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In this Reboot Republic Rory & Tony talk to the incredible young Gazan journalist Abubaker Abed about his journey from Gaza to Ireland, the importance of solidarity and speaking up, the daily reality of surviving a genocide, and what Ireland can do to show a common humanity when the world turns its backs on the Holocaust of the 21st Century.

Liam Cunningham on Gaza and the cost of speaking out:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-129443800

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You asked us to look closer at the Trade Union movement in Ireland, so consider this an opening conversation with two Union stalwarts, Scott Miller and Paddy Cole, who are also two of the main organisers of the Tressell Festival. Some mild disagreements. Talk soon again, lads.

Limited tickets:https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-robert-tressell-festival-2025-tickets-1270717663739

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The Abubaker Abed podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-129356565

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In this podcast we are joined from Gaza by teacher, storyteller and mother, Banyas Abu Harab, who focuses on educating, comforting and inspiring young learners in Gaza, even as the bomb blasts are audible above her voice. This is a very different insight into the reality of the ongoing Genocide in Gaza. Thank you, Banyas

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The Abubaker Abed podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-129356565

English Translation of the story Banyas tells in Arabic below

The Woodcutter and the Three Wishes

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there was a poor woodcutter.

Every day, he went into the forest to cut wood. He sold the wood to people in the village, just so he could feed his children at the end of the day.

One afternoon, while he was chopping wood, he suddenly heard a loud, strange noise.

He stopped, looked around, and saw a big, glowing blue light.

He didn’t know what it was, and he thought maybe it was going to rain.

Then, out of nowhere, he heard a deep, scary voice:

“Ask for anything you wish—I will give you three wishes!”

The woodcutter was surprised, but he quickly made his first wish.

“I want food for my children,” he said.

And just like that, a table full of delicious food appeared!

For his second wish, he said, “I want lots of money!”

The genie brought him piles of gold and coins.

For his third wish, the woodcutter said, “I want a big house for my family.”

In the blink of an eye, a beautiful, large house stood in front of him.

The woodcutter ran home happily and told his children the whole story.

But his children didn’t believe him.

He took them to the forest to show them the genie—but the genie was gone.

The woodcutter felt sad that his children didn’t see the magic.

Still, they all went back to their new home, ate the delicious food, and were very happy.

But as time passed, they spent all the money.

Soon, it was all gone, and the family became poor again.

The woodcutter went back to the forest to look for the genie and ask for more money—but the genie was nowhere to be found.

That day, the woodcutter learned a very important lesson:

Instead of asking for money, he should have wished for a good job, something that could help him earn and care for his family for a long time.

And that’s why we should never depend on magic or other people’s money.

We should work hard, believe in ourselves, and build our future with our own hands.

The woodcutter was kind—but he had been a little greedy.

Next time, he would make wiser choices—not just for himself, but for his children too.

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In this extraordinary podcast, Prof Richard Murphy pulls no punches in addressing Keir Starmer's recent speech on migration and the so-called "island of strangers."

He outlines how these new policy positions are also contrary to the Labour promise that Growth will underpin all of their actions in government. He also discusses the major flaws in First Past the Post relative to Proportional Representation.

The Lexi Alexander podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-129134515

The Tressell Festival pod is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-129099555

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"Ireland, once a proud republic of ideas and insurgents, now resembles a serfdom for supranational capital. It is time – long past time – for a reckoning. The question is not whether this gilded scaffolding will crumble. It is whether we will have the courage to build something real in its place." Business Post editorial May 2025

That's not a paragraph we expected to read from the SBP, so we had to dig into what was behind it. Joining us to do so is one of the authors of the Tax Mirage report, UCD Professor, Aidan Regan, and he breaks it down brilliantly. Don't miss this episode.

Read the report here:https://democracychallenged.com/2025/05/07/irelands-1-trillion-mirage-how-a-nation-became-a-vault-for-global-profits/

Prof Richard Murphy on Keir Starmer - "Keir Starmer came out as a full-on racist" interview out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-129009639

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Dr. Akram Habeeb is a professor of English at the Islamic University of Gaza. He taught and inspired many academics including Dr. Refaat Alareer. He left Gaza after 45 days of displacement in Rafah, where he did his best to care for his family. In this episode, he talks about his special relationship with Refaat Alareer, education and his own experience of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. He also shares a wonderful poem that you should stay tuned for.

We want to express our condolences to Tony and his family on their loss.

The Brendan Ogle Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-128733772

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In this echo chamber podcast you'll hear from writer, musician and activist, Martin Leahy, whose weekly one-man housing protest outside the Dáil is coming up on 3 years next Thursday May 15th. A real one. Everyone Should Have a Home!

The Brendan Ogle Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-128733772

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Shrouq Alaila is a journalist from Gaza. She won the Freedom of Press Award in 2024 for her journalism work in Gaza. She speaks to us from Gaza on the challenges of reporting, securing food and caring for a baby whose father, also a journalist, killed by Israel as he shielded them from Israeli bombing. Tune in for this powerful episode.

Editors Note: I’ve recorded over 2,000 podcasts and this is maybe one of the most important and impactful episodes I’ve ever had the privilege to be involved in.

The Housing Tzar Debacle podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-127977984

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Soliman Hijjy is an award winning visual journalist from Gaza. He’s also the fella in the group who keeps everyone smiling, even in the most difficult moments. He joins us from Khan Yunis only 7 minutes after another deadly Israeli attack. We talk about his work, the role of journalism beyond telling stories and how making jokes in moments of danger is an act of resistance.

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Listeners know tortoise shack regular John Harris as that fella who writes about politics and hosts one of them podcasts for the Guardian. Many of you will have seen his award winning series Anywhere But Westminster. So when he told me a few years ago that he was working on a book about his neurodivergent and autistic son James, I knew it would be a great read. I was wrong, it's a brilliant read.

John joins me know to discuss the book, autism, family ups and downs and how music not only helped James find his voice, it opened up the conversation between their entire family. Thanks, John

Maybe I'm Amazed is published by John Murray and is available in bookshops across Ireland.

Dave Hingerty podcast out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-127569343

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