Bramcast continues with a discussion on Irish politics and Irish political history with Dr. Eoin O'Malley.

Dr O’Malley is an associate professor in political science at the school of law and government, DCU. He is the author of “Contemporary Ireland”, a university textbook on Irish politics, and writes a regular column with the Irish Independent. 

Today, of course, we talked Irish politics. The discussion ranged from the IRA and the Blueshirts, to the Progressive Democrats and John Bruton. Dr. O’Malley provides an explanation for why Ireland never swung to the far left or right in the 20th century, and he shares his thoughts on the rise of Sinn Fein and their likely place in the next coalition. We talk about Freedom of Speech, his favourite political heaves, and much more.

Thank you to EY for their sponsorship and support. 

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In the third episode of season two of Bramcast, we are joined by the the former Tánaiste & current MEP for Dublin, Frances Fitzgerald.

A parliamentarian for over twenty years, Ms. Fitzgerald has has served as a TD, a senator, Minister for Business, Enterprise & Innovation, for Justice and Equality, and was the first minister for Children and youth Affairs. Prior to her entry into politics, Frances Fitzgerald served as Chair of the National Women’s Council, and Vice President of the European Women’s Lobby.

In this episode, we discuss Ms. Fitzgerald’s time in University, the impact it had on her worldview, how she entered politics, and how her career as a social worker influenced her political outlook. 

We talk about some of the defining political issues of her career, her current efforts in the European Parliamant, and delve into the effects of the controversy that led to her resignation as Tánaiste, and her subsequent vindication of any wrongdoing. 

We also touch on the history of women in Irish politics, Ms. Fitzgerald’s political mentors, the most underrated figure in Irish political history, and much more. 

Thank you to EY for their sponsorship and support. 

Introduction Music Credit: Eastern Blokhedz Live at Barbes for WFMU's Transpacific Sound Paradise with Rob W

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In our second episode of season two of Bramcast, we are joined by the 2023 Rose of Tralee, Ms. Roisin Wiley.

Róisín was born and reared in New York to an Irish family hailing from county Limerick. After being selected to represent New York in the competition in June, she would win the Rose of Tralee outright this past August. A graduate of Fairfield University, Róisin is currently serving as Vice President of Neptune Retail Solutions, a consumer marketing company based in the US. 

Today, we discuss Róisíns life story and what brought her to enter to the Rose of Tralee. Roisin explains what the Rose of Tralee is, what it means to her and the other Roses, and she esponds to criticism of the competition and festival as antiquated and pushes back on the “beauty pageant” label so often applied to the festival. We delve into what Róisín would change about the Rose of Tralee, what makes New York Irish different from Irish America at large, the most influential figures in her life, and even an account of her first visit to the Ploughing Championships. 

Thank you to EY for their sponsorship and support. 

Introduction Music Credit: Eastern Blokhedz Live at Barbes for WFMU's Transpacific Sound Paradise with Rob W

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In our first episode of season two of Bramcast, we are joined by the Irish Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason.

Ambassador Byrne Nason has led a distinguished career as a Public servant for many years now. Prior to her appointment as Ambassador to the US, she held the title of second Secretary General in the department of the Taoiseach from 2011 to 2014, as Ambassador to France from 2014 to 2017, and Ambassador to the United Nations from 2017 to 2022. It was during this time that she led Ireland to a seat on the UN Security Council, the organ of the United Nations charged with promotion and maintenance of international peace and security.

Today, we explore the ambassador’s entry into diplomacy, the abolition of the marriage ban and how it opened up Ireland’s diplomatic service, the role of the United Nations, the shortcomings of the VETO power held by permanent UN Security Council members, Ireland’s disproportionate influence in the halls of American power, and the Ambassador offers advice to Irish Diplomats of future years.

Thank you to EY for their sponsorship and support. 

Introduction Music Credit: Eastern Blokhedz Live at Barbes for WFMU's Transpacific Sound Paradise with Rob W

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our third episode, Bramcast is joined by the esteemed film & TV producer, Ireland's last Film Censor, and first Film Classifier, John Kelleher.

John has been one of Ireland’s preeminent film and TV producers for many years. After studying law in UCD and doing a master's in Drama in the US, John returned to work as a producer, director, and ultimately as the controller of programs at RTE. Subsequently, he would serve as the editor of the Sunday Tribune and set up his own production company, Fastnet Films.

In 2003, after public consultation, John was appointed as the nation’s Film Censor. Since its establishment soon after the birth of the state, this office held and exercised the power to cut, ban, and otherwise censor films in the republic if they were found to be “contrary to public morality” or otherwise “deprave or corrupt” - usually, this constituted anything contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Though it had liberalised somewhat in the years preceding his tenure, John’s monumental efforts brought about the modernisation of the office for the 21st century. Changing the office, in his words, from “guard dog to guide dog,” IFCO was renamed from the “Irish Film Censor’s Office” to the “Irish Film Classification Office.” In effect, banning films was out of the question. IFCO went from deciding what content was morally pure for the population to watch - and censoring accordingly - to simply assigning age classifications to movies, allowing citizens to exercise their own discretion as to what content was fit for their personal consumption.

Today, John is as active as ever in the film and TV industries. Recent productions of his company, John Kelleher Media, include “The Guarantee,” “Mammal,” and “The Sparrow.” He is currently working on a new film with Charlie Bird, “Ransom 79.”

We discuss that film in today’s episode. We talk about the history of IFCO, some of the more absurd examples of historical censorship, his own experience growing up in Ireland under that censorship, and about his own time at the helm of the IFCO, his reforms during that time, and his career in production. Finally, John shares parting words with a generation of Irish that have never known film censorship.

Thank you to EY for their sponsorship and support. 

Introduction Music Credit: Eastern Blokhedz Live at Barbes for WFMU's Transpacific Sound Paradise with Rob W

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our second episode, Bramcast welcomes the renowned Irish producer, Noel Pearson, to the show. 

Noel began his career in the arts as band manager of the Dubliners. He then moved onto the theatre industry, producing shows in Dublin, Broadway and the West End and serving as director of the Abbey theatre in the 1980’s. Noel then moved into film production. His first Movie, My left Foot, was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two. 

He would go onto produce other contemporary classics, such as the Field and Dancing at Lughnasa, and remains fiercely active in the industry despite a low media presence.

In this episode, we discuss his unlikely career in the arts. We talk about the role of a producer, their relationship with actors and directors, about the influence of published critics, the legacy of the Dubliners, of my left foot, and his other works. We delve into the difference between the music, film and theatre industries, how financiers impact art, and Noel offers some advice for the next generation of Irish artists. 

Thank you to EY for their sponsorship and support. 

Introduction Music Credit: Eastern Blokhedz Live at Barbes for WFMU's Transpacific Sound Paradise with Rob W

Timestamps:

1:20 The Role of a Producer

1:50 The Producer’s Relationship with Actors and Directors

2:20 Richard Harris’ Casting in The Field

3:15 The Role of The Bull McCabe

4:52 Director Relationship in Theatre vs Film

4:35 The Power of Published Critics

7:08 The Cultural Impact of My Left Foot

8:20 Lack of Experience in Film and it’s Advantages

9:35 The Renaissance of Irish Art

11:42 Financing Film

13:17 Picking the Team that made My Left Foot

14:50 Daniel Day Lewis as Christy Brown

16:04 Acting on the stage vs on the screen

17:15 Advice to the next Generation of artists

17:50 Young Noel’s Ambitions and The Dubliners

20:57 Difficult Projects

20:40 Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa

23:20 The Achievement of Writing a Play

23:50 Most Underrated of Noel’s Works

25:00 Future Projects

25:50 Samuel Beckett

26:58 On Regret

27:35 Required Consumption for Young Irish People

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Mick Clifford, award winning journalist and author, joins Bramcast for our inaugural episode. 

Mick Clifford is special correspondent with the Irish Examiner. Awarded NewsBrands Journalist of the year in 2016 and Journalist of the year by Tonight with Vincent Browne in 2014, he was at the vanguard of breaking the Maurice McCabe whistleblower story. He has authored several fiction and non-fiction books, including “A Force For Justice: The Maurice McCabe Story”, “Bertie Ahern and The Dromcondra Mafia”, and “Unlocked: An Irish Prison Officer’s Story”. He hosts his own podcast weekly, “The Mick Clifford Podcast”, with the Irish Examiner.

This episode delves into how he got his start in journalism, the status and credibility of Newspapers in the age of Social Media, Ireland’s libel laws, the far-right, corruption and an Garda Síochána, the Irish prison system, the centenary of the Civil War, Bertie Ahern in a new decade, and much more. 

Thank you to EY for their sponsorship and support. 

Timestamps:

0:57 Starting in Journalism

3:36 Newspaper Credibility in the Age of Social Media

8:17 Ireland’s Libel Laws

11:48 News, Opinion, and the blurring thereof 

12:13 The Far-Right in Ireland

22:28 Twitter

25:08 Maurice McCabe & An Garda Síochána

35:11 Reporting in Fearful Conditions

36:27 Prisons in Ireland

42:00 The Civil War Centenary 

48:44 Returning Ministers to their Seats

50:07 Bertie Ahern in a New Decade

54:11 The Effect of Upbringing on Journalism

55:34 Influential Books, Authors and Journalists

57:22 Stories Mick Regrets not Pursuing

58:43 Story Mick is Proudest of

1:00:16 Seeking Out Stories

1:01:07 Favourite Crime Novels

1:01:36 Book Recommendations 

1:03:23 Advice to the Next Generation of Journalists

Introduction Music Credit: Eastern Blokhedz Live at Barbes for WFMU's Transpacific Sound Paradise with Rob W

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