Podcasts by The Irish Passport

Ireland’s Lost Forests from 2023-03-31T13:45:12

A rich political, social and economic history of Ireland can be told by an analysis of its landscape, and specifically through the history of its trees.

In this episode, Naomi and Tim ...

Classic Irish Passport: St. Patrick’s Day Special from 2023-03-16T18:58:52

Beannachtaí na féile Pádraig oraibh! To celebrate Ireland's national day, please enjoy this classic St. Patrick's Day episode from our archives, originally released in 2018.

What is the Windsor Framework? from 2023-02-27T23:26:17

After years of deadlock, EU and UK leaders have declared a historic reset in their relations as they reach an agreement on Northern Ireland called the 'Windsor Framework'. Naomi and Tim unpick t...

Mountbatten and the IRA from 2023-01-27T23:09

On the 27th of August 1979, the Provisional IRA assassinated one of the best known members of Britain's royal family as he holidayed in County Sligo. But this was just one of 25 killings that to...

Mystery tales of the strange and unexpected from 2022-12-19T19:30:34

From a mystery in rural Ireland that has persisted for over a century, to the little-known link between a World Cup star footballer and the town of Donabate, to the unexpected ways that Hiberno Eng...

Classic Irish Passport: Ireland and India’s shared history, as Varadkar and Sunak lead the Irish and British governments from 2022-12-17T10:06:07

This is a repeat of an Irish Passport classic episode, "Ireland and India: Assassins of Empire", originally published on June 21 2021. Today, Leo Varadkar takes over as Taoiseach. This means that ...

Ireland and the United Nations from 2022-11-26T20:47:15

Ireland's dream as it emerged as an independent state was to 'take its place among the nations of the world'. The principle of international cooperation has therefore always been tightly bound up w...

Goodbye Liz, Hello Chaos: Another UK Prime Minister Resigns from 2022-10-21T13:47:28

As all Hell breaks loose in the halls of Westminster, Naomi and Tim break down what on earth has just happened in the UK. Why did Prime Minister Liz Truss resign after only 44 days? Who might ta...

War of Independence: The Treaty from 2022-10-20T02:20

In the final episode of our War of Independence mini-series, Tim and Naomi lay out the historical events that split the emerging Irish nation and led to a civil war. As we pick up on the story, ...

A looming crisis in Irish-British relations? from 2022-09-18T22:18:24

Tensions threaten to flare again between Ireland, Britain and the EU with a new UK prime minister who has promised to take a hard line on the Northern Ireland Protocol. The death of Queen Elizab...

War of Independence: Partition from 2022-09-02T15:04:23

The third installment in Naomi and Tim's series on the War of Independence discusses a landmark of 20th century Irish history: the partition of the island.

Tim digs into the backstory...

War of Independence: The Black and Tans from 2022-07-24T13:08:50

The second installment of Naomi and Tim's series on Ireland's War of Independence focuses on the Black and Tans: the brutal reinforcements sent by Winston Churchill to put down the forces of the re...

War of Independence: The First Dáil from 2022-06-26T10:49:17

The War of Independence was the moment in which Ireland threw off British rule and emerged as a state. The dramatic events that took place and the beliefs that informed them would shape the emer...

A new balance of power in Northern Ireland from 2022-05-29T14:11:10

A seismic election in Northern Ireland returned the pro-Irish unity Sinn Féin as the largest party for the first time ever. The Alliance Party, identifying neither as nationalist nor unionist, s...

Ukraine and Ireland a shared history from 2022-02-23T03:57:49

This weekend, a group of musicians gathered in O'Briens Irish pub in the Ukranian capital and belted out traditional Irish tunes as a distraction ...

An Teanga Bheo from 2022-01-25T03:43:31

From the streets of Brussels, to an office block in Greece, to a bus ride in San Francisco, the Irish language can pop up in some unexpected places. In this episode, we explore some of the new i...

The Bishop, the Guns, and the Virgin Mary from 2021-12-17T19:08:05

Did you ever hear the one about the bishop and the airport? Or the unlikely group of Irish revolutionaries who ended up changing history through an ill-fated trip to Belgium on a yacht?

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Neutrality, part 2: Ireland’s dubious defence from 2021-11-25T16:23:59

This summer, the chaotic fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban left Irish citizens stranded and exposed the state's lack of an aircraft large enough to conduct an evacuation. It highlighted the issue ...

Neutrality, part 1: Churchill versus de Valera from 2021-10-24T08:28:36

In 1939, the young Irish state stood at a crossroads in its history. Europe was descending into war, and the deeply impoverished and weakly defended nation feared its strategic location on Britain'...

Live Show: Place and Power from 2021-09-27T16:54:13

Live from Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland, Naomi and Tim discuss place and power: unpacking how place names, landscape, and architecture contain secret histories hidden within plain sight. ...

Halfpints: Lady Lavery, the Face of Ireland from 2021-09-19T18:10:51

Who was the iconic woman depicted on Irish banknotes from 1927-1977? Why was  she so integral to the story of Irish independence? And what lies behind her inscrutable stare? In our latest Half...

Brexit Update: Empty Shelves and Data Borders from 2021-09-02T20:21:39

Food shortages are hitting Britain hard, and things are set to get worse - but why are shelves still fully stocked in Northern Ireland? Naomi explains the ins and outs of Brexit’s effect on UK supp...

Irish music special from 2021-08-07T05:00

Special guests Naomi's sister Molly May O'Leary and her musical collaborator Fionn Ó hAlmhain visit the podcast to play songs from and discuss their new album, Lambent Flame. It was recorded with t...

Irish musicians create album in lockdown from 2021-08-07T05:00

Special guests Naomi's sister Molly May O'Leary and her musical collaborator Fionn Ó hAlmhain visit the podcast to play songs from and discuss their new album, Lambent Flame. It was recorded with t...

Traveller exclusion: revealing an open secret from 2021-07-29T17:32:43

This year, a whistleblower revealed a shocking secret. A popular British holiday camp business kept a 'blacklist' of Irish surnames, distributed to staff to bar customers from booking. In this epis...

Ireland and India: Assassins of Empire from 2021-06-21T07:00

Anarchist clubs, public assassinations, and secret rebel meetings in a notorious vegetarian restaurant - all these feature in this fascinating episode on the historical links between Ireland and In...

Halfpint: Drama in the DUP from 2021-06-18T18:16:13

Chaos hits the Democratic Unionist Party, Northern Ireland's largest pro-British bloc, as new leader Edwin Poots is deposed in a revolt just 20 days after taking up the position. Naomi and Tim hear...

Jer O’Leary: a Dublin life from 2021-05-25T21:53:58

The Irish Passport brings you an interview with Jer O'Leary: actor, activist, artist, orator of Jim Larkin speeches and Dublin legend who recorded these tapes before he died in 2018. Jer discusses ...

The Irish left: legacies of the Lockout from 2021-04-26T14:17:06

A profound industrial dispute rocked Dublin in 1913, playing into a rising tide of nationalism and shaping the unique political landscape of Ireland of the following century. In this episode, Naomi...

Halfpints: What’s really going on in Northern Ireland? from 2021-04-21T12:59:42

Does the recent unrest in Northern Ireland betray a growing disconnect between the DUP, loyalist paramilitaries, and the communities they claim to represent? How have the protests been influenced b...

Halfpints: Flags of Ireland from 2021-04-07T12:58:29

Harps, shamrocks, hands, crowns, swords, mythical female embodiments of Éire: all Irish symbols and all up for discussion in this episode, in which Tim and Naomi are joined by Darach Ó Séaghdha of ...

Halfpints: Grattan and His Parliament from 2021-03-09T19:02:02

Surprise! While we continue to prepare Season 5, we've decided to make last month's Halfpint episode freely available to all our listeners. In this edition, Tim builds on our recent Season 4 finale...

Destructive Unionism: Part 2, The Current Day from 2021-01-24T15:25:05

New survey data suggests majorities in Scotland and Northern Ireland want referendums on whether to break with the union, and a majority across the United Kingdom expect Scotland to be independent ...

Destructive Unionism: Part 1, The History from 2021-01-24T15:24:12

With the fallout of Brexit straining the bonds of the United Kingdom, Naomi and Tim look back on a period of history with huge resonance for the current moment. The union that still perseveres toda...

Christmas reunion from 2020-12-11T11:00

Past guests including comedian Tara Flynn, Brendan Boyle, Caitríona Perry, Emma de Souza, Sarah Maria Griffin, Caelainn Hogan, Sarah Creighton, Ronan McCrea and Matthew O'Toole join us again for a ...

The most Irish US president ever? from 2020-11-10T15:33:14

Self-described "Irish Catholic" Joe Biden has elected president of the United States after a momentous election that has the potential to transform international relations and potentially Ireland's...

Electrifying Ireland from 2020-10-26T00:01

In this episode Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney hear the voices of women who lived through a profound social transformation in Ireland: the coming of electricity. The ability to turn on a light or...

Gloves off, Washington to the rescue! Brexit update from 2020-09-26T12:45:47

It's return of the clowns as Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney dissect the latest Brexit drama and speak to Congressman Brendan Boyle, whose cutting criticism of the British government went viral af...

Scandal! Can Ireland’s government survive? from 2020-08-22T21:09:01

A golf society dinner for 81 people has thrown the Irish government into chaos. Attended by a host of senior political figures, many at the forefront Ireland's COVID health strategy, the event appe...

Who were the Celts? from 2020-07-22T20:34:14

Celtic identity is politically powerful but historically nebulous, a subject of debate among historians and archaeologists, while being a source of inspiration to some and irritation to others. In ...

Halfpint: New Irish government Q&A livestream from 2020-06-28T12:53:44

After almost half a year of negotiations and political maneuvering, Ireland finally has a government. It's unlike any that has come before it, and it doesn't include the party that got the post vot...

Ireland’s next revolution from 2020-06-24T15:08:13

Young Black people in Ireland have taken to the streets to demand an end to racism and discrimination in the midst of a global uprising inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. Documentary make...

Halfpints: Bulelani Mfaco on Direct Provision from 2020-06-03T15:14:01

Protests against Ireland's controversial system for housing asylum seekers Direct Provision have been re-ignited as demonstrations against racism sweep the United States. We interviewed Bulelani Mf...

Ireland and Australia from 2020-05-16T13:44:57

Ireland shares a fascinating history with the Australian continent - by the 19th century, in fact, about 25% of settlers in Australia were Irish-born. In this episode, we speak to Victoria Universi...

Halfpints: Irish and Native American solidarity from 2020-05-06T09:18:51

As the Coronavirus hits the Native Americans hard, Irish people have taken the chance to repay a 173-year-old debt. 



A fundraiser to help the Navajo and Hopi Nations fight o...

The Irish Accent from 2020-04-18T18:02:36

In our first episode of Season 4, we take on the Irish Accent: where did it come from? What secrets might it hide? And why is it so often an issue of contention? Tim Mc Inerney speaks to accent exp...

Halfpints: “Where are you From?” – National Identity in Northern Ireland from 2020-04-08T15:38:42

In Northern Ireland, questions of national identity often come with some surprising answers. Our reporter Jennifer Smith catches up with two Belfast residents born around the time of the Good Frida...

Halfpints: The good news! from 2020-03-19T20:43:19

In this bonus episode made specially to thank our Patreon supporters, Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney take a look at some of the good news coming out in the times of Coronavirus. We’ll be talking ...

The election that changed history from 2020-02-09T22:00

A seismic result has emerged in the Irish election: the left-wing nationalist Sinn Fe'in are the most popular party, sweeping away the traditional dominance of Fine Gael and Fianna Fa'il for t...

Rise of the right: what Ireland can learn. With political scientist Cas Mudde from 2020-02-01T08:24:58

The global rise of radical right nativist parties seemed to skip Ireland. But the last 18 months have seen efforts to introduce anti-immigration politics to Ireland in a way not seen before, amid a...

Inside the Housing Crisis: the issue that could cost Leo Varadkar the election from 2020-01-31T11:43:35

Tech workers abandoning Dublin due to housing costs, an Airbnb maintenance worker who is himself homeless, and the woman battling to transform Ireland's swathe of vacant properties into homes. This...

Six points that sum up Ireland’s 2020 election from 2020-01-25T18:00:04

Ireland goes to the polls on February 8th. Naomi O'Leary breaks down six points that explain the election. Who are the players? Why was the election called? What are the main issues? How will the e...

Direct Provision from 2020-01-22T17:22:27

Contains an interview about anti-LGBT+ and anti-immigration violence.



In this season finale, The Irish Passport takes on one of Ireland's most controversial issues: Direct Provis...

Home for Christmas from 2019-12-22T22:00:53

Every year, thousands of returning emigrants make their way through the sliding doors of Dublin airport arrivals to come home to Ireland for Christmas. Tim Mc Inerney and Naomi O'Leary record from ...

What the UK election means for Ireland, Brexit and the union from 2019-12-13T18:34:38

The UK has voted for a Boris Brexit, and the future of the union has never seemed so fragile. What does the biggest Conservative majority in a generation mean for Ireland north and south? Naomi O'L...

Halfpints: Ireland’s history of locking up women: interview with Caelainn Hogan from 2019-11-28T16:59:43

During the 20th century, a significant proportion of the Irish population was incarcerated in a network of institutions. These ranged from Magdalene laundries where 'troublesome' women were put int...

Secret Dublin with comedian Tara Flynn, Irish Queer Archive’s Tonie Walsh, and historian Terry Fagan from 2019-11-24T01:01

Live from Dublin, the Irish Passport brings you the hidden history of the Irish capital with Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney. Comedian and author Tara Flynn discusses her favourite Dublin secrets....

Ireland and Japan from 2019-10-18T08:00:02

Islands on opposite sides of the world with deep differences, and surprising similarities! Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney explore the thriving traditional Irish music scene in Tokyo, reporting fr...

Re-inventing Ireland: live show with author Sarah Maria Griffin, Green Party’s Clare Bailey and political scientist David Farrell from 2019-10-14T12:17:50

A century since a revolutionary Irish government declared the birth of a new nation, we ask how Ireland could be re-invented for the future. We are living in a moment of rapid change. Great geopoli...

Returning diaspora, repeat referendums and loyalists in a United Ireland: it’s a listener questions episode! from 2019-10-09T12:23:51

The Irish Passport is opening up the floor to listeners in this episode, and taking questions on everything from recent Irish political history, to life as a returned member of the diaspora.
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Where the Brexit Stakes are Highest Part 2 from 2019-09-23T10:14:19

The second installment in two episodes bringing you the voices of those with the most at stake as a disastrous No Deal Brexit threatens the island of Ireland. Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney speak...

Where the Brexit Stakes are Highest Part 1 from 2019-09-20T15:13:55

With the threat of a cliff edge Brexit posing extremely serious consequences for the island of Ireland and the border, we bring you the voices of people with the most at stake. Featuring a doctor i...

Why can’t all Irish citizens vote? from 2019-08-05T10:00:23

Irish law in an international outlier in its restrictions on where its its citizens can vote. The franchise is limited to those resident inside the boundaries of the 26 counties of the republic, wi...

Galway, City of the Tribes from 2019-07-15T01:35:59

Fishermen kings, Spanish galleons, and fearsome pirate marauders - these are just some of the things that make the history of Galway City on the west coast of Ireland so intriguing. Take a tour aro...

Poetry and Pain from 2019-07-02T10:43:54

A Newry woman visits her big brother in Paris. The two share a drink and talk all night. The next morning, he leaves instructions for taking the metro, and disappears. His family never see him agai...

Collusion from 2019-05-28T00:01:42

A brutal mass shooting shocks the world. In its wake, leaders vow to find those responsible and bring them to justice. But instead, the investigation goes nowhere. Evidence mysteriously goes missin...

Travellers from 2019-04-26T01:01:02

Who are Irish Travellers? The answer is Ireland's most hidden history: mistaught or not taught in schools, often invisible or misrepresented in the media, and abused by some for political gain. In ...

Women in Politics from 2019-03-28T10:13:47

In this first episode of Season 3, Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney explore the fascinating story of Irish women in politics from 1916 to the present day. We ask why women -  integral to the founda...

Bonus Live Show: The London-Irish Diaspora from 2019-03-17T13:23:53

This St Patrick’s Day weekend we’re bringing you a bonus live show! Tim Mc Inerney comes to you from the Museum London, where he speaks to journalist Séamas O’Reilly and historian Danielle Thom abo...

Live show! Ireland and America: the long romance from 2019-02-16T15:52:06

The Irish Passport’s first live show takes on the issues of race, politics and history between Ireland and the United States. We hear the backstage gossip from St. Patrick’s Day at the White house ...

Halfpints preview: Brexit, the border and Irish unity from 2019-01-29T10:56:20

A sneak preview of a bonus episode published to thank our Patreon supporters. Hear the full episode at patreon.com/theirishpassport.



How has Brexit transformed the debate on Iris...

Nationalism from 2019-01-27T09:35:35

It's the Season 2 finale of the Irish Passport Podcast, and we're taking on Irish Nationalism. Naomi O'Leary interviews Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald about her concept of progressive Irish...

The Mysterious Eviction from 2018-12-19T21:23:11

Strange things are happening in Co. Roscommon, where a controversial eviction has set the internet on fire. Who were the unidentified men who ejected an elderly family from their farm house last we...

Irish Politics and the Civil War from 2018-11-21T21:57:13

Ireland's main political parties are not split on a traditional left-right model, but instead represent different sides of a bloody civil war in the 1920s. But why is this war spoken about so littl...

Halfpints: Why the poppy divides Ireland from 2018-11-11T22:28:19

A hundred years since the end of the First World War, the remembrance poppy remains a controversial symbol in Ireland. Why? Writer Kylie Noble explains what the poppy meant to her as a child growin...

The Housing Crisis from 2018-10-02T05:51:11

Ireland's housing crisis is at boiling point, with homelessness at record levels and even well-paid people struggling to afford soaring rents and house prices. It's the political issue everyone is ...

The Glorious Twelfth from 2018-09-12T09:43:10

Tim Mc Inerney and Naomi O'Leary travel to Belfast for the peak of Northern Ireland's marching season: the 11th and 12th of July, when unionists and British-identifying communities light enormous b...

Halfpints: Pope Francis in Ireland from 2018-09-04T23:01:52

Pope Francis visits Ireland in the wake of the abortion referendum, as Church infighting over the legacy of abuse in Catholic institutions threatens to derail the trip. We hear from people who prot...

Derry: “Ireland’s Jerusalem” from 2018-07-27T05:00:56

Derry: ground zero for the outbreak of conflict in Northern Ireland. Is it once again being threatened with instability as Brexit causes deep uncertainty over the border? Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc I...

Brexit Update 2018 from 2018-07-08T02:16:23

The British government has locked itself in a country mansion to debate Brexit, like a demented Agatha Christie novel. In Brussels, Irish and European leaders grimly start planning for a cliff-edge...

The Gaelic Games from 2018-06-20T17:08:30

The most popular sports in Ireland are the Gaelic games: uniquely Irish sports with an ancient history and a dramatic political backstory that are finding increasing international success. Tim Mc I...

After the Eighth. Ireland repeals abortion ban from 2018-05-28T16:10:39

Ireland has voted by a landslide to end its near-total abortion ban. We hear the voices of victorious campaigners in Dublin Castle in the moments when the result was announced. Naomi O'Leary and Ti...

Ireland’s Abortion Referendum: Information Warfare from 2018-05-03T19:05:28

Ireland is fighting it out on whether or not to remove its constitutional abortion ban in a referendum on May 25. We investigate how tactics seen in the Trump and Brexit campaigns have come to Irel...

1916 and the Invention of Ireland from 2018-04-20T13:47:40

The rebellion of a raggedy band of teachers, nurses and poets sent shock waves around the world and changed Ireland forever. But why does the Easter Rising of 1916 still cause controversy? Naomi O'...

Halfpints: The Táin from 2018-04-03T11:40:26

A tale of powerful matriarchs, fearsome warriors, and supernaturally potent bullocks from Ireland's ancient past. What's not to love? Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney take on the Táin Bó Cúailnge, ...

St. Patrick’s Day Special from 2018-03-16T12:55:23

A bonus special episode in honour of our national day! We discuss the annual pilgrimage of Irish politicians to the White House that inevitably results in scandal. Tim Mc Inerney tells us the surpr...

A United Ireland from 2018-03-09T13:30:20

A United Ireland: the idea has been a political force in Irish and British politics for centuries, and it has been given fresh momentum by Brexit. Tim Mc Inerney explains how the concept long pre-d...

The Invisible War from 2017-12-13T11:39:05

It's the grand finale to the first season! Tim Mc Inerney and Naomi O'Leary examine how a standoff over the Irish border in the Brexit negotiations brought ignorance about Ireland among politicians...

Away with the Fairies from 2017-11-16T01:00:27

Just below the surface of modern Ireland, a parallel world exists with its roots in pre-Christian belief. Irish fairies aren't like Tinkerbell - they're more like a supernatural mafia. So be carefu...

Abortion from 2017-10-26T06:50:30

Ireland has one of the strictest abortion laws in Europe. Banned unless the woman's life is in serious danger, it carries a 14-year prison sentence. Rumblings of change are beginning, but some a ca...

The Irish Slaves Myth from 2017-09-28T09:04:53

Have you ever heard that the Irish were slaves? If so, you may have been targeted with political propaganda. Naomi O'Leary speaks to actress and writer Azie Dungey about how Irish history is being ...

The Great Hunger from 2017-09-06T15:59:41

Ireland's great famine was the worst peacetime disaster in 19th century Europe. It shaped both Ireland and the world. And it remains such a political bombshell that people still can't agree on what...

The Brexit Irish from 2017-08-16T21:23:08

Applications for Irish passports surged in the last year, largely from people in Britain and Northern Ireland. Who are the new 'Brexit Irish'? We meet them in this new episode and hear their motiva...

Ireland and Europe from 2017-07-26T23:41:48

Ireland and Europe: what is Ireland's future in the EU now that its neighbour the United Kingdom is leaving? Is the so-called Irexit at all realistic? Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney explore Irela...

Elites from 2017-07-13T01:41:16

Who are Ireland's elites? That question was once easily answered, but not since independence upended the entire social order! In this episode Naomi O'Leary visits a castle in Dublin that has been t...

The Catholic Church from 2017-06-28T19:43:03

For decades, Ireland was synonymous with Catholic control - but the last 30 years have seen a new cultural climate take hold in the country, and a furious backlash has broken out against the legaci...

The Knowledge Gap from 2017-06-21T22:50:52

Recent politics have revealed a common lack of knowledge about Ireland and Northern Ireland in the Britain at a time when it is of vital strategic importance. What is behind the blind spot? We call...

The Irish Language from 2017-06-14T10:55:56

Irish: a rare and ancient language that is spoken from the streets of Canada to the corridors of power in the European Union. Naomi O'Leary and Tim Mc Inerney delve into why the language is such a ...

Unionism: Election Special from 2017-06-09T17:49:47

The dramatic UK election result has suddenly made Northern Irish politics more pressing than ever. Are you trying to figure out what the DUP is anyway and what all this means for Brexit? Naomi O'Le...

The Border from 2017-06-08T06:12:12

What will happen to the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit? We discuss how Britain has ignored this problem, and speak to ordinary people on the border about their lives and t...