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Artwork for Free State

Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

Gold Hat Productions
Donald Trump
Ireland
Gaza
Israel
Northern Ireland
Mental Health
GAA
IRA
Iran
Addiction
Racism
Hurling
Elon Musk
Gaelic Football
United States
Palestine
David Clifford
Grief
DJ Carey
Immigration

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes386Founded3 years ago
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Artwork for Free State

Latest Episodes

On today’s Free State, Dion talks to Louise Brangan about The Fallen, her book about the Magdalene Laundries and what they tell us about Ireland, then and now

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you feel like lower value human capital or do you believe you should be on Love Island? 

Who declares who is of value and who isn’t? Will the future belong to those who refuse to be defined by what the tech overlords decide they should be? 

On F... more

Bertie Ahern says he rejects ‘racism in all its forms’. So what is it if not racism when a former Taoiseach says ‘we can’t be taking in people from Congo and all these places’?

On Free State today we ask how do you talk about immigration and not get... more

When Israel’s contestant in the Eurovision appeared on stage in Vienna on Tuesday night, a lone voice shouted ‘stop, stop the genocide.’ The Israeli contestant kept singing and nothing stopped.

On Free State today we look at why the Eurovision becam... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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Recent Guests

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
Sinead O'Sullivan
Guest described as working at the intersection of defense, economics, institutional design, and capital markets
Independent researcher/analyst implied by discussion
Episode: The Premature Birth of a Nation with Sinead O'Sullivan
Alex Perry
Author of Blood Will Flow
Author
Episode: The Killing Fields of Oil and Gas
Olivier Norek
Author of The Winter Warriors
Episode: The country that defied an empire
Toby Harnden
Journalist and author of Bandit Country
Telegraph (journalist); author of Bandit Country
Episode: Prince Andrew and Bandit Country
Adam Doyle
Artist, known as Spicebag; humanitarian initiative leader
Ionad Hind Rajab / Gaza project
Episode: How To Make the World A Better Place
Riham Jafari
Communications and Advocacy Coordinator at Action Aid Palestine
Action Aid Palestine
Episode: Gaza. A fantasy ceasefire

Hosts

Joe Brolly
Host of Free State podcast; barrister with a history of advocacy and social impact work
Dion Fanning
Co‑host and interviewer; widely recognized for rigorous, insightful conversations

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
    5 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 Kingdom5 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 Kingdom6 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 Kingdom6 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
    Ireland6 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Fans often highlight the dynamic between Joe and Dion as a strength, with engaging, provocative discussions.
Listeners praise the show for incisive takes and deep context, even when disagreeing with the hosts.
Critics mention the show can be polarizing and interruptive, but still informs on complex topics.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#71
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#168
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#117
Australia/News/Politics
Spotify
#77
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#114
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#9
Ireland/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
Heads I win, tails I also win: How private equity took over the world
Q: What is the basic mechanism by which private equity uses debt to amplify returns and shift risk away from managers?
The fund borrows a large portion of the purchase price to acquire a company and then loads that debt onto the company itself. If the deal succeeds, the gains accrue to the private equity investors; if it fails, the costs—such as higher debt service, potential layoffs, or service cuts—fall on the company, workers, and customers rather than the managers.
Living with an AI psychopath
Q: What are the main risks to individuals when using AI?
Main risks include hallucinations, manipulation through flattering responses, the outsourcing of critical thinking, and over-reliance on AI for decision-making, which can erode judgment over time.
Living with an AI psychopath
Q: But is it a self-help book or a warning?
The author suggests the book straddles both roles: it aims to warn about the risks of AI while also providing practical guidance on how to talk to and work with AI to avoid being misled.
Prince Andrew and Bandit Country
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your life, in like how you came into journalism?
The guest discusses an unconventional path through the Navy and Oxford, then transitioning to journalism, highlighting early ambitions, a fast-tracked entry into reporting, and how fieldwork in Northern Ireland shaped his approach.

Audience Metrics

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Free State

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

A provocative, wide‑ranging show that blends political analysis with sports and culture through candid conversations. Episodes frequently tackle Irish and UK politics, geopolitics, media critique, and contemporary society, often pairing sharp takes with personal storytelling. Notable strengths include fearless dialogue, investigative guests, and a willingness to challenge power structures, while the format remains accessible and occasionally polarizing for listeners. Potential sponsors or guests might find value in bold, timely debates and a passionate, engaged audience with interests spanning policy, journalism, and public discourse.

Where can I find podcast stats for Free State?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Free State. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Free State and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Free State get?

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What are the audience demographics for Free State?

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How many subscribers and views does Free State have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Free State has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

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. RTÉ GAA Podcast

How many episodes of Free State are there?

Free State launched 3 years ago and published 386 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Free State?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Free State?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Free State from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Free State?

Recent guests on Free State include:

1. Hettie O'Brien
2. Jamie Bartlett
3. Rory Carroll
4. Sinead O'Sullivan
5. Alex Perry
6. Olivier Norek
7. Toby Harnden
8. Adam Doyle

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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