Free State is going live this Christmas. The first (and probably last) Free State Live show will take place at Vicar Street on Dec 14th, with special guest, James McClean and much more. Tickets are available here - https://bit.ly/FreeStateLive

Two years ago, there was a 10-point gap between those against a United Ireland and those who were in favour. The most recent Lucid Talk poll shows that the gap has narrowed to four points?

But in this environment where a United ireland seems inevitable, how should unionism respond? When the younger demographics are in favour of a united Ireland, what does it tell us about the main unionist parties and their relevance?

On Free State, Dion and Joe wonder how long people can ignore the inevitable? Well Joe does, Dion wonders if the inevitable is really inevitable right now.

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Free State is going live this Christmas. The first (and probably last) Free State Live show will take place at Vicar Street on Dec 14th, with special guest, James McClean and much more. Tickets are available here - https://www.ticketmaster.ie/free-state-with-joe-brolly-and-dion-fanning-tickets/artist/5770194.

When Simon Harris spoke at the Fine Gael Ard fheis he was pandering to those in his party who say it needs a clear identity.

But what was it really about? Was it about cruelty as a political manifesto? On Free State today Joe and Dion look at the reality of Ireland for those who are struggling, for those who get up early because they have no safe place to call home and for those who have been failed by the policies - or lack of them - of Simon Harris.

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

Free State is going live this Christmas. The first (and probably last) Free State Live show will take place at Vicar Street on Dec 14th, with special guest, James McClean and much more. Tickets are available here - https://www.ticketmaster.ie/free-state-with-joe-brolly-and-dion-fanning-tickets/artist/5770194.

On today's show we look at geopolitics. In the 19th century, the Great Game saw the British and Russian Empires tussle for supremacy in Asia. In the 21st century, there is a new great game and it explains much about Donald Trump's imperial ambitions. Rana Foroohar joins Dion to talk about why climate change has opened up the Arctic Circle to a new battle for supremacy on the high seas.

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

Free State is going live this Christmas. Get your tickets here for the first (and probably the last) Free State Live show at Vicar Street on Dec 14th, with special guest James McClean. https://www.ticketmaster.ie/free-state-with-joe-brolly-and-dion-fanning-tickets/artist/5770194

Stewart Kenny co-founded Paddy Power. It was his marketing genius which grew the bookmaker into the giant it would become. But as it grew Kenny began to have his own concerns.

On Free State today Kenny talks to Joe and Dion about how he helped shape the betting giant, why he still loves gambling but not the isolating, poisonous addiction that is online betting.

He speaks honestly about his own role in creating Frankenstein’s monster and what he thinks when people say he profited from the very industry he now rails against.

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

Free State is going live this Christmas. Get your tickets here for the first (and probably the last) Free State Live show at Vicar Street on Dec 14th, with special guest James McClean. https://www.ticketmaster.ie/free-state-with-joe-brolly-and-dion-fanning-tickets/artist/5770194

On today’s Free State, Dion and Joe look at Micheal Martin’s newfound love of talking about unity.

He is ready to talk about a United Ireland. Up to a point. “What has concerned me about this push for a Border poll since Brexit is that it’s partisan, it’s a one-sided advocacy approach,” he said.

But is this better than his previous approach? Do the Happy Lundys, the Protestant group having new conversations about a way forward show a better more hopeful way?

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

Why does Andy Burnham talk differently about a border poll in Northern Ireland than when he talks about Scotland?

Is he adopting a different tone and if so, why?

On Free State Joe and Dion wonder what reconciliation means and if it should stand in the way of a border poll? If we were to avoid division would we have any election at all? Is there a difference between a routine democratic election and a referendum on subjects that might be divisive? Is the opportunity of bringing real democracy to the north of Ireland the most important consideration in bringing a border poll?

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When the Tory grandee David Davis stood up in the House of Commons and said there were ‘IRA lawyers’ who were ‘more interested in drama than justice’, there was an understandable response.

In 1988 a Tory minister had said that some solicitors in the north were sympathetic to the cause of the IRA. Three weeks later Pat Finucane was murdered in front of his family.

On Free State we ask why there is a certain type of politician who persists with these dangerous and inaccurate terms. We look at what Davis said and why it matters in a world still fraught with danger.

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

When Arsenal announced they were cutting 60 jobs at the home of the Premier League champions, the manager Mikel Arteta said he had been told it was to "achieve the success we want to create".

With the help of management consultants, Arsenal identified savings while simultaneously awarding Arteta a new contract worth £20 million a season.

On Free State today we look at what this story of a sporting club tells us about capitalism and inequality. Dion and Joe look at how sport was sold as everything else was sold and they wonder what happens next. Sport has been sold not just to the highest bidder but to those who believe in a version of society which is the opposite of community. What will be next?

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Free State is going live this Christmas. Get your tickets here for the first (and probably the last) Free State Live show at Vicar Street on Dec 14th, with special guest James McClean. https://www.ticketmaster.ie/free-state-with-joe-brolly-and-dion-fanning-tickets/artist/5770194

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 for the future of unionism. What does it mean when the Belfast Newsletter, the paper of the unionism, says that Bryson is leading unionism down a dead end.

Dion and Joe talk about how communities have emerged that challenge how people felt things would be and they ask the important question: would you surrender to a sea border?

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