Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

Anne Cadwallader covered the Drumcree events in the late 1990s. She remembers the tension of those days and the work Rosemary Nelson did at that time. On Free State today she talks to Joe and Dion about Rosemary Nelson's murder. She talks too about Lethal Allies her book about collusion and the Glennane Gang. She explains how she first arrived in Northern Ireland and how as a 'well brought up girl' from London, she had one view of what was happening which changed with time and experience. She also tells us how Tina Turner's intervention led to her receiving death threats from loyalists.

Anne's novel Crossing Over is available here - https://www.mercierpress.ie/books/crossing-over/

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“This man's issue and the reason why he did what he did changes the world,” Ben MacIntyre says. “He changed the world that we now live in. Without this person we would probably be living in a different world.”

On today’s Free State we learn the story of Vladimir Kuzichkin, a Soviet spy working in Iran whose codename was ‘Redwood’.

Redwood had a problem, a sexual problem and the author Ben Macintyre tells us of this problem and why this spy and what he did might have changed the course of history. He explains what drew him to the story and the key ingredient in delivering a book as compelling as this.

More details on Redwood can be found here https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/739964/redwood-by-ben-macintyre/

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Drumcree is now a peace dividend. Where once the attempt to march led to violence, destruction and death, now it leads to court wranglings, endless negotiations and the support for the Garvaghy Road residents from Noel Gallagher.

On Free State, Dion and Joe look at this death rattle for anachronistic unionism and what it means for a new Ireland. Joe and Dion argue about whether calling a border poll would help.

Let us know what you think, email [email protected]

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Thousands gathered on Garvaghy Road determined that there would be no going back. A new generation, confident and assured, are determined that the north chooses a different road.

But what is it about a parade of elderly orange men that causes these emotions?

On Free State today Joe explains why Garvaghy Road represents a new and confident community.

Joe and Dion discuss what it means for a United Ireland. What that Ireland would look like might be even more important than a border poll.

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In November 2023, Peter O’Mahony sat down for a meeting with his coach at Munster Graham Rowntree where the reality of a professional sportsman’s life became brutally clear.

On that same day, Peter and Dion met for the first time to begin work on his autobiography. Peter is the guest on today’s Free State where he talks about why having an obsession with winning was essential to his career and his brief time as a Gaelic footballer.

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In Drumcree and in Debrecen, we were forced to consider different Irelands last weekend.

The determination of the Orange Order to parade down Garvaghy Road brought back memories for so many of the dark days in the north.

But does it really show how much has changed?

On Free State today, Dion and Joe discuss what happened at Drumcree and in Hungary where Gavin Bazunu told his team mates he didn’t want to play against Israel. Should his team mates have stood with him? What does beating Israel mean for Ireland? Is there any merit in it or are Ireland just participating in the sports washing of war crimes?

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‘We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.’

With these words, Irelqnd’s manager Heimir Hallgrimsson tried to rally support for his players before they play their first game against Israel.

The Israeli Fa responded by saying, ‘We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, We’re playing against the coach who embodies them."

With these words, the Israeli FA would seem to be in step with their government and those who attack anyone who criticises the genocide in Gaza.

On Free State today, Dion and Joe discuss what should happen next. They disagree about what it says about the players if they play this game against Israel but not about what should happen next.

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‘Three things come with taking a man’s life. The first one is the easy bit – going into a room and shooting somebody… The second is preparing yourself if you get caught coming or going and getting life in prison – could you do it? And the third and final and most important is can you live with it for the rest of your life? And that’s where a lot of people fail.’ 

Aaron Edwards is the great chronicler of loyalism in this time. His new book details the life of Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair who spoke those words to Edwards and gave a glimpse into the world that made him feared across the north.

On Free State Edwards talks to Joe and Dion about Adair. He explains how he got to know him and he discusses the broader loyalist mindset and how it would approach a border poll.

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