In The News

Looking to feel happier and healthier in life, but don’t know where to start? Clinical Psychologist Dr Trudy Meehan joins Conor Pope to talk about the practical tools we can all start using to bring meaningful change into our lives. Positive Health: 100+ Research-based Positive Psychology and Lifestyle Medicine Tools to Enhance Your Wellbeing is available now. This episode was originally published in January 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, a prestigious Dublin school knowingly employed a former SS officer, Louis Feutren, as a French teacher. Now, former students of St Conleth's College allege that Feutren subjected them to physical and psychological abuse. The school has expressed 'regret' - but is that enough?Guests: Uki Goñi, who attended St Conleth's, and reporter Ronan McGreevyThis episode was originally published in October 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chuck Feeney, the Irish-American philanthropist, died in October this year at the age of 92. Two months after his death in San Francisco, he was laid to rest in Dublin's Glasnevin Cemetery. During his lifetime he quietly gave away almost all of his $8 billion fortune. Through his foundation Atlantic Philanthropies he funded massive life-changing education, health and science projects in Ireland, the US and around the world; as a proud Irish-American he helped fund the peace process leading to the Belfast Agreement. He wanted anonymity; he never wanted to be thanked or acknowledged or for his name to be on any of the buildings or institutions his money built. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. This episode was originally published in October 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In late July, four relatives attended a family lunch at the home of Erin Patterson, a 48 year-old mother of two from Leongatha in Australia. Within days of the lunch, three of the guests were dead, with a fourth left fighting for his life in hospital. A beef wellington that was served for lunch on the day is suspected to have contained poisonous death cap mushrooms. But why were they in there? Australian police must now decipher whether it was simply a tragic accident or if there is something more sinister at play? John Ferguson of The Australian explains the details of the case.This episode was originally published in August 2023. In November, Erin Patterson was charged by Australian Police with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. Her trial will take place in 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) unearthed an underground “banking” network offering an international money transfer system to Irish criminals. It allowed Irish drug gangs to move cash to continental Europe at low risk and without trace. The first step in this process was to bring the ill-gotten money to a local Chinese restaurant.Irish Times Crime Editor Conor Lally interviewed the head of Cab, who told him about the newly uncovered methods of hiding the proceeds of crime - and about how Instagram and reality TV are influencing the way criminals spend their money. This episode was originally published in November 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this Summer, a Netflix documentary, all about the hidden world of freediving, catapulted the sport in front of a global audience. The Deepest Breath, tells the story of Alessia Zecchini, a champion freediver from Italy and Stephen Keenan, an expert safety diver from Glasnevin in Dublin. It follows them as they rise separately through the ranks of the sport, before their lives eventually become intertwined. The film was directed by Irish filmmaker Laura McGann and gives an incredible insight into the world of freediving: which sees divers reach depths of more than 100 meters, without any equipment and with one single breath. In this episode, McGann explains how extraordinary archive footage and the generosity of Stephen’s father Peter helped shape the documentary. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. This episode was originally published in September 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Late Late Toy Show is Ireland's most popular TV show every year by a distance, but Toy Show: The Musical was a complete flop, losing €2.2 million in its first year. How did it go so badly wrong? And what does the story tell us about the organisation RTÉ has become and where it is going? Bernice Harrison asks Hugh Linehan. This episode was originally broadcast in July 2023. A forthcoming report by auditors Grant Thornton into the controversial Toy Show: The Musical is expected in early 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To call Taylor Swift simply a pop singer is to miss the point. She’s a one woman global phenomenon; the 34 year-old is the first musician ever to become a billionaire solely based on her songs and performances. And yet it’s her relatability that her fans love so much. When her Eras Tour hits town – any town – its economic impact is so powerful that a new word has been coined: Swiftenomics. In 2024 she’ll be bringing it to Ireland, to Croke Park. So how did it happen for the pop queen who started out as a teenager singing country. Music journalist Zara Hedderman explains just why Time magazine named Taylor Swift its person of the year and how she has become, what it calls, “the main character of the world”. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you spent far too much time this year watching Robbie Williams sitting on a bed in his underpants unpicking his life, or tried to do the Beckham’s loved-up dance in the kitchen, you’re not alone: celebrity documentaries made big news this year with Netflix leading the way. They included Pamela, a Love Story (Anderson), Arnold (Schwarzenegger), and Sly (Stallone) all on Netlix as well as documentaries on other streamers such as the Michael J Fox film, Still, on Apple TV+. But as they are made in co-operation with their starry subjects, are these films worthwhile looks behind the scenes or simply PR-driven vehicles? Patrick Freyne who writes a weekly Irish Times column on TV gives his take. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week Liam Byrne, the alleged leader of the Kinahan cartel’s Irish operations, was extradited from Spain to the UK to stand trial and face charges related to the alleged supply of firearms to other crime gangs.The 43-year-old, who was arrested while eating in a restaurant with his family in Mallorca in early June, had been living openly in Dubai for a couple of years before travelling to Europe for a holiday. Britain’s gun-related allegations are the first gangland charges Byrne has faced after a 20-year run that saw him rise to the top of Ireland’s drugs trade.If he is charged, what sentence could he face? What does Byrne’s extradition tell us about the state of play in Ireland’s fight against organised crime? And, will other members of the Kinahan gang be next?On today’s podcast, Irish Times security and crime editor Conor Lally reflects on the life of Liam Byrne and what lies ahead for organised crime in this country.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.