Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning
Gold Hat Productions
Free State is a podcast for the curious that stimulates, provokes, challenges and entertains, while never taking itself too seriously. Free State covers topics from sport to politics, love to loss, the human condition and how to fix the world, with guests from across the planet including Nigerian princes, former Prime Ministers, ex convicts, footballers, boxers and extraordinary people from every walk of life. Free State is presented by Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning. Brolly is a barrister, an original thinker with a fascinating backstory, who donated a kidney to a stranger and then led a crusade to transform organ donation on the island of Ireland, and Fanning is an award-winning interviewer and author. They are not motivational gurus or life coaches. They will never try to sell you a penis scented candle. They are two people from very different worlds, with one core belief uniting them - this is not a high performance podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 19, 2026 • 37min
Jim Ratcliffe and the business of hate
A sharp discussion of a billionaire's inflammatory remarks about immigration and the awkward apology that followed. Conversations probe how wealthy figures use racist rhetoric to protect wealth and the human cost of cost-cutting at a football club. They examine how shocking language gets normalized, how social media amplifies the far right, and how austerity fuels hate.
8 snips
Feb 17, 2026 • 42min
Thoughts and Prayers. Why Ireland WILL play Israel.
A heated debate over whether Ireland should refuse to play Israel and what a boycott would actually achieve. Discussion of UEFA and FIFA’s inconsistent responses to conflicts and comparisons with Russia and apartheid South Africa. Examination of civil society pressure, political pragmatism, media caution, and the human cost behind calls for sporting isolation.
13 snips
Feb 14, 2026 • 48min
How the CIA really operates with David McCloskey
David McCluskey, a former CIA analyst turned bestselling spy novelist and podcaster, shares sharp stories from intelligence life. He contrasts analytic tradecraft with covert fieldwork. He probes politicization of intelligence, Iran-Israel shadow conflicts, and how fiction and AI shape modern spycraft.
Feb 12, 2026 • 40min
Democracy Dies in Darkness - Trump’s dismantling of the US media
Mass layoffs at a major newspaper and how ownership shifts reshape editorial choices. Connections between billionaire influence, blocked endorsements and subscriber backlash. Comparisons between historical media capture and modern consolidation. Legal and political pressure used to intimidate and weaken reporting institutions.
8 snips
Feb 10, 2026 • 45min
Derry or Londonderry? The DUP’s doomed war on reality.
A sharp discussion about Gregory Campbell’s intervention in Derry and why it reignited old identity rows. They revisit bilingual signs, the Derry/Londonderry name fight, and how culture-war stunts shape unionist politics. There is debate over Protestant migration, progressive unionism’s marginalisation, and whether constructive leadership can replace grievance-driven tactics.
Feb 7, 2026 • 52min
These Sacred Vows
A creator discusses a new comedy drama that probes class, identity and religion in modern Ireland. They explore writing about the middle class, code-switching and growing up gay. The conversation navigates waning faith, replacement communities and the choice of a wedding as a stage for secrets and social dynamics.
6 snips
Feb 5, 2026 • 40min
Peter Mandelson and Epstein’s island. The spider in the elites’ global web
A deep dive into Peter Mandelson’s reach through media, politics and finance. Stories range from local Hartlepool intrigue to alleged ties with elite networks linked to Epstein. The conversation traces emails, payments and photographs that connect political figures to wealthy donors. It also explores how neoliberalism, crony networks and transatlantic influence reshape power and public life.
Feb 3, 2026 • 38min
The Melania documentary. A lesson in presidential bribery
They dissect the Melania documentary's strange tone and surreal presentation. They explore why Amazon paid $75 million and whether that payment functions as political patronage. They map corporate ties between billionaires and presidential power. They debate whether such transactions edge into bribery and what it means for American democracy.
Jan 31, 2026 • 45min
Peter Oborne - ‘Trump’s Board of Peace is a Board of War'
In the Orwellian world we now live in, gaslighting is now standard. When Donald Trump creates a Board of Peace, we know that where it says one thing, the opposite is the truth.On Free State today Peter Oborne joins us to talk about how we reached this point in the Middle East.Peter’s new book Complicit looks at Britain’s role in sustaining the genocide in Gaza and why there might be consequences.He explains why the U.K. is moving from democracy to oligarchy. He also tells Dion about a book he has just finished on cricket.You can order his book here - COMPLICIT: Britain's Role in the Destruction of Gaza | Peter Oborne | OR Books.Email us your thoughts on the episode info@freestatepodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 29, 2026 • 53min
Allianz’s National Football League, Trump’s World Cup and the silencing of sporting integrity
When the president of the German football club St Pauli said it was "clearly time to at least discuss a boycott" of the World Cup in the US this summer, he was quickly reminded of his station. "He hasn't been with us long," the president of the German football federation said. The idea of a boycott was completely "misguided" he said.But why? On Free State today, Joe and Dion look at why the World cup could be boycotted and, more importantly, why it won't.When FIFA created a peace prize, did they think about what would happen if they entered the peace business? Did they reflect that people might seriously ask them to consider peace, especially in a country which is going to war on everyone including its own people? They also look at Allianz's ongoing sponsorship of the National Football League and wonder why the protests have been so muted? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
