Businesses suffering, marriages failed, faith in vaccines undermined: John and Sarah discuss the ongoing hangover from lockdown, the reasons nobody will accept any blame, and the lack of an enquiry. Also, how kids should play.
Nov 03, 2023•53 min•Ep. 54
On Immigration, it turns out that the far right was… the far correct? John and Sarah are joined this week by Laura Perrins of @theconwom to discuss that, as well as conflicting UK/Irish narratives on Gaza, and whether Mary McAleese would make a good priest. 1:06 Intro 1:37 Laura Perrins : There has been a change in tone of coverage following Gaza attack. 5:30 - Context is crucial 9:10 - Irish Journalists 9:33 - There are eyebrows being raised in the US at the Irish position on Israel. 19:07 - It...
Oct 27, 2023•45 min•Ep. 53
This week’s podcast covers Paddy Cosgrave’s sudden fall from grace, the disturbing revelations in Britney Spears’ new book, and asks: What’s become of us that we want to teach Irish children that they’re privileged for being white, or male, or Irish? 0:02:06 - Israeli State Visit and Misconceptions 0:08:20 - Paddy Cosgrave 0:11:13 - Social Media's Impact on Reputation 0:14:36 - Irish Media's Influence on Pro-Palestine 0:19:00 - Britney Spears 0:25:57 - Trauma 0:33:38 - Norma Foley 0:35:00 - Whit...
Oct 20, 2023•57 min•Ep. 52
The budget and the war: Two topics dominate this week’s podcast, after a very depressing week. Do Irish politicians lack imagination? And is there any prospect at all of peace in the Middle East? John and Sarah discuss:
Oct 13, 2023•52 min•Ep. 51
John and Sarah are joined from the Seanad by Senator Ronan Mullen, in an episode that covers Colette Colfer’s stand against her university’s new gender policy, an update on the hate speech bill, and a question about whether the Seanad is a more hostile place than it used to be. 00:00 - Intro 00:58 - Senator Ronan Mullen 01:35 - Colette Colfer 06:45 - Hate Speech 08:00 - Gender Equality 09:24 - Roderic O’Gorman 10:40 - Workplace Relations Commission 14:49 - Gender Identity, Pronouns, and Mandatin...
Oct 06, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 50
Does the case of the “racist gymnast coach” resemble the Carlow Teachers scandal? John and Sarah discuss that, the Laurence Fox scandal, and the latest opinion poll in this week’s episode.
Sep 29, 2023•56 min•Ep. 49
John and Sarah talk through the protest at Kildare Street, it’s likely consequences, media double standards, and what we should think about Russell Brand.
Sep 22, 2023•58 min•Ep. 48
Paul Murphy’s doxxing disgrace, RTE’s 80k photographer, Micheal Martin’s infection warning, and dumb new speed limits: It was a week to raise the hackles of the most placid person. John and Sarah are no exceptions: Available on Spotify & iTunes Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7kOPNDrvsxqXv8uicOotvP iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-week-that-really-was/id1653091194?uo=4...
Sep 15, 2023•48 min•Ep. 47
John and Sarah discuss a packed week in Stradbally which started with Up the Ra chants at the Electric Picnic and ends with Ukrainians about to move into the site on an emergency basis. Also: Speed limits, American Mommy bloggers going to jail, and why Sarah’s a tough parent herself. #gript
Sep 08, 2023•51 min•Ep. 46
Having survived an earthquake in Greece, and listened to three hours of Andrew Tate on her holidays, Sarah returns to an Ireland transformed by new constituency boundaries, and the dramatic fall from grace of singer Roisin Murphy.
Sep 01, 2023•59 min•Ep. 45
John is joined by Irish writer Conor Fitzgerald (@fitzfromdublin) to discuss the question of whether Ireland, and western society at large, is increasingly divided politically along gender lines, and why cultural institutions sometimes seem to hate their own audiences.
Aug 25, 2023•45 min•Ep. 44
According to the government democracy is where the government pays billions of dollars to one side and jails the other.
Aug 18, 2023•51 min•Ep. 43
In the sorry absence of Sarah Ryan, John is joined by NIAMH UI BHRIAN to discuss Gerard Craughwell’s one-man crusade against Gender Self-ID, Helen McEntee as the victim of misogyny, and the prospects for the new Farmer’s Alliance.
Aug 11, 2023•54 min•Ep. 42
In this week’s episode, Sarah tells John all about the Lizzo banana scandal, which leads to a chat about the unfashionability of normal boring old sex, and a question: Has the fall of traditional religion and the rise of a new religiosity led to a fall in contentment?
Aug 04, 2023•42 min•Ep. 41
John and Sarah talk about the issues of the week, ranging from gold heists to climate worries, crime, and Sinead O’Connor. But also, as the Government introduces free IVF for some couples, the growing challenge of infertility:
Jul 28, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 40
In this week’s episode, the story of a missing American woman leads John and Sarah into a chat about gender quotas, victimhood, the state of Dublin, the Children’s Hospital and how the media can’t stop terrifying the population with scary stories of crisis.
Jul 21, 2023•55 min•Ep. 39
John and Sarah are joined by William Campbell of the @hereshowpodcast to tell them – as respectfully as possible – why they’re wrong about most things, and why Ireland is in fact one of the most successful countries in the world.
Jul 14, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 38
“Justin Trudeau with fancier socks” – That’s Keith Redmond’s verdict on Leo Varadkar as he joins John and Sarah to talk hate speech, Helen McEntee’s illiberalism, RTE’s implosion, and the public finances careening out of control:
Jul 07, 2023•59 min•Ep. 37
RTÉ dominates this week’s podcast, as John and Sarah wonder whether the state broadcaster has even a shred of credibility left; Also: Is Dublin a crime-ridden dump, and who is to blame?
Jun 30, 2023•49 min•Ep. 36
Is the tide of public opinion turning on the transgender agenda? John and Sarah are joined by women’s rights campaigner Laoise DeBrun to discuss the Hate Speech Bill, Ryan Tubridy, Lost Submarines, and Laoise’s drafting of a new bill to keep men out of women’s prisons.
Jun 23, 2023•53 min•Ep. 35
“it’s almost like a tea party”: Gript’s own Ben Scallan joins John to talk about his journey from political candidate to Government press conferences, the pitfalls of Ireland’s political system, and how impending fatherhood changes a man.
Jun 16, 2023•56 min•Ep. 34
“It’s like being governed by a divorced mum and dad” – John and Sarah discuss the growing sense that Ireland just doesn’t have a leader, and also reflect on the terror in France, and the Labour Party’s call for a “NPHET style” approach to immigration.
Jun 09, 2023•51 min•Ep. 33
“Very few are willing to speak openly and honestly” - John and Sarah are joined by columnist Cormac Lucey to discuss the state of the nation, including Ministerial competence, abortion, tax cuts, and the hate speech bill:
Jun 02, 2023•48 min•Ep. 32
Does Irish politics suffer from a major deficit of…. ability? That’s the question John and Sarah take on this week in the wake of a farcical health proposal, an aborted tax cut, and the entry of a new contender to replace Joe Biden.
May 25, 2023•47 min•Ep. 31
"A TD told me he actually believed what he'd said and I was shocked because that's so rare" - John and Sarah discuss the political response to Inch, as well as sunburn, AI, and bullying in schools.
May 19, 2023•48 min•Ep. 30
In this week's podcast Sarah reacts to the news that fake tan might be racist; and wonders why women are so consistently in the firing line of modern cultural outrages:
May 12, 2023•48 min•Ep. 29
John and Sarah discuss Leo Varadkar's bizarre explanation of the hate speech bill, the Labour Party's new badges, and Sarah's life-long love of Coronation Chicken.
May 05, 2023•40 min•Ep. 28
In a week dominated by the Niall Collins scandal, John and Sarah debate whether Ireland has a corruption problem, disagree about Niall Collins, and reflect on the Eurovision scandal that rocked the internet.
Apr 28, 2023•54 min•Ep. 27
Kevin Myers joins John and Sarah to talk about what it is like to be cancelled, the culture of fear in Ireland, and why he remains trenchantly opposed to Sinn Fein.
Apr 21, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 26
John and Sarah discuss the Biden visit and our national love of being loved, as well as reviewing the state of the parties after THAT poll last weekend.
Apr 14, 2023•38 min•Ep. 25