Author Archive: The Tortoise Shack

Belfast City Cllr and Green Party candidate for East Belfast, Brian Smyth joined me to tell me why he was running and what he’s hearing on the campaign trail. He talks about linking left-environmentalism to health, housing and social mobility. We talk about the media imbalance, the NI Protocol, cultural identity and much, much more. Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack https://media.blubrry.com/echochamberpodcast/content.blubrry.com/echochamberpodcast/echo_chamber_pod_ep_792a.mp3Podcast […]

Martin got up long enough to chat with regular contributor Loyalist, Unionist and Lefty, Sam Mcilwaine about the upcoming Assembly Elections. As always Sam gives a great insight into the concerns of the electorate and of his community. Interestingly while the NI Protocol is certainly a concern, it is far from the most important one. We also get into the […]

I’ve just finished talking with Editor of Slugger O’Toole, Mick Fealty, about the upcoming Stormont Elections. Mick talks about the state of play, the “dreaded” border poll, where voters are looking beyond identity politics and what he sees as the outcome of what has been called the most important election in Northern Ireland’s history. Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack https://media.blubrry.com/echochamberpodcast/content.blubrry.com/echochamberpodcast/echo_chamber_pod_ep_790a.mp3Podcast (echochamber): […]

Madrid based Professor and long-time contributor, Joe Haslam was in Dublin for a few days, so he kindly dropped into the tortoise shack for an in person podcast. We discussed the impact the war on Ukraine has had on the internal politics of Spain and what it has meant for their already EU leading ambitions towards structural climate action. We […]

In this Reboot Republic podcast I talk to Siobhan O’Donoghue, founder and director of Uplift, about the Ukraine humanitarian crisis, and how we can, and must provide homes -not tents and warehouses -for Ukraine refugees, and provide homes for those homeless in Ireland already. We discuss how through proper leadership and action like during COVID, the Government and Irish State […]

If you knew that a train was steaming towards you, you’d get out of the way. So why are we so slow in acting to avoid the incoming climate crisis? Joining me to discuss this and their new book, Supercharge Me, are Corinne Sawers and Eric Lonergan. They outline the steps that are viable now that will not only speed […]

(Recorded and released for members on Tuesday Apr 12th) Today we witnessed an unprecedented international police action against the Kinahan Drug and Crime Group. Joining me to discuss this and the implications are two of the people who have done so much work on this story and helped make sure that the ugly facts were reported, no matter how much […]