Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

In 2006, Elif Shafak was charged with 'insulting Turkishness' because of words uttered by a fictional character in one of her novels. She had been born to Turkish parents in France and grew up in Ankara but now she lives in London. On Free State today, Turkey's most widely read woman writer talks to Dion about exile, the age of anxiety and reaching out for home.

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When Arsenal announced they were cutting 60 jobs at the home of the Premier League champions, the manager Mikel Arteta said he had been told it was to "achieve the success we want to create".

With the help of management consultants, Arsenal identified savings while simultaneously awarding Arteta a new contract worth £20 million a season.

On Free State today we look at what this story of a sporting club tells us about capitalism and inequality. Dion and Joe look at how sport was sold as everything else was sold and they wonder what happens next. Sport h...

There was an extraordinary response to Jamie Bryson’s appearance on the podcast.

What does that tell us about what people want in the north and what people are talking about in the south?

On Free State today we ask if these are significant days for the future of unionism. What does it mean when the Belfast Newsletter, the paper of the unionism, says that Bryson is leading unionism down a dead end.

Dion and Joe talk about how communities have emerged that challenge how people felt things would be and they ask th...

Damien Pearse is a psychologist and he is also a football fan. Why does it affect him so much when his side loses and what does it tell us about the modern world? On Free State today he talks to Dion about why we want to belong and why we identify with the tribes we do.

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Who is Jamie Bryson and what does he want?

On Free State today Jamie Bryson talks to Joe and Dion about Garvaghy Road, the Orange Order and a United ireland.

His conversation with Joe is heated and contentious as they talk about these and other issues.

What aspects of his cultural identity does he share with people in England and what would his view be if there was a violent response to a border poll being called?

Let us know what you think - [email protected]

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Anne Cadwallader covered the Drumcree events in the late 1990s. She remembers the tension of those days and the work Rosemary Nelson did at that time. On Free State today she talks to Joe and Dion about Rosemary Nelson's murder. She talks too about Lethal Allies her book about collusion and the Glennane Gang. She explains how she first arrived in Northern Ireland and how as a 'well brought up girl' from London, she had one view of what was happening which changed with time and experience. She also tells us how Tina Turner's intervention led to her receiving...

“This man's issue and the reason why he did what he did changes the world,” Ben MacIntyre says. “He changed the world that we now live in. Without this person we would probably be living in a different world.”

On today’s Free State we learn the story of Vladimir Kuzichkin, a Soviet spy working in Iran whose codename was ‘Redwood’.

Redwood had a problem, a sexual problem and the author Ben Macintyre tells us of this problem and why this spy and what he did might have changed the course of history. He explains what drew him...

Drumcree is now a peace dividend. Where once the attempt to march led to violence, destruction and death, now it leads to court wranglings, endless negotiations and the support for the Garvaghy Road residents from Noel Gallagher.

On Free State, Dion and Joe look at this death rattle for anachronistic unionism and what it means for a new Ireland. Joe and Dion argue about whether calling a border poll would help.

Let us know what you think, email [email protected]

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Thousands gathered on Garvaghy Road determined that there would be no going back. A new generation, confident and assured, are determined that the north chooses a different road.

But what is it about a parade of elderly orange men that causes these emotions?

On Free State today Joe explains why Garvaghy Road represents a new and confident community.

Joe and Dion discuss what it means for a United Ireland. What that Ireland would look like might be even more important than a border poll.

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Louise Kennedy's first novel Trespasses was a beautiful and heartbreaking story of the Troubles. In her new novel Stations she deals with the loss and sacrifice of emigration. Louise talks to Dion about moving from the north to Naas when she was 12 and the truth about emigration and why Ireland has yet to acknowledge it.

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In November 2023, Peter O’Mahony sat down for a meeting with his coach at Munster Graham Rowntree where the reality of a professional sportsman’s life became brutally clear.

On that same day, Peter and Dion met for the first time to begin work on his autobiography. Peter is the guest on today’s Free State where he talks about why having an obsession with winning was essential to his career and his brief time as a Gaelic footballer.

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In Drumcree and in Debrecen, we were forced to consider different Irelands last weekend.

The determination of the Orange Order to parade down Garvaghy Road brought back memories for so many of the dark days in the north.

But does it really show how much has changed?

On Free State today, Dion and Joe discuss what happened at Drumcree and in Hungary where Gavin Bazunu told his team mates he didn’t want to play against Israel. Should his team mates have stood with him? What does beating Israel mean for Ireland? Is th...

Jon Ronson joins Dion on today's Free State to talk about the manosphere, his time with Ian Paisley and his new book, The Castle. Learn more about Jon's new book here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/455289/the-castle-by-ronson-jon/9780241754771

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‘We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.’

With these words, Irelqnd’s manager Heimir Hallgrimsson tried to rally support for his players before they play their first game against Israel.

The Israeli Fa responded by saying, ‘We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, We’re playing against the coach who embodies them."

With these words, the Israeli FA would seem to be in step with their government and those who attack anyone who criticises the genocide in Gaza.

On Fr...

‘Three things come with taking a man’s life. The first one is the easy bit – going into a room and shooting somebody… The second is preparing yourself if you get caught coming or going and getting life in prison – could you do it? And the third and final and most important is can you live with it for the rest of your life? And that’s where a lot of people fail.’ 

Aaron Edwards is the great chronicler of loyalism in this time. His new book details the life of Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair who spoke those words to Edwa...

Robert Harris's book have always been about power. His latest Agrippa tells the story of the close friend of the Emperor Augustus as they take power folloing the assassination of Julius Caesar. Harris talks to Dion about how power erodes and all empire die as he looks to the modern world and how democracy is failign. You can learn more about Robert's new book here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/463350/agrippa-by-harris-robert/9781529154412

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‘I am not complicit’ Ed Sheeran said in his statement after Macklemore was dropped as a support act on his US tour.

Macklemore had been dropped because he said the words ‘Free Palestine’ on stage. 

Sheeran blamed the promoters and the billionaire Robert Kraft said he put pressure on Sheeran to drop Macklemore.

On Free State today we ask what lies beneath the pressure to silence Macklemore .

What does it tell us about the world that is being shaped by billionaires? Does the response by those including Sheeran’s other support acts tell u...

What a weekend for Ireland. Donald Trump flew in and across the land, people whooped and hollered as if these were the greatest days of their lives.

Before he left, Trump had presented the Irish Open trophy to Shane Lowry, removed tariffs on Irish whiskey and united Ireland.

On Free State, Dion and Joe consider the significance of Trump’s comments and whether it brings the prospect of a border poll closer.

Who was in more discomfort from his words, Micheal Martin or the unionist politicians who believed Trump was an ally.

...

The great historian Jill Lepore joins Dion on today's Free State to talk about the history of the artificial state and what we can learn from past movements which attempted to advance the cause of machines. Jill takes us on a journey from the Technocracy movement through to today's AI evangelists.

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When Ed Miliband announced that the UK would take action and sanction illegal Israeli settlements, the response was swift. 

Britain had lost its moral compass, these moves would only aid Benjamin Netanyahu, the real victims were the Palestinian people were among the lines of attack. 

Miliband, who is Jewish, was called a ‘Jew hater’ by Mike Huckabee, the US’s ambassador to Israel.

On Free State today we look at how Israel went on the attack and why it is not a pariah but a model for the future. 

We examine the range...

What will it take to unite Ireland? In a live Free State we took that question (and Dion) to West Belfast. 

We were joined by Paul Howard, author of the brilliant new novel ‘A Nation Once Again’ about the government department secretly planning for a United Ireland.

In front of a packed crowd, Paul took us through the absurdities of the situation and why bureaucracy says no even if the people say yes.

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Joe and Dion look at the 'cruel and unknowable' Donald Trump, and how Qatar are regretting getting friendly with the 'hyena' in the White House. Meanwhile, the Man With Zero Political Convicton, Keir Starmer, is stepping down as a MP mere weeks after relinquishing his role as Prime Minister - in sharp contrast to Jeremey Corbyn who has remained on to serve his constituents long after leaving his role as leader of the Labour Party.

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Should Andy Burnham have a say in the future of Northern Ireland? Could "Kitchen Appliances : The Musical" be the next big thing at the Fringe? And will Dion be shunned by the Dungiven whatsapp group when he heads to Belfast this Thursday with Joe to interview Paul Howard?

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Referees are abused and derided. They are mocked and pursued but what does their demonisation tell us about the world we live in today? William Ralston talks to Dion about his deep dive into the world of refereeing. He talks about his own attempts to referee at the lowest level and the lack of humanity shown to officials - people - at all levels of sport.

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Few things make Irish people feel more inadequate than being told how well everything functions in Scandinavia. 

We are constantly told about their education systems, its welfare system and its work-life balance.

But have we got it wrong?

On Free State, Philip O’Connor, who has been based in Sweden since 1999, talks to us about the upcoming election in Sweden.

He explains the rise of the Sweden Democrats and how a party with Neo-Nazi origins may now hold the balance of power.

He also tells us how they did it...

‘We recognise sometimes its signature is written in pencil’

With these words Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney declared a trade war with its unreliable neighbour, the United States.

On Free State today, we look at why so few want to assert what Carney stated so baldly, that America under Donald Trump cannot be trusted.

This is a reality the world knows but the leaders instead of acknowledging it, run from it as they try and pretend the world is still the same.

A reminder that on Sept 3rd, Free S...

Annie Jacobsen deals in scenarios. As she says on today's Free State, there are other scenarios around biological war. They are worse. Jacobsen talks to Dion about the world's failure to learn from the pandemic, the Wuhan lab theory and what we can do to prepare for an even more devastating lab leak.

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James McClean’s return to Derry hasn’t worked out as anticipated.

But beyond the headlines, what was at stake when he was on the receiving end of abuse on social media, in the English media and from the football grounds of England?

On Free State today, Dion and Joe look at how McClean was reduced to caricature and how the outrage machine shaped it. 

We also have some Free State news. On Sept 3rd, Free State will be live in Belfast with Paul Howard to talk about his brilliant new book ‘A Natio...

On August 14, Jason Arday was found unresponsive at his home in Battersea in London.

In a statement, his family said they were "in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son".

They added that the “campaign of misinformation was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone."

On Free State today, we look at the life and death of Jason Arday. A man who made mistakes in his life but was pursued relentlessly by sections of the media un...

"Can you tell us how he died, where and why?" On August 9, 2025, Mo Salah tweeted this above a Uefa post which said "Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the Palestinian Pele". Salah's tweet has been viewed 140 million times. On Free State today, Melissa Reddy talks to Dion about the cultural importance of Mo Salah, how he has been held to a different standard and why his last year at Liverpool wasn't what it seemed.

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Darragh McGee understands sport. As a Donegal man he understands the hold and the importance sport has across this land. So as an academic when he went to investigate the betting industry, he didn’t expect to discover all that he learned about its hold on so many individuals and on society.

On Free State today. Darragh McGee talks to Joe and Dion about his book Imitation Games - How Gambling Hijacked Sport. He explains why the digital age caught everybody by surprise, but while the betting industry was quick to grasp what it could do, the le...

David Hearn was once an Olympic canoeist. He was facing ten years in a federal prison for allegedly vandalising the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC before all the charges were dropped.

‘It’s a relief, but there’s a detachment to that relief of extreme concern for other people and for our country,’ Hearn said,

On Free State today we explain why the story of the Reflecting Pool is a perfect example of how Donald Trump works. 

We look at how Donald Trump captured the United States and what the new book by M...

Michael Thomas found the kind of success most writers dream of with his first novel, Man Gone Down, but his life and career took a different direction. Now he has returned with an astonishing memoir, The Broken King. On Free State, he talks to Dion about addiction, race, and retiring to Ireland.

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July was the driest July on record in Ireland and the second hottest since 1900. 

Most of us have enjoyed this summer but should we just now accept our Mediterranean climate and whistle past the climate graveyard.

On Free State today we look at how climate and migration became weapons to protect the elites and sustain inequality. 

Dion and Joe look at the way the events in Ceuta were seized upon. It provided a backdrop for misinformation and fear and another chance to tell you your freedoms were under attack while your freedoms we...

In the 1980s, there were 21 days when the temperature in London reached 30 degrees. In 2026 there have been 24.

In Greece, two died in a midair collision between helicopters fighting wildfires. France has seen the greatest civilian evacuation outside wartime as people flee the danger areas. 

And yet people will take issue with what they are seeing.

On Free State we look at the movement that turned climate science into a climate debate. We examine how the methods that were used by big tobacco transferred to the climate arena. We look at how Brexit may b...

Running agents during the Troubles has become one of the darkest element of the history of the north. John Ware has covered this story since the 1970s and produced a ground breaking Panorama on the topic. Ware talks to Dion today about a lifetime covering this subject and the stories of Brian Nelson and Freddie Scappaticci.

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Can you put a price on what we watched at Croke Park on Sunday? What would you sell a Mayo victory in the All Ireland for?

We know that what we watched affects us in ways that money can’t buy but Gianni Infantino thinks he can sell the essence of sport.

On Free State today Dion and Joe look at why sport is so important and why men like Infantino are a danger to the things that are most important in our lives.

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Everybody wants to know how Mayo did it, but when something like this happens what is more important is why Mayo did it.

Why did these players play without fear? Why did the world weep along with Mayo people on Sunday when they won the All Ireland?

On Free State today we look at why Mayo were able to do what they did against Kerry.

In a county that has been waiting for so long, Joe and Dion look at how Andy Moran didn’t run from the emotion but instead made it an...

Will the world have changed thanks to the World Cup? Or did the world change while the World Cup was taking place and people were too busy watching the World Cup to notice.

On Free State today, the great novelist Joseph O’Neill talks to Dion about what he learned watching the World Cup and how the authoritarian US regime prospered during the tournament as other authoritarian regimes prospered in the past.

He talks us through his own views on the tournament and tells us the identity of the one team he can support unconditionally.

Mayo have been denied in All Irelands in every way possible - balls bouncing over the bar, the referee blowing up early, own goals... they've also taken a few pastings along the way, but what will they do with the freedom they will have on Sunday?

Somehow Mayo have reached an All Ireland final this year against all odds, but does that make this year different? Does everything change because it would be one of the most stunning shocks in history if Kerry lost? Does that give Mayo a freedom they’ve never had before or will it...