Hilary McGann is back! And so is the chaos of the global news cycle... well, that never really went away did it?

We catch up with Hil on all we can cram into an hour - from life as a new mum and the return of her Booked In podcast to the deepening instability in U.S. and Israeli politics, this episode covers a lot of ground.

We dig into Trump, polarisation in politics and society, media pressure, religion in the corridors of power, and why so much of the world right now feels like history unfolding in real time.

This week we welcomed People Before Profit–Solidarity TD Richard Boyd Barrett back to WTSpod. 

We spoke about returning to public life after cancer treatment, the reality of going through Ireland’s public health system, and why better access to cancer care still matters. We also get into the Cherrywood arena controversy, public spending priorities, Ireland’s neutrality, Trump, and the growing impact of toxic online culture on real-world violence.

This week we're joined by Alex Brock and Niamh Foley — two humanitarians who have worked in conflict zones such as Ukraine, Palestine, Yemen, and Iran. 

Niamh joins us from Kyiv, where air-raid sirens, power cuts, and sub-zero winters are part of daily life. But, thanks to amazing human resiliance, so are packed cafés, opera nights, and almond lattes.

Alex shares his experience of having recently returned to Ireland. We talk about what living through a war actually feels like and the emotional toll it takes... not just on those there, but on the families watching from home.

We also get into the strange, brilliant side story of how Alex, Niamh, and a small group of Irish expats in Kyiv set up a GAA club in the middle of it all.

Just us this week as we catch up on the pearl-clutching over Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl and rant about billionaires being generally awful people. 

We're back! And so is Donnycarney's greatest export - Philip O'Connor. 

Reporting from the arse-end of the Alps at the Winter Olympics, Phil gives us food for thought on the biathlon (skiing and shooting, because of course), Olympic logistics, Irish identity abroad, journalism, fatherhood, music, America's decline, and why standing up (even in Dublin Airport duty-free) still matters.

It's weird, wild, and wonderful. What else would you expect? 

We haven’t gone away, you know…

We may be part-timers these days, but we were never going to let this Christmas tradition quietly fall by the wayside.

In true WTS Christmas fashion, we’re joined by Botswanan icon and New York Times favourite Gary Mackle, alongside his sidekick — best-selling author, award-winning journalist, TV writer, comedy genius, man of the people, etc. etc. — Paul Howard.

Get comfortable, we have a two-hour magical mystery tour that winds and weaves from silly to serious, satire to scandal, with a special Christmas recipe you’ll absolutely want to try.

Enjoy it.

From all of us to all of you — Happy Christmas, and may 2026 be your best year yet.

XoXo

Disability rights activist Bernard Mulvany joins us to talk access, action, and accountability. From broken lifts to broken promises, he lays out how a system still locks people out — and how Access for All Ireland is pulling campaigners together into one loud voice. We get into the collapse of the “Green Paper,” what real consultation should mean, the brutal rise in poverty among disabled people, and why the Justice for Harvey march must be a turning point, not a one-off.

Bernard also speaks honestly about burnout in activism, the strength of lived experience (including that of his daughter, trailblazer Sophia), and the simple truth: when you design for those with the greatest needs, everyone benefits.

This week the lads bring it on down while chatting about what some might say were the best concerts in Croke Park history. 

Friend of the show, Elaine Burke is back!

Elaine is the host of For Tech's Sake Podcast and is a regular national media journalist and commentator on all things science and technology.

This week she helps us dive into AI hype, deepfakes, online culture and the fragile state of modern media. 

Summer holidays are over, and we're back for our latest batch of episodes! 

*We're working on fixing Mero's audio and will have it sorted soon!