Rephonic
Artwork for Free State

Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

Gold Hat Productions
Kneecap
Gaelic Football
Frontex
GAA
Northern Ireland
UNHCR
Corruption
Refugees
Mediterranean Sea
Human Rights
Dublin
Croke Park
Irish Language
Libya
Migration Crisis
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

PublishesDailyEpisodes344Founded3 years ago
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Sports NewsNewsPolitics

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Artwork for Free State

Latest Episodes

‘Doors open at the Watergate’. Those words in June 1972 signalled a break in at the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate Building. They were picked up on a police scanner by a reporter at the Washington Post. They began a chain of events wh... more

When Gregory Campbell approached President Connolly in Derry last week, what was the purpose of his intervention?

Was he trying to make a good faith case for Protestant and unionist people in Derry or was he just throwing some red meat to his base? more

In Ireland, we like to think that the class system is something that dominates Britain. But it shapes this country too.

RTE’s new comedy drama These Sacred Vows is a series which challenges what we believe about class, identity and religion in Irela... more

In the House of Commons, Keir Starmer said that Peter Mandelson had ‘betrayed our country, our parliament and my party’.

But what was that betrayal and who was actually complicit?

On Free State today we look at the rise and fall of Peter Mandelson.... more

Key Facts

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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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People also subscribe to these shows.

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The Indo DailyIrish Independent

Recent Guests

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
Karen Hao
Author of Empire of AI and AI journalist.
The Wall Street Journal
Episode: Best of Free State - How AI colonised the planet. With Karen Hao
Keith Donald
Musician, artist, and author of 'Music and Mayhem'
Episode: Best of Free State - Keith Donald
Eoin Ó Broin
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson and author
Sinn Féin
Episode: Eoin Ó Broin - Why the government doesn’t want to fix the housing crisis
Oisin Murphy
Champion jockey and author of 'Sacrifice: A Year in the Life of a Champion Jockey'
Episode: Champion jockey Oisin Murphy on surviving on vodka and obsession
Colin Davidson
Foremost portrait artist alive today
Episode: Colin Davidson - ‘There were moments of trauma in my childhood'

Hosts

Joe Brolly
Co-host, barrister, original thinker, prominent advocate for organ donation in Ireland.
Dion Fanning
Co-host, award-winning interviewer and author, provides a balanced perspective in discussions.

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
    2 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 Kingdom2 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 Kingdom2 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 Kingdom2 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
    Ireland2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

There's a notable appreciation for the balance of personal stories and broader societal discussions.
Some criticisms focus on the tendency of one host to dominate conversations.
The diverse range of topics keeps the content fresh and stimulating.
Listeners appreciate the engaging discussions and humor between the hosts.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#61
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#122
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#82
Australia/News/Politics
Spotify
#87
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#94
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#7
Ireland/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
Best of Free State - How AI colonised the planet. With Karen Hao
Q: What makes you skeptical of the current narratives surrounding AI?
Both the boomers' and doomers' narratives distract from the immediate, solvable issues caused by current AI technologies.
Best of Free State - How AI colonised the planet. With Karen Hao
Q: How can we reshape the governance of AI?
By asserting community ownership and rights over data and resources while also advocating for better regulatory frameworks from governmental bodies.

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?

This podcast engages listeners on a wide array of subjects that include sports, politics, and personal stories, often blending humor with serious discussions about the human condition. The hosts approach their topics with a balance of wit and critical analysis, offering unique insights that challenge conventional perspectives. They feature a diverse range of guests, from politicians to athletes, ensuring that every episode brings forth fresh ideas and stories that stimulate thought.

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?

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. The Football Pod
4. The Second Captains Podcast
5. The Indo Daily

How many episodes of Free State are there?

Free State launched 3 years ago and published 344 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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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. Peter Oborne
2. Eoin McGee
3. Eimear Ni Bhraonain
4. Omar El Akkad
5. Karen Hao
6. Keith Donald
7. Eoin Ó Broin
8. Oisin Murphy

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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