Newstalk Daily

• Zohran Mamdani: The Socialist Shaking Up New York

  It’s the campaign that’s electrified New York and unsettled Washington. Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist from Queens, has become the unexpected lightning rod of American politics. Ugandan-born, the son of a filmmaker, and a proud New Yorker, he’s promising to take on the city’s entrenched establishment with rent freezes, free buses, universal childcare, and a $30 minimum wage. He’s taken on heavyweights like Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa and won over crowds of young voters in stadium-sized rallies featuring Bernie Sanders and Alexandia Ocasio-Cortez. But his insurgent campaign has also drawn fierce criticism from centrist Democrats and Republicans alike, who accuse him of dragging the party too far left. So, who exactly is Zohran Mamdani? What explains his meteoric rise from local organiser to national figurehead? And could his brand of grassroots socialism redefine what it means to be a Democrat in America? On today’s podcast, Shane Beatty speaks to Scott Lucas, Professor of American Studies at UCD’s Clinton Institute, about Mamdani’s story, from his Queens roots to his bid for City Hall — and what it tells us about the future of U.S. politics. Listen and follow Newstalk Daily on the GoLoud Player or wherever you get your podcasts — and drop us a line with your thoughts at [email protected].

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• Can Micheál Martin Hang On?

  Fianna Fáil is reeling — again. The bruising fallout from the presidential election has left Micheál Martin fighting for his political life. His handpicked candidate, former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin, flopped spectacularly, opening deep fractures inside the party and sparking fresh doubts about Martin’s judgment and future. He’s led Fianna Fáil through crises before — the post-crash collapse, coalition with Fine Gael, and two terms as Taoiseach — but this latest controversy has some in the parliamentary party wondering if the Corkman’s luck has finally run out. On today’s podcast, Shane Beatty is joined by Shane Coleman, presenter of Newstalk Breakfast, to chart Martin’s extraordinary political endurance, from his first election to the Dáil in 1989 to today’s leadership crisis. Listening to the voices of Fianna Fáil TDs John McGuinness, John Lahart, Malcolm Byrne, and Senator Anne Rabbitte, the two Shanes explore the rifts, the rumours, and the reality of life inside a party openly debating whether to stand by its survivor-in-chief — or move on without him. Email us your thoughts on Micheál Martin’s future and Fianna Fáil’s next chapter at [email protected].

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• The Irish Crown Jewels: Ireland’s Greatest Unsolved Heist

  In Paris last week, thieves pulled off an audacious €88 million heist at the Louvre — but it’s not the first time priceless crown jewels have vanished from a supposedly impregnable fortress. Back in 1907, Dublin Castle — the heart of British rule in Ireland — was the scene of a theft so bizarre it remains unsolved to this day. The Irish Crown Jewels, a dazzling collection of emerald- and diamond-studded regalia, simply disappeared from a locked strongbox with no sign of forced entry. Sir Arthur Vicars, the man in charge, blamed poison; Scotland Yard blamed whiskey. And suspicion soon fell on Francis Shackleton (brother of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton), a charming chancer with debts, connections, and access. Even Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, took an interest. Yet more than a century later, the case is still wide open. Shane Beatty joins historian and broadcaster Myles Dungan to revisit Ireland’s most notorious unsolved crime, the missing Crown Jewels, and to ask what it is about these glittering mysteries that capture the public imagination from Paris to Dublin. Myles discusses his book from 2003, The Stealing of the Irish Crown Jewels: An Unsolved Crime, as well as his latest historical novel, The Red Branch, which is published by Etruscan Press and available in all good bookshops. 💎 Find out more about Myles Dungan’s work at mylesdungan.com You can listen back anytime on GoLoud or Newstalk.com, and if you’ve got your own theory about what happened to the jewels — email us at [email protected].

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• Footballers’ Wives: The Trashy TV Reboot We Need

  It was the show that defined an era — all fake tans, stilettos and scandals. Footballers’ Wives turned early-2000s celebrity life into high-camp art, mixing soap opera excess with tabloid obsession. Now, nearly twenty years later, rumours are swirling that the iconic series could be making a comeback. On this Bank Holiday edition of the podcast, Shane Beatty relives the glory (and chaos) of Earls Park FC with Sinéad Dalton, editor at Evoke.ie. Together they ask: could a reboot possibly capture the wild energy of the original — or has reality TV and influencer culture already done it better? From Tanya Turner’s champagne-fuelled meltdowns to the real-life drama of the Wagatha Christie trial, the conversation explores how celebrity football culture evolved, from the era of Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Tweedy to today’s Instagram-savvy WAGs. So, would Footballers’ Wives still score with audiences in 2025… or would it get cancelled faster than you can say “It’s Rebekah Vardy’s account”? Catch the full chat now — and tell us what you think: should Footballers’ Wives make a comeback? Email us at [email protected] or listen back on GoLoud and Newstalk.com.

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• Ireland, the Triple Lock, and the Broken United Nations

  As Ireland goes to the polls to elect a new President, politicians, military leaders and foreign policy wonks are wondering if the next Commander-in-Chief will preside over the end of Ireland’s much-debated triple lock, the rule that prevents Irish troops being deployed overseas without UN approval. It’s a debate that lands just as the United Nations turns 80, an age that invites both celebration and soul-searching. The UN was born in 1945 to keep peace and security in the wake of the Second World War. Yet in 2025, it looks increasingly powerless — gridlocked on Gaza, paralysed on Ukraine, mocked by Donald Trump, and sidelined on global crises from climate to migration. Has the UN simply grown too old for the world it was meant to keep secure? And if Ireland untethers itself from the triple lock, does that mark a quiet farewell to neutrality — or an overdue step toward independence in foreign policy? On today’s podcast, Shane Beatty speaks with Dr Ben Tonra, Professor of International Relations at UCD, to explore whether the United Nations is still fit for purpose. Shane also hears from Jim Clarken, CEO of Oxfam Ireland, who’s calling for a dramatic overhaul of the Security Council and an end to the “stranglehold of the Big Five.” Happy United Nations Day, listeners! Have your say — email [email protected].

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