The Mick Clifford Podcast

On 20 March 1920 a number of RIC men entered the home of Cork’s Lord Mayor Tomas McCurtain and shot him to death in front of his family. The killing was the first of a number of traumatic events in the city that year, including the death of hunger strike of McCurtain’s successor, Terence McSwiney and culminating with the burning of the city centre in December. The 100th anniversary of McCurtain’s death is being commemorated this week and the scheduled events – postponed due to the coronavirus – were to have been led by the current Lord Mayor, John Sheehan. He spoke to Mick about McCurtain’s life and legacy and the view of history a century down the line. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kieran McCarthy is a former IRA member and a former Sinn Fein councillor. He left the party after a falling-out in 2015. Unlike others who have left he is largely in agreement with the Sinn Fein political project and is not a critic of the party, although his has some issues about how his time there came to an end. He spoke to the podcast about his past in the IRA, his belief that the campaign of violence was justified and about who is in control of the party’s principle policy – bringing about a united Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Norma Costello has been reporting from Iraq, Syria and Turkey for the last five years. The Kerrywoman was at one stage embedded with Kurdish fighters and she has reported on some of the most horrific human rights violations that have been perpetrated on the world stage in that period.She spoke to the podcast today about her experiences, why she feels the world isn't listening and how a couple of young students were radicalised in Galway and left to fight for ISIS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is Kerryman Donie O'Sullivan, who is the Disinformation, Technology and Politics correspondent for the American television network, CNN. His job entails rooting out the real 'fake news' on the internet as opposed to what Donald Trump describes as fake news. This involves attempting to track down who is spreading false information, particularly with a view to manipulating public opinion and impacting on the political system. Donie was employed in the wake of the 2016 presidential election when it emerged that false information from a number of sources, including Russia, had had an impact on the election of Donald Trump. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eamon Dunphy has, over his lifetime, crossed the political spectrum from left to right and back again. On this week's podcast he assesses the current political impasse and what it means for the country. He recounts how he fell out with Sinn Fein some years ago after a spell during which he considered himself a supporter. And he also offers an opinion on whether we will get to the Euros this year and whither RTE's sports coverage without Joe Brolly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the aftermath of the 2011 general election poet Theo Dorgan forecast that "it was an interim moment in a long, unfolding process of change…” that would take a few elections before a new kind of politics would emerge. After last week’s seismic general election results many now believe that we may be on the cusp of that new kind of politics. Theo Dorgan is this week’s guest on the podcast where he gave his views on what is unfolding and how we must learn from the past to see what is coming down the line. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the earthquake in last Saturday's election the country has been left with the prospect of a long drawn out dance before we arrive at a coherent government. The smart money is currently on Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail coming together and asking the Greens along to keep them company and to keep the peace. But is all of this idle speculation or is it simply the only way a government can be arrived at short of another general election. Discussing this and the rest of the fall-out from the general election with Mick is Danny McConnell, political editor of the Irish Examiner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The general election is finally upon us and the podcast is taking a look back at the campaign that was and a look ahead into the tea leaves to see how exactly the votes are going to fall. Joining Mick to discuss these issues and take a punt at shaping the next government are the Irish Examiner's political editor Danny McConnell and political correspondent Juno McEnroe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Something is happening in this election, but do we know what it is?Mick Clifford asks Professor Gary Murphy of DCU to put in context the changes that appear to be taking place in our politics as Sinn Fein rises in the polls.Gary also puts this election in historical context, comparing it to the couple of similarly major shifts that have taken place in Irish politics since the foundation of the state. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we there yet? As the general election campaign enters its final, crucial week the podcast hears from public affairs consultant and Irish Independent columnist Gerard Howlin. In a previous career Gerard was an advisor to successive Fianna Fail governments and he gives an insight into what it is like to be in the eye of the storm during a campaign.He also assesses why the climate change agenda has not featured prominently in the campaign and looks into his crystal ball to see the composition of the next government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.