Rephonic
Artwork for Free State

Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

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

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes449Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsSports News

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Artwork for Free State

Latest Episodes

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 fo... more

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 wi... more

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 is... more

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 L... more

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Recent Guests

Jamie Bryson
Ulster loyalist activist and figure prominent in discussions about Orange Order marches
Loyalist community (as referenced in episode)
Episode: Jamie Bryson vs Joe Brolly: A Free State Special
Anne Cadwallader
Investigative journalist and novelist ( Crossing Over )
Journalist, Author
Episode: Zombie Drumcree and the march that died of shame
Ben MacIntyre
Author of Redwood, espionage historian
Author of Redwood
Episode: Iran, Erectile Dysfunction and the Cold War
Louise Kennedy
Author of Trespasses and Stations; writer
Author
Episode: 'I was annoyed for a long time about how a lot of Southerners other Northerners'
Peter O'Mahony
Author of All In; former Munster and Ireland rugby player
Former Munster/Ireland Rugby Player
Episode: Nasty Fucker. The obsession of Peter O’Mahony
Jon Ronson
Author, The Castle: Adventures in a World of Unravelling Men
Author
Episode: Jon Ronson on the manosphere and saving Ulster from sodomy with Ian Paisley
Aaron Edwards
Author of Enemies Within, explosive true story of Johnny Mad Dog Adair
Author
Episode: ‘Yabba-dabba-do, any taig will do’ : The true story of Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair
Robert Harris
Author of Agrippa
Author, Agrippa
Episode: 'Trotsky would have said we are in a classic pre-revolutionary period.' Robert Harris on how democracies die.
Jill Lepore
Historian, author of The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State
Harvard University
Episode: All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace?

Hosts

Joe Brolly
Host of Free State; barrister; notable for strong, opinionated commentary and deep knowledge across sport and politics.
Dion Fanning
Co-host; journalist and author; regular interviewer with a sharp, investigative bent and strong editorial voice.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 1.8k ratings
  • A perfect spicy cocktail of politics, sport, social commentary

    Brolly and Fanning serve up a smart and hard hitting combination of politics, sport, and social commentary that’s honest, humorous and hard-hitting. Joe’s not to everyone’s cup of tea, but you can’t argue with his knowledge and experiences.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Daithios
    Ireland4 months ago
  • 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
    10 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 Kingdom10 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 Kingdom10 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 Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

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

Thought-provoking, sometimes polarizing but consistently provocative.
Insightful, sharp, and fearless; the blend of politics and sport hits hard.
Candid, entertaining takes with strong guest choices and engaging discussions.
A bold voice that sparks debate and reflects on current events with clarity.

Chart Rankings

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

Spotify
#27
United Kingdom/News
Spotify
#105
United Kingdom/Trending
Apple Podcasts
#22
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#60
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#205
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#101
Australia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Zombie Drumcree and the march that died of shame
Q: Have you been up Garvahy Road recently to observe changes?
Anne notes a dramatic atmosphere shift: increased confidence, external support, and a sense that the community is not abandoned, though tensions linger.
Zombie Drumcree and the march that died of shame
Q: When did you first land here?
Anne recounts arriving in 1981 for a BBC assignment, drawn by curiosity and career opportunities amid a dangerous, rapidly evolving landscape.
Zombie Drumcree and the march that died of shame
Q: What would they say?
Anne describes the pressure journalists faced, including threats and hostility, but emphasizes the necessity of reporting truthfully despite personal risk.
Iran, Erectile Dysfunction and the Cold War
Q: How has intelligence gathering changed from the Cold War to today?
MacIntyre notes a shift from analog dead drops to digital signals intelligence, but argues that human intelligence remains crucial and that analog methods are making a cautious comeback in some contexts.
Iran, Erectile Dysfunction and the Cold War
Q: How does the personal secret of a spy influence the larger historical arc?
The podcast discusses Kuzichkin's erectile dysfunction as a driver for his decisions and for MI6 to handle the problem with care, illustrating how intimate personal stakes can intersect with geopolitical outcomes.

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?

summary: Free State delivers provocative, often sharp-edged conversations spanning politics, sport, culture, and personal life. With two Irish hosts who pull in guests from journalism, literature, sport, and public life, it blends hard-edged takes with humor and storytelling. Episodes frequently tackle social issues, national identity, and the economics and governance of sport, offering insight for listeners who enjoy interactions between opinion, history, and contemporary events. Notably, the hosts' chemistry and fearless, unapologetic takes tend to drive the show's distinctive voice, making it a strong fit for audiences that relish candid debate and cross-disciplinary analysis.

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. Indo Sport
2. Indo GAA
3. The Football Pod
4. RTÉ GAA Podcast
5. The Second Captains Podcast

How many episodes of Free State are there?

Free State launched 4 years ago and published 449 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?

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What guests have appeared on Free State?

Recent guests on Free State include:

1. Jamie Bryson
2. Anne Cadwallader
3. Ben MacIntyre
4. Louise Kennedy
5. Peter O'Mahony
6. Jon Ronson
7. Aaron Edwards
8. Robert Harris

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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