Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

By: Gold Hat Productions
Listen for free

  • Summary

  • 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 walk of life.


    Free State is presented by Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning. Brolly is a barrister, an original thinker with a fascinating backstory, who donated a kidney to a stranger and then led a crusade to transform organ donation on the island of Ireland, and Fanning is an award-winning interviewer and author.


    They are not motivational gurus or life coaches. They will never try to sell you a penis scented candle. They are two people from very different worlds, with one core belief uniting them - this is not a high performance podcast.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Gold Hat Productions
    Show More Show Less
Political Science Politics & Government
Show More Show Less
Episodes
  • Arise Sir Rory and Joe Brolly says sorry

    Arise Sir Rory and Joe Brolly says sorry
    Apr 17 2025

    Are you still talking about Rory McIlroy? Joe has reflected on his comments on Tuesday’s episode and Dion believes his views have changed. Have they? Joe also looks at the uniformity of the celebration and what it tells us about society. Dion sees similarities with Italia 90 but Joe thinks there are echoes of Princess Diana’s death. They look at why all sport requires a suspension of rational thought. There is also more anonymous correspondence about Joe’s remarks.


    Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production


    For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
  • Rory McIlroy. Glory is forever, winning is closure.

    Rory McIlroy. Glory is forever, winning is closure.
    Apr 15 2025

    Rory McIlrory ended his quest for the Masters on Sunday night. It was sporting drama which gripped the nation. Well, nearly all the nation. On Free State today Joe wonders if golf really can produce profound sporting drama given that it is ultimately a game of golf. Dion isn’t prepared to defend golf but argues that McIlroy transcends the game because of his inability to wear the mask that the modern sportsman is supposed to wear. And Joe suspects he knows the identity of the anonymous emailer who takes issue with Joe’s comments about the GAA and soccer.


    Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.


    For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Edna O’Brien: The woman who defied a nation

    Edna O’Brien: The woman who defied a nation
    Apr 12 2025

    Edna O’Brien’s early novels shocked Ireland which plotted its revenge. Her first novel The Country Girls was banned and she had to withstand the whispering of the establishment that she didn’t write her own novels.


    Her career would be a rebuttal to the cynics and the priests, but her life had its share of trauma and despair. In the 1970s she began an affair with a renowned and married British politician whose identity has never been revealed. She was consumed by the relationship, unable to work or think of anything else. A new documentary Blue Road tells the remarkable story of Edna O’Brien. On Free State today, Blue Road’s director Sinead O’Shea talks about the Edna O’Brien she got to know at the end of her life and why she remained so fiercely independent. She looks at O’Brien’s life ridiculed and castigated by the establishment, firstly for writing about sex and then for writing about Gerry Adams.


    Sinead also tells the story of the acid trip that altered Edna O’Brien’s life forever when she had to be rescued by James Bond.


    Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.


    For more on Free State: https://freestatepodcast.com/

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    42 mins

What listeners say about Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.co.uk reviews

Amazon reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mr Nick McIvor

Excellent

A great insight to Northern Ireland life during the troubles
Very funny, well worth a listen.
Will be listening to the rest

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!