The Irish Passport

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.

Derry: ground zero for the outbreak of conflict in Northern Ireland. Is it once again being threatened with instability as Brexit causes deep uncertainty over the border? Naomi and Tim travel north just as unrest breaks out in the ancient city as Protestants and unionists prepare to mark the 12th of July: a yearly celebration of their culture. We chat to a man who lost his father in Bloody Sunday, speak to children building a bonfire about why they burn the Irish flag, and sketch out why this city of so much promise has been held back by decades of discrimination.

The British government has locked itself in a country mansion to debate Brexit, like a demented Agatha Christie novel. In Brussels, Irish and European leaders grimly start planning for a cliff-edge, no-deal outcome. What’s going on and what does it all mean? Naomi and Tim untangle the latest developments and discuss the implications for Ireland and the border. We speak to UK opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn about his Brexit border stance and his plans for Northern Ireland if he became prime minister. Meanwhile, Irishmen at the heart of Brussels Dara Murphy and Commissioner Phil Hogan explain the challenges of the negotiation and why Europe is preparing itself for the worst.

Why are there two Scottish football clubs, one whose supporters wave the Irish tricolour, the other the Union Jack? The rivalry between Celtic and Rangers is just one aspect of a fascinating cultural interchange between Ireland and Scotland that goes back thousands of years. Naomi explores these ancient links and how they are still playing out in modern politics in this discussion with Professor Graham Walker, an expert on politics, sectarianism, culture and identity in Scotland and Northern Ireland at Queen’s University Belfast. We talk about how the bombshell of Brexit is alienating Scottish voters, and whether the quest for Scottish independence is making waves across the Irish sea. This is a ‘Halfpint’ episode, a special series we create in addition to the main podcast to thank our wonderful Patreon supporters. You can get access to many more Halfpint episodes if you sign up to support us at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.

he most popular sports in Ireland are the Gaelic games: uniquely Irish sports with an ancient history and a dramatic political backstory that are finding increasing international success. Tim visits the Paris Gaels to hear why players who have never set foot in Ireland have taken to Gaelic football, while Naomi explores the importance of the intensely local amateur sports to communities in Ireland. We hear from sports historian Paul Rouse of University College Dublin on how the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884 was deeply linked to the nationalist politics of the time. From Bronze Age myths about hurling matches between ancient tribes, to a devastating massacre in Croke Park stadium in 1920, we hear why modern Ireland can't be understood without getting GAA.

Ireland has voted by a landslide to end its near-total abortion ban. We hear the voices of victorious campaigners in Dublin Castle in the moments when the result was announced. Naomi and Tim discuss the historic moment in a Dublin pub. We ask what this means for Ireland, what it means for the world, and whether Northern Ireland is next.

Northern Ireland is watching the abortion referendum in the Republic of Ireland carefully. It's already forcing political parties in the north to debate their abortion policies, and the vote's outcome will have immediate repercussions in Belfast. Naomi speaks to David McCann, deputy editor of political commentary site Slugger O'Toole about why social issues are in sync north and south. We hear how young abortion rights activists are organising coaches to cross the border and campaign in the republic's referendum. Naomi traces how the two jurisdictions ended up with similarly strict abortion bans, for very different reasons.

The rebellion of a raggedy band of teachers, nurses and poets sent shock waves around the world and changed Ireland forever. But why does the Easter Rising of 1916 still cause controversy? Naomi and Tim introduce the countess, the grocer’s daughter, the carpenter and the ex-cobbler who all picked up guns on the morning of April 24 1916 and marched out to declare an independent Irish republic. Leading historians give their analysis of how the concept of Ireland was forged, and how the centenary celebrations in 2016 changed how the Easter Rising is remembered. This episode analyses how 1916 remains an intoxicating idea in Irish politics, and explores the cultural movement that created an ‘idea’ of Ireland so powerful, it was to die for.