The Ireland Podcast

Why has the Drumcree dispute returned after almost three decades?

John Manley, political correspondent with The Irish News, explains the history of the Orange Order parade, opposition from Garvaghy Road residents, the major stand-offs of the 1990s and the recent legal challenge involving the Parades Commission.

Fender and John also discuss the competing rights at the centre of the dispute, the involvement of Sinn Féin and unionist politicians, the approach of an Assembly election and whether Drumcree could destabilise Northern Ireland’s political institutions.

This conversation reflects John Manley’s own knowledge, analysis and perspective. The Ireland Podcast has also invited a corresponding conversation exploring Drumcree and Orangeism from a unionist perspective.

Recorded remotely on 29 September 2026.

The Ireland Podcast is a long-form, non-partisan podcast. Recording the island.

Relevant Links
https://www.irishnews.com/
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Stephen Averill has spent nearly five decades shaping how some of Ireland’s most important music looks.

From his beginnings with The Radiators From Space to a remarkable creative relationship with U2 spanning Boy, War, The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby and beyond, Stephen has helped create images that became inseparable from the music itself.

In this episode of The Ireland Podcast, Fender Jackson talks to Stephen about the art of the record sleeve: discovering album artwork as a young music fan, designing before computers, working with musicians and photographers, the relationship between music and image, and what makes an album cover become iconic.

They also discuss Stephen’s work beyond U2, the changing Irish music scene, the creative possibilities that come from limitations, and what happens to album artwork as music moves from vinyl and CD into the digital age.

Relevant Links
https://www.stephenaverill.com/

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:33 When Album Covers Became Art
04:07 How Record Sleeves Changed
06:11 Creating a Visual Identity for a Band
07:16 How Stephen Designs an Album Cover
10:00 Designing for U2
11:02 Art vs the Record Company
13:17 Can an Album Cover Sell the Music?
16:08 Working with Great Photographers
18:15 When Record Labels Change Your Artwork
20:20 How Limitations Can Improve Creativity
22:59 What Makes an Album Cover Iconic?
24:00 U2, Success & Creative Relationships
26:22 Logos, T-Shirts & Band Identity
26:49 Stephen Averill's Archive
27:44 From Advertising to Album Design
31:01 Designing for Ireland's Music Scene
32:01 Outro
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Writer and commentator Malachi O’Doherty joins Fender Jackson in Belfast for a wide-ranging conversation about Donald Trump’s intervention on Irish unity, Northern Ireland’s changing relationship with the border and whether either part of the island is prepared for constitutional change.

Malachi recounts his reporting on IRA punishment attacks, including the extraordinary story of a young car thief he calls “Pip.” He discusses Kneecap and what he describes as Belfast “hood culture,” being branded a “West Brit,” and his confrontations with senior republican figures including Bobby Storey and Gerry Kelly.

The conversation also explores healthcare, pensions and the practical questions that could determine Malachi’s vote in a border poll—as well as what might have happened had David Trimble refused to sign the Good Friday Agreement.

Recorded in Belfast on 17th September 2026.

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Chapter Timings

00:00 Introduction
01:28 Trump and a united Ireland
05:40 Is Irish unity simply “natural”?
09:00 Growing up with the border
14:20 IRA checkpoints and “no-go areas”
15:24 IRA punishment attacks and kneecappings
18:08 The extraordinary story of “Pip”
24:18 Kneecap and Belfast “hood culture”
28:20 Does Kneecap genuinely represent the hoods?
32:06 The Kneecap film, drugs and Gerry Adams
34:27 Would Malachi vote for a united Ireland?
38:03 Pensions, healthcare and the practical questions
41:48 Being branded a “West Brit”
43:04 Bobby Storey, MI5 and intimidation
47:07 The Gerry Kelly legal action
51:22 “Give me the feeder question”
51:53 What if David Trimble had rejected the Agreement?
56:06 Politicians carrying guns
57:58 Does Malachi feel safe in Belfast?
59:14 Malachi’s books and current work

Relevant Links

https://www.irishpost.com/
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Malachi-ODoherty/author/B001JSEA3U
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Since setting out from the Shetland Islands on 1 January 2026, Jonathan has been walking around 4,200km through Britain and Ireland to raise awareness and funds for four mental health charities.

In this second chapter of The Ireland Podcast's ongoing record of his journey, Fender Jackson catches up with Jonathan in Dublin.

We join him as he meets the Lord Mayor of Dublin, walk with him through the city to Aware's headquarters, hear about the physical and mental challenges of the journey, and join an Aware gathering marking this extraordinary undertaking.

Jonathan is now heading towards Galway for the final stage of the walk.

Sunday 18 October 2026 - Galway
Join Jonathan for the final steps into Galway.

Monday 19 October - Special Event
The Ardilaun Hotel, Galway
An evening with Jonathan Kemp - stories, reflections and what comes next.

Jonathan is raising awareness and funds for SAMH, Mind, AWARE NI and Aware Ireland.

Support Jonathan:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Jonathansupporting4mentalhealthcharities

Aware is the national organisation providing support, therapy, education and information to those affected by depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety. For more information, visit Aware or call the Aware Support Line on 1800 80 48 48.

AWARE-NI is the depression charity for Northern Ireland. Tel: 028 9035 7820 Email: info@aware-ni.org
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Keire Murphy is a policy researcher, migration expert and public commentator. After spending four years conducting migration research at the Economic and Social Research Institute, she recently began working independently as a researcher, writer and podcaster.

In this long-form conversation, we examine Ireland’s changing population, the relationship between immigration and housing, labour shortages, citizenship, family reunification, integration and what it means to be Irish in an increasingly diverse country.

We also discuss:

• Why Ireland’s migrant population has changed
• Highly skilled immigration and the housing market
• Ireland’s two-tier economy
• The benefits and pressures created by population growth
• Assimilation versus multiculturalism
• Women’s rights and cultural differences
• Why parts of the left have avoided difficult immigration questions
• The Government’s changing approach to citizenship
• How Ireland might build a more cohesive national identity

Recorded on 10 September 2026.

CLARIFICATION: At the time of recording, the Department of Foreign Affairs passport guidance stated that guardian consent was not required if a child was married. Irish law does not permit marriage under the age of 18. That wording has since been removed from the Department’s webpage.

Sources and further information:

Keire's Podcast:
- Acast link: https://shows.acast.com/get-shit-done
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vP7onscXRsYFy3uBgqHXw?si=b1d8fa22c79d4990
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GetShtDonePod

https://www.esri.ie/system/files/publications/RS184_0.pdf

CSO — Population and Migration Estimates, April 2026:
https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-pme/populationandmigrationestimatesapril2026/keyfindings/

Government citizenship proposals:
https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/press-releases/government-approval-secured-for-the-priority-drafting-of-the-irish-nationality-and-citizenship-amendment-bill-2026/

Family-reunification policy changes:
https://www.irishimmigration.ie/amendments-to-policy-on-non-eea-family-reunification/
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