The Irish Passport

hundred years since the end of the First World War, the remembrance poppy remains a controversial symbol in Ireland. Why? Writer Kylie Noble explains what the poppy meant to her as a child growing up in Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, and how she reconciles it with her British and Irish identity today. Naomi traces the roots of Ireland's complex relationship with the poppy and how it intersects with her own family history, and interrogates what the fundraising appeal is for according to the accounts of the Royal British Legion. Should Taoiseach Leo Varadkar be wearing a shamrock poppy? You decide.

Featuring Cello Duet No. 1 by Chief Boima

A hundred years since the end of the First World War, the remembrance poppy remains a controversial symbol in Ireland. Why? Writer Kylie Noble explains what the poppy meant to her as a child growing up in Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, and how she reconciles it with her British and Irish identity today. Naomi O'Leary traces the roots of Ireland's complex relationship with the poppy and how it intersects with her own family history, and interrogates what the fundraising appeal is for according to the accounts of the Royal British Legion. Should Taoiseach Leo Varadkar be wearing a shamrock poppy? You decide.

For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

Featuring Cello Duet No. 1 by Chief Boima

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Ireland votes for president on Friday October 26. Naomi and Tim break down the drama of the campaign.  Featuring dragons, horses, and car-crash interviews (literally). We hit the campaign trail on the streets of Dublin, ask Sinn Féin candidate Liadh Ní Riada why she's running when she probably won't win, and tell the backstory to why Ireland has this peculiar position at all.  This is a free sample of a new Halfpint, the bonus content we make for our Patreon supporters. To hear the whole episode, head over to The Irish Passport Patreon page to become a patron.

Ireland's housing crisis is at boiling point, with homelessness at record levels and even well-paid people struggling to afford soaring rents and house prices. It's the political issue everyone is talking about -- but it's one with a long and dramatic history. Tim Mc Inerney and Naomi O'Leary trace the backstory to how an agrarian revolt turned Ireland into a kind of property-based welfare state. Guest reporter Molly May O'Leary visits an 'occupation training' session by Take Back the City, the activists who are grabbing headlines by seizing empty buildings in Dublin and demanding they be turned into social housing. How did Ireland go from the excesses of the Celtic Tiger property boom, to bust and back again? And what does diaspora minister Ciaran Cannon say about the impact on those hoping to move home? Hear the whole story in this episode. Featuring insights from University College Dublin Professor Michelle Norris, University College Cork Professor Cathal O’Connell, and Lorcan Sirr, who’s senior lecturer of housing at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcript-the-housing-crisis/

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Ireland's housing crisis is at boiling point, with homelessness at record levels and even well-paid people struggling to afford soaring rents and house prices. It's the political issue everyone is talking about -- but it's one with a long and dramatic history. Tim traces the backstory to how an agrarian revolt turned Ireland into a kind of property-based welfare state. We visit an 'occupation training' session by Take Back the City, the activists who are grabbing headlines by seizing empty buildings in Dublin and demanding they be turned into social housing. How did Ireland go from the excesses of the Celtic Tiger property boom, to bust and back again? Hear the whole story in this episode.

Tim Mc Inerney and Naomi O'Leary travel to Belfast for the peak of Northern Ireland's marching season: the 11th and 12th of July, when unionists and British-identifying communities light enormous bonfires and parade through the streets to commemorate Protestant military victories of the 17th century. We speak to experts including Donald MacRaild and Dominic Bryan of Queens University Belfast who explain the meaning of the tradition, and visit loyalist and republican communities in Belfast to understand what this time of year is like for them. We find many sides to the Glorious Twelfth: it can be a beloved community event, but it's intimidating enough that it drives most Catholics off the streets of Belfast. Naomi and Tim come face to face with the darker side, as they find themselves caught up in the thick of openly sectarian celebrations.

For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcripts/transcript-the-glorious-twelfth/

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Tim and Naomi travel to Belfast for the peak of Northern Ireland's marching season: the 11th and 12th of July, when unionists and British-identifying communities light enormous bonfires and parade through the streets to commemorate Protestant military victories of the 17th century. We speak to experts who explain the meaning of the tradition, and visit loyalist and republican communities in Belfast to understand what this time of year is like for them. We find many sides to the Glorious Twelfth: it can be a beloved community event, but it's intimidating enough that it drives most Catholics off the streets of Belfast. Naomi and Tim come face to face with the darker side, as they find themselves caught up in the thick of open sectarian celebrations.

Pope Francis visits Ireland in the wake of the abortion referendum, as Church infighting over the legacy of abuse in Catholic institutions threatens to derail the trip. We hear from people who protested the papal visit, and feature a special guest who decided he wanted to hear what the pope had to say for himself. Naomi and Tim discuss what the low turnout tells us about how the country has changed, and whether the visit closes a chapter in modern Irish history.

This is a Halfpint episode, the extra content created to thank our Patreon supporters. Due to strong demand for an episode about the pope's visit, we've released this Halfpint to all listeners. You can listen to our full archive of Halfpints by signing up as a supporter on our Patreon page.

Derry: ground zero for the outbreak of conflict in Northern Ireland. Is it once again being threatened with instability as Brexit causes deep uncertainty over the border? Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney travel north just as unrest breaks out in the ancient city as Protestants and unionists prepare to mark the 12th of July: a yearly celebration of their culture. We chat to a man who lost his father in Bloody Sunday, speak to children building a bonfire about why they burn the Irish flag, and sketch out why this city of so much promise has been held back by decades of discrimination.

For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.theirishpassport.com/transcripts/transcript-derry-irelands-jerusalem/

Support this podcast

Derry: ground zero for the outbreak of conflict in Northern Ireland. Is it once again being threatened with instability as Brexit causes deep uncertainty over the border? Naomi and Tim travel north just as unrest breaks out in the ancient city as Protestants and unionists prepare to mark the 12th of July: a yearly celebration of their culture. We chat to a man who lost his father in Bloody Sunday, speak to children building a bonfire about why they burn the Irish flag, and sketch out why this city of so much promise has been held back by decades of discrimination.