In November 2023, Peter O’Mahony sat down for a meeting with his coach at Munster Graham Rowntree where the reality of a professional sportsman’s life became brutally clear.

On that same day, Peter and Dion met for the first time to begin work on his autobiography. Peter is the guest on today’s Free State where he talks about why having an obsession with winning was essential to his career and his brief time as a Gaelic footballer.

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In Drumcree and in Debrecen, we were forced to consider different Irelands last weekend.

The determination of the Orange Order to parade down Garvaghy Road brought back memories for so many of the dark days in the north.

But does it really show how much has changed?

On Free State today, Dion and Joe discuss what happened at Drumcree and in Hungary where Gavin Bazunu told his team mates he didn’t want to play against Israel. Should his team mates have stood with him? What does beating Israel mean for Ireland? Is there any merit in it or are Ireland just participating in the sports washing of war crimes?

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‘We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.’

With these words, Irelqnd’s manager Heimir Hallgrimsson tried to rally support for his players before they play their first game against Israel.

The Israeli Fa responded by saying, ‘We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, We’re playing against the coach who embodies them."

With these words, the Israeli FA would seem to be in step with their government and those who attack anyone who criticises the genocide in Gaza.

On Free State today, Dion and Joe discuss what should happen next. They disagree about what it says about the players if they play this game against Israel but not about what should happen next.

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‘Three things come with taking a man’s life. The first one is the easy bit – going into a room and shooting somebody… The second is preparing yourself if you get caught coming or going and getting life in prison – could you do it? And the third and final and most important is can you live with it for the rest of your life? And that’s where a lot of people fail.’ 

Aaron Edwards is the great chronicler of loyalism in this time. His new book details the life of Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair who spoke those words to Edwards and gave a glimpse into the world that made him feared across the north.

On Free State Edwards talks to Joe and Dion about Adair. He explains how he got to know him and he discusses the broader loyalist mindset and how it would approach a border poll.

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‘I am not complicit’ Ed Sheeran said in his statement after Macklemore was dropped as a support act on his US tour.

Macklemore had been dropped because he said the words ‘Free Palestine’ on stage. 

Sheeran blamed the promoters and the billionaire Robert Kraft said he put pressure on Sheeran to drop Macklemore.

On Free State today we ask what lies beneath the pressure to silence Macklemore .

What does it tell us about the world that is being shaped by billionaires? Does the response by those including Sheeran’s other support acts tell us something too about a resistance to this world order? Is there a determination to do something about the helplessness so many people feel about a genocide and much more?

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What a weekend for Ireland. Donald Trump flew in and across the land, people whooped and hollered as if these were the greatest days of their lives.

Before he left, Trump had presented the Irish Open trophy to Shane Lowry, removed tariffs on Irish whiskey and united Ireland.

On Free State, Dion and Joe consider the significance of Trump’s comments and whether it brings the prospect of a border poll closer.

Who was in more discomfort from his words, Micheal Martin or the unionist politicians who believed Trump was an ally.

But there are no allies as far as Trump was concerned. Will those cheers at Doonbeg ensure Ireland and unity are looked on favourably? Or will they, as is so often the case with Trump, be viewed as just another transaction which only has significance until the next payment is due?

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When Ed Miliband announced that the UK would take action and sanction illegal Israeli settlements, the response was swift. 

Britain had lost its moral compass, these moves would only aid Benjamin Netanyahu, the real victims were the Palestinian people were among the lines of attack. 

Miliband, who is Jewish, was called a ‘Jew hater’ by Mike Huckabee, the US’s ambassador to Israel.

On Free State today we look at how Israel went on the attack and why it is not a pariah but a model for the future. 

We examine the range of the criticism for anyone who deals in the reality of life in Gaza and the West Bank and details the ethnic cleansing and war crimes that have been committed. 

Will Israel’s approach be viewed dimly in time or will it be seen as a template for the post democratic apocalypse we’re entering?

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What will it take to unite Ireland? In a live Free State we took that question (and Dion) to West Belfast. 

We were joined by Paul Howard, author of the brilliant new novel ‘A Nation Once Again’ about the government department secretly planning for a United Ireland.

In front of a packed crowd, Paul took us through the absurdities of the situation and why bureaucracy says no even if the people say yes.

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