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

In this Reboot Republic Podcast, Rory talks about the upcoming referendums on the family and care to Orla O Connor, Director of the National Women's Council, Ailbhe Smyth, activist and academic, and Damien Peelo, CEO of Treoir. We discuss why these referendums will make a difference in giving equality to all Ireland’s children that were born outside of marriage, recognising the diversity of famili...

In this episode, Rosie and Gavan Titley consider the politics behind ‘PC gone mad’ or ‘Cancel culture’ type controversies, and what might be distinctive or new about contemporary free speech related anxieties. Gavan explains the concepts of ‘post-racial’ societies and ‘frozen racism’ and how, when linked to dominant ideas about free speech, they are used to close down discussions about racism and...

Rejoining us on the podcast is reporter Hannah McCarthy, who has continued to cover events in Palestine, with a particular focus on what's happening in the West Bank. She explains what's happening in Jenin and Ramallah, how East Jerusalem is under siege and why the latest Israeli military operation in Rafah is going to make access to the already limited food and aid supplies almost impossible. 

If you heard Baraa Albayari's interview from Podcasts for Palestine, then you'd know that after he'd left Gaza and swam from Turkey to Kos in Greece, he'd wound up homeless on the streets of Dublin. You'd also know that we weren't going to let that continue and things have improved a little now for him.  Joining Baraa in the shack for some pizza, some football on the tv and a catchup podcast are m...

Note: Please email Tanaiste Micheal Martin: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie and you can tweet the Irish Embassy in Ramallah, who are handling Zak's cast here: @IrlRepRamallah In this short member-only podcast you'll hear from Irish-Palestinian, Zak Hania, on the latest from Rafah and what the mood is like in the "refugee camp." Please call for his safe return: see above. I also do a solo run on some...

Sinn Féin made headlines when they said that they wanted average homes to be within reach of average salaries. Their figure of €300,000 was scoffed at by the Society of Charted Surveyors, who put the cost of building a house in Dublin at €460,000. So what to think? Joining us on the podcast is UCD Asst Prof of Architecture, Órla Hegarty, and she breaks it down not only with numbers, but with evide...

Hi folks, Just a quick member-only podcast on some of the developments in Gaza over the last couple of days. I've been in touch with Zak, Hana, Mahmoud and Noar and it is very disheartening to feel their resilience fading. But there is some good news, Loay Elbasyouni, who you'll hear from, is hopefully only a few hours away from finally being reunited with his parents, who survived an Israeli atta...

Between 1993 and Jan 2019, all arms of the State freely admitted to the use of 'Test Cases' to decide workers were self-employed. By Dec 2019 the State was vehemently denying their own documented confessions of using 'Test Cases'. What changed? Martin's tenacity, that's what. When Echo Chamber cohost, Martin McMahon gave evidence to an Oireachtas Committee that the use of test cases was happening...

The last time we spoke with Pattern Up and Adam SpiceBag Doyle, they'd caused a lot of pearl clutching with their Crack Zone posters. This time they've done something very different and very much appreciated by the Shack. They've repainted the iconic Free Derry Wall with words from the poem of our friend Dr. Refaat Alareer, who was murdered by the Israeli military last December.  Not content with...

Personal stories move people and hearing them from Gaza matters even more today. PalCast founder Dr. Yousef Aljamal, shares the story of his mom and brother getting out of Gaza and their experiences of the last 120 days with his co-hosts Helena Cobban and Tony Groves.  The PSTD is clear, they lost so much weight and they now have problems eating three meals a day as they'd gotten used to eating mu...

In this episode, Niamh talks to Dr Majella Mulkeen of Atlantic Technological University about her research on the framing of care within the Standards of Proficiency for Social Care Workers (SOPs) in Ireland. As Majella explains, the SOPs are set down by the Social Care Workers Registration Board.  They detail the skills and abilities that individuals must possess in order to enter the register of...

CW: This conversation discusses subject matter that some people may find upsetting. Another highlight from the Podcasts for Palestine was the live Reboot Republic conversation between our very own Dr Rory Hearne and Irish Psychologists for Palestine's Dr Meg Ryan.  Then musician and activist, Martin Leahy, takes to the stage to lift everyone's spirits with a uplifting rendition of his song "Palest...

We've watched with some concern as polling around immigration has continued to make headlines and get used by certain cohorts to advance certain narratives. So naturally we'd go back to our favourite poll-nerd Mr https://irishelectionprojections.com/2024/02/02/january-2024-projections-update/, Harry McEvansoneya to discuss this and the overall state of the electorates current voting intentions.  W...

Israel is waging a war against UNRWA to defund it amidst genocide. The world watches as Palestinians are starved in Gaza, and does nothing enough to help people there, not as fast as some western countries rushed to defund UNRWA. China, Belgium, Ireland and Spain and other countries call for supporting the UN agency in the face of a campaign that aims to eradicate it. Here we stand watching more r...

For the last few years our guest, Audiologist, Frank McGrath, has joined us to discuss a condition that effects over 400k people in Ireland, Tinnitus. And every year someone listens to it and tells us that they or someone close to them took the advice, had a consultation and have seen an improvement in what is literally a pain in the ear. So here again for National Tinnitus Week is our friend, fel...

CW: Contains subjects that listeners may find upsetting - But I'd urge you to listen. Please. Halfway through the Podcasts for Palestine show, Mazen Hania asked me could his friend, Baraa, say a few words. So this podcast wasn't planned or rehearsed, it was simply Baraa wanting to tell his story to a room of people who felt every word.  Please listen, please tell people about Baraa and remember th...

Dr. Yousef Aljamal hosted today's episode from Zurich, Switzerland where he recently spoke with Café Palestine. Café Palestine's Blake Alcott, who also works with One Democratic State, was our guest. These two, and PalCast's Helena Cobban and Tony Groves, discussed Israel's harsh continuing violence in all parts of Gaza and the northern West Bank and the swelling impact this violence has been havi...

Hi folks,  I'm working through the audio from the Podcasts for Palestine, which was an unbelievably emotional and uplifting night. While I'm putting it together I will drop a few highlights out to you guys and this performance is a great place to start.  Plug in your headphones and listen to the world premier of Aziz, Ara and the Accidental Rapper in what is the Palestinian-Irish smashup we didn't...

In this wide-ranging conversation, Rosie talks with Patrick Bresnihan and Naomi Millner about their wonderful co-authored book ‘All We Want is the Earth - Land, Labour and Movements Beyond Environmentalism’.  Published by Bristol University Press in July 2023, the book critiques what its authors describe as ‘modern environmentalism’ and conventional understandings of who does and what counts as en...

We are constantly hearing about people having to fight for services and supports that some Government advertising campaign tells us is readily available. But some parents have found that the best support is other families who are in the same position. Joining us to talk about that united front are the wonderful Rachel and Faye of https://www.fussireland.com/ FUSS stands for Families Unite for Serv...

We are very busy with the Podcasts for Palestine in the Sugar Club later, but we didn't want to leave you without a bit of a rant about the news that went by this week. The ICJ judgment, Heather Humphries vs Martin, the weaponised Travel Pass, Ukraine's bad news, Trump's flaming clown car crash, cork news and devastation for Liverpool. We'll be streaming tomorrows show on the Shack zoom. So if you...

Rather than fight online about what the ICJ's interim judgements regarding the case South Africa took against Israel for its war on Gaza, I decided to chat with my friend who is still stuck in Rafah, separated from his family and a bit sad, Zak Hania. Zak gives his reaction to the verdict and even talks about the Irish politicians planning their trips to the war-enabling US of A. He is, it goes wi...

We are bombarded with "we've never had it so good" opinion pieces, so it can be hard to understand why many of us feel poorer than ever. The truth is that inequality is not a bug of our economic system, it's a feature.  Rejoining us to talk about inequality, broadening the tax bands, housing costs creating lifestyle chaos and why there are lots of solutions is economist with NERI, Ciaran Nugent. E...

Most people don't look forward to the European election, but most people aren't losers like us. So we were delighted to be rejoined on the pod for the first time this year by current (and going for it again) MEP, and a face-that-doesn't-fit, Luke Ming Flanagan. He tells us how the EU might actually get a better deal for the MICA families than our own Govt are offering. He talks about the balance i...

Note: Yousef and Helena will open the Podcasts for Palestine this Sunday, Live at the Sugar Club. There is a brilliant lineup, music and lots of special guests. Get your €10 tickets now: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/podcasts-for-palestine-tickets-782538141647 Promo Code PALPOD As the Israeli military advances towards Khan Younis, they are taking more losses, with 24 army personnel killed in one day...