Rephonic
Artwork for Free State

Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

Gold Hat Productions
Kneecap
Gaelic Football
Frontex
GAA
Northern Ireland
Corruption
UNHCR
Refugees
Human Rights
Mediterranean Sea
Dublin
Croke Park
Irish Language
Migration Crisis
Libya
European Union
Resistance Movement
Ireland
Sierra Leone
JP Mcmanus

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes361Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Sports NewsNewsPolitics

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Artwork for Free State

Latest Episodes

When Michael Lyster started presenting The Sunday Game, Ronald Reagan was seeking reelection as president of the United States. When he stopped presenting it, Donald Trump was president for the first time.

For 34 years Lyster was the presenter who s... more

Adam Doyle, the artist known as Spicebag, achieved some notoriety when his art depicting evictions became a talking point in the national media.

He is an artist of significance and he is also doing significant work.

On Free State today he tells us ... more

Micheal Martin emerged from his meeting with Donald Trump on St Patrick’s Day with the commentariat purring.

He had stood up for Europe, for Keir Starmer and, in part, for Winston Churchill but that didn’t matter. He had survived.

On Free State tod... more

When the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission threatened to revoke broadcasters’ licences because of their coverage of the war, some complained that it violated the First Amendment, guaranteeing freedom of speech.

On Free State we look ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
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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

Riham Jafari
Communications and Advocacy Coordinator at Action Aid Palestine
Action Aid Palestine
Episode: Gaza. A fantasy ceasefire
Lord Kilclooney
Former Northern Irish politician, Unionist figure
UK/NI political sphere
Episode: What Casement Park tells us about a United Ireland
Peter Geoghegan
Investigative journalist
Democracy for Sale / Democracy for Sale substack
Episode: Grotesque, Unbelievable, Bizarre and Unprecedented - The End of Keir Starmer
Gerard Shannon
Author of a book about Rory O'Connor
Episode: How close did Ireland come to military dictatorship?
David McCloskey
Ex-CIA analyst, best-selling author, and podcaster
Episode: How the CIA really operates with David McCloskey
Peter Oborne
Author and journalist known for his critiques of political issues in Britain and the international arena
Author of 'COMPLICIT'
Episode: Peter Oborne - ‘Trump’s Board of Peace is a Board of War'
Eoin McGee
Financial advisor and author of 'How to Achieve Financial Freedom'
Episode: Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
Eimear Ni Bhraonain
Author of The Dodger: The Story of DJ Carey
Episode: 'The two things DJ Carey looked for were attention and money’
Omar El Akkad
Award-winning journalist and author
Author of 'One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This'
Episode: Swimming song - Staying afloat against impossible odds

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
    3 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 Kingdom3 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 Kingdom4 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 Kingdom4 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
    Ireland4 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
#61
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#141
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#150
Australia/News/Politics
Spotify
#73
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#131
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#10
Ireland/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How the CIA really operates with David McCloskey
Q: Do you believe you should defend writing about Israeli intelligence?
No, I don't think I should have to defend it as writing about intelligence is part of storytelling which involves exploring human themes.
How the CIA really operates with David McCloskey
Q: Did you find any moral challenges or ethical challenges about what you were doing?
No, I never had any real ethical qualms about what the CIA was doing to collect information in the Middle East, but I was disappointed with our policy on Syria.
Peter Oborne - ‘Trump’s Board of Peace is a Board of War'
Q: Is it surprising that Tony Blair is a part of Trump's Board of Peace?
It is shocking, but not surprising, as Blair has consistently sought profitable connections in the Middle East.
Peter Oborne - ‘Trump’s Board of Peace is a Board of War'
Q: What do you think will be the consequence of the International Criminal Court's investigation into Israel's actions?
If the ICC rules that genocide has occurred, there could be serious consequences for those who have aided it, including British ministers.
'The two things DJ Carey looked for were attention and money’
Q: What do you think the future is for him?
It's a very long road back, but it's not impossible for someone to rebuild if they are genuinely remorseful and accountable.

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?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Free State, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Free State?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Free State, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

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 361 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.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Free State?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Free State. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Free State?

Recent guests on Free State include:

1. Riham Jafari
2. Lord Kilclooney
3. Peter Geoghegan
4. Gerard Shannon
5. David McCloskey
6. Peter Oborne
7. Eoin McGee
8. Eimear Ni Bhraonain

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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