The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack

On Jan 30th 1972 thousands of people took to the streets of Derry as part of the Civil Rights movement. The British/ Stormont government had introduced internment laws, effectively outlawing the right to protest.

British soldiers opened fire on protesters in one of the worst atrocities committed on this island. After they'd stopped firing 13 people were dead and one more would die weeks later from his injuries. 50 years later the families still seek justice and they are walking this weekend to remember their loved ones and the shared struggle for civil rights on this island and across the globe. One World, One Struggle.

For this tortoise shack special we traveled to Derry and into the Museum of Free Derry to cover the 50th Anniversary Bloody Sunday events. You'll hear from Irish Examiner journalist, Aoife Moore, Queens University Prof Colin Harvey, one of the founder of the Blood Sunday Families campaign, Tony Doherty and curator of the Museum of Free Derry, Adrian Kerr.

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There is a lot of politicians, including members of our own government, making statements about the situation along the Ukrainian border with Russia. Rather than indulge that hot air we decided to talk with members of both the Ukrainian govt and the opposition.

This podcast is with founder of the NGO Legal 100, current President of the Interparliamentary Union, Voice Party (opposition) member and Ukrainian MP, Lesia Vasylenko. We discuss the situation on the ground, the sabre rattling, the phoney war and the risks of it becoming more than that. Lesia tells us about the ways Ukrainian people are dealing with this current escalation and about why she feels membership of NATO, while impossible at this impasse, is what the majority in her country want. We do of course discuss Ireland, neutrality, Shannon, destruction of our marine environment and more.

Note: This is the first podcast of 2 scheduled about the rising tensions between Russia and the Ukraine. We'll also be talking with the head of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada, (Ukrainian Parliament) and Govt MP Maria Mezentseva in the coming days.

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It is always great to chat with writer with theintercept.com Jon Schwarz. We talk all things American politics, fears about inflation in the economy and why it's not the worry it's made out to be and the current Covid situation.

Then we get into what Martin and Jon really want to talk about, the film Don't Look Up. If you haven't seen it this contains spoilers and a Meryl Streep story. Enjoy.

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It was an absolute pleasure to share this weeks Sunday Special with UHW Cancer Pharmacist, DJ Walsh, Writer and Activist, Emma DeSouza and Writer and one of the organisers of the bloodysunday50.com events, Tony Doherty.

We discuss the week ahead in Derry and Tony tells us about how even now 50 years on he remembers his father who was murdered that day. We discuss the recent events in politics both sides of the border, the handling of the collusion report, DUP double jobbing attempts and the Stormont election in May.

Then we talk about the reopening of society and DJ gives us his insight and talks us through the bad data that has given us bad policy. We also chat Irish political Lobbying and SIPO, Biden's 1yr Anniversary, social media getting blamed for everything and Simon Coveney still having Moet problems.

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In this tortoise shack special Vicky and Martin were joined by Sinead Crowe, co-founder of the Instagram Community 'Intuitive Eating Ireland', registered dietitian Jo Moscalu, who specialises in eating disorders specifically 'Binge Eating' and fat activist Michelle McCormick. We discuss weight cycling, diet culture, fat phobic rhetoric, and the state funds that are going to Operation Transformation.

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This Reboot Republic talks to Colette Bennett, Economic and Social Analyst with Social Justice Ireland. We discuss what the COVID pandemic has told us about society, about housing, precariousness and community. We also discuss the recent Social Justice Ireland report on housing costs and poverty in Ireland, about the policy failure of the Housing Assistance Payment, and why a new eviction ban and referendum to the put the right to housing in the Constitution is required in 2022.

View the report here:https://www.socialjustice.ie/system/files/file-uploads/2022-01/housing-and-poverty-final_1.pdf

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It was a pleasure to be joined by economist and PBP member, Brian O'Boyle who along with co-author Kieran Allen, is co-author of a new book 'Tax Haven Ireland'

We discuss why they decided to write the book that goes against the mainstream opinion and what they discovered in their investigation into how a small island on the edge of Europe became one of the world’s major tax havens. Brian links the tax gymnastics to the issues in our health, housing and education system in a way that people can understand. There's a lot in this podcast and a lot in the book.

The book is available HERE for €15.50

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This week on the Sunday Special we were joined by Glow West podcast host, Dr Caroline West, Dublin Inquirer reporter, Shamim Malekmian and Adoption Rights and Clann Project co-founder, Claire McGettrick. It was an absolute privilege.

We discuss Shamim's latest story about how migrants are denied access to life-saving organ transplants because of the possible later requirement for State supports HERE.

We go into a lot of depth as to why the recent "gamechanger" on access to records for the survivors of Mother and Baby Homes/Magdalene Laundries was very much NOT a gamechanger. Then we discussed the outpouring of emotion following the shocking murder of Ashling Murphy, some of the aspects of the societal response and what it says about us and our need for genuine change versus the actual willingness to change.

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We want to express our condolences with the family, friends, students and everyone grieving for Ashling Murphy. Caroline West and Rory Hearne have covered this in much more detail on the tortoise shack member feed HERE

Joining us on the podcast is award winning News Reporter with the Irish Daily Mail, Craig Hughes. We discuss his recent coverage of the "regressive and inequitable" Help to Buy Scheme, the Dept of Finance at loggerheads with the Dept of Finance over house dereliction and then Craig's optimism, following his questioning of the CMO Dr Tony Holohan, that the end of the pandemic is not far away.

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We have a brilliant Sunday Special lined up for members this week. Tune in Live.

On December 6th we recorded our 2nd annual live Nollaig Na mBán Podcast with an audience of our members. We are releasing this now to everyone. Joining host Dr Vicky Conway to discuss hopes, fears and ambitions for 2022 is a powerhouse panel of incredible women, Psychotherapist Ejiro Ogbevoen, Social Care Worker Anne Marie Quilligan, co-convener of the Abortion Rights Campaign Helen Stonehouse, Writer and GFA Advocate Emma DeSouza and UCD Architecture Lecturer Orla Hegarty.

There's so much covered in this discussion. Grab a cup of tea and treat yourself. Thanks for all the support. Stand in Awe of All Mná.

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