Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

History is a nightmare from which Ireland is always trying to awake. On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at how the future is being grasped in the north. But this is a story about the whole island and why the leadership shown by Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly will ripple across the country. Ireland’s history is always with us but the future doesn’t have to be a nightmare.  In th...

Northern Ireland was once a land divided by symbols. Since Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little Pengelly became First Minister and deputy First Minister it is a place energised by them. On Free State, Joe and Dion look at the leadership shown by O’Neill and Little Pengelly and how those like the Allosaurus (Jim Allister) are on the brink of extinction. When Little Pengelly visited St Paul’s GAA club i...

As he locked up Bellaghy Wolfe Tone GAA Club in May 1997, Sean Brown was murdered by loyalist gunmen.  The sense of injustice has deepened since the British Government passed the Legacy Act last year.  This week, a High Court judge Mr Justice Kinney was so appalled by the behaviour of the state that he pulled the plug on the inquest and recommended a public inquiry. This on the day...

The Maze Prison is a central part of Northern Ireland’s history. But there was once a plan to make it a shared monument to a brighter future. On Free State, Joe and Dion tell the story of the plan to turn the Maze prison into a National Stadium for the three main sports (and ice skating). They show how it was brought down by the same forces who thought Brexit was a good idea for the north and who...

People were denied the truth in the north during the troubles and that denial of truth extended to sport. The coverage of the GAA reflected the nature of Northern Ireland at the time. On Free State, Dion and Joe look at how the north is changing and why sport is too. The resistance to Casement Park’s redevelopment is the death rattle for the old ways when the GAA found itself billed below the Pige...

Why is Casement Park so divisive? When Ravenhill and Windsor Park were redeveloped in the north they had cross community support. What is it about a GAA stadium that enrages a certain faction of unionists? On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at the issue of Casement Park and explain why it is linked to the days of naked sectarianism. The redeveloped stadium will be a shining beacon on the hill...

The RTE scandal is not about pay-offs, flip-flops or Ryan Tubridy’s salary, it’s a story of how the media was manipulated in Ireland. From the Troubles to Gaza one point of view has always been given an easier ride than the other. On RTE The Musical Part 5, Joe and Dion look at who has been platformed by the national broadcaster and who is excluded. RTE’s future is a story that is much bigger than...

RTE can’t escape scandal. The controversies of the last six months have demonstrated how the organisation operated in the dark. But there is a bigger story. On Free State, Joe and Dion look at how RTE was captured. How free and fearless journalism has been replaced by cronyism. They trace the story of decline back to the 1970s to see how journalism and journalists in RTE were censored during the T...

Having dealt with the question ‘What is Bono?’ on today’s Free State, Dion and Joe ask the more important question: why? Why God why?  They look at how Bono’s endless hot air became a comfort not a challenge for the elites. What was Bono’s plan to combat ISIS? And they ask the most important question - how did Bono become the butter in the peace process sandwich? For more on Free State: https...

What is Bono and who is he for? On today’s Free State, Dion and Joe look at Bono’s activism, what he has said and, as importantly, what he hasn’t said. Is he a symbol of all that is wrong with the world? Is he a false god of philanthropy or has he achieved something meaningful?  They also discuss the Kneecap case against Kemi Badenoch and Dion explains why her censorship represents another na...

How close are we to a United Ireland? The unionist voices that said ‘no terrorists in government’ and no Sinn Fein First Minister have been marginalised. How will they respond to what is coming next? Joe recalls his own encounters with Jamie Bryson and explains why he would be a good convert to Catholicism. The boys also suggest another career path for Bryson now that politics isn’t working out. J...

Michelle O’Neill’s election as First Minister of Northern Ireland made worldwide headlines. On today’s Free State, Joe reflects on the importance of O’Neill’s election and considers what it means for the nationalist community.  Joe and Dion look at the generous speeches of O’Neill and the deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly and consider their journeys to this point.  It is a momen...

Northern Ireland prepares for a Sinn Fein First Minister, but why has it taken so long? On today’s Free State, Joe and Dion look at how culture was used as a tool of oppression in the north. As Kneecap the movie demonstrates the Irish language is now part of a vibrant culture among young nationalists. The language has more power because of how it was so recently suppressed. Dion also finds a stron...

Anarchy is always a threat to the establishment. Joyous anarchy unsettles them even more. Kneecap are annoying many of the right people as they aim for world domination. Their film has angered the Daily Mail and the DUP and also won the audience award at Sundance which has angered them even more. On today’s Free State, Joe and Dion consider the rise of Kneecap and what it tells us about a communit...

If you can’t spot the sucker at the poker table it’s you. Today’s 'Free State' tells the story of how the GAA surrendered to corporations and how people became products. Dion and Joe consider the new RTÉ uniforms which could be part of any sponsorship deal. Joe reveals he has been beside himself with worry over the health of King Charles. The boys also discuss the proposal that a future United Ire...

The GAA occupies a special place in Irish life. But that special place is what makes it so attractive to sponsors. Today Joe and Dion look at the plan to sell the naming rights of Páirc Uí Chaoimh and rename it SuperValu Park.  Dion vaguely recalls his only visit to the new Páirc Uí Chaoimh. And, in a world where everything is for sale, how does the GAA protect what is precious? Joe also desc...

Sportswashing works. From the English Premier League to the World Cup to golf, sport is being transformed by countries whose main interest is transforming their image.  On Free State today, Dion and Joe ask what is the real cost of sportswashing and is it an inevitable consequence of a broader issue? Society is divided and while inequality grows people have been persuaded that the problem is...

When JP McManus donated €32 million to the GAA last month, people were falling over themselves to hail his generosity. JP didn’t need to do this, they said. What a gesture from a man who truly loves the GAA. Put the envy to one side and celebrate these millions which will make a difference to every club in Ireland. Only begrudgers, the petty and socialists could complain. On Free State today, Dion...

On today’s Free State, Dion and Joe are joined by Sally Hayden, a remarkable journalist covering the story of our time. Sally’s book My Fourth Time, We Drowned exposed the incompetence and corruption in the EU’s treatment of the most vulnerable in society, desperate families crossing the Mediterranean and leaving poverty and war in African countries. Sally reports from some of the most dangerous p...

Luke Littler was magnificent as he reached the world darts championship final. On today’s Free State, Dion and Joe look at a special kind of sporting talent. They ask what Littler has in common with David Clifford, Wayne Rooney and Jesus Christ. Does it matter if Littler now fulfils his potential or is the beauty of sport about the joy he brought this winter? Joe is also intrigued by cheating in c...

On today’s brand new episode, Joe and Dion intended to look back on 2023 and anticipate 2024. They celebrated the return of Ryan Tubridy and wondered if Jim McGuinness can pull off the same trick at Donegal again. But as they remembered those who died in 2023, Joe and Dion go on a meandering journey of their own. They talk about their memories of life and loss. They remember those who passed...

On today’s Free State, Joe is looking for America as he takes a belated honeymoon across the US. From Music Row in Nashville, Joe and Dion talk about the magic of country music and the endless possibility in America. They also ask what 2024 holds for Donald Trump and why he is also a product of the American dream. They also wants to know if there is merchandising potential in Mickey Harte condoms....

On today’s Free State, Dion and Joe select more of their favourite moments from 2023. They choose from their most enjoyable guests to those occasions where they bitterly disagreed. And, of course, the revelation late in the year about Joe and dogs. One of our highlights was the contributions of ‘Resting Bitch Face’ who to this day is hunting the man who named him. Free State with Joe Brolly and Di...

This week on Free State, Dion and Joe have selected their favourite moments from the first eight months of the podcast. From hallucinating ten Joe Brollys to the priest who thought one Joe Brolly was bad enough. There is also the extraordinary moment when Moneyball author Michael Lewis talked about how he kept going following the death of his daughter Dixie Lee Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion...

Paul Howard and Roddy Collins are back for the second part of the Free State Christmas Special. Roddy remembers how he tried to take a bit of the Dublin southside culture back to the northside with predictable results. He also recalls his first encounters with Paul, then known as the Milky Bar Kid, and how a very young Paul Howard accidentally sabotaged Stevie Collins European title fight and kept...