The Blindboy Podcast

Ronald Hutton, a University of Bristol historian renowned for his work on paganism, witchcraft and folklore, explores England’s neglected mythic past. Topics range from Robin Hood, Tolkien and King Arthur to fairy lore hidden in place names, Anglo-Saxons among Roman ruins, Wicca, witch hunts and folk magic. They also examine sacred trees, Sheela-na-gigs, conspiracy theories, AI doom narratives and how folklore gets reshaped by politics.

A winding exploration of magical thinking, from touching wood and Anglo-Saxon tree worship to Irish sacred water. Chain letters, Bebo, Roko’s Basilisk and ancient myths reveal how fear travels through stories and technology. The discussion slithers into snakes, cobras, the evil eye, cattle rituals, and the possibility that old basilisk legends preserve memories of real predators.

A lively exploration of Ireland’s history of strikes, boycotts, and worker solidarity, from Charles Stewart Parnell to modern public-sector action. The discussion also tackles how headlines individualize structural problems, the dangers of far-right nationalism, and the revival of Limerick folklore through the legendary “Limerick 9-11” and a contemporary Wren tradition.

A sharp, funny tour through surrealism, absurdism, and postmodernism, sparked by a terrible theatre review. Along the way, Blindboy explores Beckett, Flann O’Brien, Freud, artistic risk, neurodivergent accessibility, and why harsh criticism can matter. He also questions podcasting’s shift toward video, AI data collection, and the future of independent audio storytelling.

Racing to opening night of his Abbey Theatre play, Blindboy reflects on catharsis, artistic transformation, outsider labels, silliness, and the fleeting magic of live theatre. He then launches into a bizarre comic tale involving a bargain bass, a disgraced musician, maggot worship, an airplane miracle gone wrong, and a suspicious offer involving a rubber hand.

Jon Ronson, the Welsh journalist, author and documentary filmmaker, joins a wide-ranging conversation on conspiracy theories, from Alex Jones to UFOs and AI fearmongering. They explore autism, masking, masculinity, loneliness, male alienation and the uneasy ethics of immersive nonfiction. Fame, creative shame, political anxiety and the search for purpose also enter the discussion.

A nostalgic journey from childhood vegetable sellers and community gardens to sauerkraut, gut health, and the hidden environmental costs of supermarket food. The discussion explores famine history, globalization, and ideas for rebuilding local food systems. Then a haunted vegetable van leads to infrasound, vibrating rooms, visual distortions, and a scientific theory of ghosts.

Sean Ronayne, an Irish ornithologist, wildlife sound recordist, author, and documentary maker, joins a boat trip around Garnish Island. They explore wasps, rare spiders, bird mimicry, eagle recordings, autism and ADHD, bizarre birdwatching contests, and the hidden soundscape of ecological loss. Expect seals, frog-hopper duets, flood myths, invasive plants, and a warning about the dangers of bird-call playback.

A sharp cultural history of Kerryman jokes, anti-Irish humor, and the classic Englishman, Scotsman and Irishman format. The discussion travels from schoolyard misinformation and working men’s clubs to racism, class aspiration, colonial shame, and far-right divide-and-rule messaging. It closes with the wonderfully subversive way Irish children reclaimed the joke through absurdity.

Reflections on receiving intense online anger after a radio interview and how media framing amplified outrage. Thoughts on anonymity, autism and why rejecting fame unsettles people. A look at how social platforms collapse nuance into black-and-white reactions and how anger replaces sitting with fear. Small local projects like a school bioswale are offered as quiet, practical responses to marginalisation.