The Irish Passport

In this first episode of Season 3, we explore the fascinating story of Irish women in politics from 1916 to the present day. We ask why women – integral to the foundation of the state – almost disappeared from the country’s political landscape until relatively recently, and why 2019 could represent a new era of revolutionary change. Historians Mary McAuliffe and Emma O’Toole explain why radical feminist politics was so central to the Irish Revolution, while journalist Martina Fitzgerald outlines the challenges faced by female politicians during the 20th century. Naomi speaks to Hazel Chu, who is vying to become the country’s first Irish-Chinese political representative, and Union of Student of Ireland representative Aisling Cusack tells us why things are changing, and changing fast … For bonus episodes, support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport. Season 3 of The Irish Passport podcast is made with the kind support of Biddy Murphy, online sellers of genuine Irish goods. Check them out on www.biddymurphy.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @PassportIrish.

It’s the Season 2 finale of The Irish Passport podcast, and this one is a blockbuster. Naomi interviews Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald about her concept of progressive Irish nationalism, and she believes its anti-colonial roots makes it fundamentally different to the nationalisms of continental Europe. Tim speaks to leading historians Richard English and Aidan Beatty to trace how Irish nationalism developed in the wake of the French revolution, and its complex relationship with questions of race and gender. Featuring a report on one of the island of Ireland’s newer identities: Northern Irish, as reporter Michael Lanigan captures the tensions of history hanging over a Republic of Ireland versus Northern Ireland soccer match. This episode is sponsored by Tigh Neachtain pub in Galway. This sponsorship allowed us to hire an audio editor for this episode: thank you very much to Alan Meaney.

Strange things are happening in Co. Roscommon, where a controversial eviction has set the internet on fire. Who were the unidentified men who ejected an elderly family from their farm house last week? Why do ex-British soldiers appear to be involved? And where do the rumours stop and facts begin? Naomi and Tim uncover the dramatic story of this eviction and its deep historical resonances in the Irish cultural consciousness. They trace out the facts of what exactly happened in the townland of Falsk, how it inspired a vicious vigilante counter-attack that has gripped national headlines – and why you should pay very close attention to what happens next. This episode includes exclusive unreported revelations about security guards from Northern Ireland who carried out the eviction. Trust us, you’re going to want to listen to this one.

Brexit chaos has turned British politics upside down for the last few weeks. What’s actually going on and should you care? Naomi and Tim lay out what are the UK’s realistic options, what the various factions actually want, and how it all relates to the biggest Brexit roadblock of all: the Irish border. As the clock ticks down to Brexit day on the 29th of March, this is the summary you need to understand Brexit and its consequences for the island of Ireland. This is a free edition of Halfpints, the extra series we make to thank our Patreon supporters. You can support the making of The Irish Passport podcast on www.patreon.com/theirishpassport, and get full access to our full archive of extra Halfpints episodes there.

Ireland’s main political parties are not split on a traditional left-right model, but instead represent different sides of a bloody civil war in the 1920s. But why is this war spoken about so little today? Could it be that its memory is too painful? Or is it because it still so strangely dominant in modern Irish politics? In this episode, Tim traces the history of Ireland’s Civil War from 1922-23, and how it shaped the country’s political landscape. Meanwhile, Naomi pays a visits the Irish Senate in Dublin, where she meets two politicians who have been deeply influenced by Civil War politics, albeit in very different ways. One is Senator Mark Daly, a descendant from anti-treaty rebels still questing for a 32-county Ireland, and the other is Senator Ian Marshall, the first northern unionist ever to be elected to the Irish Seanad.

hundred years since the end of the First World War, the remembrance poppy remains a controversial symbol in Ireland. Why? Writer Kylie Noble explains what the poppy meant to her as a child growing up in Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, and how she reconciles it with her British and Irish identity today. Naomi traces the roots of Ireland's complex relationship with the poppy and how it intersects with her own family history, and interrogates what the fundraising appeal is for according to the accounts of the Royal British Legion. Should Taoiseach Leo Varadkar be wearing a shamrock poppy? You decide. Featuring Cello Duet No. 1 by Chief Boima

Ireland votes for president on Friday October 26. Naomi and Tim break down the drama of the campaign.  Featuring dragons, horses, and car-crash interviews (literally). We hit the campaign trail on the streets of Dublin, ask Sinn Féin candidate Liadh Ní Riada why she's running when she probably won't win, and tell the backstory to why Ireland has this peculiar position at all.  This is a free sample of a new Halfpint, the bonus content we make for our Patreon supporters. To hear the whole episode, head over to The Irish Passport Patreon page to become a patron.

Ireland's housing crisis is at boiling point, with homelessness at record levels and even well-paid people struggling to afford soaring rents and house prices. It's the political issue everyone is talking about -- but it's one with a long and dramatic history. Tim traces the backstory to how an agrarian revolt turned Ireland into a kind of property-based welfare state. We visit an 'occupation training' session by Take Back the City, the activists who are grabbing headlines by seizing empty buildings in Dublin and demanding they be turned into social housing. How did Ireland go from the excesses of the Celtic Tiger property boom, to bust and back again? Hear the whole story in this episode.

Tim and Naomi travel to Belfast for the peak of Northern Ireland's marching season: the 11th and 12th of July, when unionists and British-identifying communities light enormous bonfires and parade through the streets to commemorate Protestant military victories of the 17th century. We speak to experts who explain the meaning of the tradition, and visit loyalist and republican communities in Belfast to understand what this time of year is like for them. We find many sides to the Glorious Twelfth: it can be a beloved community event, but it's intimidating enough that it drives most Catholics off the streets of Belfast. Naomi and Tim come face to face with the darker side, as they find themselves caught up in the thick of open sectarian celebrations.

Pope Francis visits Ireland in the wake of the abortion referendum, as Church infighting over the legacy of abuse in Catholic institutions threatens to derail the trip. We hear from people who protested the papal visit, and feature a special guest who decided he wanted to hear what the pope had to say for himself. Naomi and Tim discuss what the low turnout tells us about how the country has changed, and whether the visit closes a chapter in modern Irish history. This is a Halfpint episode, the extra content created to thank our Patreon supporters. Due to strong demand for an episode about the pope's visit, we've released this Halfpint to all listeners. You can listen to our full archive of Halfpints by signing up as a supporter on our Patreon page.