The Island Syndrome is a documentary that breaks down the three hidden mechanisms driving up the cost of everything in Ireland. Whether you’re interested in economics, energy policy, Irish politics, renewable energy, or simply want to understand why the cost of living keeps rising, this documentary explains the system in plain English.

Along the way, we’ll examine data centres, interconnectors, hydrogen storage, renewable energy policy, carbon taxes, electricity market reform, and the unique challenges of running an energy system on an island at the edge of Europe.

Marginal Pricing Explained
Why electricity generated by cheap wind farms can still be sold at expensive gas-fired prices. The strange market mechanism that determines what every generator gets paid.

Curtailment Payments Explained
Ireland is paying hundreds of millions of euro every year to switch wind turbines off. We examine how curtailment works, why renewable energy is being wasted, and who ultimately pays the bill.

Capacity Payments Explained
Why Ireland spends billions guaranteeing backup power stations that may only operate for a handful of days each year. The hidden costs built into the electricity system.

#documentary #irelandpolitics #ireland #costofliving #datacenter #utilitybills

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Limerick is one of Ireland's most fascinating cities, and one of its most misunderstood. Once synonymous with knife crime and negative headlines, it has undergone a remarkable transformation. Billions invested in health, education, housing and the docklands have brought it level with Cork, Galway and Waterford. But Limerick didn't stop there.

In 2024 Limerick became home to Ireland's first and only directly elected Mayor, John Moran. A person with a plan, a mandate, and a timeframe in which to deliver it. For the first time in Irish history, people voted not for a party or a set of beliefs, but for a vision.

In this episode we explore what that vision looks like on the ground. From festoon lights on the Shannon to a proposed 70 acre riverside park. From the Marmot City framework tackling generational deprivation to a polycentric city model that could reshape how Limerick grows for decades to come.

Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

In 1956, Ireland had the highest rate of psychiatric hospitalisation in the world.

Not because Ireland suffered some unique epidemic of insanity, but because institutions had become deeply embedded within the social fabric of the State itself.

INSIDE THE ASYLUM explores the rise of Ireland’s vast asylum system through the story of places like the Cork District Lunatic Asylum, once one of the largest psychiatric institutions in Europe.

The documentary examines the intersection of mental health, poverty, shame, religion, trauma and social control in post-independence Ireland, asking what the long-term psychological consequences of institutionalisation may still be today

Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

What’s driving Ireland’s energy crisis isn’t bad luck… it’s design.

The Price Of Power is a ground-level investigation into how Ireland became one of the most expensive places in Europe to keep the lights on. From wind curtailment to gas dependency, from battery rollouts to broken planning, this is a system under strain and few seem willing to confront it.

Through on-site reporting, expert voices, public records, and first-hand accounts, this film traces the threads behind rising costs, fragile infrastructure, and decisions that are reshaping the country’s future.

We investigate:
– Over €100 million paid for wind energy the grid could not use
– Why more renewables hasn’t meant cheaper electricity
– Battery storage systems being deployed ahead of regulation
– Ireland’s growing dependence on gas as Corrib Gas Field nears depletion
– The absence of gas storage after the closure of Kinsale Head Gas Field
– A planning system where legal challenges are fought between citizens and the state
– Data centres driving demand while building their own power supply
– The shift toward offshore wind under the state’s long-term strategy

This isn’t just about energy.
It’s about control who has it, who doesn’t, and who pays the price.

Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

A deep dive into Cork city; its trees, its parks, its streets, and the systems that shape it. From Bishop Lucey Park to North Main Street, from painting schemes and urban neglect to culture, governance, and who really holds power. This film looks at how Cork is managed, why ambition keeps getting suppressed, and what a small European city could be if it was allowed to reimagine itself. Cork city is endlessly rich in architecture, character and ambition, if only if was given a chance to realise its potential. Through continued awareness, Corkonians must talk openly about the problems, the solutions and the systems holding it back. 

#cork #corkcity #ireland #documentary

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Why does Ireland feel more unsafe than it used to?

Let's look at the growing sense of insecurity across Ireland, from rising violent crime and repeat offenders, to a justice system that struggles to intervene early or enforce consequences. Headlines tell one story, lived experience tells another, and somewhere in between sits a broken system that isn’t working for victims, communities, or even Gardaí.

We examine how weak sentencing, lack of early social intervention, addiction services gaps, and a revolving-door justice system have created a situation where serious offenders face little deterrent and ordinary people feel the effects every day.

We explore crime in Ireland, law and order, policing, sentencing, youth crime, addiction, and why so many violent offenders remain free despite long conviction histories. If you’ve ever wondered why antisocial behaviour feels more normalised, why trust in institutions is eroding, or why Ireland’s justice system feels out of step with public expectations, this episode is for you.

Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

What’s happening on the Shannon Estuary is not an accident… it’s a system.
The Aughinish Incident is a hard-hitting investigative documentary uncovering the hidden risks, missing oversight, and decades of unanswered questions surrounding Aughinish Island.

Through Freedom of Information files, groundwater data, on-site investigation, and first-hand testimony, this film reveals a story of pollution, cover-ups, regulatory blindspots, and the growing fear of a tailings dam disaster on Ireland’s west coast.

We investigate:
– Toxic groundwater contamination travelling far beyond the BRDA
– Missing animal health samples and gaps in state investigations
– The expanding red-mud dam and its risks
– Failures by regulatory bodies tasked with safety
– Local communities fighting for accountability
– The global supply chain behind Ireland’s quietest environmental crisis

Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

Ireland looks green, but the truth is far darker.

We export 90% of our beef and dairy, yet import the calories to feed half our own population. Our rivers are collapsing under nitrate pollution. Farmers are leaving the land. And the taxpayer is set to pay billions in EU fines for agricultural emissions.

This episode dives into the paradox of Irish farming: how a nation with fertile land and just 5 million people became a net food importer, dependent on fragile global supply chains. It’s a story of political inaction, agribusiness control, and an environment pushed beyond its limits.

We can grow food to feed ourselves. We can protect our rivers. We can build a farming system that sustains both people and land. But only if we stop pretending the illusion is enough.

Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

Ireland is a country of breathtaking landscapes; mountains, rivers, forests, and seas. And yet, for all its beauty, we barely step into it. Unlike almost every other country, Ireland has no camping culture, no BBQ areas, no right to roam, and hardly any public facilities that make the outdoors accessible. Instead, generations have been told, directly and indirectly, that we can’t be trusted outside. In this episode, we explore why Ireland became a nation of “The Great Indoors,” how this disconnection affects our mental health and culture, and what we could gain by rebuilding a true relationship with the land. From saunas on our beaches to the absence of bins in our parks, this is a story about trust, freedom, and the need to step outside before it’s too late.

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Cork is Ireland’s fastest-growing city, but you wouldn’t know it from how it’s run. The basics, the functional, everyday parts of a city, aren’t being looked after.

Green spaces? Neglected. Paving? Patchwork. Maintenance? Slowed down by layers of bureaucracy. Even simple fixes, like painting poles or upgrading lighting, get lost in risk assessments and endless meetings.

We don’t lack opportunity, we lack the will to act. And until that changes, Cork will keep growing without ever truly improving.

Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.