The Irish Passport The Irish Passport

In this political update, Naomi and Tim sum up the background of the incoming new Taoiseach Simon Harris and discuss the sudden resignation of Leo Varadkar and the different factors behind it.

One of them was Ireland's two recent referendums aimed at changing some of the more Catholic-influenced conservative language in the 1937 constitution, which ended in a resounding defeat for the government. What were the proposed changes and why were they rejected by the public?

Finally, we look ahead to the bonanza of elections that are due in the coming year, and how the different parties sit in the polls.

What are your thoughts on the resignation of Leo Varadkar and the incoming Simon Harris? A bonus episode where we take listener questions is coming soon for supporters over on Patreon.

Part two of our Conquest mini-series explores the violent occupation of Gaelic Ireland by Elizabethan adventurers between 1560 and 1590, heralding an age of terror and genocide that would ultimately lead to a full-scale war between the Gaelic clans of Ireland and the English crown. From the demise of the Old English Lordships to the tentative plantations of Ulster, this episode lays out the very foundations for the colonisation of Ireland.

A bonus debrief episode is available for Patreon supporters over on https://www.patreon.com/theirishpassport

You'll find a link to the book we mentioned in the show here: https://www.fourcourtspress.ie/books/2017/nine-years-war/

You can find a link to the London Irish Centre, here: https://londonirishcentre.org/

In the period from 1534 to 1653 Ireland was profoundly transformed. At the start, it was almost entirely Gaelic, ruled by Gaelic clans with an ancient way of life, and unique legal and political system. A hundred years later, Ireland was unrecognisable. In this first part of our new mini series, Conquest, Tim and Naomi set the scene for the profound transformation of the island of Ireland by colonial invasion.

A bonus episode in which Naomi and Tim discuss the making of this episode and what stood out to them is now available for Patreon supporters here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/after-show-97840308

Every year the Irish government and national media lend their full attention to the arrival of Santa Claus on the island of Ireland, and discuss the various logistics of his visit to every child in the country. In this mini bonus episode, we bring you this most important news story of the year, and explain how, for a few days every December, Santa dominates the parliamentary agenda of Dáil Éireann.

We break down the political consequences of the recent far-right riots in Dublin, explaining how the violence began, who has been instigating movements like this, and how this could transform the country's political landscape. We see how members of the far right have failed in electoral gains, but have succeeded in disrupting the traditional political process, which until now has been remarkably accessible to Irish voters. With a host of national and European elections and referendums on the horizon, is the real disruption still to come?

You can find the Go Fund Me pages for the victims and heroes of the Dublin knife attack here:

https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/act/parnell-square-attack-and-riots-how-to-help

Tim published a book!

How does nobility work as a power strategy, why does it bear so many curious similarities to the construct of race, and what does all of this have to do with Ireland?

We delve into Tim's book, "Nobility and the Making of Race in Eighteenth-Century Britain", published by Bloomsbury Academic this autumn, and uncover the intricate power dynamics of Irish nobility in the eighteenth century. We find out how during this age of colonial expansion European naturalists began to classify global populations according to ancient traditions of blood hierarchy, reimagining white Europeans as the natural aristocracy of mankind. We also explore how the very idea of "natural nobility" in Ireland at this time brought up profound anxieties, revealing a dangerous power vacuum at the heart of colonial rule.

Listeners can buy "Nobility and the Making of Race in Eighteenth-Century Britain" on the Bloomsbury Publishing website: www.bloomsbury.com.

Patreon members benefit from early access to this episode -- thank you for keeping the show running! If you would like access to our 100+ episodes of extra content and support the continued making of show along the way, you can sign up at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.