The week that really was

Does Irish politics suffer from a major deficit of…. ability? That’s the question John and Sarah take on this week in the wake of a farcical health proposal, an aborted tax cut, and the entry of a new contender to replace Joe Biden.

"A TD told me he actually believed what he'd said and I was shocked because that's so rare" - John and Sarah discuss the political response to Inch, as well as sunburn, AI, and bullying in schools.

In this week's podcast Sarah reacts to the news that fake tan might be racist; and wonders why women are so consistently in the firing line of modern cultural outrages:

John and Sarah discuss Leo Varadkar's bizarre explanation of the hate speech bill, the Labour Party's new badges, and Sarah's life-long love of Coronation Chicken.

In a week dominated by the Niall Collins scandal, John and Sarah debate whether Ireland has a corruption problem, disagree about Niall Collins, and reflect on the Eurovision scandal that rocked the internet.

Kevin Myers joins John and Sarah to talk about what it is like to be cancelled, the culture of fear in Ireland, and why he remains trenchantly opposed to Sinn Fein.

John and Sarah discuss the Biden visit and our national love of being loved, as well as reviewing the state of the parties after THAT poll last weekend.

John and Sarah discuss what possessed the state to promote a sexually explicit book in schools, the fall of Nicola Sturgeon - and since the world has gone mad, are joined by Mr. Sarah Ryan - Keith Redmond - to discuss legalising drugs.

Joined by financial analyst KARL DEETER, John and Sarah discuss how a Newstalk host ended up punching himself, not Katie Harrington - and why Government Housing policy so consistently backfires.

John and Sarah talk through the massive public reaction to the Barbie Kardashian story, ask what's the problem with Martin Nolan, and talk the politics of the eviction ban.

As St. Patrick's Day dawns, John and Sarah discuss the evolution of the Late Late Show from consensus breaker to preacher's pulpit, the President's latest intervention, and the attraction of polyamory

In an episode abbreviated by an untimely power cut, John and Sarah discuss a week in which Irish politics, and Ireland's President, drifted ever further away from normal people. 

"The conversation University of Limerick thought was too dangerous for students to hear: John and Sarah sit down with Mary Kenny to discuss the state of modern feminism"

John and Sarah discuss the cost of living package, the growing unaffordability of life in Ireland, as well as Katharine Zappone's Poetry and Roald Dahl's dangerous books:

Sarah Ryan makes her debut as the John's new co-host this week, as they ask: Why are Irish Politicians so afraid to say what they really think?

Gript's own Fatima Gunning joins John to discuss Martin Nolan's banner week, her experience of Dublin after four years in Seoul, and what it was like observing Enoch Burke in court.

John and David discuss the news that 5,000 people arrived in Ireland with no documents last year, and whether St Patrick's Day is now about anything except Irishness.

John McGuirk, David Quinn and Alan Hynes of the Catholic Education Partnership discuss Pascal Donohue's SIPO troubles, why parents are pushing back against new sex education proposals, and the latest on Enoch Burke.

In the absence of David Quinn this week, John is joined by Laoise Uí Aodha DeBrún, founder and CEO of @thecountessIE, to discuss the growing impact of the transgender debate on Irish women.

CORMAC LUCEY joins John and David to discuss the unfixable Irish health service, the resignation of Damien English, and the "shift in the national mood" over immigration.

David Quinn and leading EU critic, former diplomat, Ray Bassett, discuss the 50th anniversary of Irish membership of the EU, plus the chasm between Pope Benedict’s harsh image in the media and the humble, courteous, gentle person he really was. Gary Kavanagh of Gript Media stands in for John McGuirk this week.

As Christmas approaches, John and David run, or in John's case rant, through the final stories of the year, from the climate bill, to the twitter files, and the hangover to end them all in Rathkeale.

In Episode Nine, John and David look at how twitter's practice of "de amplifying" some news is replicated wholesale in the Irish media - from Brussels corruption scandals, to Leo Varadkar, to the East Wall protests.

Peadar Toíbín joins John and David to discuss post covid excess deaths, immigration, hate speech, the anniversary of the free state, and the "animal hard" job of leading a new party.

Jason O'Mahony joins John and David to discuss Ireland's love affair with all things EU, and what it might take for a new party to break Irish politics wide open.