Anarchy is always a threat to the establishment. Joyous anarchy unsettles them even more. Kneecap are annoying many of the right people as they aim for world domination. Their film has angered the Daily Mail and the DUP and also won the audience award at Sundance which has angered them even more. On today’s Free State, Joe and Dion consider the rise of Kneecap and what it tells us about a community in the north that is confident, daring and not afraid of winding up the humourless. They also look...
Jan 30, 2024•34 min•Ep. 68
If you can’t spot the sucker at the poker table it’s you. Today’s 'Free State' tells the story of how the GAA surrendered to corporations and how people became products. Dion and Joe consider the new RTÉ uniforms which could be part of any sponsorship deal. Joe reveals he has been beside himself with worry over the health of King Charles. The boys also discuss the proposal that a future United Ireland should join His Majesty’s commonwealth. Fasten your seatbelts… Free State with Joe Brolly and D...
Jan 25, 2024•38 min•Ep. 67
The GAA occupies a special place in Irish life. But that special place is what makes it so attractive to sponsors. Today Joe and Dion look at the plan to sell the naming rights of Páirc Uí Chaoimh and rename it SuperValu Park. Dion vaguely recalls his only visit to the new Páirc Uí Chaoimh. And, in a world where everything is for sale, how does the GAA protect what is precious? Joe also describes his day at the All Ireland club finals, his meeting with President Higgins and the president’s answe...
Jan 23, 2024•36 min•Ep. 66
Sportswashing works. From the English Premier League to the World Cup to golf, sport is being transformed by countries whose main interest is transforming their image. On Free State today, Dion and Joe ask what is the real cost of sportswashing and is it an inevitable consequence of a broader issue? Society is divided and while inequality grows people have been persuaded that the problem is the refugee child looking for shelter in a Roscrea hotel. The real problem lies elsewhere and sport is bei...
Jan 18, 2024•39 min•Ep. 65
When JP McManus donated €32 million to the GAA last month, people were falling over themselves to hail his generosity. JP didn’t need to do this, they said. What a gesture from a man who truly loves the GAA. Put the envy to one side and celebrate these millions which will make a difference to every club in Ireland. Only begrudgers, the petty and socialists could complain. On Free State today, Dion and Joe discuss JP McManus, false philanthropy and wonder if he wouldn’t be better off simply payin...
Jan 16, 2024•48 min•Ep. 64
On today’s Free State, Dion and Joe are joined by Sally Hayden, a remarkable journalist covering the story of our time. Sally’s book My Fourth Time, We Drowned exposed the incompetence and corruption in the EU’s treatment of the most vulnerable in society, desperate families crossing the Mediterranean and leaving poverty and war in African countries. Sally reports from some of the most dangerous places in the world yet seems oblivious to danger. From Ballinrobe to Rosslare, hearts are hardening ...
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 63
Luke Littler was magnificent as he reached the world darts championship final. On today’s Free State, Dion and Joe look at a special kind of sporting talent. They ask what Littler has in common with David Clifford, Wayne Rooney and Jesus Christ. Does it matter if Littler now fulfils his potential or is the beauty of sport about the joy he brought this winter? Joe is also intrigued by cheating in chess and wonders about the various uses for anal beads. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning ...
Jan 09, 2024•43 min•Ep. 62
On today’s brand new episode, Joe and Dion intended to look back on 2023 and anticipate 2024. They celebrated the return of Ryan Tubridy and wondered if Jim McGuinness can pull off the same trick at Donegal again. But as they remembered those who died in 2023, Joe and Dion go on a meandering journey of their own. They talk about their memories of life and loss. They remember those who passed away in 2023 like Hughie Russell, Liam Hinphey, Shane MacGowan and Johnny Flaherty as they reflect on the...
Jan 04, 2024•57 min•Ep. 61
On today’s Free State, Joe is looking for America as he takes a belated honeymoon across the US. From Music Row in Nashville, Joe and Dion talk about the magic of country music and the endless possibility in America. They also ask what 2024 holds for Donald Trump and why he is also a product of the American dream. They also wants to know if there is merchandising potential in Mickey Harte condoms. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG. F...
Jan 02, 2024•39 min•Ep. 60
On today’s Free State, Dion and Joe select more of their favourite moments from 2023. They choose from their most enjoyable guests to those occasions where they bitterly disagreed. And, of course, the revelation late in the year about Joe and dogs. One of our highlights was the contributions of ‘Resting Bitch Face’ who to this day is hunting the man who named him. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG. For more on Free State: https://fre...
Dec 28, 2023•36 min•Ep. 59
This week on Free State, Dion and Joe have selected their favourite moments from the first eight months of the podcast. From hallucinating ten Joe Brollys to the priest who thought one Joe Brolly was bad enough. There is also the extraordinary moment when Moneyball author Michael Lewis talked about how he kept going following the death of his daughter Dixie Lee Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG. For more on Free State: https://freest...
Dec 26, 2023•39 min•Ep. 58
Paul Howard and Roddy Collins are back for the second part of the Free State Christmas Special. Roddy remembers how he tried to take a bit of the Dublin southside culture back to the northside with predictable results. He also recalls his first encounters with Paul, then known as the Milky Bar Kid, and how a very young Paul Howard accidentally sabotaged Stevie Collins European title fight and kept the secret for over 25 years. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production ...
Dec 21, 2023•45 min•Ep. 57
Roddy Collins and Paul Howard join Dion and Joe for the 'Free State' Christmas special. They explain how Medjugorje is a good place to go on the lash, their time on the road together with Steve Collins and the rise of the D4 accent. And Joe is surprised to discover that a place he thought was a figment of Ross O’Carroll Kelly’s imagination actually exists. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG. For more on Free State: https://freestatepo...
Dec 19, 2023•41 min•Ep. 56
On today’s episode, Al Foran recalls the good and bad in the celebrities he has encountered. He takes us inside the mechanics of creating an impression and talks about the movie greats from Brando to Denzel Washington. Dion also recalls a day in Barnsley when Roy Keane went full Joe Pesci. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG. For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ To get in touch with the podcast: info@freestatepodcast.c...
Dec 14, 2023•43 min•Ep. 55
This week's Free State welcomes figures from politics, sport and entertainment. From Donald Trump to Katie Taylor to Tyson Fury, Al Foran has an unparalleled ability to make people feel as if they are listening, not to an impression, but to the person themselves. Al joins Joe and Dion to talk about making it in a new media world, how he has to inhabit the people he mimics and what links Christopher Walken to Eamon Dunphy. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in as...
Dec 12, 2023•39 min•Ep. 54
Why has Ireland caught the attention of Steve Bannon, Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk? In today’s Free State, Joe and Dion look at how the stability of the state can be threatened by the powerful preying on the public’s irrational fears. And, as Conor McGregor continues to rain hate down on innocent people, Joe considers if there is a different path. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG. For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com...
Dec 07, 2023•41 min•Ep. 53
What attracts people to conspiracy theories? In an uncertain world is it certainty or do they offer excitement missing in their lives? In today’s Free State, Joe and Dion enter the twilight zone, the fantasy land where Ireland is at war with the other. They look at what drives these theories, the anger of those who believe them and discuss one previously unknown fact uncovered by the conspiracy theorists: Did you know that Joe Brolly wanks dogs? Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a G...
Dec 05, 2023•38 min•Ep. 52
How do we combat hate? What happened in the Dublin Riots was driven by far right agitators but how do we fight their message? Dion and Joe ask how should we treat those on the margins of the hate movement. Finland has become a world leader in combating hate and misinformation using a curriculum that starts when their kids are five years old. Turns out kids don’t hate “others” unless they have been taught to hate them. Why can’t the same happen in Ireland? Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fann...
Nov 30, 2023•45 min•Ep. 51
Last Thursday, Joe Brolly was returning to the Stardust Inquest when he witnessed the events unfolding on Parnell Square. On Free State today he talks about what he saw and how humanity and courage revealed themselves at this most frightening moment. Dion and Joe reflect on the riots that followed, how the hate movement needs to be dealt with and why Conor McGregor has nothing to offer Ireland. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG. For ...
Nov 28, 2023•39 min•Ep. 50
Five Derry girls went to the Stardust nightclub. Only four came home. How do people keep going when their lives change tragically in a moment? What is it that defines the human spirit? On today’s Free State Joe talks about the Stardust Inquest, the resilience of people in the worst of circumstances and the quiet heroism that has been revealed. Dion and Joe talk too about Hillsborough and the fight for justice when the British establishment tried to smear them. They look at the state of the Briti...
Nov 23, 2023•37 min•Ep. 49
What is more mind altering, a trip to Amsterdam or trying to track the lies and deception of the Tories in Britain? On this week’s Free State, Joe has all the information on a hallucinogenic trip - maybe too much information - in Holland. The Covid Inquiry, Suella Braverman’s propaganda and the return of David Cameron tell us everything about the British establishment. Joe also can’t tell the difference between Dion and a humanoid just out of its box. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning ...
Nov 21, 2023•50 min•Ep. 48
When did ‘ceasefire’ become a dirty word? In the second podcast this week on the destruction of Gaza, Dion and Joe look at how language has been weaponised during the conflict. How did a desire for a ceasefire come to mean that you are, at best, hopelessly naive and, at worst, a Hamas sympathiser? The barbarity of what has been inflicted on the people of Gaza by the Israeli government is changing that view but too slowly. Is this why those like Barack Obama who speak in riddles prosper. Joe offe...
Nov 16, 2023•54 min•Ep. 47
Around the world people are marching in their millions for peace and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. On Free State, Joe and Dion have a difficult conversation about war, peace and propaganda which reflects the difficult conversations people are having everywhere. They ask why are these conversations so difficult and how did calling for peace become such a risky thing to do? Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG. For more on Free State: ...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 46
David Gough felt sure he would live a life where love was denied to him. But a poem changed his life. In part 2 of Free State, David Gough talks about the sliding doors moment in his life and how it changed everything. Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG. For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/ To get in touch with the podcast: info@freestatepodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 09, 2023•26 min•Ep. 45
David Gough is the most famous and the best referee in Ireland. He grew up in a religious and staunch GAA family and like everyone he wanted to fit in. He was an altar boy and a Gaelic footballer but one day, when he was 15, he saw the front page of a newspaper and it changed everything. David is this week’s guest on Free State. He tells Joe and Dion about his journey. Joe also tries to get David to apologise for the yellow card that led to his sacking from RTÉ, with surprising results… Free Sta...
Nov 07, 2023•31 min•Ep. 44
During the rise of Sam Bankman-Fried, Michael Lewis got closer to him than anybody else. But the fall of the crypto baby gave the Moneyball author a different story. When people turned on Bankman-Fried, Michael Lewis knew they would turn on him too. In the second part of his interview on Free State, Michael Lewis talks about why he took on the story and what kept him going. In May 2021, Michael Lewis’s daughter Dixie was killed in a car accident in California. Dixie was nineteen years old. He ta...
Nov 02, 2023•42 min•Ep. 43
On this week’s Free State, Michael Lewis, the author behind Hollywood blockbusters Moneyball, The Big Short and The Blind Side, joins Dion and Joe. Michael's new book Going Infinite charts the rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried who within two years of discovering crypto was worth $22 billion. In the first part of a two-part interview, Michael talks to Joe and Dion about why sport in America has become as violent as it was for gladiators in the Roman Empire and why he would give up sex before exe...
Oct 31, 2023•41 min•Ep. 42
Where is the way out of the horror in Gaza? When the Shankill Road bomb killed ten people in Frizzell’s fish shop 30 years ago there seemed to be no way out of violence and destruction in the north. But a year later there was a ceasefire and by 1998 a peace process that was the envy of the world. It happened because world leaders like Bill Clinton and Tony Blair were resolute in working with those who wanted peace. Unfortunately today in Gaza, the leaders in the U.K. and US have turned their fac...
Oct 29, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 41
How much is enough? With the threat that things will worsen even more in Gaza, what will it take for those with influence to intervene. The US and President Biden are friends of Israel, as they should be, but now they need to be friends of Palestine too. What is stopping them? On this episode of Free State, Joe and Dion look at what might be needed for peace and how it was lost a generation ago with catastrophic consequences. There is also a moment of light relief when they consider the sliding ...
Oct 26, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 40
The world is watching as terror and suffering come to the people of Gaza once more. In this terrible war, there is also a propaganda war. This war is waged to distract and deflect from slaughter and genocide. After the savagery of Hamas on Oct 7th, there is an understandable need among Israelis for a response but indiscriminate attacks on Palestinians will not destroy Hamas. On Free State this week, Dion and Joe discuss how Israel is breaching international law, anti semitism and why Joe Biden n...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 39
