Podcasts about The Irish Times

Ellen Coyne and Pat Leahy join Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics:· This week saw EU-US relations shift as the near-confrontation over Greenland perhaps showed the best way to handle US President Donald Trump's demand to take over the Arctic island. The decision by Trump to withdraw the threat of tariffs against eight European countries opposing his plan for Greenland represents a rare climbdown.· Bord Bia chairman Larrry Murrin faced calls from Sinn Féin and the Irish Farmers' Association for his resignation this week amid a controversy over his company Dawn Farms importing Brazilian beef.· The proposed reforms to the national rent control system due to come into effect on March 1st might be a hard sell for Government due to rent increases and evictions that may arise from the changes.· And former Fianna Fáil senator and MEP Brian Crowley has passed away at the age of 61. A native of Bandon, Co. Cork, topped the poll in every European election he contested – in 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009 and in 2014 – and was a well-liked figure both inside and outside Fianna Fáil.Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:· Emer McLysaght on the joy and hidden challenges of living alone, the disappearance of former New York Giant Sam Beale, and the upcoming Six Nations Championship.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Derek Scally, Berlin correspondent with the Irish Times, discusses the upcoming trial of Dubliner Daniel Tatlow-Devally and four others.

Although Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs may seem like a relatively new phenomenon, their origins actually stretch back to the mid 1980s. Back then, scientists were searching for an alternative treatment for diabetes, one that could replace insulin. Few could have imagined that this research would go on to reshape the treatment of obesity and later evolve into one of the best-selling drugs in the world.In her new book Off the Scales, journalist and author Aimee Donnellan traces the history of Ozempic, telling the story of the people behind its development. Among them is a young, ambitious woman from Macedonia whose research helped pave the way for the creation of the drug. In today's episode, Donnellan talks to Róisín Ingle about the seismic impact GLP-1s have had on society and the body positivity movement. But first, Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O'Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the Beckham family feud and one woman's fourteen-year-fight to get her former partner prosecuted for domestic violence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If anyone thinks that the rioters who caused mayhem and destruction on the streets of Dublin in November 23rd, 2023 were a well-organised group motivated by strongly-held ideology, think again.Of the 99 people arrested in connection with the Dublin riots, 82 have been charged with offences which range from attacking a garda and setting fire to a bus to stealing cigarettes and trainers.The unprecedented scenes of mayhem, damage and looting in and around O'Connell Street, was sparked by an attack earlier in the day of three young children and a care worker by Riad Bouchaker, an Algerian who has lived in Ireland for many years.At the time, the riots were characterised as being anti-immigrant in motivation. But as Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher explains, the picture that emerges from court reports reveals that the majority of the guilty rioters had very different reasons to be there.He also examines the sentencing of the rioters, and what it says about the attitude of the courts to the crimes committed on that night.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump is not giving up on Greenland.On Saturday he announced tariffs on France, Germany, the UK and others, after those nations sent ⁠military personnel to the island at Denmark's request.On Monday UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to the threat, describing it as “completely wrong”.And how is the EU responding? Potentially, with tariffs of its own - and that could endanger the US-EU trade deal that was agreed last August.But some countries are calling for caution. Like Ireland, which has a lot to lose from a trade war between Europe and the United States.On today's In the News, host John Casey speaks to Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times about the implications for Ireland if there is a tariff escalation and the US-EU trade deal is abandoned.Produced by Declan Conlon.As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Polaitíocht an lae - dearcadh na hÉireann ar bhagairtí Donald Trump foain nGraonlainn.

As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Thank you! The amount of cannabis being smuggled into Ireland has risen significantly in recent years, with most the product for sale now coming from the United States.So why have drug gangs here turned to overseas product aand why from the US?In today's episode by Irish Times Crime and Security correspondent Conor Lally explains how drug gangs attempt to get cannabis into the country - and how they are caught. Presented by Bernice Harrison, produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Brendan to discuss this week's Sunday Newspapers are: Ballyfermot community activist, and former People Before Profit TD, Brid Smith; Public Policy Advisor, Oisin Coughlan; Political Correspondent with the Irish Times, Ellen Coyne; law lecturer at the University of Galway, Larry Donnelly; and former Irish Amabassador to the USA, Dan Mulhall

Harry McGee, Ellen Coyne and Mark Paul join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The Minister with responsibility for artificial intelligence (AI), Niamh Smyth, met with executives from social media company X on Friday over concerns about their Grok app. The app has been in the headlines because of its ability to produce non-consensual intimate images. Current law bans sharing of intimate images but does not appear to criminalise generating them – what is the Government's next step?· The level of energy needed to power a data centre was laid bare this week. An internal Government document showed that a single facility in west Dublin consumes 10 times the electricity of a nearby pharmaceutical plant employing 2,000 people, equivalent to enough power for 200,000 homes.· And more ‘psychodrama' for the Tories this week as Robert Jenrick, the Conservative shadow justice secretary, defected to Nigel Farage's Reform UK after being sacked from the Conservative shadow cabinet.Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:· The US and Denmark battle for control of Greenland, Inside Politics veteran Jennifer Bray is releasing a book (and it's rather good), a reader's letter questions how dog-friendly we should be as a society, and who is next for Donald Trump's crosshairs?Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eddie Hobbs, once a fixture on RTÉ, says, “The mainstream media is the North Korea of Europe”.He was speaking on Steve Bannon's popular War Room podcast and it was a meeting of minds between one of the architects of Maga and the financial adviser-turned podcaster and campaigner.Bannon recently said he has been helping to form an Irish “national party”, working “behind the scenes” on “the Irish situation”.But has he? Where is the evidence for that? And how receptive would an Irish audience be to the former White House strategist's vision for the country?Meanwhile Hobbs told a conference in Athlone this month that those who want to see a new government in Ireland that would cut immigration and break ties with globalist elites need to “reach across the Atlantic” and seek help from the Irish diaspora in the US Maga movement.So could Hobbs be an Irish Trump? What are the other likely candidates?And why is Bannon so out of touch with the political system in Ireland.Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher, an expert in the Irish far-right, explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The devastating cruelty endured by four-year-old Mason O'Connell-Conway, who was murdered at his home in Limerick in 2021, was laid bare during the trial of his father's girlfriend, Tegan McGhee (32).Doctors reported that the child's injuries were similar to those suffered by car crash victims.McGhee and the child's father, John Paul O'Connell, had told paramedics that the little boy had fallen from a bunk bed in their Limerick home. He died three days later in hospital in his mother's arms.McGhee pleaded guilty to his murder at the trial in November and on Wednesday she was jailed for life. The boy's father has already been jailed for seven years after pleading guilty to neglect and impeding the prosecution of McGhee, knowing or believing she had murdered his son.Mason's mother Elizabeth Conway gave a powerful and heartbreaking victim impact statement in the Central Criminal Court which court reporter Eoin Reynolds describes here.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by the Irish Times economics experts Cliff Taylor and Eoin Burke-Kennedy.Tensions are rising between US President Donald Trump and the Federal Reserve. Trump has made it very clear that he is no fan of Fed chief Jerome Powell who is due to step down from his post in May, and that he wants the Fed to be more aggressive with interest rate cuts to stimulate the economy.Those tensions ratcheted up considerably when the US Department of Justice opened an investigation into Powell, and his handling of a $2.5 billion renovation of the central bank's headquarters.Powell has publicly pushed back and warned the independence of the Fed is at stake, and senior central bank figures from around the world have also expressed their support for Powell. Cliff and Eoin also look at Ireland's decision to vote against the Mercosur trade deal at EU level, it is still going to go through of course, but voting against it has led to charges of hypocrisy given all the talk from Government about Ireland being a small open economy that relies on the free movement of trade and services.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 13, 2026 is: umbrage • UM-brij • noun Umbrage refers to a feeling of being offended by what someone has said or done. It is often used in the phrase “take umbrage.” // Some listeners took umbrage at the podcaster's remarks about the event. See the entry > Examples: “The one item on offer was considered to be so good that the chef took umbrage at being asked for mustard.” — The Irish Times, 31 Oct. 2025 Did you know? Umbrage is a word born in the shadows. Its ultimate source (and that of umbrella) is Latin umbra, meaning “shade, shadow,” and when it was first used in the 15th century it referred to exactly that. But figurative use followed relatively quickly. Shakespeare wrote of Hamlet that “his semblable is his mirror, and who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more,” and by the 17th century this meaning of “vague suggestion; hint,” had been joined by other uses, including the “feeling of resentment or offense” heard today in such sentences as “many took umbrage at the speaker's tasteless jokes.” The word's early literal use is not often encountered, though it does live on in literature: for example, in her 1849 novel, Charlotte Brontë describes how the titular Shirley would relax “at the foot of some tree of friendly umbrage.”

For more than two weeks, anti-government protests have taken over the streets of Iran. The regime has responded to the demonstrations with a heavy hand. According to various human rights agencies, more than 650 people are believed to have been killed by security forces. The violence towards protestors has only intensified in recent days, with the regime shutting down access to the country's internet and phone lines - leaving the people of Iran cut off from eachother and the rest of the world. In today's episode Irish Times producer Suzanne Brennan talks to Bel Trew, chief international correspondent with the Independent about the background to the unrest and whether this latest uprising could signal the fall of the regime Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry McGee, political correspondent with the Irish Times, reports on the options being considered by the government to increase safety in relation to the use of e-scooters.

An bhfuil deireadh leis an bplé faoi MERCOSUR agus an bhfuil damáiste déanta den rialtas.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Ellen Coyne join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The long-anticipated EU-Mercosur trade deal was provisionally approved on Friday, despite the opposition of Ireland, France and three other countries. The deal has been immensely unpopular in Irish political life for a long time, thanks largely to efforts by the farming lobby. But there is now a sense that some figures in the European Commission are disappointed the Government did not make the case for the economic upsides of the deal. · Taoiseach Micheál Martin was in China this week on a four-day visit. Trade was also high on the agenda there, with China eager to import more high-quality food from Ireland. Human rights were mentioned in passing, and there was condemnation by the Taoiseach of Nicolás Maduro's authoritarian regime in Venezuela, the irony seemingly lost on the Fianna Fáil leader given the country he was visiting.· And the Taoiseach's party colleague, Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless, wants to ditch the one-bed en suites as the Government looks to move towards a co-living model involving communal space for university accommodation. A bathroom of one's own is a luxury students can go without. Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:· The Saipan film reopens old wounds for Kevin Kilbane, Seán Moncrieff can't throw away all those old electronic cables, and boycotting Doonbeg is the least we can do to oppose Donald Trump's appetite for war.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gerard Howlin, political commentator and columnist with the Irish Times, reacts to the Government decison to oppose the Mercusor Trade deal.

Over the past thirty years in Ireland, the lives of women have changed unrecognisably. Unparalleled advances in legislation have allowed for divorce, abortion and marriage equality. The economy has gone from boom to bust and to boom again, with more women entering the workplace. But for all the progress, there is still an underrepresentation of women in politics and positions of power, and there's also a worrying rise in violence against women. This transformation of Irish society and its impact on women is documented by Irish social researcher and author Íde B. O'Carroll in her new book Thirty Years of Change Through Women's Eyes: Ireland, 1993-2023. In today's episode, the US-based writer tells Róisín Ingle about the women she spoke to for the book and their perspectives on a changing Ireland. But first, Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O'Connell is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week, including the outcome of a harassment case taken by the wife of French President Brigitte Macron and calls to ban AI “nudification” apps. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Ireland too timid when it comes to our architectural ambition? Sinead O'Sullivan, a Business economist, has been writing about this in the Irish Times and joins Seán to discuss…

On Sunday US president Donald Trump said he needed Greenland “very badly”. It's a sentiment he expressed during his first term, but what then sounded like something of a fantasy wishlist has now hardened into policy.Reaction to Trump's intentions has taken on some urgency following his removal by military force of Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro, last weekend,Quite how he might move to take over the vast Arctic territory is unclear.This week the White House said the use ‍of the US military is “always an option”; it also said it might seek to buy the island from Denmark.Greenland is part of the Danish kingdom. Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, has said an attack by the US on a Nato ally – Greenland as part of Denmark – would mean the end of the alliance.But in a week that saw the Trump administration doubling down on its intention to take over the mineral rich island, the EU is scrabbling to respond to the threats from Washington in a way Trump might take seriously, as Brussels-based Irish Times reporter Jack Power explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the weekend's US airstrikes on Venezuela, and arrest of its president Nicolás Maduro by US special forces, The Irish Times' China Correspondent Denis Staunton has been pondering what it means for the international order, and territorial disputes around the world.“Events in Venezuela have emboldened Trump and we've seen him step up his rhetoric around Greenland” he told the Inside Politics podcast.Donald Trump has held no punches in expressing his desire for the US to take over Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.On Sunday, the US president told reporters Washington needed Greenland for “national security” with White House officials suggesting military operations to achieve it aren't off the table.Denmark's prime minister Mette Frederiksen said: “If the United States were to choose to attack another Nato country, then everything would come to an end”.And in the Irish Times' Global Briefing newsletter, Denis writes “If the past year is anything to go by, there is no reason to believe that Europe will put up any kind of fight, military or otherwise”.What other dominos at play within the international order could fall in the wake of Trump's arrest of Nicolás Maduro?Inside Politics is presented by Hugh Linehan and produced by Declan Conlon, with JJ Vernon on sound. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For more on this Conor Pope Consumer Correspondent with the Irish Times.

Since he took over as head coach at Manchester United Ruben Amorim has been outspoken, dishing up post-match commentary that frequently centred on how poor he felt his players had performed.On January 4th, after a desultory 1-1 draw with Leeds, he took aim, not at his players but at United's top brass – his bosses. He was, he said, the manager, not the coach; the heavy implication being that he wanted to make his own decisions and that management were getting in his way.On Monday it was announced that Amorim would be leaving the club with immediate effect.Once again Manchester United is on the hunt for a manager – or to be more accurate in the modern game – a coach.Irish Times columnist Ken Early explains why Amorim was never a good fit for United and why coaches at top-flight clubs have an increasingly short sell-by date.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared in a court in New York City on charges including drug-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. The pair pleaded not guilty to all charges, with Maduro telling the court, “I'm innocent. I am not guilty … I am a decent man. I am still president of my country”. But if Maduro is in New York, who is in charge in Venezuela? US President Donald Trump says, “we are” – but what does that really mean? In today's episode, Tom Hennigan who reports on South America for The Irish Times explains what Maduro's arrest means for the country and its people. Presented by Declan Conlon, produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conor Gallagher, the Crime and Security Correspondent of the Irish Times, discusses the presence of an oil tanker off Ireland's west coast.

Ken Early from the Second Captains Podcast, & columnist with the Irish Times.

When Hyrox came to Dublin's RDS last November, it was a completely sold out event. The tickets for the fitness race were snapped up in minutes of going on sale, with organisers adding extra dates just to meet demand. But one person who was able to get their hands on a ticket was Irish Times sports writer Gordon Manning. The only problem? He'd never tried Hyrox before and hadn't done any training for the event. Manning - who isn't even a member of a gym - decided to take on the gruelling challenge to find out why this fitness craze has become so popular in Ireland and around the world. But with so little preparation, did he survive the race? And what does it involve anyway? In today's episode, we'll hear all about Manning's Hyrox experience, whether he'd do it again and whether you should do it too.Presented by Bernice Harrison, produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Dearbhail to parse through the Sunday newspapers are former Fine Gael government minister, Josepha Madigan; Professor of US and International Politics at UCD's Clinton Institute, Scott Lucas; Publisher of TheBriefing.ie, Liz Carolan; and Political Editor with the Irish Times, Pat Leahy.

Are cookies watching your online holiday booking habits and costing you more? Is 2am on a Wednesday the best time to book a flight online? Conor Pope of The Irish Times talks Dearbhail through hacks and myths for cheaper holidays.

Elon Musk seems particularly taken with the opinions of three Irish men active on X: far-right activist Michael O'Keeffe; Barry O'Driscoll, whose idea of calling the US's new cost-cutting agency DOGE was seized on by president Donald Trump's right-hand man, and Keith O'Brien, a white nationalist who goes by the name Keith Woods on X. Musk interacts with these men and often amplifies their posts to his millions of followers. So what image of Ireland is the billionaire being fed by these men and why does it matter that so much of what he sees, and endorses from his “awesome” Irish friends, is often simply factually wrong? Crime and security editor Conor Gallagher profiles the men, including the Cork-based O'Driscoll who goes by 'Sir Doge of the Coin' on X, and explains what happened when he wrote about them in The Irish Times.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week's episode, host Ciarán Hancock Is joined by an expert panel to look forward to 2026. After another record-breaking year for corporate tax receipts, is there now a real threat of concentration risk in the Irish economy?A huge amount of money has been raised and spent on AI, but where is it at in terms of its development? When will investors start looking for a tangible return?And will Donald Trump turn his attention back to economic matters after moves to end the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine? Could more tariffs be on the way in 2026?The panel comprises CEO of the Sherry Fitzgerald Group, Marian Finnegan, tech entrepreneur and columnist at the Irish Times, Chris Horn, and Irish Times Economics Correspondent, Eoin Burke-Kennedy.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was first published in May 2025. From the moment he reported her missing in 2017, Richard Satchwell stuck to his story that his wife Tina had run off.His many media appeals begged her to come home. But as the jury heard during his five-week trial in the Central Criminal Court for her murder, she was indeed home and she had been all along.Richard had killed her in 2017, dug a hole under the stairs of their terraced Youghal home and buried her.The Garda did look for her – as a missing person – but “red flags” emerged soon after her disappearance were “simply ignored” by gardaí, the court was told.What were they? And why did it take until six years after her disappearance for a thorough search of the Satchwell house to take place?Irish Times legal affairs correspondent Mary Carolan tells In the News how the court case unfolded and what happens next.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Dearbhail McDonald to discuss the stories in this Sunday's newspapers are: Prof Niamh Hourigan, Sociologist, Vice-President of Academic Affairs at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick; Harry McGee, Political Correspondent, Irish Times; Tanya Ward, Chief Executive, Children's Rights Alliance and Cormac Lucey, Economics Columnist, Sunday Times.

To look ahead at the politics of the coming year, we're joined by Gerard Howlin, a former Fianna Fáil government advisor and now political commentator and Irish Times columnist.

It's Christmas Eve and so much about this time of year is about the things we do and eat – not because we particularly want to do them or even enjoy eating them – but it's traditional.So what are the traditions we've clung to and what are the new ones that have crept up on us?Who sends Christmas cards anymore? And why have Poinsettias, once such an exotic seasonal plant, fallen out of favour?Irish Times feature writer Laura Slattery has been teasing out the traditions that make an Irish Christmas.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined by a panel of experts to discuss the major stories of 2025.A busy year in markets was dominated by US president Donald Trump's threats to impose huge tariffs on the United States' trading partners, including Ireland.Ireland's housing crisis showed no sign of improvement with completions trending well below Government targets.And another record-breaking year for corporate tax receipts, coupled with Ireland's gross domestic product (GDP) growing exceptionally by over 10%, meant that the economy is in rude health as we head into 2026.The panel comprises Aidan Donnelly, Head of Global Equities at Davy, Susan Hayes Culleton, Managing Director, HayesCulleton Group, and Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 100 years of the Coca Cola versus Pepsi soft drink war, has the battle been won, with Pepsi now 3rd on the list of the biggest selling fizzy drinks in the world?Joining Seán to discuss is Eoin Burke-Kennedy, Economics Correspondent of The Irish Times…

At a time when there are media think pieces galore about how atomised entertainment is, how people don't talk about TV like they used to; how the music industry is fractured beyond repair; and how young people are too stuck to their screens to engage in real-life politics, 2025 proved all that wrong.RTÉ's smash hit reality TV show Traitors Ireland was a ratings juggernaut that dished up endless water-cooler moments. Oasis played two triumphant Croke Park gigs, with all talk about eye-watering ticket prices forgotten in the blazing sunshine and general euphoria. And Kneecap's frontman Liam Óg hAnnaidh aka Mo Chara's London court appearances became mini-festivals with music mixing with politics.And then where was Lily Allen's tell-all album, West End Girl and presidential hopeful Maria Steen and her handbag.These and other much-talked about highlights are picked over by Aideen Finnegan from the Irish Times podcast team and journalist Niamh Browne.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tá sé fógartha ag an Tánaiste agus Aire Airgeadais Simon Harris agus an tAire Tithiochta James Browne go bhfuil síneadh le cur leis an Chiste Infheistíochta Stráitéisí le tuilleadh tithe a thógáil.

British far-right activist Tommy Robinson is the UK's most notorious anti-Muslim activist.At 43, he is the street leader of the radical right-wing nationalist upsurge gripping Britain.An estimated 150,000 like-minded protesters turned out in London in September for his “Unite the Kingdom” march and for months Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul has tried to get an interview with him.And then the call came out of the blue on a cold December evening.Robinson was planning a stunt in an hour's time – to announce the date of his next protest – and would the Irish Times like to come?In the end the stunt failed for technical reasons but Paul got to see how the avowed right-wing radical works and got to shadow him the following day.At a choral service – to “bring the Christ back into Christmas” he got to see how Robinson is mixing his newfound conversion to evangelical Christianity with his anti-immigrant message.Paul tells In the News how Robinson's new style of campaigning echoes the Maga movement that got Donald Trump elected.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a difficult week for Micheal Martin and FIanna Fáil with the delivery of the report on the party's failed presidential campaign. Martin's position as leader is safe for now, but questions and doubts remain. In part one of today's podcast Pat delivers his assessment of the state of play within Fianna Fáil. In part two Jack Power reports from Brussels on the ongoing EU summit, where European leaders have agreed on a package of financial support for Ukraine. But the deal came after difficult negotiations and only after Plan A - using frozen Russian assets to pay Ukraine - was ditched. Instead, the EU will fund the package itself. Jack explains how the deal went down and why it was a significant moment within European geopolitics. And finally Pat, Jack and Hugh pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week, including a warning on antisemitism, a profile of Tommy Robinson and a look at the new season of Emily in Paris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Polaitíocht an lae.

2025 was a year of global upheaval, from the activities of the Trump Administration to instability in the Middle East and the reshaping of power politics as China continues its rise. But what will it be remembered for in the long run? Irish Times foreign correspondents Denis Staunton, who is based in Beijing, and Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary, each picked two events whose impact will be felt into the future. They include the meeting between Narendra Modi, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, a trilateral power meeting in China that said much about the relationship between the US and the rest of the world; the October 10th ceasefire in Gaza, which is broadly holding in a way other ceasefires haven't; the record S&P stock surge in the US and why it loudly hints at an AI bubble and what that could mean for Ireland; and Europe's growing willingness to break a taboo, to reconsider the terms of the UN 1951 Refugee Convention which gave immigrants and refugees rights and imposed obligations on European countries.And amid all the gloom there were some lighter moments that struck our two correspondents.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025 was the year Ireland elected its third female President, but only three women were appointed Ministers in the new Cabinet. Down one on the previous government. It was the year the hit Netflix show Adolescence had everyone talking about the dangers of the 'manosphere' and toxic masculinity and Australia introduced the world's first social media ban for children. The year also saw the engagement of pop queen Taylor Swift to her boyfriend Travis Kelce and the relocation of American comedian Rosie O'Donnell and her family to Ireland. Dublin City Council took steps to protect the Molly Malone statue from being groped by tourists and a row over ‘skorts' caused ructions within the GAA. To look back on this pivotal year and how it impacted the lives of women in Ireland and around the world, Roisin Ingle is joined by Irish Times features writer Nadine O'Regan, opinion editor Jennifer O'Connell and social affairs correspondent Kitty Holland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ciara O'Brien, business and technology journalist with The Irish Times, on the Oscars moving to Youtube from 2029.

Ever since the Middle Ages, gout has been associated with the glutinous consumption of rich foods and too much red wine. But, is TikTok perpetuating medical myths like this?Joining Seán to discuss is Dr. Muiris Houston, Columnist with the Irish Times, who has been writing about this…

In September, a wave of protests emerged in Morocco led by the country's youth, known as GenZ 212. Since September, 3 people have been killed and 400 arrested according to Amnesty International. Triggered by the deaths of women in an Agadir hospital, the protest movement's demands come against the background of widespread unemployment and a lack of funding in health and education sectors. With King Mohammed VI's latest speech announcing budgetary increases and promises of reform, will this be enough to meet the movement's demands, and does the movement have enough momentum to continue? This panel of experts will take a look at the current protests, how they have been organised and their capacity to gather widespread support. Panellists will also provide broader political and historical analysis on the country, analysing how capacity for reform can be understood in light of the Kingdom's governance systems and political institutions. Meet our speakers and chair: Miriyam Aouragh is Professor of Digital Anthropology at the University of Westminster with a specific focus on West Asia and North Africa. She studies the contradictions of capitalism shape the modes and meanings of resistance in the era of revolution and digital transformations. Her analyses is grounded in the complex revolutionary dynamics in the Arab world. In what she calls "techno-social politics" she studies a political temporality marked by revolution and counter-revolution. She wrote about the paradoxical context of online-revolution and cyber-imperialism. Throughout her academic projects she conducts extended fieldwork (Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco), in order to relate participant observation and interviews to media analyses. Miriyam is author of Palestine Online (IB Tauris 2011); (with Hamza Hamouchene) The Arab Spring a decade on (TNI 2022); Mediating the Makhzan about the (r)evolutionary dynamics in Morocco (forthcoming CUP) and (with Paula Chakravartty) Infrastructures of Empire (forthcoming). Mohamed Daadaoui is professor and chair of Political Science, History, and Philosophy & Rhetoric at Oklahoma City University. He is the author of Moroccan Monarchy and the Islamist Challenge: Maintaining Makhzen Power and The Historical Dictionary of the Arab Uprisings. He is a specialist of North African Politics. Mohamed's articles have appeared in Middle East Critique, The Journal of North African Studies and Middle Eastern Studies, The British Journal of Middle East Studies, the Journal of Middle East Law and Governance, the Hudson Institute, the Washington Post's Monkey Cage, the Huffington Post, SADA of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Middle East Institute, Jadaliyya and Muftah. Mohamed has provided commentary to local and international media outlets such as: C-Span, al-Jazeera English, the BBC, El Pais, and The Irish Times. Michael J. Willis is King Mohammed VI Fellow in Moroccan and Mediterranean Studies. His research interests focus on the politics, modern history and international relations of the central Maghreb states (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco). Before joining St Antony's in 2004, he taught politics at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco for seven years. He is the author of Algeria: Politics and Society from the Dark Decade to the Hirak (Hurst, 2022); Politics and Power in the Maghreb: Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco from Independence to the Arab Spring (Hurst and Oxford University Press, 2012) and The Islamist Challenge in Algeria: A Political History (Ithaca and New York University Press, 1997) and co-editor of Civil Resistance in the Arab Spring: Triumphs and Disasters (Oxford University Press, 2015). Richard Barltrop is a Visiting Senior Fellow at the LSE Middle East Centre. His research is on contemporary international approaches to peacemaking, and why peace processes fail or succeed, with a particular focus on Yemen, Sudan and South Sudan, and considering Libya, Syria and other examples.

Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh to look back on the week in politics:Next week Fianna Fáil will get the long-awaited review into the circumstances around Jim Gavin's disastrous presidential campaign. Has the wait taken the sting out of the issue for Micheal Martin? The Government is worried about political fallout if it fails to vote against the EU's Mercosur trade deal. But any such vote could be purely symbolic. Another thorny issue for the coalition: lengthy waiting lists for assessments of need, the process by which children with additional needs are assigned educational supports. The situation has long been untenable but the proposed solution is also controversial. Hugh addresses some of the many comments that have come in about Wednesday's interview with Eoin Lenihan. Minister Patrick O'Donovan wants Ireland to move ahead of the EU to restrict how younger teenagers access social media. And finally the panel pick their favourite Irish Times journalism of the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're looking for a gift for the book lover in your life, The Women's Podcast Book Club has you covered. In today's episode Niamh Towey, Bernice Harrison, Róisín Ingle and Ann Ingle are discussing what books they'll be giving as gifts this Christmas and the ones they'd like to receive. Their recommendations include a biography for art lovers, a self-help book about setting “healthy boundaries” and a 2020 novel which has just been made into a film starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. Whether it's a gift for family, friends or even for yourself, we hope there's something for everyone here. But first, Irish Times podcast producer Suzanne Brennan is here to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week including the introduction of a social media ban in Australia for anyone under 16 and a new taxi service coming to Dublin which allows customers to choose a female driver. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.