The Irish Passport

Since our last episode, Europe’s political landscape has been transformed – and that of Ireland along with it. Naomi lays out the facts about Ireland’s unique position in the international response to the Ukraine crisis. We find out why debates about military neutrality and NATO membership might once again be coming to the fore, and …

Continue reading "Ireland’s Response to the Ukraine Crisis"

This weekend, a group of musicians gathered in O’Briens Irish pub in the Ukranian capital and belted out traditional Irish tunes as a distraction from the threat of war. In this episode we uncover the surprisingly rich common history shared by Ireland and Ukraine, as told by a woman living through the dramatic recent events …

Continue reading "Ukraine and Ireland: a shared history"

From the streets of Brussels, to an office block in Greece, to a bus ride in San Francisco, the Irish language can pop up in some unexpected places. In this episode, we explore some of the new international frontiers of Irish. We speak to people whose knowledge of the language has launched them down far-flung …

Continue reading "An Teanga Bheo"

Did you ever hear the one about the bishop and the airport? Or the unlikely group of Irish revolutionaries who ended up changing history through an ill-fated trip to Belgium on a yacht? Naomi and Tim tell some of their favourite, quirkiest stories from Irish history in this special seasonal story-time episode. Huge thanks to …

Continue reading "The Bishop, the Guns, and the Virgin Mary"

This summer, the chaotic fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban left Irish citizens stranded, exposing the state’s lack of aircraft large enough to conduct an evacuation. It also highlighted the issue of Ireland’s tiny and under-funded defence forces, which force the state to rely on outside forces like Britain and the European Union for day-to-day …

Continue reading "Neutrality, Part 2: Ireland’s Dubious Defence"

In 1939, the young Irish state stood at a crossroads in its history. Europe was descending into war, and the deeply impoverished and weakly defended nation feared its strategic location on Britain’s flank could mean invasion – by either side. In this episode, Naomi and Tim describe a moment when two towering figures of 20th …

Continue reading "Neutrality, part 1: Churchill versus de Valera"

Live from Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland, Naomi and Tim discuss place and power: unpacking how place names, landscape, and architecture contain secret histories hidden within plain sight. Guest Linda Ervine, manager of the Irish language project Turas, explains how learning Irish is helping many in the unionist community to rediscover their own local histories, …

Continue reading "Live Show: Place and Power"

Who was the iconic woman depicted on Irish banknotes from 1927-1977? Why was  she so integral to the story of Irish independence? And what lies behind her inscrutable stare? In our latest Halfpint episode, we discover the extraordinary life of Lady Lavery – a Chicago-born debutante who would go on to become the face of …

Continue reading "Halfpints: Lady Lavery, the Face of Ireland"

Food shortages are hitting Britain hard, and things are set to get worse – but why are shelves still fully stocked in Northern Ireland? Naomi explains the ins and outs of Brexit’s effect on UK supply chains, and how traders and consumers are going to have to adapt to some new (and pricey) post-Brexit realities. …

Continue reading "Brexit Update: Empty Shelves and Data Borders"

Special guests Naomi’s sister Molly May O’Leary and her musical collaborator Fionn Ó hAlmhain visit the podcast to play songs from and discuss their new album, Lambent Flame. It was recorded with the famed Hothouse Flowers singer and multi-instrumentalist Liam Ó Maonlaí over a difficult period when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down much of the …

Continue reading "Irish music special"