Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

Louise Kennedy's first novel Trespasses was a beautiful and heartbreaking story of the Troubles. In her new novel Stations she deals with the loss and sacrifice of emigration. Louise talks to Dion about moving from the north to Naas when she was 12 and the truth about emigration and why Ireland has yet to acknowledge it.

In November 2023, Peter O’Mahony sat down for a meeting with his coach at Munster Graham Rowntree where the reality of a professional sportsman’s life became brutally clear.On that same day, Peter and Dion met for the first time to begin work on his autobiography. Peter is the guest on today’s Free State where he talks about why having an obsession with winning was essential to his career and his brief time as a Gaelic footballer.

In Drumcree and in Debrecen, we were forced to consider different Irelands last weekend.The determination of the Orange Order to parade down Garvaghy Road brought back memories for so many of the dark days in the north.But does it really show how much has changed?On Free State today, Dion and Joe discuss what happened at Drumcree and in Hungary where Gavin Bazunu told his team mates he didn’t want to play against Israel. Should his team mates have stood with him? What does beating Israel mean for Ireland? Is there any merit in it or are Ireland just participating in the sports washing of war crimes? Email us at info@freestatepodcast.com

Jon Ronson joins Dion on today's Free State to talk about the manosphere, his time with Ian Paisley and his new book, The Castle. Learn more about Jon's new book here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/455289/the-castle-by-ronson-jon/9780241754771

‘Three things come with taking a man’s life. The first one is the easy bit – going into a room and shooting somebody… The second is preparing yourself if you get caught coming or going and getting life in prison – could you do it? And the third and final and most important is can you live with it for the rest of your life? And that’s where a lot of people fail.’ Aaron Edwards is the great chronicler of loyalism in this time. His new book details the life of Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair who spoke those words to Edwards and gave a glimpse into the world that made him feared across the north.On Free State Edwards talks to Joe and Dion about Adair. He explains how he got to know him and he discusses the broader loyalist mindset and how it would approach a border poll.

Robert Harris's book have always been about power. His latest Agrippa tells the story of the close friend of the Emperor Augustus as they take power folloing the assassination of Julius Caesar. Harris talks to Dion about how power erodes and all empire die as he looks to the modern world and how democracy is failign. You can learn more about Robert's new book here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/463350/agrippa-by-harris-robert/9781529154412

‘I am not complicit’ Ed Sheeran said in his statement after Macklemore was dropped as a support act on his US tour.Macklemore had been dropped because he said the words ‘Free Palestine’ on stage. Sheeran blamed the promoters and the billionaire Robert Kraft said he put pressure on Sheeran to drop Macklemore.On Free State today we ask what lies beneath the pressure to silence Macklemore .What does it tell us about the world that is being shaped by billionaires? Does the response by those including Sheeran’s other support acts tell us something too about a resistance to this world order? Is there a determination to do something about the helplessness so many people feel about a genocide and much more?

What a weekend for Ireland. Donald Trump flew in and across the land, people whooped and hollered as if these were the greatest days of their lives.Before he left, Trump had presented the Irish Open trophy to Shane Lowry, removed tariffs on Irish whiskey and united Ireland.On Free State, Dion and Joe consider the significance of Trump’s comments and whether it brings the prospect of a border poll closer.Who was in more discomfort from his words, Micheal Martin or the unionist politicians who believed Trump was an ally.But there are no allies as far as Trump was concerned. Will those cheers at Doonbeg ensure Ireland and unity are looked on favourably? Or will they, as is so often the case with Trump, be viewed as just another transaction which only has significance until the next payment is due?