Episodes
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John and Sarah bid farewell to a beloved colleague, and then turn their attention to the wheels falling off the Fine Gael bus. What went wrong - and could politicians across all parties get punished for an utterly insipid campaign?
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John McGuirk is joined by Gript Media's Fatima Gunning, who sat through nearly all of the McGregor trial, and Laura Perrins, former criminal barrister, to talk through the evidence and verdict in the the civil case that captivated the nation.
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Episodes manquant?
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John and Sarah talk the latest twists in Russia and Israel, Blindboy's new RTE documentary, and the latest twists in the very, very, very unexciting general election.
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"Derek Blighe should have been in that debate" - John and Sarah discuss the RTE debate, and the campaign where all the parties agree and are having fake rows about nothing of importance.
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John and Sarah bemoan their lack of recognition at the national media awards, review another boring few days in the greatest election of our age, Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, and why John is not a fan of Micheál Martin.
00:00 Introduction to the General Election Landscape
02:40 Media and Political Awards
03:36 The Hutch's Candidacy: Implications for Dublin Central
07:28 Sinn Féin's Vulnerability: Polling and Leadership Concerns
10:01 Sinn Féin's Policy Stagnation: A Critical Analysis
19:46 Fianna Fáil's Campaign: A Lack of Substance
24:10 The Rise of the Social Democrats: A New Hope?
26:37 Micheál Martin's Political Legacy
32:18 Election Dynamics and Candidate Insights
38:04 Trump's Cabinet and Political Change
43:43 Political Strategies and Public Perception
45:56 Climate Change and Political Posturing -
With the election campaign underway, John and Sarah review the major issues of the first few days. Which appear to be Michael O'Leary, and whether the country wants new energy or change.
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John gets a deserved spanking from Sarah over his Trump Derangement Syndrome, The US election gets thoroughly analysed, and a look forward at the very short three weeks campaign to come here in Ireland.
02:55 The Shift in Voter Sentiment
06:14 The Impact of Campaign Messaging
08:56 Reactions from the Media and Political Pundits
12:00 The Future of American Politics
15:09 Reflections on Trump's Second Term
17:53 Cultural Reactions and Public Sentiment
20:53 Final Thoughts on Political Dynamics
34:05 Election Chaos and Cynicism
39:58 Political Punditry and Voter Apathy
45:09 The Need for Robust Political Discourse
54:18 Anger in Politics and the Power of Voting -
"I've never seen a race like this" - John McGuirk talks to legendary Republican strategist Karl Rove about what to expect tonight as the Harris/Trump votes come in, and what key counties to watch in Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
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John and Sarah discuss the new Cillian Murphy "Ireland was awful" movie and it's predictable acclaim; offer final thoughts on the Trump/Harris campaign, and discuss issues that won't come up in Ireland's general election:
03:13 Cultural Reflections on Ireland's Past
06:02 Critique of Modern Cultural Narratives
08:51 The Impact of Historical Narratives on Society
12:03 Contemporary Issues and Social Pressures
14:54 Transgender Issues in Society
18:10 Political Implications of Gender Discussions
21:02 Election Predictions and Political Landscape
30:06 The TikTok Political Experiment
33:44 The Dynamics of Trump and Harris Supporters
37:33 The State of American Politics
40:42 Retail Politics and Candidate Effectiveness
43:36 Cultural Consequences of the Election
46:17 The Irish Political Landscape
57:12 The Impact of U.S. Elections on Ireland -
John and Sarah discuss the latest developments in sex ed, the passage of the hate crime bill, the government clearing the decks for an election, and why John has full blown Trump derangement syndrome, god love him.
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With an election due to be called any day now, John and Sarah review the state of the opposition. Also: Councils ban Bibi, Roderic escapes scrutiny, and tragedy in Argentina.
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Sarah and John discuss the spy in the Oireachtas, Sinn Fein forgetting how to do politics, Scary Movies, Scarier Sex Education, and the Government buying the media in a packed podcast this week.
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John and Sarah walk through the budget, John's row with an unfortunate Fine Gael canvasser, the latest celeb muck from Philip Schofield and P. Diddy, and the horrifying case of the woman allegedly tortured in Dublin.
00:00 Budget Week Insights
05:54 Child Welfare and Family Support
12:09 Critique of Government Spending
17:45 Opposition Response and Political Dynamics
23:48 Vice Presidential Debate Analysis
29:52 Celebrity Controversies and Accountability
35:46 Rising Violence in Society
51:48 Concluding Thoughts on Current Events -
In the aftermath of the defeat of the hate speech legislation, John and @sarahcatryan unleash a torrent of what some might consider hate speech towards the bike shed, the children's hospital, various members of the Government, and President Higgins.
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John and Sarah examine the contradiction between Fine Gael's standing in the polls and the state of Scoliosis treatment for children. Also: Simeon Burke and the law library, Micheal Martin's endless leadership, and did Israel blunder in Lebanon?
02:45 Political Landscape and Opinion Polls
05:47 Fine Gael's Momentum and Election Strategy
09:01 Health Care Crisis: Scoliosis Case Discussion
12:05 Government Accountability and Public Health
14:50 Contraception for 16-Year-Olds: A Controversial Policy
21:01 Israeli Operations and Ethical Considerations
23:49 Final Thoughts and Reflections -
The big debate in America; The big windfall at home; Another clue about the election date; and Ireland's useless opposition misses again - John and Sarah round up the week.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Week
01:22 Analysis of the US Presidential Debate
12:57 Political Landscape in Ireland: Dáil Returns
16:50 Sinn Féin's Challenges and Opportunities
28:04 The Role of Immigration in Irish Politics
40:12 Discussion on the 13 Billion from Apple
51:14 Accountability in Government Spending -
John and Sarah discuss the SPHE book that set tongues wagging; the world's most expensive bike shelter; what may be the world's most expensive sex abuse enquiry; and why some stories impact you emotionally more than others.
00:00 Introduction and Discussion of Topics
02:18 Controversy Over Depiction of Irish Culture
09:32 Emotional Impact of the Middle East Hostage Situation
19:24 Concerns About the Abuse Scandal in Catholic Schools
29:25 Balancing Believing Victims and Presumption of Innocence
29:53 Presumption of Innocence in Sexual Abuse Cases
40:07 The Controversy Over the Cost of a Bike Shelter
53:24 Government Involvement in Regulating Ticket Prices for Concerts -
John and Sarah discuss the latest developments in the Enoch Burke case, the nude cyclists and the Mayor of Cork, Kamala Harris finally agreeing to an interview, and the latest revival of the hate speech bill.
00:00 Introduction and Back to School Week
01:00 Enoch Burke's Return to School and Stance on Pronouns
09:58 Discussion on the Stabbing Incident in Galway
16:54 Proposed Ban on Smoking in Beer Gardens
24:55 Critique of the Naked Cycling Event in Cork
27:47 Inconsistent Enforcement of Public Indecency Laws
28:41 Cycling in the Nude and Boundaries
31:03 The Pavel Durov Case
35:10 The Proposed Hate Speech Bill in Ireland
45:20 Changes in Childcare Subsidies
47:10 The US Election and Constructive Criticism -
John and Sarah discuss beauty contests this week: The upcoming election, during which politicians will flash their ankles. The Democratic Convention, which attempted to entice us to Kamala, and the Rose of Tralee, which has nothing to do with beauty at all:
00:00 Apologies and Introduction
01:22 Minor Public Spat and Election Speculation
04:05 Fine Gael's Advantage and Fianna Fáil's Risk
06:03 Navigating the Election Campaign
11:37 Potential Government Formation Scenarios
13:43 Cynicism and Promises in Politics
17:03 The Need for Substance in the Campaign
21:28 Facing Fines for Climate Targets
22:56 The Challenges of Meeting Climate Change Targets
33:30 Critiquing the Democratic National Convention
42:29 The Rose of Tralee: Defining Irishness -
Sarah and John review a week that featured big revelations about government spending, plans to abolish same sex schools, a big love island breakup, and a disagreement over olympic breakdancing.
00:00 Introduction and Weather
00:55 Government Spending and Lack of Discussion
01:48 Media Coverage and Lack of Challenge
03:08 Lack of Hard Conversations in Irish Politics
13:19 Issues with Single-Sex Schools
26:28 Prison Overcrowding and Drug Use
30:04 Overcrowded Prisons
31:42 Government's Focus on NGOs and Charities
33:40 Passport Issues at Dublin Airport
38:03 The Public's Obsession with Celebrity Breakups
52:30 The Emergence of Citizen Journalism - Montre plus
