Rephonic
Artwork for Inside Politics

Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan

The Irish Times
Ireland
Fianna Fáil
Sinn Féin
Catherine Connolly
Donald Trump
Fine Gael
European Union
Irish Politics
Jim Gavin
Housing Crisis
Gaza
Irish Presidential Election
Heather Humphreys
Ukraine
NATO
Brexit
Housing
Northern Ireland
Immigration
Russia

The best analysis of the Irish political scene featuring Irish Times journalists, political thinkers and the occasional politician. Hosted by Hugh Linehan.

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes1088Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Inside Politics

Latest Episodes

Pat Leahy and Naomi O’Leary join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

* A new Government body is to be tasked with scoping out the models and challenges for different potential “constitutional futures” for the island, including a 32-c... more

YouTube

As the day drew to a close in Israel on Tuesday, exit polls in the Knesset election suggested a lead for the bloc of parties opposing prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

As the sun rose and official counts were declared a very different picture emerg... more

Take our listener survey for access to a bonus episode. Go to irishtimes.com/insidepolitics

It is one week out from US midterm elections with Democrats hoping to retake control of both the House of Representatives and the powerful Senate. Journalist... more

YouTube

Take our listener survey for access to a bonus episode. Go to irishtimes.com/insidepolitics.

Pat Leahy and Sarah Burns join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

* The Dail was dominated this week by debate over the Government’s prop... more

YouTube

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.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

In The News
In The NewsThe Irish Times
Path to Power
Path to PowerMatt Cooper
Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock
Inside Business with Ciaran HancockInside Business with Ciaran Hancock
The Other Hand
The Other HandJim Power & Chris Johns
The David McWilliams Podcast
The David McWilliams PodcastDavid McWilliams & John Davis

Recent Guests

Pat Leahy
Political editor at The Irish Times
The Irish Times
Episode: Taoiseach doing some ‘deep thinking’ about Irish unity with creation of new Government body
Naomi O'Leary
Europe correspondent at The Irish Times
The Irish Times
Episode: Taoiseach doing some ‘deep thinking’ about Irish unity with creation of new Government body
Mark Weiss
Irish Times correspondent reporting on Israel
The Irish Times
Episode: Can Israel’s opposition parties oust Netanyahu?
Galen Druke
Journalist and podcaster, formerly of 538
Crooked Media
Episode: Can Democrats take the Senate? US midterms special with Galen Druke
Sarah Burns
Irish Times reporter covering politics
The Irish Times
Episode: Viral 'hugging grandparents' ad: did Jim O’Callaghan need to intervene?
Jamie Bryson
Loyalist activist, legal adviser to the Portadown district and author of Culture War
Portadown district
Episode: Jamie Bryson: Northern Irish unionists 'must go on the offensive'
Pauline Cullen
Professor of Sociology at Maynooth University
Maynooth University
Episode: Is diversity in politics dead?
Tània Verge Mestre
Former Minister for Equality and Feminisms in the Catalan government
Government of Catalonia
Episode: Is diversity in politics dead?
Jack Power
Irish Times correspondent covering EU affairs from Brussels
The Irish Times
Episode: As the fight over the next EU budget intensifies, what’s in it for Ireland?

Host

Hugh Linehan
Host with long-running role in Irish political analysis; affiliated with The Irish Times.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.8k ratings
  • An essential podcast for anyone interested in Irish politics. Always worth a listen.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    PaulieH
    17 days ago
  • IT podcast

    If smugness had a sound, it would be this podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Stephen P.H.
    Ireland3 months ago
  • Insight into Ireland past and present

    Really enjoyed the recent series on the PDs. Great insight into an organisation which charts the story of how Ireland changed in the late 20th century. As usual, well researched and well told.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    141197
    Ireland3 months ago
  • Enjoyable

    Really enjoy Inside Politics. Listening to it is a great way to inform myself without getting weighed down by facts, figures and concepts. The banter between the hosts and guests adds to it. Particularly enjoyed Iain Dale’s contribution today.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Caroline Heffo
    Ireland3 months ago
  • Sinead O’Sullivan

    What an insightful episode. Sinead is amazing…. When she has finished rewiring Dublin, can you send her to London please? You may have noticed, we are in need of some assistance!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mike N21
    United Kingdom5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Live episodes with strong guests are especially well-received.
Many praise the relaxed but informative style and accessible explanations.
Listeners value clear, well-informed analysis and balanced guest choices.
Some critique pacing or perceived centrist bias, wishing for more diverse viewpoints.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#107
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#248
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#151
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#205
Italy/News/Politics
Spotify
#46
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Spotify
#151
Ireland/Trending

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Can Democrats take the Senate? US midterms special with Galen Druke
Q: What can the midterms tell us about the 2028 presidential race?
Druke says historical results show no consistent relationship between midterm outcomes and the next presidential election, though economic conditions and party choices could shape the 2028 contest.
Can Democrats take the Senate? US midterms special with Galen Druke
Q: What are the chances of Democrats taking control of the Senate?
Forecasts put Democrats at about a 75% chance, but they need a net gain of four seats and many contests are close or in Republican-leaning states.
Can Israel’s opposition parties oust Netanyahu?
Q: Why do you think that is, Mark? Why has Netanyahu had this extraordinary success?
Weiss attributes Netanyahu's support to a loyal right-wing and religious base, his portrayal of himself as a bulwark against left-wing institutions and international pressure, and voters' priority on security after the October 7 attack and continuing regional threats.
Can Israel’s opposition parties oust Netanyahu?
Q: Maybe you could just give us an update of where we think we are right now.
With more than 70% of votes counted, Netanyahu's bloc leads the anti-Netanyahu camp, reversing the exit polls. Neither side appears to have a clear path to a majority, making a unity deal, a minority government or another election possible.
Is diversity in politics dead?
Q: So are numbers not the way to think about it? Do we need to think in some different way, do we need something to use in a deeper way?
Pauline Cullen says representation should be considered in terms of fairness and past exclusion, not only a group's population share. She describes options including nested ethnic and gender quotas, reserved seats, and changes to Seanad representation.

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 Inside Politics

What is Inside Politics about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program delivers sharp, newsroom-style analysis of Irish politics, frequently featuring Irish Times journalists, political thinkers, and occasional politicians. Episodes cover Irish governmental policy, elections, party dynamics, and EU–Ireland relations, often with a balanced, centrist lens and a mix of historical context and current events. Notable strengths include deep reporting, thoughtful guest selections, and lively banter that keeps complex topics accessible. A few critiques from listeners center on perceived biases or pacing, but the show remains a go-to for listeners seeking clear, informed Irish political analysis and candid conversations with influential voices.

Where can I find podcast stats for Inside Politics?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Inside Politics. 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 Inside Politics and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Inside Politics get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Inside Politics, 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 Inside Politics?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Inside Politics, 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 Inside Politics have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Inside Politics 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 Inside Politics?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Inside Politics:

1. In The News
2. Path to Power
3. Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock
4. The Other Hand
5. The David McWilliams Podcast

How many episodes of Inside Politics are there?

Inside Politics launched 13 years ago and published 1088 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 Inside Politics?

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 Inside Politics?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Inside Politics 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 Inside Politics?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Inside Politics. 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 Inside Politics?

Recent guests on Inside Politics include:

1. Pat Leahy
2. Naomi O'Leary
3. Mark Weiss
4. Galen Druke
5. Sarah Burns
6. Jamie Bryson
7. Pauline Cullen
8. Tània Verge Mestre

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days