Protests against Ireland's controversial system for housing asylum seekers Direct Provision have been re-ignited as demonstrations against racism sweep the United States. We interviewed Bulelani Mfaco where he lives in Knockalisheen Direct Provision centre on the border of Limerick and Clare for our episode on the system published in January. In this bonus episode made specially to thank our Patreon supporters, we publish the full interview with Naomi O'Leary. He tells us about his experience living within the system and why he sees Direct Provision as deliberate marginalisation of migrants and akin to racial segregation.

This bonus content was made possible by the continued support of our patrons! Sign up to support the podcast today at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport and gain access to our whole archive of Halfpint extra content.

For access to our full archive of bonus content, head on over on our Patreon page www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

Ireland shares a fascinating history with the Australian continent - by the 19th century, in fact, about 25% of settlers in Australia were Irish-born. In this episode, we speak to Victoria University's Diane Hall about the history of the Irish in Australia, Tim Mc Inerney meets two generations of Irish Australians who explain what their unique identity means to them, and Naomi O'Leary explores some of the major issues facing the Irish in Australia today.

If you liked this episode, why not give us a rating on whatever podcast app you use - It makes all the difference to us!

If you want more bonus content from the Irish Passport Podcast, you can become a Patreon supporter today and gain instant access to our archive of Halfpint episodes. Just head over to www.patreon.com/theirishpassport

The music featured in this episode is "Remember Love" by Lobo Loco.

As the Coronavirus hits the Native Americans hard, Irish people have taken the chance to repay a 173-year-old debt. 

A fundraiser to help the Navajo and Hopi Nations fight one of the worst Covid-19 outbreaks in the United States has taken off in Ireland. Donations have been flooding in, in tribute to an act of kindness during the Great Hunger in Ireland that has never been forgotten. In the worst year of the famine, 1847, the Choctaw people raised what they could and sent it to Ireland as aid.

It's not the only example of solidarity between Irish and Native American people throughout history. In this bonus episode made specially to thank our Patreon supporters, Naomi O'Leary traces the history of links between Ireland and Native Americans. Did you know that during the struggle for independence, the Chippewa-Ojibwe people made future Irish President Éamon de Valera an honorary chief?

You can donate to the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/NHFC19Relief

This bonus content was made possible by the continued support of our patrons! Sign up to support the podcast today at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport and gain access to our whole archive of Halfpint extra content.

For access to our full archive of bonus content, head on over on our Patreon page www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

You can listen to our episode The Great Hunger about the Irish famine and the Choctaw donation here: https://link.chtbl.com/GreatHunger

Featuring Cello Duet No. 1 by Chief Boima

In our first episode of Season 4, we take on the Irish Accent: where did it come from? What secrets might it hide? And why is it so often an issue of contention? Tim Mc Inerney speaks to accent expert Shane Walshe of Zurich University about how Irish accents are seen by the wider world, Naomi O'Leary talks with Senator Lynn Ruane about why some Irish accents can lead to discrimination and marginalisation, and most importantly we hear from our own listeners about the complications, the poetry, and the personal histories contained in every individual accent.

In this episode we asked our listeners to take the "accent challenge". Below is the list of words they were asked to pronounce:

Wash, Oil, Theater, Data, Crayon, Ruin, Spitting Image, Toilet, Syrup, Aunt, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Again, Both, Probably, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, New Orleans.

We've published a bonus episode featuring a full interview with Senator Lynn Ruane on class and inequality in Ireland over on our Patreon page www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

Special thanks to The Mary Wallopers, for the use of their fantastic track "Cod Liver oil and Orange Juice".

In Northern Ireland, questions of national identity often come with some surprising answers. Our reporter Jennifer Smith catches up with two Belfast residents born around the time of the Good Friday Agreement. They explain their understanding of identity in Northern Ireland and how nationality there constitutes a complex and ever-changing web of politics, family history, and social class.

This bonus content was made possible by the continued support of our patrons! Sign up to support the podcast today at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport and gain access to our whole archive of Halfpint extra content.

For access to our full archive of bonus content, head on over on our Patreon page www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

The music featured in this episode is "You get the Blues" by Lobo Loco.

In this bonus episode made specially to thank our Patreon supporters, Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney take a look at some of the good news coming out in the times of Coronavirus. We’ll be talking about drive-through testing centres in Dublin, mass volunteering efforts to help neighbours and the health service, EU officials embracing poetry, and some very promising statistics and real concrete help coming out of China.

You can sign up to join the Irish health service the HSE: hse.ie/oncall

If you need help or can offer help, like delivering groceries or subscriptions to your neighbours, the website to sign up is: https://localsupport.ie/ . Anyone who isn't online can ask for help by text on 087 365 8233.

We make Halfpint episodes especially to thank our Patreon supporters. If you want to access our full archive of Halfpint episodes, you can become a Patron today at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

A seismic result has emerged in the Irish election: the left-wing nationalist Sinn Fe'in are the most popular party, sweeping away the traditional dominance of Fine Gael and Fianna Fa'il for the first time in the history of the republic.

What caused the political earthquake? And what happens now? Naomi O'Leary joins Tim Mc Inerney from the main voting count centre in Dublin to break down the results.

The housing crisis, what went wrong for Leo Varadkar, the peculiar nature of Irish nationalism, and options for the next government: it's all up for discussion.

We speak to Dessie Ellis, who spent time in prison for his involvement with thetime Provisional Irish Republican Army, after he swept to the top of the poll in his constituency of Dublin North West.

Naomi brings context from the campaign trail as voters tell us their concerns. And we hear from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Fine Gael's Leo Varadkar, and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald to tell you all you need to know about the election that changed history.

For bonus episodes including an interview with Mary Lou McDonald about the meaning of left-wing nationalism, support us on Patreon: https://www.theirishpassport.com/podcast/what-the-uk-election-means-for-ireland-brexit-and-the-union/

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

The global rise of radical right nativist parties seemed to skip Ireland. But the last 18 months have seen efforts to introduce anti-immigration politics to Ireland in a way not seen before, amid a backlash against the legalisation of abortion. We hear how a conspiracy theory elevated by US pundit Alex Jones has ended up on the streets of Cork, as protesters ambush an event by ruling party Fine Gael a week out from the election. Naomi O'Leary speaks to Dutch political scientist Cas Mudde about what Ireland can learn from the experience of countries that have already seen similar trends. Mudde breaks down the evolution of the far right, new tactics at play, and the dubious role played by the media in the United States and the Netherlands.

This is an episode of Halfpints, the bonus content we make specially to thank our Patreon supporters. You can find a whole archive of extra content over at https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Share this episode and tag @PassportIrish to be in with a chance to win a copy of Cas Mudde's new book, 'The Far Right Today'.

Tech workers abandoning Dublin due to housing costs, an Airbnb maintenance worker who is himself homeless, and the woman battling to transform Ireland's swathe of vacant properties into homes. This episode takes an inside look at the housing crisis from the point of view of people facing the hard edge of the issue in different ways. As polls ahead of the election on February 8th indicate Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's chance at a second term may be slipping away as support ebbs towards Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil, Naomi O'Leary puts the appeal of promises to build social housing in context.

This is an episode of Halfpints, the bonus episodes of The Irish Passport podcast we make specially to thank our supporters on Patreon. You can find a whole archive of extra content over at https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

Featuring 'Bittersweet' by SYBS.

Ireland goes to the polls on February 8th. Naomi O'Leary breaks down six points that explain the election. Who are the players? Why was the election called? What are the main issues? How will the election work? What are the likely results? And what do the Black and Tans have to do with it?

This is an episode of Halfpints, the bonus episodes of The Irish Passport podcast we make specially to thank our supporters on Patreon. You can find a whole archive of extra content over at https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.