https://tortoiseshack.ie/feed/podcast/

This conversation delves into the founding of Hamas, its view of itself, its designation by different actors/nation states and the change that took place in its discourse by highlighting its charter of 1988 and its document of 2017, in addition to its different wings as well as comparisons with other international groups designated as terrorist.  You'll also here some of the headlines from the lat...

Argentina only went and bloody did it. They elected the chainsaw wielding, tantric sex coaching, ultra-neoliberal, "libertarian", Javier Milei. So What Now? Rejoining us on the podcast is Colombian journalist with El Pais, Nicholas Dale Leal. He talks us through the why of Milei's victory, the what next and the hope that it won't be a costly salutary tale.  We also discuss the kidnapping of the fa...

In this Reboot Republic podcast Rory talks to John Barry, Professor of Political Economy in Queens University Belfast. We talk about the role of public protest and activism in influencing social change and our Governments on things like stopping the Genocide in Gaza. We also discuss the necessity for alternative an system to capitalism - one based on values of care, dignity, environment, and well...

We said we'd have a short chat with our friend, Mr https://irishelectionprojections.com/2023/11/12/october-2023-projections-update/ Harry McEvansoneya about the latest polls, Sinn Féin's Dublin issues, Fine Gael's quiet quitting and more. We ended up going a bit longer. Please stay tuned for an insane story about developments in the Portuguese govt corruption scandal and a few other stories from t...

A very downhearted Zak Hania joined me a few minutes ago from Gaza. His wife and children have left Gaza and are in Cairo, but as of yet his name hasn't appeared on the list for the Rafah Crossing. This is just a short chat to give you a sense of the pain of family separation and the guilt of knowing that even if you get out, millions will still be left behind. Please contact your TD and demand Za...

The second episode of Palcast discusses the shared struggle of the Palestinian and Irish peoples. From Captain Boycott, to Bloody Balfour, to hunger strikes, Dr Yousef Aljamal, Helena Cobban and Tony Groves delve into the shared struggle between the two nations, and indeed the anti-apartheid movements globally. We also look at the mistakes that Ireland has made and what the movement for Palestinia...

David Adams is a former loyalist politician who as a leading member of the Ulster Democratic Party was hugely influential in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. In this episode David chats to the lads about his journey from young loyalist activist in the 1970s, through his political journey in the 1990s and his subsequent work with GOAL in humanitarian crises in Syria, Uganda, South Sud...

Bashar Murad is a Palestinian singer, lyricist, director and composer born and raised in Jerusalem. Bashar uses pop music and art as a vehicle to challenge stereotypes, normativity and to highlight social issues facing young generations of urban Palestinians. He’s also an icon. He joined us to talk about the pain of watching the suffering in Gaza and the survivors guilt that has developed in the s...

As Israel's genocide in Gaza continues, PalCast's Dr Yousef Aljamal and his co-host Helena Cobban survey the situation on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank and the waves of pro-Palestinian sympathy that have swept around the whole world, including throughout the Global South and even at the grassroots level within most Western countries. They note the continued ability of Washington DC to block...

We can't lose sight of the housing crisis that continues to make life miserable and unaffordable for tens of thousands of our citizens, and while the housing crisis was created by bad policies, our guest, Sinn Féin's Housing Spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin, thinks (if given the chance) it can be fixed with good policies. We look at some of the key areas, making rent affordable and secure, cutting down...

One week before the Hamas attacks on Israel, Mohammed Elkhatib's dad pleaded with his son to "get out of Gaza" and go start the life they'd saved up for him to live. So, against his own wishes, he drove to the Rafah crossing and began the journey to London, not knowing the destruction that was to become of his home as he went. Mo joins us now to talk about his fear for his family, the dark humour...

I was thrilled to be asked if the tortoise shack would help produce a podcast that would be about Palestine and be hosted by Palestinian refugee (and friend of the shack) Dr Yousef Aljamal.  The result is the PalCast, a collaboration between us and Just World Educational. Hosted by Yousef and his longtime collaborator and friend Helena Cobban, herself an activist and author of great renown, this t...

Martin Doyle is the books editor of The Irish Times and author of Dirty Linen: The Troubles In My Home Place (Merrion, 2023) In this episode Martin talks to the lads about researching and writing the book which is a deeply personal and intimate excavation of the toll that the conflict took on the parish of Tullylish, part of the notorious Murder Triangle in the north of Ireland.

CW: The podcast opens with a voice note sent from Zak Hania that some listeners may find upsetting I was rejoined on the podcast by our friend and young Gazan journalist, Mahmoud Mushtaha, from inside Al-Shifa hospital. He reports on the awful decisions doctors and nurses are been forced to make because of a lack of medical supplies, he outlines the horrendous conditions people are living in, the...

In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory and Tony, talk to Professor Balakrishnan Rajagopal, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, a lawyer by training, he is an expert on many areas of human rights. He outlines how Israel is committing genocide and war crimes in its attacks on the civilian population and infrastructure in Gaza. He also explains that there is more the UN...

Asad Abusharkh is a legend in the anti-apartheid movement. Himself a child of the Nakba, he has dedicated his life to fight for not just Palestinian freedom, but the freedom of all people. So it was very upsetting to read in a Facebook post that his family home was destroyed in Rafah by the Israeli airstrikes.  An emotional, angry and unbelievably resilient Asad joined me to discuss this "war" on...

Note: The first 15 minutes of this podcast are more about domestic politics.  As the world watches events in Gaza, the West Bank is also in a state of chaotic violence. Joining us on the podcast for the first time in a while is Ramallah-based journalist, Gareth Browne. He explains the problems in the area with settler violence, the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government. Gareth also outl...

Note: Just this morning the IDF bombed and destroyed Muhammad's family home. He's not a terrorist. Why was his home targeted?  It was a great pleasure to be joined on the podcast by Gazan writer, analyst and researcher, Muhammad Shehada for a barnstorming podcast on the events right now in Gaza, the history of the conflict, the geopolitics of the "war" and the best explanation of the factions, gro...

Our friend and young journalist in Gaza, Mahmoud Mushtaha, rejoined us from Al-Shifa Hospital to tell us about the latest inside the hospital. He explains how Doctors are dealing under the most difficult of situations. He talks also of the loss of his friend, Yousef and how it made him want to quit his work. Mahmoud said recently that "Gaza is where dreams go to die." There is so much bad right no...

CW: You will hear the sound of explosions in the background on this podcast In the latest update from Gaza we are joined by Dr Refaat Alareer to discuss the last few traumatic days that he and his family have gone through and his hope for a ceasefire once people around the world stand up and say that Never Again means Never Again to Anyone.  Then you'll hear from our friend Zak about the latest sh...

Billy Hutchinson is the former leader of the Progressive Unionist Party and was a key figure in the negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. In this episode Billy talks to the lads about the current state of unionism and loyalism, class frictions within the pro-union body politic in NI and the importance of grassroots voices.

Hi folks, This is a 3/4 part podcast. The first part is a report from journalist Mahmoud Mushtaha in Gaza (via eSim thank you all very much) about the latest in his area, then Senator Tom Clonan joins us to talk about the military aspects of this tragedy and outline the failures and dangers that lie ahead. Then Martin and meself chat a few minutes about the war online and in mainstream media and f...

Short update: Earlier this morning Loay found out that his cousin, Ashraf El-Basyouni, was killed by an Israeli airstrike. May he Rest in Peace. Hi folks, Our friend, NASA Engineer and Palestinian, Loay Elbasyouni rejoined us late last night to talk about the ongoing plight of his parents who are trapped in Gaza, the lies and half-truths that are reported in the media and how only people not from...

Note: The podcast opens with a voice note sent by Zak in Gaza and you can hear the bombs.  It was a pleasure to be rejoined by the best reporter on immigration in Ireland, the Dublin Inquirer's Shamim Malekmian, to discuss the case of Abdullah Musleh, who finds himself trapped in Gaza because of the inefficiencies in the Irish immigration service. We also discuss the latest from Gaza, the generosi...

"Why do they say 'Hamas run Ministry of Health? They never say Fianna Fáil run HSE." Hi folks, As Gaza comes back online we are hoping to connect with people in the coming hours, but in the meantime this is a more general news week. I mean, we can't lose sight of the fact that there are now nearly 4,000 children homeless, that the US Speaker is MAGA Mike and some other things that deserve a mentio...