podcast – Tortoise Shack: Recent Episodes
Tortoise Shack Media
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The Cooled versus The Cooked In this Tortoise Shack podcast, Tony and climate advocate, activist and TUD lecturer, Dr Ciarán O’Carroll, discuss the catastrophic impacts of climate change on marine life, weather events, and global food security, emphasising the need for collective action and policy change. Ciarán outlines a way out of this mess, so […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Worker’s rights getting rolled back. Environmental protections getting torn up. Financial regulation getting loosened. Data privacy laws getting sacrificed to the AI Gods. Access to Justice being undermined. Capitalism isn’t in crisis. Capitalism is the crisis. In this podcast I’m joined by Senator Patricia Stephenson and TUD lecturer, Dr Ciarán O’Carroll and we talk optimistically […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack On the 30th of January 1972 a young Tony Doherty was playing marbles on the Bogside in Derry when word reached him that his father, Paddy had been shot. In the hours, weeks, months and years ahead the families of those who were murdered and injured on that day marched, campaigned and dragged the British […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this explosive Echo Chamber Podcast, Prison Office Whistleblower, Noel McGree, talks about his eviction into homelessness following his proven and legally tested accusations of mass fraud and misogyny in the Irish Prison Service. Noel talks candidly about his devastating experiences and of how he has been failed by many including former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Echo Chamber Pod we’re joined by Mr Irish Election Projections himself, Harry McEvansoneya to discuss the Irish presidential election, the Jim Gavin fiasco, the Jim O’Callaghan leadership campaign, the momentum behind Catherine Connolly and media coverage of the election so far. For more from Harry go to https://irishelectionprojections.com/ Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/some-good-news-140335712
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack “In 2015, while at home looking after our new baby, my wife received a letter from the Department of Social Protection telling her that she needed to attend a social welfare office to be photographed for a Public Services Card or have her child benefit payment cut off. As she did not want to drag […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Never was so much opportunity for so many squandered by so few. Joining us on the podcast is Economist with NERI, Ciaran Nugent and we go deep into what was in #Budget25, asking was it enough to sway undecided voters, explaining the lack of vision given the amount of money at the Governments disposal and […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Ayah Arafat has been organizing for Palestine in the Washington DC Metropolitan area for over 7 years. She has been organizing with the Palestinian Youth Movement and Students for Justice in Palestine. She joins PalCast co-hosts to talk about how the organizing landscape works but also changes in the US in light of regional developments […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast Rory discusses the crisis in childcare and how a public system of Early Childhood Education and Care would work, with Orla O Connor and Eilish Balfe of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, and Lynette Monk, manager of a Community Childcare and Afterschool Service, who was also involved with SIPTU’s […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack With the death toll now over 1,100 is less tan two weeks and with almost 1,000,000 people displaced, not too mention the fears of the Israeli ground invasion, people in Lebanon are deeply concerned about the what is being called ‘the Gaza-fication’ of their country. Rejoining us to talk about the situation is Beirut-based journalist […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Asem Alnabih is an engineer and a PhD candidate from Gaza. He currently serves as a member of the emergency committee, the spokesperson and the Director of Public Relations and Media at Gaza Municipality. He speaks to PalCast about the role the Gaza municipality plays during the genocide, his close relationship and last moments with […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack n this Reboot Republic, Rory alongside Adam Boyle, Solicitor with the Mercy Law Centre, factcheck Taoiseach Simon Harris’ claims that “homelessness numbers are heavily impacted by the fact we are seeing many people seek protection in our country, seek asylum in our country”. We highlight how asylum seekers are not included in the homeless numbers […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Dr. Mohammed H. Alaqad is a distinguished academic from Gaza, now based in Malaysia. In the Autumn of 2023 he went to visit home after 14 years of being away. Having received a red carpet reception by family and friends, he wanted most for his wife and kids to meet his extended family, including his […]
Please join us patreon.com/tortoiseshack A Radol is a Ridiculous Argument Devoid Of Logic. Bear that in mind as you listen. In this short podcast Martin reveal the “legal opinion” sent to Irish Postmasters by their Union that contradicts previous Judgements like Denny and Karshan and flies in the face of an ongoing Postmaster High Court Case where employment status is […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks with Anne Marie Quilligan, a qualified social worker and Traveller activist about her experiences growing up in Limerick, community, discrimination, Traveller homelessness and the Carrickmines tragedy, the parallels between anti-asylum seeker and anti-Traveller racism, and what a trauma informed approach to exclusion and solidarity means, we discuss the need […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Dr. Hani Albassous is an Associate Professor in Security and Strategic Studies, he taught in Gaza, Qatar and Oman. He joins PalCast to talk about recent developments in Gaza and Israel, his view of the ongoing negotiations, the possible regional war breaking out between and Iran and Hezbollah on one hand and Israel on the […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory chats with Professors Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson, authors of several ground breaking and massively influential research on inequality including the Spirit Level (2009), the Inner Level (2015), and Act Now ( 2024, multi-author). We discuss how and why more unequal societies do worse in terms of trust, health, wellbeing, […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Hana Salah is a Palestinian journalist from Gaza who endured and reported on the genocide until she was able to leave to Egypt then to Qatar in March 2024. Her two sisters were injured after an Israeli airstrike hit the building that she and her family took as a shelter. She was displaced a couple […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It was, as always, a pleasure to be joined by Senior Reporter with the Business Post and the journalist who in our opinion does the most to keep the housing crisis in the news, Killian Woods. We talk about the scathing Housing Commission Report, the “minority” report that followed and the fudged commencement stats and […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic episode Rory talks tackling Ireland’s blight of dereliction and solutions, with Jude Sherry and Frank O Connor of Anois. Four years on from Jude and Frank’s first Derelict Ireland tweets, we look back and see the cultural change in attitudes, as the public has demanded action on Ireland’s scandal of huge […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack As England prepare to lose to Spain and Colombia prepare to defeat Argentina, we speak with Colombian-English and Mexico-based journalist with El Pais, Nicholas Dale Leal. Don’t worry, football barely gets a mention. We discuss the failed coup in Bolivia, the upcoming (rigged?) elections in Venezuela and the latest immigration cruelty in Panama CW: This […]
Please Join Us At patreon.com/tortoiseshack A lot has happened since we last spoke to Vice-Deputy Leader of the Portuguese Socialist Party, Joao Pina. From a case of political corruption that never was, to losing their governing majority and on to winning big in the EU elections. So we had a lot to talk about. The news isn’t all good, but […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack We do regular member-only podcasts for our tortoise shack community. They urged us to put this one out on public release. So against my better judgement here is our discussion on Sinn Féin’s review into their electoral failures and their new “listening” economic-unit strategy. Then we discuss the attempted assassination of Donald Trump and what […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Filmmaker and newly appointed Centrist Dad*, Luke McManus, rejoins us to discuss his latest doc, The Locals, which goes out on RTE 1 this Monday at 9:35pm and then on the RTE Player. Luke follows the candidates for the Local Elections in Dublin’s North Inner City in what was a campaign featuring a vast spectrum […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack For 10 years the Public Accounts Committee, and various Oireachtas Committees, have failed to serve their purpose: holding the powerful to account. A cautious legal approach, backed up by OPLA, has led to a situation where whistleblowers were told that the Committee could “not adjudicate” on the wrongs they exposed. We say that advice is […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The overwhelming response to the end of 14 years of Tory Party rule seems to be relief. But that’s far from the whole picture. To discuss all of this we are rejoined by writer, activist and commentator, Emma DeSouza and Shrapnel cohost Sam Mcilwaine. We look at the implications for the island of Ireland and […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Echo Chamber Podcast, cofounder of secondtree.org and longtime humanitarian, Gio Fontana, joins us from Brussel’s to discuss the crueler policies contained within the new EU Migration Pact, the “pushbacks” that are working at the expense of our own humanity and the split between right wing economics and the right wing immigration policy. We […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack We had a lot of people ask if would we do a reaction podcast to the Biden vs Trump debate, and were not that keen to be honest. But then it happened and all the worst fears about the Gone Man vs the Con Man came to life on screen. So we relented and got […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Maha Hussaini is a Palestinian award-winning journalist and the Strategy Director of Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. In June, she won the Courage in Journalism Award by the International Women’s Media Foundation, an award that was later rescinded following a smear campaign by pro-Israelis. She joins us from Gaza to talk about her reporting, the situation […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack If you were hoping to hear from a senior Sinn Féin TD on their local and European election results, as well as the immigration “debate”, well as they used to say on the tele, here’s one we made earlier. Rejoining us is Eoin Ó Broin and he is brutally honest about the last few months, […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack If you’ve been with us from the beginning you’ll know the story of how the Police (PSNI) burst through the doors of award winning journalists and documentary producers, Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey and arrested them for the crime of accuracy in their work on the Loughinisland Massacre. Six years on and their dogged determination […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks with Tony about the last few weeks of his candidacy for the Midlands North-West MEP election, the highs, lows and everything in between. They also discuss the results and dig into some of the outcomes and what learnings the broad left must take after what was a mixed […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack No current RTE bogus self employed employee has been allowed to speak publicly. Unions refuse to have their voices heard, mainstream media is terrified of RTE and even the Oireachtas has been told by unauthorised legal figures to ensure the bogus self employed workers get no voice in the ongoing hearings and investigations into the […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Editors Note: This is the first PalCast since Yousef’s sister, Fatima was killed in Gaza. Yousef talks about her at the beginning. The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) started Palestinian refugee camps in Gaza in 1948. The AFSC’s educational work in Palestine goes back to the early 1900s when the first Quaker School, the Friends […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The Ballymunners are joined by aul beardy blue balls himself, Jonathan Smith, for a chat about everything from Cuba to Cafés. They also explore the importance of fellowships, fireworks, family and friends. The Gaza Appeal is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/nuseirat-dr-105860337
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack This is a bumper podcast on everything (the Sinn Féin fall, the far right gains and more) that we know so far on the results of the Local and European Elections. Joining us to break it down is the best in the biz (and massive Carly Rae Jepsen fan) Mr irishelectionprojections.com, Harry McEvansoneya. This is […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It was a pleasure to be rejoined on the podcast from Nuseirat by Dr Musallam Abukhalil from the medical shelter where he works with his colleagues and the volunteers with Dignity for Palestine, and activist artist Adam SpiceBag Doyle. We just wish it was under better circumstances. We talk about how things are right now […]
To help Khalid get his family out of Gaza you can donate to:https://gofund.me/39137fbb An Irish Palestinian Story of Genocide In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks with Khalid El-Astal, who was born in Belfast, when his father was doing a PhD in Queens University. He then moved to Gaza with his brothers and family when he was 8. He shares […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Eman Abdelhadi is is a Palestinian professor who is involved in student encampments in the US. She joins PalCast co-hosts, Yousef, Helena and Tony to talk about the student movement in the US and its impact on US and global politics. Abdelhadi notes that the student movement had reached its climax and that it builds […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Our favourite poll analyst, Mr irishelectionsprojections.com Harry McEvansoneay rejoins us to parse the the results of the latest opinion poll. We talk the fall of Sinn Féin, the gaps in the reporting, the confirmation bias of the result reporting and then Harry delivers what was for our money one of the best explainers on how […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Helena Cobban of Just World Educational and Tony Groves of the Tortoise Shack send their deep condolences to the inspiring leader of our PalCast project, Dr. Yousef Aljamal, on the death of his father within the past few hours, in Gaza, Palestine. We are heartbroken for our dear friend, Yousef and his family. After Yousef […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Messaging & actions of hope to counter the far-right In this Reboot Republic podcast. Rory discusses messaging and taking actions based on hope, solidarity and solutions to counter the far right, with Niamh McDonald of the Hope and Courage Collective and Emily Duffy of parable. Niamh and Emily explain their research on messaging and the […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Rejoining us from Egypt on the podcast is journalist Mahmoud Mushtaha, who himself only recently was evacuated through the now closed Rafah crossing. He talks about the current situation, the unfolding and worsening humanitarian crisis and those few minutes of joy, when he, his friends and family had when they thought a ceasefire had been […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Asmaa AbuMezied is a Palestinian agricultural expert from Gaza. Now based in New York, with family in Gaza, she joins PalCast’s co-hosts Yousef Aljamal, Helena Cobban and Tony Groves to talk about agriculture in Gaza and the impact of genocidal and colonial practices on it. Coming from a family that cultivated the land for many […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this third part of our ongoing coverage of RTE and their rogue employment processes Martin is joined by Matt McGranaghan and former RTE News Presenter, Angie Mezzetti, to discuss the events at the Oireachtas Media Committee. You’ll also hear, via Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin, some voices who neither OPLA, nor the Unions nor […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Eddie Winston sits down with Sparky and Dean for a powerfully honest chat about growing up in Ballymun, family, addiction, recovery, connection and music. This too shall pass. The New Shrapnel podcast – Balaclava Street Revisited – is out now here:
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Joining us on this Reboot Republic podcast, is award winning Guardian political commentator and the host of their Politics Weekly Podcast, John Harris. We discuss the fallout from the UK local elections, the imminent end of this Conservative government, the prospects for a better and fairer deal from a Labour government and the hope that […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The US Student Demos and Hope for the Hopeless We went back to talk with (now former) writer with the Intercept and the launching soon www.tinyrevolution.substack.com, Jon Schwarz, about the ongoing slow-moving fall of the American empire. Sort of. We discuss the Student Demonstrations, the Tik Tok wars, the US (neo)liberal political alternatives, what is […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks with Professor Emeritus John Sweeney of Maynooth University about the reality of climate change that is here now, social justice and inequality and climate policy, Ireland’s failing to meet its carbon budgets, and what is needed to be done in agriculture, transport, and at a European Union level. Guardian […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack (Now Published in Full as per requests) Since the broadcast of the TV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, we have all been disgusted by the treatment of Post Masters by the bullyboy corporation, Post Office UK. It was truly shocking and upsetting to see. But what if we were to tell you that […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Dr. Musallam Abukhalil is a physician from Gaza, who has been working at a shelter since November. He joins us to speak about what he has witnessed, the horror and medical cases he dealt with and the need to provide the basics for people in his care. In addition, he shares his perspective into what […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this episode Dean opens ups about his anxiety and learns a few tips for coping with it. Sparky talks about humility, high blood pressure and listening to learn. Jon Schwarz from the Intercept pod is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-103754202
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It all kicked off in Spanish politics (again), but it appears that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has outmaneuvered the opposition and is playing the hand he dealt in ways that will likely see his hold on the highest office tighten. A lot can happen in a week. Rejoining us to talk about the Last Lefty […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack When our friend and previous guest, Paediatrician Dr Liqa Ur Rehman posted online about the plight of a Psych Doctor, who has had his family reunification visa rejected and is now waiting over 3 years to see his wife and child, we were appalled, but not surprised. So joining us alongside Dr Ur Rehman, on […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Zarefah Baroud is a Palestinian American who has family in Gaza. When she visited Gaza in 2022 for the first time in her life, she could not have known what was awaiting the coastal enclave. Baroud has lost multiple family members, her uncle went missing and some of the people she met during her visit […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Respect at work & solidarity in society! As part of Trade Union Week, in this Reboot Republic, Rory talks with Ethel Buckley, Deputy General Secretary of SIPTU trade union and Maeve Richardson, the National Student Voice Organiser for the Irish Second-level Students’ Union (ISSU) and a SIPTU member. We discuss the growing support for trade […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks to Executive Director of the Simon Communities of Ireland Wayne Stanley about their recent report, Locked Out Of The Market, which found in March there were just 38 properties available to rent within HAP limits and none in many places across the country including Athlone, Galway City, Limerick […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Former Dublin Lord Mayor and Green Party Cllr Hazel Chu has, it’s fair to say, had more than a bumpy few years. From the Lord Mayor’s Office during Covid to the racially charged protests where she’s personally been the target of horrendous abuse; you’d have to ask who’d want to be a local politician these […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Hebh Aljamal, who grew up in New York, is a remarkable Palestinian-American journalist, who currently lives in Germany and is shockingly facing legal prosecution because of her Palestine activism. In this episode of PalCast, Yousef Aljamal, Helena Cobban and Tony Groves speak about the German position on Israel in relation to its history, and their […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Joining us in the tortoise shack is Sinn Féin TD and his party’s spokesperson for Mental Health, Mark Ward. We discuss his accidental route into politics, his treatment for MS, what he believes can be done right now to improve access to mental health services and what he thinks Sinn Féin would do if they […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Longtime listeners will be familiar with Deputy Vice Leader of Portugal’s Socialist Party, Joao Pina and his devout socialism in what is their 8th year in Government. We talk about their recent exit from the Energy Charter Treaty (Ireland needs to follow suit), their struggle to get on top of the housing crisis, how they’re […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack John Barry is Professor of Green Political Economy at Queen’s University Belfast School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics. In this episode of Shrapnel the lads talk to John about his research on loyalism, encouraging self-discovery and organic intellectualism, agonism, Britishness in a new Ireland and generous majorities. The Legacy Bill podcast is out now […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It is clear that RTÉ is in business terms insolvent and as Martin said on the Sunday Show, it can’t continue on in its current guise. So what next? Our guest on the tortoise shack is Solicitor, data expert and historian of RTÉ hobbyist, Simon McGarr, has an idea! He outlines a way to decouple […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It’s a few weeks since we talked South and Latin America, but with a Presidential election candidate assassination in Ecuador, an aspiring Bitcoin Bro dictator making moves in El Salvador and a far right mad man on the rise in Argentina, we had to get our friend in the region, journalist with El Pais, Nicholas […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Paula Kearney, a community worker in the North East Inner City about the community response to the recent proposals around armed gardai, the reality of life for young people and communities in the inner city, the structural violence of inequality and exclusion that is done by the state […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack As promised here is the 3rd and final part from our Tortoise Shack Live at the Sugar Club show from Thursday July 20th, and it’s a bit special. Dept of Health civil servant (currently suspended) whistleblower, Shane Corr, joined Roman and Eoghan from the Ditch onstage to talk about the treatment meted out to those […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Podcast, Rory and Tony are joined by award winning writer, political commentator and host of the Guardian’s Politics Weekly podcast, John Harris, for a long overdue catchup. They discuss the general state of the UK’s politics as it moves beyond the various crises of recent years, the struggles of working class communities […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack You might have seen the reports on Monday that Saudi Arabian border guards/soldiers had killed hundreds of Ethiopian asylum seekers who were trying to cross the border from Yemen. Read:https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/08/21/saudi-arabia-mass-killings-migrants-yemen-border The lead researcher and author of the report, Nadia Hardman, joined us on the tortoise shack to discuss what the 15 month report uncovered, the […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Beano Niblock is a playwright, poet and former loyalist prisoner. His current play, The Man Who Swallowed A Dictionary, charts the life of former PUP leader the late David Ervine. In this episode of Shrapnel Beano talks to the lads about how he came to write the play, what his friendship with David was like […]
Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Terms like “just transition” have been adopted by the capitalist system as a branding exercise and it has lost all meaning. But what if we could take steps to re-democratise workplaces and local communities in ways that would benefit the majority and help make climate action more than rhetoric? Joining me from An Rabharta Glass – […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks to Saoirse Exton, a youth climate activist with Fridays for Future, and youth advisor to the UN on climate. Saoirse sets out a fantastic critique of how neoliberal economics is flawed for the planet and social justice, her views as a young person on finding hope in action […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The CSO vs the RTB We’ve been hearing for what seems to be years now that landlords are fleeing the market and we’ve been constantly told that any criticism of the rental market is “demonising mom and pop landlords.” But that’s not really true, at least not according to the CSO. Joining us is the […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks with tenants living in public housing in Dublin about the challenges faced living with mould & broken windows due to poor maintenance by Dublin City Council, even in regenerated houses in Ballymun. We hear the real life experiences and the work being done as part of CATU Crumin-Drimnagh […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, Lee Anderson, recently said that Asylum Seekers disgruntled with the inhumane conditions of so-called Floatels should “fuck off back to France” and his Party backed him Now, thanks to our guest, Professor of Green Economy and member of the UCU at Queens University Belfast, John Barry, we know that […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack TW: This podcasts contains subject matter that some people may find disturbing It was a great pleasure to be joined by some of the amazing people behind Families for Reform of CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). Hannah, Anne, Jenny and Eimear discuss their personal experiences of seeking support and the impact the systemic […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack As promised here’s part 2 of our recent live show in the Sugar Club. You’ll hear from Martin and Tony about the strain in their pod marriage and then they’re joined by the journalists behind the Ditch website, Eoghan McNeill and Roman Shortall, to talk independent media, their work wins and loses, the political response […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Editors Note: Releasing this now for the public following the PSNI data breach. Way back in 2019, Episode 126, we took the tortoise shack up to Belfast to talk with award winning documentary makers and investigative journalists, Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey, who were then under pre-trial arrest for the “crime” of looking into the […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Dara Turnbull, an Irish economist and housing researcher working with Housing Europe in Brussels about his new report ‘Delivering on Housing in Ireland: A European Policy Perspective’. We discuss the current status of housing delivery in Ireland, the delivery of social housing and ideas from Europe such as […]
Please join us on patreon.com/tortoiseshack (Editors Note: Recorded Monday Aug 7th for members) Art is supposed to provoke and with their Designated Crack and Heroin Zone posters, activist artists, SpiceBag and Pattern Up have certainly done that. Both SpiceBag and Pattern Up, joined us to talk about the reasons for their poster and the heat that comes with provoking conversations […]
Please join us on patreon.com/tortoiseshack As the dust settles on the Spanish general election we sat down with Madrid-based journalist (with Novara, Jacobin and the Gaurdian) Eoghan Gilmartin and Limerick man in Galicia, Professor Joe Haslam, to discuss what happened, what is going to happen next and explore the reason why even though Vox have lost, the far right might […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Trade Unionist, Activist, and a favourite sparring partner of Martin, Mr Brendan Ogle, came over to the tortoise shack for a chat about a little bit of everything. We discuss the state of Trade Unions in Ireland, Workers finding their voice in the precarious labour market, Brendan’s experience in Argentina, what the RTE payments scandal […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack On Thursday July 20th Sam travelled down to Dublin to take part in the tortoise shack live at the sugar club. It was a special night with amazing people, a very lively audience some great contributors. In this part you’ll hear from Sam, writer, campaigner and host of the Lost in Implementation podcast, Emma DeSouza […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Podcast, Rory talks with Dr Conor Crummey, Assistant Professor in the school of law and criminology Maynooth University about a potential right to housing referendum. We discuss what symbolic and substantive change putting a right to housing in the Constitution would bring about, arguments on ‘a free house’ for all, what wording should […]
Please join us at patreo.com/tortoiseshack “If you have to kill me, kill me. But I am telling you to your face: you won’t silence me.” Those are the prescient words of Colombian journalist, Rafael Moreno, who must have known when he was saying them that he had not long left to live. But he kept on reporting until his murder. […]
Whats the appeal of swinging? Or the logistics? Here to bare all is returning guest Hannah Davis. Hannah is a 23 year old sex educator from London, living in Newcastle upon Tyne. Her recent success with her Shagify wrapped video has allowed her to open up her platform to cover all manner of sex topics including anal, group sex, […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack (Editors note: Before Listening I recommend that you read this short thread – https://twitter.com/whittledaway/status/1683040346740072448?s=20) Pádraic Fogarty loves nature. His nature-themed writing, advocacy and activism spans over two decades. So it was a shock to many to see that he had resigned from the Irish Wildlife Trust over a blog post that upset the Irish Farmers […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack n this Reboot Republic, Rory and Tony analyse the most recent data results released on housing from Census 2022. We discuss the key trends in terms of falling home ownership back to the 1960s, and rising private rental, rents, and the number of older households stuck renting, the emergency of the older renter, the 160,000 […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Rejoining us just as the Dáil shuts down for it’s 18 month summer holiday and for the first time since she became her party’s leader, is Soc Dems, Holly Cairns. We had plenty to catch up about. We talked about her new role, how the Mother and Baby Home redress scheme shamefully passed into law, […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to the remarkable Mavis Ramazani, about her personal experiences and her innovative work of empowering refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland. Mavis is a pioneer for empowering refugees, particularly women, a campaigner with MASI (Movement of Aslyum Seekers in Ireland), a Sheroes Global Award winner (2022), and she works […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Most weeks we get a sprinkling of political polling across the newspapers, but what is interesting (at least to me) is how the sausage is made and who decides to lean into certain controversial topics, such as immigration or Ireland’s neutrality. Joining me in the tortoise shack for what is undoubtedly the biggest nerd-out on […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Doctors Homeless, Sleeping in Cars, Unable to take up posts! In this Reboot Republic Rory and Tony talk to doctors working in the Irish health system who are being exploited, and devastated by the housing crisis. The doctors tell their experiences of living in hidden homelessness – living out of their car, couch-surfing, living in […]
Please join us at pateeon.com/tortoiseshack This Sunday, Spain goes to the polls in what is an election that‘ll see either a broad left coalition govern or usher in the return of fascism in government. At this stage, reading the polls, a hung parliament would feel like a win. That’s not hyperbole. Joining me in the tortoise shack to talk about […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Shrapnel Returns. As a soft launch Sam and Gareth decided to talk about the NI conflict, its legacy and some of the difficult conversations that need to be had if things are ever to move forward. They also answer some listener questions and talk about what’s to come in Season 2. It’s great to be […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack (Editors Note: Today is the first anniversary of the death of our dear friend, Dr Vicky Conway. Our thoughts are with all who knew and loved her.) Rejoining us on the tortoise shack for an end of the Dáil term chat is Solidarity PBP TD, and well known troublemaker, Paul Murphy. We talk about his […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Listen to this Leo Varadkar – The reality of life for Ireland’s working homeless In this very important Reboot Republic Rory talks to Darren Duffy, who is working and also homeless, living in emergency accommodation in Dublin. He explains what is the reality of life in emergency accommodation, how he has been in homelessness for […]
Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Thank you to human rights and healthcare activist, Seana Grant and cohost of Shrapnel, Sam Mcilwaine, for joining us to dive into the contentious issue of the July 12th celebrations. We talk about what the 12th means to them as individuals and to people in their different communities; we delve into the past and ask has […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack (Editors note: Recorded and released to members on July 4th) Following yesterday’s show and the discussion relating to Sinn Féin’s position on immigration, it was timely to be rejoined on the podcast by that party’s Senator, Lynn Boylan. We get stuck into their seriousness on climate action, preparing to lead the first non FF/FG government […]
Can we help the environment & our well being? Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks with Dr Morgan Phillips, Head of Education & Youth Engagement at Global Action Plan, about eco anxiety and the connection between status anxiety, inequality and conspicious consumption, and how we can address the environment while also improving our well […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack On Friday I went into the Iceland Store on Talbot Street to speak with some of the workers who are currently occupying it as part of an ongoing and nationwide dispute with their employer over unpaid wages and many other breaches of the terms of their employment. The fact that we sat only a few […]
The Failed Privatisation of Water Should be a Warning for us in Ireland Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Rejoining us on the tortoise shack was listener favourite and one of the founders of the Green New Deal, Prof Richard Murphy, and he was in flying form and ready to cut through the B.S. He breaks down the class warfare been […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The solution to the housing crisis the developers and banks don’t want you to know about: Factory built sustainable homes for €150,000 In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Building Surveyor, Fergus Merriman, about a revolutionary idea for delivering homes – mass produced factory built housing, that are sustainable and affordable. Fergus explains how it […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack So far the Israeli Defense Forces attack on the West Bank camp of Jenin has killed 10 people and injured at least 50 more. We’ve also witnessed attacks on medical treatment facilities and people’s homes; make no mistake, these are war crimes. Rejoining us is journalist Mahmoud Mustaha and he explains what is happening, what […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack As the world watched the incompetent Wagner coup fall apart, we were also trashing around for insights on what it all meant. One person who preached caution and less hyperbole was Economics Professor, Russian-Irish man and tortoise shack regular, Constantin Gurdgiev. He rejoins us to talk about the implications for Putin, Wagner “CEO” Yevgeni Progozhin, […]
Please join us for lots of exclusives at patreon.com/tortoiseshack (Note: Recorded June 19th for members) In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Dean Scurry, community activist in Ballymun and co-organiser of the Apollo House occupation, about Dean’s innovative work responding to the rise in anti-refugee protests. Dean went and spoke to asylum seekers and homeless sleeping in tents, and to […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack We’ve ended up doing an accidental economic series within a series and what better way to wrap it up than with Head of Economics in UL, Stephen Kinsella. We discuss the President’s comments and why Stephen robustly disagrees, how he teaches economics and the differences between the economics in colleges and the much of the […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory speaks with Senator Eileen Flynn and Dr Seamus Taylor of the Department of Applied Social Studies Maynooth about the Hate Crime Bill which is progressing through the Dail and Seanad currently. Seamus and Eileen explain why it is important in making it clear that hate crime is not acceptable in […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack A few months ago we spoke with schoolteacher, podcaster and sound out Corkonian, Padraig Wilson McCarthy, about the fact that the rents he was seeing in Dublin were more than his monthly salary. Lots of you said that we needed to get him back on. So here he is. We talk about Pride as protest […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Lorraine from the Muslim Sisters of Eire, who are doing trojan work providing hot meals to those who need it on the streets of Dublin, and also working to support integration and tackle racism. We discuss the on-going cost of living crisis, what they are seeing in terms […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The budget talk is like the Brown Thomas Christmas Shop, it gets earlier every year. Joining us to discuss the kites flown by government and what should really be done, is Economist and Researcher with Social Justice Ireland, Colette Bennett. We also discuss the recent protests in communities that have been under-resourced for decades and […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack This is a special podcast that sets out the case for setting up a National Sustainable Home Building Agency, a state agency that would build, refurbish and retrofit social and affordable (public) housing. The podcast is a recording of the launch of the paper making the case for Homes For Ireland, and you will hear […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack (TW: Contains references to suicide) A couple of weeks ago MEP, Luke Ming Flanagan, posted a few tweets in which he addressed his own mental health struggles and his frustration with the governments lack of resources for people who need support. We reached out to Luke to see if he’d be willing to delve into […]
The narrative that “austerity saved the economy” still floats around in the corridors of Leinster House and occupies much of the mainstream economic commentary. But it’s not true. Joining me for a chat about the current economic model, the truth about austerity and the austerity-by-stealth that most people are enduring now is Economist with NERI, Ciaran Nugent. We had a […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Stockholm-based journalist, Philip O’Connor has spent years warning people about the rise of ugly nationalism and the far right and he rejoins us on the tortoise shack to discuss what the events in Sandwith Street, Inch, Santry and elsewhere tell us about obvious machinations of the far right playbook and how we’re repeating the mistakes […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The US is having a huge banking crisis, there’s a debt ceiling disaster that promises to only increase the misery on those who are already struggling and politically the place seems more polarised than ever. So we went back to our Irish-Russian Colorado-based Professor of Economics pal, Constantin Gurdgiev, to look at what is going […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, came back to the tortoise shack for the first time this year for a full and pretty frank conversation on the many challenges the housing emergency has created. We discuss the ‘right to housing’, the no-fault eviction ban, the 11,998 people who are officially homeless, the asylum seeker accommodation […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The Nature Restoration Regulation is the flagship legislative proposal of the Biodiversity Strategy. Yet if Fine Gael MEP’s get there way, it’ll never be more than words on a page. Joining us on the tortoise shack is Political Adviser with the Left Group in the European Parliament and one of the negotiators of the Proposal […]
The Interconnecting Housing and Health Emergencies Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks to nurses about how they are being affected by the housing crisis (paying three quarters of their salaries on rent, huge personal stress) and how its also impacting the health system (hospitals unable to recruit staff due to lack of housing), and […]
Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Hey Built Different Fam! Welcome to our very 1st video episode. We’re so excited to finally be dipping our toe in the world of video podcasting. This week we catch you up on our life updates, reminisce about our days as finsta/private story warriors and discuss some of our music likes and dislikes. Follow us on […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack On April 19th a 23 year old woman was shot and killed by police in North Macedonia, after having her asylum application rejected in Greece. Fatmata was a warm and lively young woman. She had recently told her husband, Abu Bakar, that she was pregnant. Her friends and family are devastated, but are seeking justice […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Women made up just 10 per cent of the negotiation team in the all-party talks leading up to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, yet they wielded far greater influence than such a position would suggest. In this episode of Lost in Implementation Emma speaks with SDLP MLA Cara Hunter, Aoife Clements, Director at 50:50NI, and founding […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack (Editors note: Recorded Tuesday May 2nd) Listeners in Gaza got in touch with us when the news broke this morning of the death of Khader Adnan in an Israeli jail, following an 87 day hunger strike and asked that we cover his passing. So we went back to Dr. Yousef M. Aljamal, the Palestinian writer […]
Did you know that millions of people around the world have a foot fetish of some kind? To explore this, Im joined by pro dominatrix Domina Clarity who explains the roots of foot fetish, how people deal with shame, and why its so common. Find Clarity at dominaclarity.com or @domina_clairty on IG Support us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack << Back To The […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It was a pleasure to be rejoined on the podcast for the first time in 2023 by primary school teacher and INTO union activist, Jana Lyons, (speaking in a personal capacity) to discuss the recent changes and actions within her profession. We discuss that pay rise and what message it sends to ordinary members and […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Invest the 20bn surplus in housing & climate-with economist Michael Taft In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks with economist with SIPTU Michael Taft, about what should be done with the budget surpluses of 20bn (and even could be 40bn). Michael outlines why the 20bn should not be saved away for pensions (which should be […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Leo Varadkar continually told the Dáil that our “eviction ban” was a winter eviction moratorium similar to that in other countries. So we decided to fact check his claim with our friend and regular tortoise shack contributor in Helsinki, Finland, Dan Nickstrom. Needless to say the facts did not support the Taoiseach’s claim. We also […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Human rights run like a thread through the Good Friday Agreement, including a right to Equality of Opportunity, but what does this aspiration mean in practice? And do the people of Northern Ireland really have equality of opportunity? Emma is joined by Women’s Sector Lobbyist Elaine Crory, and Shrapnel Podcast Host Sam McElwaine to discuss […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack (Editors note: Tony addresses the reaction to the Ditch, Niall Collins podcast and the criticisms of new media) Martin, Tony and Sam Mcilwaine sat down to chat about the news of the week both sides of the border and to get Sam’s report from his very productive few days at Queens University for the Agreement […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory chats with his brother, Declan, who has been living in Australia for over 11 years, about the housing crisis in Australia and their new turn to investor fund build to rents, and about floods and climate change, Declan’s experience of flooding in his home recently, and his work in the […]
When They are Too into You: Ep 145 First flushes of love can be super exciting, but can also obscure emotionally abusive behaviour. Mary Hayes from Women’s Aid talks to me about how to spot the signs of emotionally abusive behaviour in relationships and where to seek support. Find Women’s Aid at @womens_aid or 1800341900 and @toointoyou Support us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack << […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Rejoining us on the podcast to discuss the biggest political social media story of the week are Roman Shortall and Eoghan McNeill of https://www.ontheditch.com/ We go through the facts about the property dealings of Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins and his wife Eimear Collins (nee O’Connor) and what it says about standards in public office. […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshac There is a huge shortage of rental properties across the country, yet thousands of potential homes are illegally let on the short-term Air BnB style market. Well UCC law students, Brian O’Kane and Peadar Ó Rathaille, decided to do something about that and have been sending planning enforcement complaints to Cork City Council, to tackle […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory sets out the state of the housing crisis, the impact and responses needed to the lifting of the eviction ban, as part of a Town Hall meeting in Galway West organised by Uplift calling for a reinstating of the eviction ban. You will also hear from Saoirse McHugh of […]
Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The Good Friday Agreement pledged “to facilitate and encourage integrated education” as an essential part of creating “a culture of tolerance at every level of society”. But most of the north’s schools remain split into two categories – Maintained which have links to the Catholic Church and mainly cater to Catholic pupils, and Controlled which are […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Tortoise Shack regular and Senior Reporter with the Sunday Business Post, Killian Woods, came over to talk about the latest news in the Irish and international housing markets, the Patrizia fund having the craic, the problem with our housing data and what might lie ahead for home construction in 2024. The Jana Lyons INTO podcast […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory & Tony chat with the artist Spice Bag, who’s picture of depicting a famine eviction with modern day Gardai elicited a massive reaction. We discuss what were Spice Bag’s motivations in developing the picture, the legitimacy of the parallel between the famine evictions and todays housing crisis, how all […]
From cherries to nagging wives, the world of vintage sex education is a mixed bag. Joining me this week is clinical sexologist Ness Cooper who shares her collection of vintage sex guides and shares some of the more…unusual suggestions. Find Ness at nesscooper.co.uk Support us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack << Back To The Glow West Podcast
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Yesterday at 1:20pm a man attempted to cut his way into a house in order to carry out an illegal eviction. The tenant, Dr Muhammad Raheel, confronted the landlord, who then approached him with an electric saw telling him that he’d split him open. The Doctor reported this attempted assault to his local Garda station. […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack We did a very, very patron-only podcast on the news of the week where we looked at the explosion of Fine Gael angst about Leo Varadkar, the little Englander’s going insane over Biden and what is happening in the US in terms of abortion and culture wars. Then friend of the pod and drug decriminalisation […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack A little while ago we were invited to facilitate and record two discussions at Unite the Union, as part of the May Day Badge Appeal. In this first live podcast Tony is joined by MASI’s Lucky Khambule and United Against Racism’s Memet Uludag with the theme of Against the Hate. Both Lucky and Memet talk […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Join Emma in conversation with Daniel Holder, Director at the Committee on the Administration of Justice, to explore post-conflict and post-reform policing and justice in Northern Ireland. This episode examines the Agreement, asking whether it delivered transitional justice or a stopgap on legacy and the impact of the UK government’s Legacy Bill. The podcast on […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In This Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Dara MacGearailt, a primary school teacher in his mid 20s, who has emigrated to Australia because of the cost of rent and living in Dublin. This is the lived reality and explains how the housing crisis is forcing a generation of young people to leave Ireland, it’s about […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The scenes of violence and brutality carried out by the IDF and Israeli settlers in occupied territories have shocked and appalled many in 2023. But the international community remains almost silent. Why? Joining us again is Gaza-based journalist, Issam Adwan, who describes the scenes there now following a night were Israel showered Gaza with 50 […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory & Tony talk to Fr Peter McVerry about the reasons behind the lifting of the eviction ban, how the Government knew about the figures facing eviction, yet still went ahead, the political machinations around the decision, the need to reinstate the ban and make the tenant in situ scheme work. […]
Here it is, our 1000th Episode. Thanks for listening, sharing, liking, hating and helping us highlight, fight and tackle the issues that matter as an independent activist-based platform. What a journey. Please come onboard for the next 1000 at patreon.com/tortoiseshack
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Why the Government has to Re-instate the eviction ban: the landlords’ strike, mortgage arrears & how to build affordable homes for sale In this Reboot Republic, Rory and Tony discuss the on-going fallout of the Governments terrible decision to lift the eviction ban, the latest data from the RTB showing 11,000 notices to quit issued […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Street Art, Multiple Personas & Social Change with Asbestos This Reboot Republic talks to the Irish artist, Asbestos, whos been creating work on the street and in a variety of media since 2003. He outlines his recent work on a mural on home in Cork, how he uses the concept of masks and personas to […]
Joining me to chat about adult circumcision is returning guest Dean O’Reilly, who talks us through the reasons for his adult circumcision. He speaks about phimosis and how common it is to be unable to pull your foreskin back fully. Find Dean on IG @accidentalrainbow Support us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack << Back To The Glow West Podcast
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In a tortoise shack exclusive, Green Party (for now?) TD, Neasa Hourigan, joined us for the first time since her her decision to vote against the government in relation to the temporary moratorium on no-fault evictions. It gets feisty. We discuss classism and crappy communications within the Green Party, the consistent allegations of bullying and […]
Lost in implementation is a limited six-part series exploring the unfinished work of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. While focus for the 25th anniversary is on celebrating the glory days this podcast will be taking a harder look at the unimplemented aspirations of 1998. Hosted by writer and activist, Emma DeSouza and produced by the tortoise shack’s Tony Groves. Episode one […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack You might have seen the videos of Eamon Ryan getting confronted by students in Trinity College who are deeply unhappy with the Green Party in Government. I say more power to them. Joining me to discuss this is one of the people involved in the protests and co-founder of the Postgraduate Workers Organisiation, PhD Researcher […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Lifting of the eviction ban, analysis & action: Keeping people in their homes This is the live Reboot Republic Podcast/Webinar where Rory and a panel of guests discuss the real life human impacts of the lifting of the eviction ban, the terror facing renters, the trauma of home loss, and analysing solutions such as the […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Despite all the domestic woes, there’s still a global climate emergency playing out that needs our attention. Our guest is Green Party MEP, Ciarán Cuffe and he’s working on legislation that has been dubbed the renovation wave which aims to reduce emissions from buildings across the EU. He’s also been duped Hard-Left by Brietbart for […]
Please join us on patreon.com/tortoiseshack Just before Sinn Féin tabled legislation to extend the temporary moratorium on no-fault evictions, the Ceann Comhairle accepted a Government amendment that would scupper the vote. It seemed most unparliamentary to us, tbqhwy. Joining us to discuss this, the Land Development Agency report, the unreported homelessness figures and the latest in auction politics, is Sinn […]
Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack You’d be forgiven for feeling a sense of deja vu as we watch banks crash, fold, merge and or rattle bailout buckets. But, as always, it’s more nuanced. Rejoining us to make some sense of it all on is listener favourite, Prof Richard Murphy. Richard breaks down the economic woes and gives his insights into not […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Podcast Rory talks to Tony about the implications of the Government’s terrible decision to lift the eviction ban, the social explosion of evictions and misery that is ahead as a result of lifting the ban, an idea for a COVID -like response to implement the tenant-in situ scheme, action for continuing to keep […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks to actor and writer Jack Walsh (Killnaskully, Vikings, Penny Dreadful) about his new play, Welcome to Ireland- Meltdown of an Irish Tour Guide. This is a semi-autobiographical play about a disgruntled Irish tour guide trying to keep his head above water while in danger of losing his home. […]
We are back baby! A short break turned into a longer one but we are back and making up for lost time! Joining me to re pop the podcast cherry is Celine Fierro, CEO of audio erotica app OhCleo who chats about why audio erotica is having a moment, and is it really more ethical than traditional porn? You can find […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Banks posting record losses, Governments having to guarantee deposits, Corporates looking for safe havens and recessionary rumblings are back in this season. Rejoining us on the podcast to talk about all of the above is economist and listener favourite, Constantin Gurdgiev. We get stuck into Silicone Valley Bank, the wash, rinse, repeat regulatory failures and […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The SpyCops Scandal is possibly the biggest scandal that most of you know next to nothing about. Joining us to discuss an act of political policing that has monitored and infiltrated (mostly) left wing movements for decades is director of Ugly Mugs, Lucy Smyth and undercover policing activist and host of the SpyCops Info podcast, […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks with James O Toole, one of the residents of Tathony House, where 26 households face eviction in June. We talk about the fear being experienced by those facing eviction, the absence of evidence underpinning the Government’s decision to lift the ban, and we make an appeal to listeners and […]
This podcast contains themes and subjects that some may find upsetting. Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Mick Finnegan has spent over two decades campaigning justice for the sexual abuse he suffered in St John Ambulance Ireland and this morning the report by Dr Geoffrey Shannon fully vindicated what he and other survivors have been saying for so long. Mick took […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks to post-doctoral researcher in the University of Galway, Dr Faiza Alssaedi, who with her two children and partner are facing becoming homeless on the 1st May if the eviction ban is lifted. Dr Alssaedi who has a PhD in Mathematics and works as researcher and tutor in the […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack So far in 2023 at least one Palestinian person has been killed per day, and yet that frightening statistic doesn’t come close to telling the full story. Rejoining us on the podcast from Ramallah, is journalist and tortoise shack regular, Hannah McCarthy. Hannah has spent the last week in Tel Aviv, attending Israeli anti-government protests […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks with Dr John Bissett, author of ‘Its not where you live, its how you live; Class and Gender Struggles in a Dublin Estate’. John discusses his book and public housing, the life experiences and conditions living in a public housing estate, the problems with the paradigm of classing […]
Please help keep this podcast going by becoming a member at patreon.com/tortoiseshack You might have seen the series, Stories from the Streets, on Virgin Media TV recently. Well the writer and director, Luke McManus and one of the stars of episode 3, homeless rapper, Tommy KD, came over to the tortoise shack to tell us all about it. Tommy recounts […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It’s always great to chat with Solicitor and Partner with FP Logue, Fred Logue, and it was particularly good to catch him just as news about the lifting of “eviction ban” was confirmed. Fred talks to us about the State practice of using the Attorney General to quieten debate in many areas and why tenants […]
We need support. Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory, talks to Elizabeth Gregory, a renter and mom who is devasted by the lifting of the eviction ban. She explains the mental anguish and despair caused by the lifting of the ban as she will have no where to go if she is evicted. She cannot see any […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack While our government fret over a temporary moratorium for no fault evictions, the Portuguese Government are busy bringing forward a series of housing plans that have have been hailed as incredible, while also derided as Venezuelan. I suppose it depends on your ideology. Joining us to talk about them all is Vice Deputy Leader and […]
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The saying goes that ‘there’s no art in money, but there’s also no money in art.’ Joining me to discuss the contract inequalities Irish artists, actors, creators experience in an industry that is heavily subsidised by the taxpayer, is actor and President with irishequity.ie, Gerry O’Brien. We talk a little about his roles in films […]
(Recorded 23rd Nov)What would you do if we told you that the four Local Authorities in Dublin built 0 new homes in the first six months of 2022? Well it’s true. Joining us to talk through the jaw droppingly bad housing output, the direction of travel for the property market and how we might turn the corner by building and […]
On Friday Nov 18th, Shrapnel cohost Sam Mcilwaine came down from Belfast to the wonderful Axis Theatre in Ballymun to chat all things Northern Ireland, Loyalism, Unionism, socioeconomic issues and politics with Echo Chamber host, Martin McMahon. This is a great conversation and features an engaged and lively Q&A with members of the audience. Don’t miss it. We want to […]
In this Reboot Republic podcast Rory talks to well known radio presenter and Irelands largest book club host, Rick O’Shea, about his take on Rory’s new book, Gaffs, Rick’s own experience of growing up in social housing, and his recommendations for good reads on societal issues. Rick describes Rory’s book Gaffs… …about 10 minutes in 😉 Some great reading recs! […]
It was a pleasure to be joined by Dublin Inquirer journalist, Shamim Malekmian, Mr. Election Projections, Harry McEvansoneya and United Against Racism’s Memet Uludag to talks about some of the news of the week and the stories that deserved a bit more attention. We chat the latest opinion polls and the FG bounce, the Raise the Roof Rally, Iran falling […]
Listeners will have seen the recent “anti-asylum seeker” protests in East Wall. But you might not have gotten the full picture on what is really happening both there and within our creaking immigration system. Joining us to discuss this and his viral thread on these events is Activist and National Organiser with United Against Racism, Memet Uludag. We talk about […]
This week the Built Different girls are all back together and it quickly became a #LoveFest as we share our appreciation for each other, and you all our lovely listeners. We discuss some potentially problematic questions around the taboo topic of cheating and how late is late to your own wedding. Follow us @BuiltDiffPod on IG & TikTok for more […]
Listeners will be aware of the amount of coverage we’ve given to CETA, and the ISDS (investor courts) that it signs us up for over the last few years. We have not been shy about our dislike… So it was a great boost when the case taken against the constitutionality of aspects of the deal by Green Party TD, Patrick […]
E.S. ‘Ed’ Haggan is a former Royal Ulster Constabulary officer who is active on Twitter as @redbrickedslums. He describes himself as ‘a writer of fiction about Irish terrorism and the lives it damages’. In this episode Ed talks about his experiences of living with CPTSD, shifting from wanting to be a marine biologist to joining the RUC as a teenager […]
We need a new direction in housing: Lets protest & Raise the Roof on November 26th In this Reboot Republic, Rory, talks to members of the Raise the Roof coalition about why we need a new direction in housing policy and what difference it will make if people come out and join the housing protest on November 26th at 1pm […]
It was a pleasure to be rejoined on the tortoise shack for the first time in a few years by activist and human rights campaigner, Nicholas McGeehan, to discuss the World Cup that’s about to kick off in Qatar. Nick has campaigned for the migrant workers rights since the cup was awarded and has a long history of calling out […]
A future of ecofascism and climate catastrophe or build a better future for all? The climate catastrophe and neoliberal capitalism is taking us on a highway to hell; hope is not a strategy and we need to see real action. But how can we get it? In this Reboot Republic, we talk to John Gibbons , environmental journalist about the […]
Lobbying is part and parcel of our democratic process. But how transparent is it? Who is carrying it out? How is it regulated? Is there ways to improve public confidence in the process? Joining us to discuss their deep-dive investigation into this are journalists with Noteworthy/ The Journal, Cormac Fitzgerald and Stephen McDermott. We talk the revolving door between politics, […]
It was a pleasure to be joined again by award winning political commentator, host of the Guardian’s Politics Weekly Podcast and the excellent Anywhere But Westminster series, John Harris. We talk about the rapid developments in UK politics, the rotating chairs, inhumane macroeconomic and immigration policies and reasons for hope, at least in the medium term if not right now. […]
In this Reboot Republic Rory talks to Orla Hegarty, School of Architecture and Environment, UCD and Killian Woods, Senior Business Reporter with the Sunday Business Post about the housing crisis and property market – what is going on, what interests are driving policy – the lobbyists for speculative developers, what is likely to happen, and key measures needed, the links […]
You may have seen a video I posted on twitter where economist, David McWilliams, said that Ireland doesn’t need an NHS as our two-tier system does a good job of quickly seeing those who can afford to pay and that this frees up room for the less well off. Needless to say, I disagree. Joining me to discuss this is […]
This week on the Shrapnel Podcast I am joined by Lauren Kerr. Lauren was an Ulster Unionist Party candidate for East Belfast in the early 2022 assembly election, in which the UUP grew their share for the area. Lauren was the first openly lesbian candidate for East Belfast and uses her voice to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community within the […]
In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Dan Nickstrom, who is an Irish man living in Helsinki, Finland. We talk about how things are done in there – on healthcare (Dan’s child has scoliosis and got treatment in Finland), childcare and housing. How do they do it? It is about the culture, the attitudes the role of the State and […]
(This is one those regular patron exclusive podcasts we do, but our members asked us to put out on general release) Martin was just about well enough to talk about the twitter exchange between Senator Regina Doherty, Tony and himself. While the former Minister’s response is disappointing, it is not unexpected. We also discuss the ongoing Iranian protests, the proposed […]
Central Banks across the globe have looked into their toolboxes and seen they’ve only got hammers. Unfortunately that means you and I are all seen as nails. Joining me to discuss the macroeconomic policy that is wreaking havoc, the weak politics and the crash to come, is Russian-Irish Economics Professor in Denver, Constantin Gurdgiev. We also discuss the US midterm […]
This week we read, with some dismay, a factually inaccurate and legally dubious article about the plight of refugees in Ireland and the State’s response. One of the people who called it out was Irish Immigration and Human Rights lawyer, Wendy Lyon, and she kindly joined us to talk all about it. We discussed Ireland’s obligations under international and EU […]
This week join us as we have our weekly girly catch up/group therapy session. We review new movie releases like the Woman King before getting into the glorification of serial killers. We share our opinions on the true crime genre and whether we’re desensitised as a society. Follow us on Instagram & TikTok @BuiltDiffPod TW: Sensitive topics, true crime Join […]
In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to James O Toole, a resident of Tathony House, where over 30 apartments with up to 100 people, including families and children have been served with an eviction notice by their landlord. This is a mass eviction that has echoes of the famine evictions in Ireland. James explains the residents are terrified about where […]
They said it couldn’t be done and that is unconstitutional. And yet here we are. We talk with barrister and legal officer with Threshold, Gavin Elliott, about the eviction winter moratorium and what is good in it and what might be not so good. We look at how overcrowding is both measured and not counted and we ask if the […]
This week’s guest Danielle Roberts is currently researching a PhD on barriers to political participation among women from a Protestant, unionist and loyalist background. Her work focuses on feminist activism and she is involved with Belfast Feminist Network and Reclaim the Night. Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack
Thanks to Sam Mcilwaine, Shamim Malekmian, Harry McEvansoneys and Lynn Boylan for joining me this week to get stuck into the events of the week. We talk Homelessness now at 11k, Mother and Baby Home Redress flaws, the ECB going full Bank of England, the UVF and UDA making very worrying statements, the State failing to act on its own […]
Joining us to discuss the ongoing issues people affected by the Mother and Baby Homes and the Govts redress scheme and the tracing system is Social Democrats TD, Holly Cairns. She outlines the gaps and penny-pinching structures that the current coalition are calling “the biggest redress scheme in the history of the State”. Note: It falls way short given the […]
In this Reboot Republic, Rory chats with Tony about something they both have in common, the love of getting out for a run. In advance of this weekends Dublin Marathon, they talk about their previous marathon experiences, the fun, the failure and the freedom of getting those miles in. Rory is running this year for DePaul and you can support […]
It’s been quite an eventful day and around here we are used to eventful days, but this one stood out a bit. We have had statements from every quarter, we have had recalls and deadlines. But what we don’t have is a working Executive or election date (not quite yet). We chat about the de ja vu of Northern Ireland […]
This weekend Brazil heads back to the polls and it’s not unfair to say that there’s a lot at stake. Supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro and his opponent Lula Da Silva have clashed and people have been murdered as the world looks on wondering which way the scales will tip. Inflation, inequality and food insecurity are all on the ballot, […]
In this Reboot Republic Rory talks to David Carroll, CEO of De Paul, about finding hope in an unprecedented homelessness crisis through the work that De Paul and others are doing in supporting those most vulnerable to homelessness, in preventative work with individuals and families, and holding on to a vision for homes and communities, and ending homelessness. We also […]
The trolly crisis is out of control and while Covid might not be getting the headlines it once was, it is still dangerous enough that it is having serious implications for hundreds of people and putting strain on our already struggling health service. Joining us on the tortoise shack is DCU’s Professor of Health Systems, Anthony Staines. We talk about […]
It was a pleasure to be joined by Emma DeSouza and Roman and Eoin of the ditch to discuss the week that was and what is up ahead. We chat about Dr Vicky Conway posthumously winning Irish Women’s Lawyer of the Year, the ridiculous and vile “Ireland is Full” hashtag, the Children’s Hospital’s Grenfell cladding, the Global Property Bubble Index […]
We love our pets. So why don’t we have laws (not guidelines) that look after them? Joining me on the tortoise shack is Sinn Féin Senator, Lynn Boylan, to discuss the Oireachtas Committee Report that outlines some of the ways we need to act now to stop animal cruelty and give breeding dogs a better quality of life. We also […]
In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Sharon Crandall, who is homeless and has been living in her car in West Kerry for three months. She describes the current situation of trying to find housing as being like the hunger games. This is a powerful podcast where Sharon outlines what her experience of being homeless has been, the devastating impact […]
The government have launched their long-awaited online service to assist people affected by the Mother and Baby Homes to find out their personal details. Joining me to discuss this is co-founder of the Adoptions Rights Alliance and director of the Clann Project, Claire McGettrick. We talk about the services now available and whether they are fit for purpose, the Government […]
On this episode we have Derry-based journalist Leona O’Neill, who is a former Belfast Telegraph journalist, a columnist for the Irish News, the course director of journalism at Ulster University and now the co-editor of a new book entitled ‘Breaking: Trauma In the Newsroom’. We chat to Leona about mental health and the once prevalent stiff upper lip attitudes in […]
The Vacant homes tax: will it make any difference? In this Reboot Republic Rory talks to change makers Jude Sherry & Frank O’Connor of the Anois agency who have been leading campaigns and ideas to tackle vacancy & dereliction. We analyse the Vacant homes Tax , how it results from public pressure and shows the hope In change, but also […]
The Government announced their plans for a flexible retirement age and for years now we’ve read or heard about the tick, tick, ticking of a pensions time-bomb. Then we witnessed Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, dismissing the expert Commission on Taxation, let’s just say that many eyebrows were raised. A Government preaching for less taxation, while looking to extend the working life? […]
The world has witnessed protests in Iran against their government for many decades, but the events following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa (Jina) Amini’s death in the custody of Iran’s abusive “morality police” (hopefully) are different. Joining me to explain what has happened and why you can trace the roots of these protests all the way back to 1979, is […]
On this Reboot Republic, Tony jumps into the hot seat and talks to Rory about his new book, Gaffs – Why no one can get a house and what we can do about it. They discuss what home means, lifting the stigma of housing insecurity, linking housing action to climate action and why Rory wants to see a values shift […]
This week on the Shrapnel Podcast we are joined by Professor Olwen Purdue, who specialises in the social and economic history of nineteenth and twentieth-century Ireland. Her research focuses on poverty, welfare and public health in the industrial city. Olwen is the founder and Director of the Centre for Public History at Queen’s University Belfast. Olwen was also specialist historical […]
Paywall Lifted! As the UK Government announce a U-Turn and an additional £18bn in cuts, we are rejoined by listeners favourite, Professor Richard Murphy to ask what it all means beyond the schadenfreude. We talk about the economic realities and the political choices ahead, none of which are very attractive. We discuss the impact this creative destruction ideology is and […]
It was a pleasure to be joined by WTS Podcast Co-host, Graham Merro Merrigan, Latinist Academic, Siobhán McElduff, Sunday Times journalist, Aoife Moore and Mr Election Projections, Harry McEvansoneya. We talked Cllr Crowe’s apology to the Traveller Community, Cuba voting for same sex marriage, Brazilian exit polls, the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis, Ireland’s Future events, the no-budget bounce polls, housing […]
You guys, our fantastic members, have asked us to look into the Government switcheroo that is due to take place in December and how inserting a right to housing into the Irish constitution might change things, or not. So we got Constitutional Law lecturer in NUIG, Dr Eoin Daly, to dig into both of these issues. The result is a […]
Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack On Saturday October 1st at 1pm in Dublin’s 3 Arena, Ireland’s Future will host the largest public meeting about the plans for a United Ireland that this island has ever seen. Joining us (again) on the podcast is Queens University Belfast Human Rights Lecturer and member of the Ireland’s Future Management Committee, Professor Colin Harvey. We […]
Craig Murray is curator for the Duxford historical site at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, working within the Cold War and Late 20th Century team. His main specialism, apart from the history of RAF Duxford, is the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He is currently planning and researching the IWM’s 2023 Northern Ireland exhibition. In this episode Craig talks about the […]
In this Reboot Republic, Rory gets the analysis and responses to Budget 2023 from Michael Taft, economist with SIPTU, Head of Social Justice at SVP, Dr Tricia Kielty and Louise Bayliss, of Focus Ireland. We discuss inadequacies in the Budget that will result in poverty and deprivation rates rising, particularly for lone parents, children and other disadvantaged groups, as welfare […]
Constantin Gurdgiev returned for what was one of the broadest, but most informative podcasts we’ve ever done. We discuss events politically and economically in his now home of the US. We look at the ideological barriers to addressing the “cost of living crisis” and the need for long-term thinking and not widening the subsidy net. We also discuss the issue […]