The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack

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Many of you will be familiar with the work of author and commentator, Nooruddean Choudry, you just might not know he was behind that viral video you loved or, like me, you thought of him as his brilliant twitter account @BeardedGenius. So it was a genuine treat when he agreed to talk to me about his new book, Inshallah United, which is half memoir about his life growing up in Manchester as the child of Pakistani Muslim immigrants and half social, art, sport and political commentary .

We talk about how 'place' shapes us all, where our values come from, finding our people in different arenas and we get stuck into the progression of regressive politics in England. I really enjoyed this podcast and recommend you follow Noz @BeardedGenius and get his book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inshallah-United-story-faith-football/dp/0008522235

>Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory chats to some of the lead organisers (Dean Scurry, Clare O Connor, and Darragh Adelaide) of the incredible Ireland for All gathering on February 18th which saw tens of thousands people march through Dublin in the largest positive mobilisation in Ireland since the Water Charges in 2015. We talk about the historic importance of the gathering, how it was a moment of celebration, a giant act of solidarity and love, and an assertion for an inclusive welcoming Ireland for refugees, asylum seekers, Travellers, and the diverse population of Ireland. We also discuss how it was also a moment of challenge to the policies of Governments and failures in housing, health, inequality, and poverty that are leaving communities marginalised. We discuss the key role of local 'For All' groups and activists in organising the event, and we discuss how Ireland For All can continue to grow as a new movement for a new Ireland, a vision and pathway for conversations, community action, celebrations and assertions of an Ireland for All based on addressing the inequalities in society.

Following the cowardly shooting of DCI John Caldwell and the threatening statements from senior members of paramilitary gangs, things in the North seem febrile.

Joining me to discuss what is happening on the ground in the affected communities are Shrapnel co-host, Sam Mcilwaine and journalist and co-facilitator with the Civic Initiative Northern Ireland, Emma DeSouza. We discuss the politics, the societal issues, the NI Protocol deal, the Good Friday Agreements 25th year anniversary and we ask how do we move forward when a noisy minority seem to want to drag us back?

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Joining us on the tortoise shack is Snr Lecturer in TUD, Dr Lorcan Sirr, to discuss how we cannot trust the housing new build statistics. Indeed, long-time listeners will recall Lorcan raised this on the podcast back in 2017 and while history may not repeat, it does echo.

We talk about how we seem to have moved from overcounting to forward counting, the most accurate way to measure new builds and the political reluctance to fix this issue.

We also go into the flaws in the Govts new Planning Bill and the dangers the changes pose to public participation in the planning process.

Friend of the tortoise shack, Colombian journalist with El Pais, Nicholas Dale Leal, joined us for the first time in 2023 and he brings us up to speed on the attempted coup and ongoing deadly protests in Peru. You won't get a better synopsis on Irish media.

We also discuss the South America and US relations via the prism of Joe Biden's recent summit in Mexico. We look at the attempts to dedollarise the region and reverse the inequality that is built into various parts of the market economy.

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On Saturday, February 18th the Ireland we can become showed up for the #IrelandForAll Solidarity Rally. I've pieced together sounds, songs and voices from the days events. You'll hear from Clare O'Connor, Dean Scurry, Darragh Adelaide, Sophia Mulvany, Rose Marie Maughan, Christy Moore, Adam Mohamed, Patrick Costello, James O'Toole, Michael Taft, Dave Gibney, Rory Hearne and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey.

Hope you enjoy it.

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It was a great pleasure to be rejoined on the pod by human rights campaigner, independent Traveller activist and general tyro, Rose Marie Maughan, to discuss how her life experience and work in activism has her more determined than ever to help create an Ireland for All.

We talk about the need for real solidarity beyond social media and how by coming together there's nothing that we cannot overcome. See you on Saturday the 18th at 1:30pm!

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Activist, human rights campaigner, pure Ballymunner and cohost of this weekends #IrelandForAll Solidarity March, Dean Scurry joined me to discuss the genesis of this inclusive and diverse show of solidarity and love. We discuss the recent protests in Ballymun, the bad faith actors and countering false information. Dean talks about his experience of Apollo House and how that act of civil disobedience helped shape the movements he works with now.

See you all Saturday, 1:30pm, Parnell Square.

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In this Reboot Republic, Rory chats with tortoise shack editor and Reboot producer, Tony Groves, about a new report that showed an inequality in cancer outcomes based on peoples socioeconomic levels.

We discuss inequality as a driver of polarisation and protests. Rory talks about the need to move away from a neoliberal atomisied society and to invest in community. We also look at the false narrative that the State are protecting the public purse in their dealings with survivors of various scandals.

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Our guest is Sinn Féin Senator, Lynn Boylan, who recently helped reveal a Govt 2009 emergency response that became a long-term subsidy to Large Energy Users (Big Business and Corporations) paid for from additional charges on us, the regular householder.

We look at how this happened and why it was kept long after the emergency period had passed. We also talk Sinn Féin's climate record, the far right protests and how, while everyone is exhausted, we need to rise to the various challenges ahead in 2023.

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