The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up)

With energy bills on the rise again and households feeling the squeeze, Niall opens the phone lines to hear from listeners on a burning issue: who should get help? Recent statistics show energy costs continue to climb — thousands of households are now in arrears on electricity and gas bills, with people struggling to keep up as prices stay high after years of global volatility in oil and gas marke...

In this episode, Niall sits down with John McGuirk, editor of Gript Media, to unpack a comment that has stirred debate in Irish politics. A candidate for the Green Party in Dublin Central, Janet Horner, recently suggested that the Dáil Éireann needs fewer “confrontational hard men” and more women “working collaboratively.” But is that a fair assessment — or just gender politics dressed up as refor...

In this explosive episode, Niall speaks with UK security expert Will Geddes about the dramatic escalation in the Middle East. Following direct US action targeting military installations linked to Iran — and reports that tensions now involve threats around Ali Khamenei — the region stands on a knife edge. Retaliatory strikes have reportedly hit civilian areas, and fears are growing of a much wider...

In this episode, Niall sits down with social commentator Karl Deeter to examine the Government’s latest commitment to issue a State apology to Ireland’s thalidomide survivors. After the Taoiseach initially declined to confirm whether an apology would be forthcoming, a subsequent “constructive” meeting with representatives signalled that a formal apology is now on the way — potentially opening the...

In this episode, Niall speaks to education commentator Jana Lundan about the upcoming Convention on Education and the National Conversation on Education, a major initiative that will help shape the future of Ireland’s school system. Chaired by Anne Looney, the Convention will meet over four weekends in 2026 — March 21–22, May 9–10, September 26–27, and November 14–15 — bringing together 150 partic...

In this emotionally charged episode, Niall opens the lines after receiving a heartfelt email from a mother facing an incredibly difficult family decision. Her mother-in-law, who had been living with the family, passed away just two days ago following a long illness in hospital. Now, her husband wants to bring his mother home and hold a traditional open-coffin wake in the house, allowing neighbours...

In this episode, Niall sits down with Irish women’s rights activist,Catherine Monaghan a founding member of Wicklow Women 4 Women, for a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation on some of the most debated issues in Ireland today. Together, they explore the future of women’s single-sex spaces, the impact and implications of the Gender Recognition Act 2015, and the broader cultural and legal...

On this week’s episode, Niall is joined by social commentator Karl Deeter for a provocative discussion about free speech, censorship, and who really gets to decide the limits of public debate. The conversation centres on reports that the US has developed a new portal — freedom.gov — designed to allow users, including Europeans, to access content blocked under national or EU laws, including materia...

On this week’s episode, Niall is joined by Eric Nelligan from Aontú to unpack the latest provisional crime figures from the An Garda Síochána — and to ask whether they tell the full story. The Gardaí say crime is down across most serious categories, including robberies, thefts and sexual offences. But at the same time, fraud — particularly online fraud — has surged by a staggering 130%. So what’s...

In this powerful and unsettling episode, Niall sits down withjournalist and author and writer Dr Eoin Lenihan to unpack his reflections after spending a week in County Clare. Drawing from conversations with locals — including a farm supply merchant — Eoin recounts a stark and troubling story: cocaine has reached deep into rural Ireland, and the fallout is devastating families. He tells of a well-k...

In today’s episode, Niall talks about a powerful and thought-provoking email the show received from a listener. She and her husband were married for twenty years. By her account, it was a deeply happy marriage. They lived month to month, counted every bill, and didn’t have much left over — but they were content. Life was simple. Life was solid. Then, three years ago, everything changed. Her husban...

Niall is joined by journalist Derek Byrne to discuss new restrictions in England that will ban vaping in cars carrying children, playgrounds, areas outside schools and hospitals, and anywhere smoking is already prohibited. Under the rules, vaping is effectively being treated like cigarettes — with fines for those caught vaping in cars with under-18s. The move has reignited debate about whether vap...

In this episode, Niall sits down with Jason Osborne from Gript Media to discuss his controversial view that abstaining from pornography should form part of the Catholic Confirmation pledge for young people. The conversation explores growing concerns about children’s exposure to explicit material at increasingly younger ages, the impact of smartphones and internet access, rising phone dependency, v...

Today on the podcast, Niall speaks with Independent TD Michael Collins following a political row over Ireland’s planned international football fixture against Israel. Collins has accused Sinn Féin of “political grandstanding” after party leader Mary Lou McDonald said it would be “unthinkable” for Ireland to play Israel, home or away, while the war in Gaza continues. The match is part of a schedule...

Today on the podcast, Niall is joined by John McGuirk, editor of Gript Media, and social commentator Karl Deeter to discuss the controversial case of Irish citizen Seamus Culleton, who has been held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since last September after allegedly overstaying a visitor visa for many years. Originally from Co Kilkenny, Culleton had been living in the United State...

This week, Niall dives into an intriguing story involving former US president Barack Obama and the question that never seems to go away — aliens. Speaking recently on a podcast with Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama said that while the universe is vast and statistically life could exist elsewhere, the chances Earth has actually been visited by extraterrestrials are “low.” He joked that aliens aren’t being...

This week, host Niall sits down with Senator Sharon Keoghan to unpack the controversy surrounding recent comments about diversity recruitment in the Irish Defence Forces. After the Defence Minister spoke about making recruitment more diverse — including the possibility of international protection applicants joining — Senator Keoghan described the idea as “madness,” questioning loyalty, national se...

In this episode, Niall sits down with Cathal Leevy from PAWs — the animal welfare party — to tackle a debate that’s stirring strong opinions: are zoos an outdated concept? The discussion follows recent comments by Ruth Coppinger, who called zoos a “Victorian concept” and suggested they should be phased out, arguing conservation funding would be better spent protecting animals in the wild rather th...

In this episode, Niall is joined by podcaster and social commentator Elaine Mullally for a lively and thought-provoking discussion on welfare, responsibility, and fairness in today’s society. They unpack controversial comments from UK MP Rupert Lowe, who suggested that healthy people on benefits who refuse work should be required to clean streets and public spaces — or risk losing their payments....

Niall talks to TD Paul Lawless from Aontu about the latest on Board Bia. Also: This Valentine’s Day episode dives into the romance, the history — and the debate — around one of the most loved (and sometimes eye-rolled) dates on the calendar. Niall explores the origins of Valentine’s Day, from the story of St Valentine — the Roman priest said to have secretly married couples — to the medieval poets...

In this episode, Niall opens the lines to discuss the growing controversy around possible industrial action by rank-and-file gardaí. Their representative body has voted to withdraw voluntary overtime during the St Patrick’s festival amid an ongoing dispute over pay, allowances and what they say are long-promised agreements that haven’t been honoured. Garda representatives argue frustration has bui...

This week, host Niall is joined by social commentator AJ Walshe for a thoughtful — and at times uncomfortable — conversation sparked by a powerful listener email. The discussion centres on a recent anonymous love-story featured on RTÉ’s Brendan O’Connor Show, where a married man in his 50s reflected on a secret same-sex relationship from decades ago and the complicated emotions that still linger....

This week, host Niall is joined by social commentator AJ Walshe for a thoughtful — and at times uncomfortable — conversation sparked by a powerful listener email. The discussion centres on a recent anonymous love-story featured on RTÉ’s Brendan O’Connor Show, where a married man in his 50s reflected on a secret same-sex relationship from decades ago and the complicated emotions that still linger....

Podcast Description – Today’s Episode Today, Niall speaks with Gript Media journalist Niamh Uí Bhriain about her recent piece examining Ireland’s healthcare staffing crisis and the wider debate around immigration policy. They discuss claims that Ireland’s health service depends on continued immigration, while thousands of Irish healthcare professionals — nearly 7,000 now registered in Australia —...

Today, Niall opens the phones to discuss a debate sparked by a recent discrimination case involving a firefighter fitness test and the wider question of gender equality in demanding jobs. After an email from a listener raised concerns that telling girls they can do anything men can do might sometimes set unrealistic expectations, the conversation turns to whether standards should always be identic...