The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack

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As the dust settles on the Spanish general election we sat down with Madrid-based journalist (with Novara, Jacobin and the Gaurdian) Eoghan Gilmartin and Limerick man in Galicia, Professor Joe Haslam, to discuss what happened, what is going to happen next and explore the reason why even though Vox have lost, the far right might have gained in the medium term.

The SpiceBag & Pattern Up Podcast is out here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-87317513

Support the Iceland Workers!

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Trade Unionist, Activist, and a favourite sparring partner of Martin, Mr Brendan Ogle, came over to the tortoise shack for a chat about a little bit of everything.

We discuss the state of Trade Unions in Ireland, Workers finding their voice in the precarious labour market, Brendan's experience in Argentina, what the RTE payments scandal says about soft-corruption in Ireland and we then debate if Dublin really is a no-go zone. (It's not)

The Dept of Health whistleblower Shane Corr podcast is out now:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-87065046

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Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack On Thursday July 20th Sam travelled down to Dublin to take part in the tortoise shack live at the sugar club. It was a special night with amazing people, a very lively audience some great contributors.

In this part you'll hear from Sam, writer, campaigner and host of the Lost in Implementation podcast, Emma DeSouza and cohost of the Echo Chamber Podcast, Tony Groves. We talk Loyalism, nationalism, the middle ground, health, housing, education, the Good Friday Agreement, a border poll, political cowardice and lots more. I hope you enjoy it as much as the audience did.

Part 2 featuring the journalists behind the Ditch website, Roman Shortall and Eoghan McNeill is out now here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/86683661

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“If you have to kill me, kill me. But I am telling you to your face: you won’t silence me.”

Those are the prescient words of Colombian journalist, Rafael Moreno, who must have known when he was saying them that he had not long left to live. But he kept on reporting until his murder.

Rejoining us to tell us about this story of incredible bravery and how fellow journalists have stepped in to seek justice for Rafael, is journalist with El Pais in Latin America and tortoise shack regular, Nicholas Dale Leal.#JournalismIsNotACrime

The PSNI monitoring journalists Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey podcast is out now: https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-86743356

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(Editors note: Before Listening I recommend that you read this short thread - https://twitter.com/whittledaway/status/1683040346740072448?s=20)

Pádraic Fogarty loves nature. His nature-themed writing, advocacy and activism spans over two decades. So it was a shock to many to see that he had resigned from the Irish Wildlife Trust over a blog post that upset the Irish Farmers Association.

He joins us to talk about how it all went down, why he he doesn't regret the 'lurching to the far right' comment that has seen him be attacked across social and indeed parts of the mainstream media. Where to next for Pádraic? Why did the IWT cave to the IFA? Who is the modern far right? We get into it.

The Right to Housing Referendum podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-86631400

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Rejoining us just as the Dáil shuts down for it's 18 month summer holiday and for the first time since she became her party's leader, is Soc Dems, Holly Cairns. We had plenty to catch up about.

We talked about her new role, how the Mother and Baby Home redress scheme shamefully passed into law, her concerns that Sinn Féin are trying to play all sides, her red lines for government and her feelings about the "Irish AOC" line. We also discuss the recent abuse directed at her outside the Dáil, the struggle to grow her party and I ask how just left are the Soc Dems?

The Sugar Club Live with The Ditch is out now:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-86683661

(Editors note: Episode recorded and released to Patrons July 17th)

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In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to the remarkable Mavis Ramazani, about her personal experiences and her innovative work of empowering refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland. Mavis is a pioneer for empowering refugees, particularly women, a campaigner with MASI (Movement of Aslyum Seekers in Ireland), a Sheroes Global Award winner (2022), and she works for the Irish Refugee Council.

She explains the reality of living in Direct Provision, trauma that refugees experience, and the need for trauma informed service provision, and what that should look like. She explains how empowerment and integration can be done through the prism of food, providing self cooking facilities, and she outlines the initiative she has set up – Cooking for Freedom. An incredible and powerful story with positive suggestions for how we can build an inclusive Ireland, from the grassroots.

To help out contact Cooking for Freedom http://cookingforfreedom.ie/

The Podcast with Pádraic Fogarty is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-86576407

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Most weeks we get a sprinkling of political polling across the newspapers, but what is interesting (at least to me) is how the sausage is made and who decides to lean into certain controversial topics, such as immigration or Ireland's neutrality.

Joining me in the tortoise shack for what is undoubtedly the biggest nerd-out on polls podcast we've ever done is TUD lecturer, former political staffer and the guy behind Ireland Thinks, Kevin Cunningham. This is for all my fellow poll nerds.

The podcast with former communications officer with the Irish Wildlife Trust, Pádraic Fogarty on THAT blog post is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-86576407

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Doctors Homeless, Sleeping in Cars, Unable to take up posts!

In this Reboot Republic Rory and Tony talk to doctors working in the Irish health system who are being exploited, and devastated by the housing crisis. The doctors tell their experiences of living in hidden homelessness - living out of their car, couch-surfing, living in insecure housing, and the impact on them and the health system. We talk to Dr. Ali Raza Ansari, who has been made homeless, he does his shift in the hospital and then goes into a situation of couchsurfing with a friend, we talk to Dr Liqa Ur Rehman, a paediatrician in the Coombe Hospital about the need for the HSE, hospitals and the Government to take responsibility for providing accommodation for doctors. Dr Anum Zara is a psychiatric doctor and she explains the impact of the housing situations on mental health, and need for secure accommodation for healthcare staff. Dr Hussain explains that he had to turn down a post in Portlaoise hospital because he couldn't find accomodation, or a school place for his children, while Dr Aman has been offered a position in Clonmel Hospital but cannot take it up because she cannot find anywhere to live.

These doctors are providing essential care, they want to stay in Ireland, they love Ireland. This is a housing and health emergency, the Government, hospitals and the HSE must take emergency action.

The Tortoise Shack Live in the Sugar Club Part 1 is out now:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-86435515

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Please join us at pateeon.com/tortoiseshack This Sunday, Spain goes to the polls in what is an election that‘ll see either a broad left coalition govern or usher in the return of fascism in government. At this stage, reading the polls, a hung parliament would feel like a win. That’s not hyperbole.

Joining me in the tortoise shack to talk about this and why we should care a great deal, is Madrid-based journalist, Eoghan Gilmartin. Some excellent analysis by a great reporter and journalist.

The Tortoise Shack Live @ the Sugar Club Part 1 is out now: https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-86435515