Sportswriter Eamonn Sweeney set out to write a book about the GAA championship but succeeded in tackling a condition that had dogged him for nearly two decades, and largely confined him to his west Cork home. He talks about his struggles, his love of the GAA and why he felt compelled on various match days to check out the Orthodox religions and din…

It’s a long way from the disadvantaged enclave of Rialto in Dublin’s inner city to the rubble and humanitarian devastation of Gaza but John Whyte has seen both. Before joining the UNRWA refugee agency, John oversaw the regeneration of Fatima Mansions that is considered a template of how to tackle disadvantage in this country. Today, as senior deput…

With health and fitness now a central part of modern life, a question arises as to whether gyms are suitably welcoming to women. Journalist and former PE teacher Cliona Foley has written in the Irish Examiner about her own experience and some disturbing research into the whole area that suggests society has a way to go yet. Cliona is this week’s gu…

Next Wednesday marks the 100th day in office for President Donald Trump, in this his second term. It differs greatly from his first, but more than that he has rushed to reshape the world, both within and without US borders. So how is he doing, will he succeed and is there any interest in stopping him bringing the US, and by extension the world, int…

In the midst of a housing crisis this state also has a large cohort of derelict or unused buildings. Some enlightened thinking and political willpower could use this resource to hugely positive effect but despite this there is still a way to go, particularly at official level. Judge Sherry and Frank O’Connor who run their design consulancy Anois ha…

In 1983, Brian Stack, the chief officer in Portlaoise Prison, was shot and fatally wounded after leaving an event in Dublin. The Provisional IRA were long suspected of this attack but for many years, the organization denied any responsibility. Austin Stack was a young boy when his family’s life was changed forever and in adulthood he and his brothe…

Donald Trump has introduced the centrepiece of his electoral platform, global tariffs. On what he described as Liberation Day he produced a typical showbusiness background to the announcements that may well upend the whole nature of global trading. So what will it mean for this country, how we have been governed and how the country has developed ov…

Over 12 million people have been displaced from a civil war in Sudan that started in 2023 and continues. Around 1 million of those displaced are now refugees in neighbouring South Sudan, living in extremely difficult conditions, including without clean water and attempting to survive in one of the poorest corners of the world where climate change i…

Ian Kilroy is a journalist and lecturer in his day job but he is also a Zen Buddhist priest who has written a book that is already proving highly popular. Do Not Try To Become A Buddha examines zen teachings and practice but is main narrative is rooted in Ian’s own personal journey. He talks to the podcast about what brought him from a Galway child…

The country heaved a sigh of relief this week when Micheal Martin’s meeting with Donald Trump went off without a hitch. The potential for a disaster or two was nervously discussed before the meeting but the wily Corkman survived. That’s one view. Another is that he just kept the head down and dodged what some might have considered his duty to discu…

Providing an education for all children should be a basic duty of the state. Yet, for some reason, it doesn’t happen in this country. Every year there are children with special needs who can’t access either a place in a special school or a place in a special class in mainstream education. Why, in a country as allegedly developed as this, have we no…

Tralee-based businessman Nathan McDonnell was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in a transglobal drug smuggling operation involving a notorious Mexican drug cartel. How did it ever come to this and what exactly is the connection in Kerry that saw the drugs being stored in a premises outside Tralee, en route from South America to Australi…

The third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine fell this week, at a time when Donald Trump has moved to completely realign the USA in the war. So what does this mean for a country under siege and now apparently sandwiched between the autocratic Putin and apparent wannabe Putin, Trump. Irish Examiner security correspondent Cormac O’Keeffe is this …

Donald Trump has declared a war on woke which has been music to the ears of many, most particularly those of a far-right viewpoint. But what does it mean? And why is any such war required or to be welcomed and how does it feed into the basic strands of a far-right agenda. Writer and Irish Examiner columnist Seamas O’Reilly has been mulling over suc…

Prison overcrowding has become a serious problem, with prisoners sleeping on mattresses and dangerous conditions prevailing. So is it time to ramp up efforts to find an alternative to prison, particularly for those who are sentenced to a year or less. The Irish Penal Reform Trust has done extensive research into offending, sentences and conditions …

Niall Muldoon is the ombudsman for children. His role gives him a perfect view into the problems that afflict the lives of children, right across society, down along the socio economic ladder, but particularly for those who are most vulnerable. He shared some very interesting insights into child poverty, issues around education and whether his offi…

Electrify now: Hannah Daly The loss of electric power in some parts of the country following last week’s storm has brought into focus the whole way in which we source our electricity and particularly whether it is sustainable. Hannah Daly, professor of sustainable energy in UCC talks about how there is a more sustainable route to getting our electr…

Micheal Martin was elected Taoiseach this week at the second time of asking. First he, the Dail and the wider public had to endure the spectacle of attempts to elect a Taoiseach ending in chaos. But was it self-inflicted or if not whose fault was it and does it auger for a new type of politics in the coming years. Irish Examiner Political Editor El…

As Donald Trump is inaugurated as the next president of the United States, we look at what the world can expect. Will Trump 2.0 differ greatly from first time around and if so will it be more dangerous? Will this country get caught in the spokes of his apparently free wheeling plans? Joining the podcast to map out the road ahead is Scott Lucas, Pro…

Carlow Weather is a twitter handle that many might be aware of as a place to go for a usually on-the-ball weather forecast. Its operator Alan O’Reilly is now probably one of the best forecasters in the country albeit one who is not a meteorologist. So how does he do it? When did he start? And what kind of a Summer can we expect before rooting aroun…

The issue of whether prison does what it was designed to do has been popping up regularly in recent years. Does it work? Does it provide rehabilitation? Are we imprisoning too many or for crimes that don’t merit such a penalty. Irish Examiner investigative reporter Ann Murphy has looked at one case of a man who has over 500 convictions and who has …

Irish Examiner reporter Sean Murray joins Mick to chew over some of the big stories from 2024, from failed referendums to shock resignations, from foregone conclusions to an earthquake election. And then there was the story that showed our capacity in this country to act the ejit and never know when to stop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f…

Tis the season to huddle around family, friends and community, but what of those who are exiled far from home? Many Irish people spend Christmas overseas, some by choice, others through necessity, but one group do so in the interests of keeping peace. Ireland’s defence forces personnel are based in various hotspots, but particularly the Middle East…

From an early age Ciaran Prior was exposed to the spectre of premature death but once he joined An Garda Siochana it became part of his job. Mid career Ciaran became a member of the first regional crime scene investigation units and in that capacity he became a frequent sight at scenes of serious crimes including murder. His book Traces Of Truth is…

The election is over, the votes counted, seats filled. So what now? The people have spoken but what have they said? How long will it take to put a government together? Joining the podcast to look briefly over the election and into the future is Gary Murphy, the head of DCU’s Department of government and politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv…