On Violence and Justice for Yves Sakila

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Journalist in Stockholm, Philip O’Connor, is a long-time Brazilian Jiujitsu practitioner. So when he wrote his piece below, On Violence, and outlined the hard reality of what took place on Henry Street, we decided we’d have a wider conversation about it all. Philip ties together all of the strands from policing, to security, to media […]

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The Byelection Special-ish

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack As promised, Mr irishelectionprojections.com Harry McEvansoneya is back to make sense of the Galway West and Dublin Central by-elections. Sense (from Groves) is maybe a bit of a stretch. Will Fine Gael’s Ray McAdam get Soc Dem’s Dan Ennis elected or will Gerry Hutch’s transfers turn everything upside down? Will Labour pull of a shock […]

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Starmer, Burnham, the Hapless Horserace and the Need for a New Recipe

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It’s been another clown-show in UK politics over the last couple of weeks. Re-joining me to wade through the mud is Prof Richard Murphy. He analyses the recent Local Elections and the state of the Labour Party. We discuss the attacks on the Green’s Zack Polanski and explore the need for a vision beyond the […]

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Time to Cut Taxes?

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this episode we dive into the “Cut Taxes” narrative that is dominating our economic and political media at the moment with NERI Economist, Ciaran Nugent. We dig into Ireland’s topsy-turvy fiscal policies, the reality of our personal tax system, Ireland’s tax (avoidance) system, the housing crisis, our weak energy transition, and the impact of […]

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You Were Elected, Now Do Your Job

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Writer, columnist and political commentator Elaine Crory rejoined me on the tortoise shack to talk Stormont and the mood music of a managed decline. She breaks down why the politicians MUST stay the course and not betray their constituents and the reasons for the latest opinion poll data that shows a 60%+ lead for the […]

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One Million Homes

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this tortoise shack special episode, Tony speaks with community development expert and big ideas guy, Rob Cass, about Ireland’s housing crisis, the data-driven solutions, and the importance of measuring and implementing effective and proven policies to build a sustainable future for young people and communities. It’s not Urban vs Rural – it’s old locking […]

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Journalism, Boxing, Daniel Kinahan and Why Everything is Upside Down

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It’s 2026, Gerry Hutch has left his second home of Lanzarote to run as a candidate in the upcoming Dublin Central byelection and Daniel Kinahan is in a Dubai prison cell fighting not to be sent back to Ireland to face justice. Irish sports legend Katie Taylor is looking to book her swansong fight in […]

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