RTÉ

Ramble with Joe McGucken

Society EN ↓ 6 episodes

This is Ramble, a podcast where Joe McGucken immerses himself in the crazy world of each guest, capturing on-location interviews with people from the fringes of society, people from weird subcultures, hobbyists, sports people, celebrities and anyone in between. Joe is only interested in hearing a good story. The problem is, Joe is highly unqualified. With zero journalistic credentials and a naive optimism, Joe is perpetually out of his depth. But there’s a charm to it all. Driven by a genuine, relentless curiosity, he fumbles his way through these raw encounters and reflects on the madness bac...

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Episodes

Ramble with Ex-Prisoners 09.07.2026 31:45

Stressed out by a mountain of work and an upcoming family holiday, Joe jokingly wishes for a short prison sentence just to escape his responsibilities. This thought leads him into a deep look at the reality of the Irish penal system, starting with a wild story about the time he unknowingly gave a lift to a fugitive on his way to hand himself in. Joe talks to Robert and Damien, who both served sign...

Ramble On: Rise Of The Machines 07.07.2026 22:06

In this bonus episode of Ramble, Joe follows up on the chaotic aftermath of his interview with Grace and Jeff. He shares behind-the-scenes insights into their remote Minnesota Homesteading lifestyle and details the heartbreaking reality of Jeff's ultimatum. Joe is also joined by AI researcher Bella, who shares her ongoing studies into why companionship and therapy have become the number one uses f...

Ramble with the woman leaving her family for an AI boyfriend 02.07.2026 40:35

Joe's fascination with artificial intelligence led him down a rabbit hole and he came across a woman who is in love with her AI companion. Based in Minnesota, Grace created an AI companion over a year ago called Max. It didn't take long for her to fall in love with Max after intense sexual encounters with it. The only problem is, Grace is married to her husband Jeff and they have a 5 year old daug...

Ramble with the Irish Lad Doxxing ICE Agents 25.06.2026 45:28

In this episode of Ramble Joe took a covert trip to Barcelona to meet an Irish guy who goes by the name Dominick Skinner (not his real name). After an online Twitter spat with The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, he launched a database exposing the identities of ICE agents in the USA. Since then the operation has grown, with hundreds of volunteers running a ship that's fueled by whistl...

Ramble with a Bare Knuckle Boxer 25.06.2026 36:11

In this episode of Ramble, Joe went to Crumlin Boxing Club to chew the fat with Johnny Jawbreaker, a Bare Knuckle fighter. Formerly an MMA fighter with Bellator and Cage Warriors, John Redmond is now competing in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). This episode skips the standard sports chat for a blunt look at the brutal realities of fighting for a living. Redmond quotes surprising dat...

Ramble with Joe McGucken: Introduction 23.06.2026 10:46

Welcome to Ramble, a brand new podcast with Joe McGucken.  Before the madness begins and the first full episodes drop, Joe is checking in to give you an idea of what’s to come. A series of interesting conversations with interesting people. Ramble is a mix of on-location conversations from fascinating, weird, and wonderful people in society, that usually get overlooked, and Joe’s unique perspe...