng thẳng sắc tộc, phân cực Tả-Hữu lên cao. Bảo vệ tổ quốc là việc của quân đội chứ nếu để cho các nhóm tự phát lập dân quân hay hội đoàn tự trang bị vũ khí để « xử lý người nhập cư » thì xã hội sẽ có nguy cơ rơi vào vòng xoáy bạo lực. Điều đáng lo ngại là thái độ cực đoan của một số người Anh đã và đang làm nổ ra phản ứng cũng rất cực đoạn của một số nhóm Hồi giáo chống Phương Tây ngay trong giới trẻ theo đạo Hồi sinh ra lớn lên ở Anh. Các căng thẳng này nếu không được hóa giải sẽ chỉ tạo ra va chạm chủng tộc, tôn giáo với hệ lụy khó lường.

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. 

Join us at Bradgate Park in Leicester with Jules Acton, author, former podcast guest and Trust ambassador, while our regular host Adam enjoys a summer holiday. We meet senior park ranger Matt who gives us a tour as he explains his role in caring for the site and its amazing trees. We've come to the park to see one in particular: a magnificent 830-year-old oak. It's in the running for Tree of the Year 2025. This year's contest celebrates our cultural connections with trees, shining a light on those that are local landmarks, sources of passion, inspiration and creativity. Find out what makes Bradgate Park's oldest oak special and vote for your favourite by 19 September.   Don't forget to rate us and subscribe! Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk Transcript You are listening to Woodland Walks, a podcast for the Woodland Trust. We protect and plant trees for people to enjoy, to fight climate change and to help wildlife thrive.  Jules: Good morning. I'm Jules Acton. I'm an ambassador for the Woodland Trust. I've been in this job for 10 years this month and it's been a fantastic 10 years. I've loved every day because I get to meet some amazing trees and woods and even more than that, I also get to meet lots of amazing people who love trees and woods and who are inspired by them. So Woodland Trust members, other supporters, staff and volunteers. And I think one of the reasons people love trees so much is not just for the fact they provide all the wonderful services they they store our carbon, they provide fresh air, they can help filter pollution. But they're also absolutely entwined in our culture. And that's been taking place over hundreds and thousands of years. So our, particularly our native tree species tree species are absolutely embedded in our culture, and every old tree has a story to tell. Now, the reason we're here today is that we're going to talk about Tree of the Year and the theme of the Tree of the Year is culture and the way trees are embedded in culture. Ten magnificent trees have been chosen by a panel of experts. Each has a wonderful story to tell, and members of the public can go and vote for their favourite tree on the Woodland Trust website.  We are here in Bradgate Park car park. It is a golden morning and we're surrounded by trees. I can see oak trees, hawthorns, birches, hazels. It's absolutely gorgeous with the dappled sunlight falling down on us through the leaves. We're here to meet a particularly special tree. It's Bradgate Park's oldest oak tree, and it's about 20 minutes walk from the car park. So I see my colleague Natasha. She's over there waiting at the edge of the car park, waiting for Matt. Hello Natasha.  Natasha: Hello. Ohh hi!  Jules: Can you tell us a bit about your role, Natasha and what you do at the Woodland Trust?  Natasha: Yeah, I'm a social media officer, so I just help create and schedule all social media content, jump on whenever there's an opportunity like today.  Jules: And today you're going to be helping with the recording.  Natasha: Yeah, getting a few clips behind the scenes of how we record the podcast so we can share that and a few bits for our website as well and YouTube.  Jules: Thanks Natasha. Now I think we have just seen somebody drive up who might well be Matt. He's he's appeared in a very groovy looking buggy. And here we go. I believe this is Matt. Hello.   Matt: Good morning, Jules.   Jules: Hello, Matt, hi, lovely to meet you.  Matt: Nice to meet you. Welcome to Bradgate Park.  Jules: Thank you. Can you tell us a little bit about your role, Matt?  Matt: So yeah so I've I've worked at Bradgate Park for just over 20 years now and main sort of roles on on the site are woodland management and caring for the ancient trees that we've got that that are of European importance. And I also get quite involved with the drystone walls and repairing them. I lead a a group of volunteers on a Thursday and as we go across the site, I'm sure I can show you some of the work that we've been doing.  Jules: Oh brilliant, and you're going to particularly show us a very special tree, I believe.  Matt: Yes, I believe we might be able to find that. Yeah, the tree is approximately 830 years old. It predates the Magna Carta and I'd certainly like to take you to the tree and tell you a bit more about it.  Jules: All right. We're just getting ready to go and all around us are people enjoying the park, there are some people walking up hills. There are lots of dogs. There's one very cute little brown dog that's having a little dip in, in a little stream, a little brook, really at the edge of the park and it's already quite a warm day, so I think it's having a nice little cool down.  We're back en route towards the special tree with the beautiful drystone wall to our right and across to the left are, well there's a tree, there's a plantation, and then there's also a sort of a bit of a wood pasture environment would you call it Matt, with some native trees dotted around in the landscape?  Matt: Yeah, very much so. So this is Hallgates Valley. We're looking across to Dale Spinney. The park itself is 830 acres, of which spinneys represent about 10% of the parkland area, so it's quite a large proportion. All the spinneys were planted on the, on the hilltops across the park, that's that's not just by chance. And they were created around about 1830s-40s by the 6th early of Stamford and and now we see the spinneys that we've got here today so you've got quite a mature, mature standard trees. Quite a lot are softwood, but then we've got a mixture of hardwoods in there. We certainly replant hardwoods in the spinneys.  Jules: How would you define a spinney as opposed to, you know, other kinds of woods?  Matt: Nice easy question *laughs*. I would I would say you've obviously got different names of woodlands and you know we're, we're, we're in Charnwood Forest, but a a forest isn't just trees, it's clearings. And I would say a copse is a small woodland. I would say the spinney is is probably like slightly larger than that and then you go up towards a wood. I could be totally wrong! *both laugh*  Jules: I like it though. So Matt you say, you've you've been here 20 years.   Matt: Yeah, 22.  Jules: 22. So you obviously love it. And what is it that keeps you here?  Matt: I was born in Leicester and came here as a young child playing and you know to end up working here as a job, it's certainly a nice place to be coming to and huge, beautiful surroundings, fresh air and and then I've I've just got a real passion for particularly the a lot of the heritage crafts that we keep alive on the estate. So yes, we go down and we manage the woodlands, but we're actually carrying out coppicing operations and that, they go back to the Stone Age and and then other work on the site for instance drystone walling, which we're approaching a gap now that we've been repairing and is obviously another heritage craft, and for me, I I just think it's really important that we're passing on these skills, heritage crafts on to the next sort of generation.  Jules: That that's brilliant. And do you do you train sort of volunteers or or is it staff members in in this kind of thing?  Matt: I've trained up to Level 2 in walling. That's something I I went up to Derbyshire to do. We've actually got another chap on site now, Leon. He's, he was in the armed forces and and and Leon is doing his levels in walling as well. I believe he's already got Level 1 and 2. He's working towards his 3, we might be able to pop and see him in a bit, but I guess the focus should be trees today *laughs*.  Jules: Yeah, well if we have time, that'd be great. See how we go.  Matt: This is certainly a large gap of wall that we've been doing on the estate. We've got 17 miles of drystone wall to maintain. The deer park itself goes back to 1241, but it's, the boundaries changed slightly over over the years and the largest extent of the deer park was probably around about 1550 and that would have, certain parts of the boundary are drystone wall and and that's obviously what what we're left with today and we need to maintain that. Not only does it keep the deer inside the park, which is obviously beneficial for a deer park, it's fantastic habitat for various, you know, sort of reptiles to live in and adders, grass snakes, things like that.  Jules: Fantastic, so we're looking at at one of the drystone walls and it's I'd say about shoulder height, would you say and it's a grey sort of almost sort of slaty looking stone actually, do you, can you tell us what kind of the stone it is?  Matt: Yeah so on on this side of the park, it's it's it's it's a little bit more slaty towards Newtown Linford, that's that's more of a granite, the walling that we do on the, that we we do on the park is is called random coursed walling. So yes, as we build the wall up, you start with the larger stones at the bottom and as the as the wall tapers up, it angles in, that's called the batter of the wall, you can see the frame we've got and that that we're working to, we've got the building lines in. So this one is 80 centimetres at the bottom, tapering up to 40 centimetres at the top. Originally this was actually a lime mortar wall and a lot of walls on the park are lime mortar, but it is possible to rebuild dry, but we do a mix a mixture of both on the estate.  Jules: That's great and it's just lovely to see these heritage practices being kept alive and you mentioned the coppicing as well, which is absolutely very much part of woodland culture going back centuries. I believe it goes back to the Vikings, maybe even earlier, I don't know if you know anything about the history of it, Matt?  Matt: Yeah, well, certainly the Stone Age coppicing going back, going back to the Stone Age, it's the process of cutting the tree down to ground level. Not all trees will coppice, certainly oak will. That's where Copt Oak gets the name from, coppiced oak. Hazel is the primary tree species that we are coppicing, certainly in Swithland Woods and we've got a management plan in place. We've we've just come to the end of a 10-year management plan that was supported by, there's a lady called Liz Sharkey who comes up with a great plan for us. We're just starting in, in November will be the next 10-year plan and the intention of that is to create the most diverse habitat that Swithland Woods is and it will create a mosaic of habitats, different age stands within the structure of the woodland and and part of that will be coppicing rotation and that will open up and the the the floor of the woodland, let light in and that will benefit bluebells and wood anemone and all the related bird species and invertebrates.  Jules: This is all music to our Woodland Trust ears. Thank you, Matt. Shall we continue on our little tour?  Matt: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I will turn this very loud... *banging*  Jules: *laughs* I'm not actually sure how to get out the car, but ohh, OK, yeah, yeah. Natasha's on it. Thanks Natasha. OK, so we are walking up to not the tree we're here to see, but we couldn't resist this one because it's really special and it's a gnarly oak tree, kind of growing out of what looks like a big craggy load of rocks. Yeah, Matt, could you tell us a bit more about this tree?  Matt: Yes, I can. So it's English oak and some of the, it's growing out of granite and some of the rocks on the park are actually some of the oldest rocks, certainly in Britain and and the world, 560-million-year-old rocks that we've got on the park and it's all part part of the designation, actually, of the park, it's a SSSI, geological interest in the park and also the veteran trees are also part of that designation and we have just become a National Nature Reserve as well, Bradgate Park.  Jules: Well, congratulations! Could you just explain the SSSI to us just so people understand what the abbreviation means?  Matt: It's a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so there's many layers to Bradgate Park, people might just want to come have a nice walk, enjoy the views, and people that might be more interested in the geology of the park, so we get a lot of people that are coming out and looking at the rocks and looking for fossils and they're able to from that age, the rocks on the park and then other designations that we've got are related to the ancient trees and and that all forms a a bigger picture that makes the park so important that it has to be protected.  Jules: Fantastic. And one of the things that I've just noticed on both this very old oak tree and also on the rocks are, there's a lot of lichens. They're gorgeous. So they're sort of just splattered with them, some of them just look like, like, little sort of paint splats, don't they? They are different colours, we've got white ones, green ones on the rocks, I'm looking at, sort of greyish ones. Some are crusty, some are very flat, which is I think the nature of lichens. Do you know much about the lichens?  Matt: I certainly know that we need to keep the lichens exposed to the sunlight, so we have to clear bracken so they're not getting shaded out. They take a long time to form and I certainly know that they need good clean air. So that is a good sign, if you're seeing lichens, you're in a good place as a human being.  Jules: Yeah, absolutely. And and one of the things about oak trees as well is because they, they're long-lived trees, they provide particularly important habitat for lichens, cause some, many lichens are really, really slow growing, so they need a very slow, you know, stable habitat, so whether it be the rocks or or the very old tree and you'll get different species associated with the different environments as well.  Matt: Yeah, exactly right. And and you can see as well as the being lichens on the rock, you look up into the oak tree and in to the, up the, into the crown of the tree and we are seeing lichens on on the oak tree.  Jules: Yeah. Aed one of the other things about lichens is that they are also embedded in our culture as well, so we use them to to make dyes, some people cook with them, so again, a bit like bit like the oak trees and and other native trees, they're really entwined in our cultural history. This isn't the tree we're here to see, but it's absolutely marvellous! So I, gosh, I hope this becomes, goes on the Tree of the Year shortlist at some point because it deserves it!  Matt: Well, it's nice to have more than one entry.   Jules: Yeah, that would be good, wouldn't it?  Matt: I guess it would in in increase the chances of winning, but seeing as it's the first time you've come to the park, Jules, I thought you may as well see this.  Jules: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I love it. It looks quite elephantine from this, elephantine I should say, from this angle with this sort of like this great, long limb sticking out, it's almost like a trunk isn't it and up into the into the blue.  Matt: It certainly is, and I think that's certainly going to be the word of the day. I'm not, I'm not certainly going to try and trump that!   Jules: OK, yeah, let's, let's, let's try and use it again, in the next stop! *both laugh* OK. We're going back to the car now the the buggy, the T, TVA. No, the, what is it?  Matt: The ATV *both laugh* As we go back towards the ATV, we can see a absolutely stunning tower on a hill. It's gorgeous. It's kind of like, well it looks like it's in a fairytale to me. Could you tell us a bit about that?  Matt: So Old John Tower was, they started building it 1784 and and it is a folly and it was somewhere that the Greys, the owners, the Earls of Stamford could entertain guests and around the base of the tower, the rear is the remnants of an old racetrack, at the side of the tower, there's an old stable block and the Greys were certainly great horse fanciers and they entered racehorses into various events and along the the the old racetrack there's still remnants of old furlong markers and they were able to entertain the guests, stand up on the the roof of the of the tower and get an idea of of how good the how well the horses were performing.  Jules: Brilliant. And and the the Greys being the family of Lady Jane Grey, is that right?   Matt: Yes, that's right yeah.  Jules: OK. So it's it's absolutely stunning. It looks like the sort of, yeah, if you're drawing a scene in a fairytale, you'd be drawing a little turrety round tower on top of a hill, wouldn't you? And there'd be probably Rapunzel at the top, letting down her hair. On this occasion we've got a, on this occasion we've got a a very fit looking person who's just run a ring around the bottom of the tower and is now running towards us, obviously making use of this wonderful environment to to keep up their fantastic fitness. Right. OK. Now we are going back to the vehicle. And I think is next stop the the tree, our destination?  Matt: Yes it certainly is.  Jules: OK, OK, brilliant. I think I've actually worked out how to get in this time, which is ohh no, Matt's letting me in, thank you, what a gent, thank you. Right, we are now out of the vehicle and we are walking towards the special tree. And how long, how much of a walk is it from here?  Matt: So I can see it already and I'd say we're only about 200 yards away from it.  Jules: *laughs* Ohh, I still haven't seen it!  Matt: I'm I'm I'm deliberately walking in a way that it's going to appear.  Jules: Oh he's hiding it from us.   Matt: Yeah. There we go, fallow deer.  Jules: Ohh, there's ohh my goodness two fallow deer. The beautiful spotty backs, sort of trotting away. And then they've stopped and have given, they're looking at us. They're not too shy, actually are they?  Matt: No, no, they're not.  Jules: They look just like double Bambi. They're very beautiful.  Matt: You'll you'll you'll notice on all the trees, and there's about a dozen smaller oak trees that we planted, and these are about 30 years old now. Again, you can see how we've we've literally topped the smaller trees and and that's because we don't want to leave these trees just to get huge a. and maidens and straight and tall. So we want these to be stunted and more open grown. And so we've cut the tops off and and thinned them slightly. And then, again, we're hoping that that will make them longer lived.  Jules: Yeah, yeah. And of course, the oak trees love a lot of light, don't they? And these have got quite a lot of light and space around them.   Matt: Yes.   Jules: Ohh, I can see it now. Oh my goodness. What a beast. How fantastic. So it does, so it's the Bradgate Park's oldest oak, isn't it, so does it have a name, another name beyond that?  Matt: I think people people give it various names but it's just ‘the oldest tree in the park' *laughs*  Jules: Yeah, yeah.  Matt: Trying, I suppose for many years we've tried to keep it a bit bit sort of secret. That's probably for the benefit of the tree and certainly, the fact that it's within a spinney, people aren't walking up to it, and that's helped the tree. I feel that it's in a, it's obviously found some good growing conditions and despite the general habitat of the park being poor, upland soil, shallow, it's found some incredible growing conditions here it's been sheltered so that it's not being exposed to too much, too much wind force. And also it's it's nice and open so as the, as you know sort of from midday to right through into the evening, it's gonna get plenty of light as well. So there's I think there's been a number of factors that have certainly helped to prolong the life of the tree.  Jules: Yes, absolutely. Wow, it is a stunner. So just to try and describe this tree, it it's immensely tall. It's probably about the size of a, what about the height of a house would you say?   Matt: Yeah it's a good, good 45 feet.  Jules: Yeah. And it's got a very gnarly bole. I call it a bole rather than a trunk because it's really big, broad, and it's kind of split into two, kind of more than two. And it's got some dead branches coming out the middle. It's got one gorgeous, great, long, twisted limb reaching out. And it's that that's they're they're propped up, but it's kind of snaking, isn't it, ooh, it's elephantine that's what it is! Yeah, let's use our favourite word of the day.  Matt: I'd I'd say it's definitely elephantine *both laugh*  Jules: Yeah. And you can see kind of, it looks like there's faces everywhere, aren't there? It's like in that they've dead bit of branch there, you can see like a sort of twisted sort of face and a great long nose. And ohh it's, what a beautiful beast. So Matt, could you tell us a bit about its cultural connection to human beings?  Matt: Well, it certainly, it it was aged back in 2014 by a tree consultancy called Bosky and we we obtained a grant funding to tag and map many, many trees across the estate of this, being one of them, and it was it was aged at 818 back then, which puts us at around about the 830 mark now. In terms of relations to humans, it predates the Magna Carta and one of the most notable former residents of Bradgate Park obviously being Lady Jane, when she was a child living on the park, the tree would have already been quite a mighty oak of about 300 years.  Jules: Gosh, so, so Lady Jane Grey would have known this tree.   Matt: Yes, yeah.  Jules: She would probably sat underneath it.  Matt: Which is somewhat remarkable.  Jules: Yeah. Maybe had a little picnic under here. *Matt laughs* That's what I would have done. Fantastic. And it's wonderful that you're protecting it and actually, despite this sort of really craggy bole, it's it's looking in pretty good health, isn't it, it's got loads of leaves all around. Are you feeling sort of confident about its its future given given how it is?  Matt: Well, certainly, yeah you you've you've pointed out the props and these props have been in place supporting certainly this this limb. If we walk around the other side of the tree, you can you can get a bit more of an impression as to what the props are actually achieving for the tree and in due course, and I believe we'll we'll probably upgrade these props, which are basically telegraph posts with Land Rover tyres that have been cut, which is certainly an effective way of doing things, but we have evolved the propping techniques that are now, you can see the tree in the distance over there by the compound that's called the Pheasant Garden. And there's a there's an oak tree there that supported by a prop and that is manufactured using metal, sort of steel work and then there's a cup section that's manufactured and then that that's a more sympathetic way of actually supporting that bough.  Jules: Yeah, yes.  Matt: Regarding, you know the actual cover of the foliage, like you say, totally agree that it's it's still got reasonable foliage cover, certainly certain things that we do have to watch out for is shade. And that is partly why we've cut the tops off the trees around it. But also you can see where we've got a bit of interference here with this Scots pine at the back.  Jules: Oh yes, it's actually actually touching I think, almost touching.  Matt: So that is something that we would look to keep keep in check. So this Scots pine, as as lovely as it is, that Scots pine is more like 70 years old, and we wouldn't want that to be shading out so that's something we'll we'll probably climb up there and just cut that, cut the limb off off the Scots pine and stop that, because you can see if we just leave that doing what it's doing, it's going to start shading out and it's really important that we keep the living mass of this tree, so there's a balance there between the living mass and the dead mass of the tree, the static mass. And it's that balance as a ratio for the tree, you know, if you, if you look at a younger tree there, you can say that almost almost 100% of of the of the crown of that tree is alive. Whereas you look at this tree and you start thinking maybe 50%. So the closer that ratio between the living mass and the dead mass is, the closer that gets more like to a one to one, then the the tree will will then gradually just just just be going into decline. So you know, the tree will not live forever but I'm pretty confident it's going to outlive us guys *laughs*  Jules: Yes. It's an amazing thought, isn't it? And it's obviously very loved and and and I think the importance is is not just about the tree itself, is it? So really ancient oaks like this, they support enormous numbers of species, some of which only live on ancient oaks. So that's why we need to protect this tree as much as we possibly can and also bring on those veteran oaks of the future that you you, you're, you're that you're you're doing just that, aren't you, here in the park. Absolutely vital.   Matt: Yeah, very much so, very much so. As we've driven across the park, we've seen various planting that's been supported by the Tree Council. And like you say, that has, that certainly has been planting more oak trees, but then also other nectar bearing species, rowan, blackthorn, hawthorn, gorse. And these are all important, like you say for the deadwood insects that, that, that live within the ancient oak tree and and then as the tree gets older it then develops more veteran features and those crags, holes are very important roosting habitats for, certainly for owls and bats.  Jules: Yeah. And so oak trees in the UK collectively support more than 2,300 species, some of which are completely reliant on oak trees. They couldn't survive without oak trees, and one of the things we were talking about earlier as we drove up was the fact that there are, you know, some, some beetles, for example, some longhorn beetles, for example, they spend their lives as larvae living in deadwood. But then the adults, they need nectar when they grow up, so again, it's really important to have those nectar sources nearby isn't it?  Matt: Yeah. So very, very much is. Yeah. And that's what we're looking to do on the park we are we are planting those, those supporting plants.  Jules: Fantastic. Wonderful. This incredible tree that we're standing in front of is one of the ten contenders in this year's Tree of the Year competition and the theme of this year's competition is culture and the the the the history and culture associated with trees in our world. Ancient oaks are absolutely threaded in our culture. I'm particularly interested in them, I wrote a book about about oak trees called Oaklore, and one of the things that I talked about was the way that the oak tree intertwines with our lives with with lots of different species, but also with human lives and with our culture. There were so many stories associated with the oak tree. One of my favourites is the story of Charles II and the Boscobel Oak. So before Charles II was, became king he was fighting the parliamentarians and he took a terrible drubbing at a battle. And he needed to escape. And he escaped to Boscobel House. And he was with this soldier called Colonel Careless, and this soldier suggested that they hide in the oak tree overnight rather than the house. And they did. And even though the parliamentarian troops were were wandering nearby, they didn't find the king and his soldiers, and they escaped. And eventually they returned and that led to the restoration of the monarchy. The thing I like about this story is the cultural links then go on and on. Because at that point, a day of national celebration was declared throughout the land, and that was 29 May and that became Oak Apple Day and everybody would party and if the best people at the party, the coolest people at the party, they waved oak branches and wore oak leaves and and if you were super cool, you had lots of oak apples on your, so little galls on your oak branches. And if you didn't have little symbols of oaks, then others were apparently within their rights to take a bunch of nettles and and and attacked you with nettles, which wasn't so nice. So it was also called Nettle Day. It was also known as Pinch Bum Day and Maids Ruin Day. The story goes on, but the other sort of fun cultural connection to that is it also came, it also brought about lots of pubs called the Royal Oak, and the last time I looked there were about 400 oak trees, 400 sorry pubs called the Royal Oak throughout the land, so the cultural tales just go on and on. And that's just the oak tree. But all of our native trees have some fantastic stories associated with them in. In fact every old tree has a story to tell. It's like us, like every older person, we've all got a story, a history to tell. Yeah. OK.  Matt: So yeah, we're just walking back from the oldest tree now, and we're just sort of musing over just that connection that human, humans have got to trees. I think it's the fact that an oak tree can sort of live centuries and really, that puts our lifetimes somewhat in perspective. And the fact that an oak tree can just go from the tiniest of acorns to a huge mass of of timber and that is just really fantastic, how you could you could cut open a tree and see all those different tree rings, those years of growth and then just sort of put that in context, what was happening was, was it Dick Whittington that was the Lord Mayor of London for the last time, was it was it the Battle of Agincourt, was it the Magna Carta? And and it's for people like you that actually write books about it, Jules, that can say it a lot better than me *both laugh*  Jules: No that was brilliant and we're not gonna cut this one in half though are we, Matt?   Matt: No, we're certainly not. And the fact that it's hollow, we just can't see those rings anymore.  Jules: No. Thank you. Brilliant. Right. This is our final leg on our walk and we're now in a polytunnel and it's really warm because the sun's beating down outside and it smells gorgeous and and we are surrounded by lots of little trees. Matt, can you tell us a little bit about these?  Matt: So the polytunnel was funded by the Tree Council and it's just very important that we're growing on oaks for the future from acorns that have been collected on site. So they've got the genetic continuity of the long-lived oak trees and hopefully they'll grow and carry on into long into the future.  Jules: And are they, is it a a mix of acorns from all different trees in in here or is it, or is, are you, are you taking them from specific trees?  Matt: It's yeah, it's a bit of a mix. Sometimes, you know, where where we can and where they're viable, if we if we get to the acorns from a veteran tree before the deer, then that's certainly something that we we're looking to grow on. So generally that's what we're that's that's where we'll try and harvest them from that, we've put a frame down before with a bit of a grill, so we can collect the acorns, but then they don't get eaten and that's certainly quite a good technique. And and then we we we grow on from the old trees where we can, yes.  Jules: They're really lovely. So we've got really tiny little trees with, some of them have got like, you know, about 5 or 6 leaves. And then they go up to sort of above our just above our heads. And I think what always strikes me is the, the the diversity in in leaf shape and colour that you that you see all around you. So even the same place within within oak trees, it's incredible, the different shapes and sizes you get, isn't it?  Matt: Yeah, it really is. And you know, look, looking some of the some of the oaks have been collected from Swithland Woods as well. And and where you've got a stalked leaf, that is a sessile oak.   Jules: Ah yes.  Matt: And and where you've got a a leaf that's coming off that isn't stalked, that is an English oak, but but that will have a stalked acorn.  Jules: Yes. So that's the the key way to tell the difference isn't. Yeah, brilliant. Thank you. I love it. The Bradgate Park oak is one of ten iconic trees across the UK in the running for the Tree of the Year competition. Other examples include the Tree of Peace and Unity in County Antrim. That's an iconic lime tree, I say a lime tree, it's actually two lime trees which are fused together so that the trunk has become bound as one and it's, they've become inseparable and as such they've become a symbol of harmony and hope. So newly married couples sit beneath that tree for a blessing and it became a particular symbol of peace and reconciliation when Tony Blair, David Trimble and John Hume met here in 1998 at the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Another example is the Argyle Street Ash in Glasgow. This tree is growing right next to some historic flats and it's seen as a symbol of local resilience. It has survived all kinds of things, including Victorian industry, the Clydeside Blitz, recent development and so far, ash dieback. One of its cultural connections is that it was featured in a 1935 book by James Cowan. The book was called From Glasgow's Treasure Chest and in it he describes the tree as ‘quite the most graceful ash I have seen'. Well, that's enough of me. Meanwhile, thank you so much to Matt and Natasha. It's been great fun talking trees with you.  Thank you for listening to the Woodland Trust Woodland Walks. Don't forget to subscribe to the series on iTunes or wherever you're listening to us and do give us a review and a rating. And why not send us a recording of your favourite woodland walk to be included in a future podcast? Keep it to a maximum of five minutes and please tell us what makes your woodland walk special or send us an e-mail with details of your favourite walk and what makes it special to you. Send any audio files to podcast@woodlandtrust.org.uk. We look forward to hearing from you. 

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.

In this final episode of our 6th season, Political Science and Irish Studies Professor Cera Murtagh has a conversation with Emma DeSouza, a journalist, award-winning campaigner, and peace activist who changed UK law in a landmark human rights case relating to the Good Friday Agreement. They discuss the role of women, youth and community-based movements in effecting social change in the North. Emma DeSouza is the Founder and Co-facilitator of deliberative democracy platform The Civic Initiative, Director of the Northern Ireland Emerging Leaders Program at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy in NewYork, and a transatlantic adviser on peace processes and civic innovation.

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.

On the afternoon of 6 March 1988 in Gibraltar on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsular, Mairead Farrell and two other Provisional IRA volunteers of were shot dead by members of the Special Air Service. The three were on an operation to target one of the last outposts of the British Empire, but their movements were known to the security services. Farrell was one of a small number of female IRA members in an organisation dominated by men. How were mothers, wives, daughters and sisters impacted by the violence over 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland? And how do they deal with the trauma 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement? Joining today is the acclaimed journalist and writer Martin Dillon, author of The Dirty War, The Shankill Butchers and Stone Cold, as well as his most recent, The Sorrow and the Loss: The Tragic Shadow Cast by the Troubles on the Lives of Women. Martin Dillon Links The Sorrow and the Loss: The Tragic Shadow Cast by the Troubles on the Lives of Women The Dirty War The Shankill Butchers: A Case Study of Mass Murder Stone Cold Martin Dillon Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode of the Irish Stew Podcast  features a discussion with documentary filmmaker Alan Gilsenan  and journalist John Walsh about their film 'The Irish Question.' The film delves into the recent history of Ireland, the partition between North and South, and contemplates the concept of a United Ireland in the post-Brexit era. The conversation highlights the impact of Brexit, economic and cultural complexities, and the fragile peace established by the Good Friday Agreement. The episode also touches on the importance of Truth and Reconciliation as a foundational step towards any potential unification. Recorded at the Capital Irish Film Festival in association with Solas Nua, this discussion pays homage to diverse Irish identities and urges a deeper conversation on Ireland's future.LinksThe Irish Question (Trailer)Alan Gilsenan - DirectorWebsite: Yellow AsylumWikipediaTwitter / XJohn Walsh - WriterLinkedInBlueSkySolas NuaWebsiteEpisode Details: Season 7, Episode 16; Total Episode Count: 119

The Commission was established in 1999 following the Good Friday Agreement to locate & recover the remains of those abducted, murdered and secretly buried during the Troubles, known as the Disappeared. Mr. Hill has been with the Commission since 2006, but is now stepping down as lead investigator, he spoke with Cormac.

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.

Talking about Bobby Sands, the Troubles, the Irish Republican Army, and the Good Friday Agreement with John M. Burney and Andrew J. Auge.

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

Stephen Sexton is an Irish poet and a lecturer at the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry at Queen's University Belfast. While on campus in March 2025 he sat down with the Center for Irish Studies Director Joseph Lennon to discuss howpoetry can help us navigate the world. He reads poems from his two books ___________________Stephen Sexton the author of two books of poems – If All the World and Love Were Young, published in 2019 and Cheryl's Destinies, published in 2021.  He is a recipient of multipleawards, which include winning the National Poetry Competition in 2016, the Eric Gregory Award in 2018, the Forward Prize for Best First Collection and the Shine / Strong Award for Best First Collection in 2019, the E. M. Forster Awardfrom the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature in 2020.   Sexton has been teaching creative writing at the ⁠Seamus Heaney Centre⁠ for Poetry at Queen's University Belfast for six years.  Sexton was ten years old when the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 brought a formal end to the Troubles in the North of Ireland, which later in life made him realize that he was growing up in a time that he did not understand, and he became aware of a profound generational divide between him and his parents.  Sexton explains that in a sense, there is a “kind of ghostly history that is all around you, but you can't access it in the same way that other people can, so as a consequence, it doesn't necessarily show up in my writing.”  In his book, If All the World and Love Were Young, which happens to be set in 1998, there is one moment that addresses the Omagh bombing – a single deadliest attack in thirty years of violence that he remembers hearing about on the radio and then seeingon television.  But beyond that, the book is a blend of childhood memories that uses the analogy of a nineties Nintendo videogame, Mario Brothers, that digs into Sexton's more personal recollections about the house that he grew up in and memories of his mother.   Sexton's more recent book of poems, Cheryl's Destinies, was written during the COVID lockdown, where he explored a desire to bring together the improbable and the sensitive, hence the section of poems that imagines a collaboration between Billy Corgan lead singer of the Smashing Pumpkins and Irish poet W.B Yeats. The book's general theme of being obsessed with and anxious about the future came through the conversations between two strangers separated by a century, where they discuss the difficulty of making art. Sexton's book questions the role of a poet and its connection to the role of a medium, as they both perform a similar function -- look at the world and interpret it.

Jonathan Powell, the UK's National Security Adviser, is used to operating behind the scenes: he's spent decades working as a diplomat, negotiator and mediator. Recent events in the US and Ukraine have thrust him into the spotlight. After the fiery Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, Powell has been credited with advising Ukraine and ensuring that lines of communication were kept open. He travelled to Kyiv to meet Zelensky and played a key role in fashioning a plan for a ceasefire and the steps that might follow.Powell began his career in the foreign office before becoming Tony Blair's chief of staff. He was crucial to the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement which helped bring peace to Northern Ireland. Since then, he's worked on resolving conflicts and crises all over the world in places like Colombia, Mozambique and Libya.Mark Coles talks to his friends, family and former colleagues to find out how this veteran negotiator became one of the most important figures shaping British foreign policy. Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Viv Jones, Hugh Sheehan, Clare Williamson, Mantej Deol Editor: Bridget Harney Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele, Sabine Schereck

In this episode we interview D. Óg, an Irish Republican and Irish language activist who works with Iskra Books, and their Irish language imprint Bradán Feasa. In this discussion we talk about the Iskra Books publication The Dark: Selected Writings of Brendan Hughes.  Hughes, was a former Irish Republican Army volunteer, political prisoner, and Hunger Striker. And while he is a very well known figure within Irish Republican circles and among those who have studied the provisional IRA, some folks may also have become introduced to him through the book and the Fx/Hulu series Say Nothing. In this episode I talk to D a bit about several of The Dark's writings, about the politics of Brendan Hughes, his internationalism, his solidarity with Palestinians, and his lifelong commitment to a 32 county socialist Irish Republic. Along the way we talk about Hughes' response to the so-called Good Friday Agreement, or has Hughes called it “Got F*ck All,” his critiques of the political trajectory of Sinn Féin, and more.  We highly recommend you check out this book from the comrades at Iskra Books. As with all their work there is a free pdf version you can download from there website, so do that to check it out, but also I really recommend ordering yourself a physical copy to support their work and to add this beautiful book to your collection.  I also just want to mention that if you're interested in conversations about counterinsurgency, Orisanmi Burton and I have released part one of a two part conversation on Frank Kitson and his book Low Intensity Operations, for a brief period Kitson was in charge of the counterrevolutionary campaign against the IRA, as well as counterrevolutionary wars in Kenya against the Mau Mau, and in Malaya. We will link that in the show notes along with some other discussions we've had about Ireland and Irish revolutionary politics over the years. And part two of my conversation with Orisanmi Burton about Kitson's Low Intensity Operations will be this coming Friday at 10 AM Eastern Time (US) on our YouTube channel. A link to that will be in the show notes as well.  In addition, we also have a conversation with Mark Neocleous tomorrow Tuesday the 18th at 12:30 PM ET on his new book Pacification: Social War and the Power of Police, and one on Thursday with James Kilgore the new zine he's put together with Vic Liu on Lessons in Global Solidarity.  As always if you appreciate the work we do with this podcast, the best way to support our work is to become a patron of the show. It's also the best way to follow all of our work, you'll receive an email with every episode whether it's a YouTube episode or an audio episode and you'll be notified when we're starting up any of our study groups which you always have access to as a patron. You can become one for as little as $1 per month at patreon.com/millennialsarekillingcapitalism The Book: The Dark: Selected Writings of Brendan Hughes Upcoming livestreams: Pacification: Social War and the Power of Police James Kilgore on International Solidarity  Orisanmi Burton on Frank Kitson's Low Intensity Operations (part 2) / Part 1 is out now! Other episodes on Irish history: “Bobby Sands Got More Votes Than Margaret Thatcher Ever Did” C. Crowle on Attack International's Spirit of Freedom: Anticolonial War & Uneasy Peace in Ireland Ireland, Colonialism, and the Unfinished Revolution with Robbie McVeigh and Bill Rolston The Lost & Early Writings of James Connolly with Conor McCabe Irish Women's Prison Writings: Mother Ireland's Rebels with Red Washburn Some other items referenced in discussion: Legion of the Rearguard: Dissident Irish Republicanism by Martyn Frampton Unfinished business: The politics of 'dissident' Irish republicanism by Marisa McGlinchey The Pensive Quill 

In this episode of Crime Time, Inc., we delve into the gripping events of the Balcombe Street siege in December 1975 and its broader implications on London's history during a period of immense fear caused by the IRA's bombing campaign. We provide an overview of the IRA's strategies and objectives, emphasizing their calculated attacks designed to leverage media attention and public opinion. We recount the devastating bombings, such as the Guildford pub bombings, which intensified the atmosphere of fear in London. The narrative then shifts to the dramatic six-day standoff at Balcombe Street, where four IRA operatives took a couple hostage. Through the lens of this siege, the episode explores the high-stakes cat-and-mouse game between the IRA and the Metropolitan Police's Operation Combo, highlighting the intense negotiations led by Detective Superintendent Peter Imbert. We delve into the police's psychological tactics and the eventual peaceful surrender of the gunmen. The episode also covers the subsequent trial, where the Balcombe Street Four were held accountable for their crimes, and how their imprisonment became a pivotal issue in the Northern Ireland peace process, leading to their release under the Good Friday Agreement. This story illustrates the complexities of balancing justice, peace, and the human cost of political conflict. Join us as we unravel the layers of historical and political forces that shaped this tense chapter in London's history.00:00 Introduction to the 1970s London IRA Bombing Campaign00:21 Understanding the IRA's Goals and Tactics01:18 The Devastating Impact of the Bombings02:22 Significant Attacks and Escalation03:39 Operation Combo and the Balcombe Street Siege04:58 The Siege: A Tense Standoff06:16 Negotiation Tactics and Resolution09:10 The Aftermath and Legal Proceedings11:01 The Political Implications and Peace Process12:24 Conclusion and Reflections Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Come hear us discuss a movie that almost rescinded The Good Friday Agreement. Where to find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Two episodes a month now. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Path Socials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lucy's Socials⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our shop is here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Show us a pic of your merch/order and we will do a review of ANY* movie/show of your choosing.

Journalist Shane Harrison and campaigner Michael Gallagher chart the long legal struggle for a public inquiry into the 1998 atrocity, which begins by hearing from survivors and bereaved families. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Nollag Shona Daoibhse.I enjoy Christmas time. It a time for family and friends and for relaxation. For children and Dadaí na Nollaig and presents. For visiting family. For good food – often too much good food - good craic and sitting at home watching a movie, listening to music and reading a good book. It's a time for remembering those who are no longer with us or for visiting those sick or in hospital.60 Years A Growing. As this year draws to a close it strikes me that I first became an activist sixty years ago. It was in September 1964. I was a student in St. Mary's Grammar School in Barrack Street at the bottom of Divis Street.  On my way to school I noticed that a shop front in Divis Street was plastered with election posters for the upcoming British General Election.  Liam McMillan, a local republican had his election office there. He displayed the Irish national flag in the shop window. The flag was illegal and the RUC, at the behest of Ian Paisley, an up and coming demagogue, using crowbars and pickaxes smashed their way into the election office and seized the flag. The republicans replaced it and there were a few days of street disturbances. The Divis Street Riots.  2024 – A defining year for UnityLast February the North's political institutions were re-established. This was an important development but more crucially Michelle O'Neill was elected as First Minister of the Executive. This was a historic moment in the constitutional transformation that commenced with the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.