The Mick Clifford Podcast

Leo Varadkar’s announcement that he was stepping down as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael took the whole country by shock. Why now and who is in line to succeed him? Irish Examiner Political Editor Elaine Loughlin looks back on Varadkar’s career and looks forward to who might replace him and what it will mean for the government, the country and the next general election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the perks of the job of being Taoiseach is apparently the invite to the White House for St Patrick’s Day, a privilege that is afforded few foreign leaders. Leo Varadkar is over this year but he has a lot on his mind. He has to step lightly around hosts whose stance on Israel and Gaza is at odds with that of most of the world, including Ireland. And he also is burdened with reflection on a disastrous referendum outcome for his government. Joining him in DC, among the travelling media, is Irish Examiner Political Editor Elaine Loughlin, this week’s guest on the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Through the years of the violence in Northern Ireland one distinctive voice was frequently heard across all airwaves. Eamonn Mallie didn’t speak with a typical South Armagh accent but it was from there he was sprung and he went on to be one of the leading reporters of the conflict in the North. Now he has written a book about his experiences, the stories he broke, his encounters with the men of violence and a highly unlikely friendship with the firebrand unionist, Ian Paisley. Eamonn Mallie is this week’s guest on the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Mick sat down with a group formed a few years ago from descendants of those who were involved in signing the Anglo-Irish Treaty. And it wasn’t just those who were on the pro-treaty side that were part of this group, but also a grandson of Cathal Brugha and a grand nephew of Harry Boland. The group is pushing hard for a national day of reconciliation to be formed and they made a compelling case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Press photography may be a dying art but one of its great practitioners over the last forty years was Denis Minihane. Recently retired after forty seven years working for the Irish Examiner, he talks about his career, the art and the craft and the historic events at which he had a front row seat. Denis is this week’s guest on the podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People who have served a prison sentence for a criminal offence are entitled to believe that once the sentence is completed they have paid their debt to society. That does not appear to be the case. New research shows that there are huge barriers to ex-prisoners finding employment and that the past simply won’t leave them alone. Damien Quinn was one such person, who had to fight hard to rebuild his life once he finished his sentence. He and Irish Penal Reform Trust Executive Director Saoirse Brady are this week’s guests on the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike O’Donnell is one of the only if not the only court artists currently plying his trade in this country. He covers high profile trials and draws defendants, lawyers, judges, the public, all to give an insight and flavour of the environment of a court where serious, and usually tragic, drama takes place. He currently has an exhibition in which one of the main subjects is Gerry ‘the Monk’ Hutch whose trial Mike covered. Afterwards, Hutch invited the artist to his home in Dublin where he “sat” for Mike. This week’s guest on the podcast gives a fascinating insight into his trade and those he has encountered along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week the Bishop of Kerry announced that the church in the diocese was facing further challenges this year with more retirements of priests scheduled. So where stands the Catholic church in this country now in terms of serving its community? Will, for example, congregations be expected to travel further to attend mass and confession? Will there be a greater role for laity in the church? And is there willingness within the current hierarchy for creative solutions? Roy Donovan, a priest and member of the Association of Catholics Priests is this week’s guest on the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ian Bailey’s death this week has reawakened debate on whether or not he should have been put on trial for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. He was the chief suspect and was arrested twice but never charged. In 2019 he was convicted of murder in abstentia in Paris. But should he have been charged with murder in this jurisdiction. Nick Foster has written a book about the case, Murder At Roaring Bay. He and Mick disagree as to whether the evidence was sufficient to put him on trial. They debate the issue on this week’s podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since Christmas there has been a number of restaurant closures throughout the country, including the high profile Nash 19 in Cork city. These were predicted due to a variety of cost related issues, most particularly labour and fall-out from the pandemic in areas like the warehousing of debt. So what will this mean for the future and is there anything that can be done to ensure that small businesses in general can survive in the current climate. Restauranteur Ross Lewis is this week’s guest on the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.