Author Archive: The Tortoise Shack

‘Weird’ Policing, Stormont Pay Rises, Public Austerity and Securing Britain’s Future

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack “Society saw this coming a long way, and we let them walk right into that crack.” In this episode, listener favourite, writer, community activist, and commentator, Elaine Crory rejoins (the James Corden of podcasting) Tony to discuss pressing social issues in Northern Ireland, including youth services, inequality, political tensions, and the ongoing impact of Brexit. […]

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Rafah is a 15min drive, but my home is a lifetime away – Hassan Herzallah

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Hassan Herzallah is an English Literature Graduate, a writer and translator from Rafah, Gaza, Palestine. He joins us to talk about his experiences of the ongoing genocide, the near-fatal trips to get aid from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) death-traps, losing his home and sense of self, and why he committed himself to speaking up, […]

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The Gap – Trick Mist

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic episode, Rory is joined by artist, activist, songwriter, Gavin Trick Mist Murray, to discuss his new art project ‘The Gap’ and its connection to Ireland’s housing crisis, and our mythical past. He talks about wanting to explore themes of liminality, societal failure, and intergenerational trauma through music and visual art. For […]

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Empathy, Inequality and Social Cohesion

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic episode, Rory and Tony are rejoined by Senior Lecturer of Applied Psychology at University College Cork and President-elect of the Psychology Society of Ireland, Dr Sharon Lambert, who explores and outlines the stark realities of child poverty, social inequality, and policy choices in Ireland. They discuss how societal and political decisions […]

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Ireland’s failure to regulate social media is killing our children – The Fagersta School Attack

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this tortoise shack episode, Philip O’Connor talks about the tragic school attack in Fagersta, Sweden, a place close to him and his family. He explains the influence of social media and online “true crime” communities on violence, and the urgent need for regulation and action to protect young people. We also discuss the role […]

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Trump, Burnham and the reality of the United Ireland movement

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this tortoise shack episode, writer, political commentator and campaigner, Emma DeSouza and Tony explore (post-Trump-Burnham statements) the evolving landscape of Irish unification, the current political dynamics, and the varying community and media engagement across the island of Ireland, and in the UK. They discuss the recent political statements from all sides, delve into the […]

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A Trainee Lawyer in Gaza – I Want To Fight For Justice

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Nour Alali is a trainee lawyer who has graduated with her law degree, but has been unable to start her career because of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. She joins us from her home, which she has returned to after being displaced for over two years. She shares her story of living through bombardments, attacks, […]

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The Impact of Immigration Rules on Ireland’s Health System

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Tortoise Shack episode, Tony dives deep into the evolving/devolving immigration landscape and its implications for the Irish health system. The discussion centres around the right wing political shift and how they threaten to reshape the fabric of our health service. He’s joined by four Medical Professionals who are at various stages of their […]

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