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Artwork for Free State

Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

Gold Hat Productions
Ireland
Donald Trump
Gaza
Israel
Northern Ireland
Mental Health
GAA
United States
Iran
Addiction
Palestine
Hurling
Gaelic Football
IRA
David Clifford
Racism
Grief
DJ Carey
World Cup
Artificial Intelligence

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 ... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes404Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPoliticsSports News

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Artwork for Free State

Latest Episodes

You might not have heard of Helenio Herrera but without him, you might not have the modern football manager. Herrera was a lowdown and a dirty football manager who wasn't so much a pragmatist as an absolutist. He was full of contradictions: he hated ... more

The World Cup continues to captivate. France stunned the world with their performance against Sweden, with a display of pace and skill that was as good as anything witnessed in the competition.

But what is the hidden World Cup? What is the secret an... more

How many times do you look at your smartphone each day? How often do you pick it up? How aware are you of how it makes you feel?

On Thursday’s Free State we looked at how gambling has got out of control.

Today Dion and Joe examine how what we are d... more

When Fintan Drury wrote his first book on Palestine - Catastrophe, Nakba II, the manner in which it resonated with people told its own story. Now he has written Genocide - Sponsoring the destruction of Palestine, another searing and detailed account ... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Peter McDonald
Actor, co-creator of many projects including Power Ballad
Actor
Episode: An Actor's Life: Power Ballad start Peter McDonald on working with Paul Rudd, dealing with fame and the Monday Club
Sinead Gibney
Member of the Social Democrats, talking about a government motion on sport and Israel
Social Democrats
Episode: Put ‘Em Under Pressure. How to Stop Ireland playing Israel with Sinead Gibney TD
John Kampfner
Author of Brave New World, discussing the book's themes
Episode: The Sleepwalkers-John Kampfner on how western democracy will fail
Maoz Inon
Israeli peace activist and co-founder of Interact International; author of The Future is Peace
Interact International
Episode: Radical Forgiveness: How a Palestinian and an Israeli want to bring peace to their lands
Aziz Abu Sarah
Palestinian peace activist and co-founder of Interact International; author
Interact International
Episode: Radical Forgiveness: How a Palestinian and an Israeli want to bring peace to their lands
Louise Brangan
Author of The Fallen, The Magdalene Laundries and Ireland's Legacy of Silence
Episode: The Sound of Silence: Ireland and the Magdalene Laundries
Hettie O'Brien
Author of The Asset Class
Author, The Asset Class
Episode: Heads I win, tails I also win: How private equity took over the world
Jamie Bartlett
Author of How to Talk to AI and How Not to Talk to AI
Author, Expert on AI and technology
Episode: Living with an AI psychopath
Rory Carroll
Author of Killing Thatcher; author of A Rebel and a Traitor
Author, Journalist
Episode: Roger Casement - Rebel and Traitor? With Rory Carroll

Hosts

Joe Brolly
Host of Free State Podcast
Dion Fanning
Host of Free State Podcast

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 1.8k ratings
  • While generally an interesting chat. The petty squabbling, bickering and overtalking, often an annoying feature, was overwhelming today. A pity, as there's a lot to be said about the degree to which the rugby schools of south Dublin draw their ethos from the British empire and defer to the UK as a result. It may explain why our civil service is so keen to transpose UK law onto our statute books

    Podcast Addict
    3
    Skrynesaver
    7 months ago
  • Give Eoin a job

    Just loved the recent show with Eoin O Broin, it is a travesty that someone with a vision, strategy and such a clear understanding how we got here and how to get out of the mess our housing policy is currently in. If FG and FF weren’t still mesmerised by Maggie Thatcher they would recognise housing for the nation emergency it is and go cross party and bring Eoin in. More chance of pigs taking flight or a full episode of your podcast with Dion being allowed to finish a sentence without Joe interr... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Fred and Friend
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • Go easy on us Joe

    Love the show and Joe is so straight talking that it makes me laugh out loud. But go easy on the doomsday stuff, we all need some hope. Joe try and look at what we need to do to get back to some sort of “rules based world “.

    Keep it up guys.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Knobheader
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • Monday Club

    This is dire….first time I’ve listened ,via this episode…I follow many podcasts…but truly the plodding self regarding dull “dialogue” is without compare….stick to the day jobs lads…🙄…10 mins of my life I won’t get back…

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    pokey marley
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • Depressing

    I think I’ve had enough, I listen to podcasts as a relief from the hum drum of the news and we have depression and woes piled on us by Joe

    FFS

    A1 barbers , A1 lawyers and A1 Armageddon

    Dion at least has some logic on it

    Joe just loves misery and loves to talk about it

    He should listen to the glamorous brunettes podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    flanker6
    Ireland7 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are well-chosen and bring depth, but pacing can vary.
Hosts' banter adds personality but can feel one-sided to some listeners.
Shows strong, provocative takes with sharp storytelling.
Audience engagement is high, with strong reactions to controversial opinions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#52
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#103
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#87
Australia/News/Politics
Spotify
#103
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#96
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#8
Ireland/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Radical Forgiveness: How a Palestinian and an Israeli want to bring peace to their lands
Q: Maoz, what was it like to encounter a Palestinian in Hebrew-language study who wasn't a soldier or settler, and how did that shape your views?
Maoz describes this encounter as pivotal, showing him that not all Israelis fit the adversarial stereotype and that individual attitudes can shift systemic tensions when people are treated as humans.
Radical Forgiveness: How a Palestinian and an Israeli want to bring peace to their lands
Q: Aziz, how do you feel about the idea that you don't have to agree on historical narratives to work toward peace?
Aziz emphasizes navigating pain while choosing collaboration with those who share a commitment to change, arguing that mutual respect and a focus on current realities can drive progress even when past narratives differ.
Why the west stayed silent over genocide
Q: You've spent a long time in government and media circles; does any of this surprise you?
The guest expresses ongoing dismay at institutional inertia and media complicity, noting that while rhetoric can be dramatic, the underlying human cost and the persistence of oppressive policies demand stubborn, ethical scrutiny.
Why the west stayed silent over genocide
Q: Explain why you've talked about the importance of story. Explain why you think it's important that it's called a genocide. Why the language is important?
The guest argues that legal labels matter for accountability, but the real aim is to ensure that the lived experiences and deaths of Palestinians are recognized and remembered, with expert voices and journalism underpinning that truth even as legal debates continue.
Heads I win, tails I also win: How private equity took over the world
Q: Why has private equity expanded into essential services like water and care homes, and what role do government policies play?
Lobbying, a retreat of the state, and the belief that private finance can fill public gaps have driven PE into these sectors. Government fiscal rules and reliance on private capital for infrastructure have enabled PE to grow, though it often comes with higher costs and reduced transparency for the public.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Free State

What is Free State about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, wide-ranging show that blends politics, sport, culture, and current affairs with provocative yet insightful commentary. Hosted by two distinct voices—one a barrister with a principled, data-driven approach and the other an accomplished interviewer and author—the conversations span political analysis, social issues, and human stories, often lampooning received wisdom while staying pointed and thoughtful. Guests tend to be journalists, authors, historians, and thought leaders who can illuminate complex topics with context and personal narrative, making the show engaging for curious listeners who crave principled debate with humor. A standout trait is the mix of rigorous analysis and candid, sometimes contrarian banter that keeps disc... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Free State?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Free State:

1. The GAA Social
2. Indo Sport
3. Indo GAA
4. The Football Pod
5. The Indo Daily

How many episodes of Free State are there?

Free State launched 3 years ago and published 404 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Free State?

Recent guests on Free State include:

1. Peter McDonald
2. Sinead Gibney
3. John Kampfner
4. Maoz Inon
5. Aziz Abu Sarah
6. Louise Brangan
7. Hettie O'Brien
8. Jamie Bartlett

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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