Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning
Free State is a podcast for the curious that stimulates, provokes, challenges and entertains, while never taking itself too seriously. Free State covers topics from sport to politics, love to loss, the human condition an...
Insights from recent episode analysis
On the show
- Dion Fanning2 eps
- Paul Howard2 eps
- Rory Carroll1 ep
Also: Sinead O'Sullivan, Dave Hannigan, Alex Perry, Jamie Bartlett, Hettie O’Brien, Aziz Abu Sarah, Maoz Inon, Sally Hayden, Louise Brangan, John Kampfner, David Arrowsmith, Sinead Gibney, Eamon Dunphy, Martin Sixmith, Jeffrey Donaldson, Richard Fitzpatrick, William Ralston
Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Most discussed topics
Brands & references
Total monthly reach
Based on 1 signal.
Built from
By chart position
- 🇬🇧United Kingdom · PoliticsHOME#2128K to 150K
- 🇮🇪Ireland · Politics#75.0K to 27K
- 🇦🇺Australia · Politics#92676 to 3.6K
- 🇦🇷AR · Politics#48644 to 3.4K
- 🇰🇷South Korea · Politics#122216 to 1.1K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
35K to 187K🎙 Daily cadence·430 episodes·Last published 5d ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
118K to 623K🇬🇧80%🇮🇪14%🇦🇺2%+2 more - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
65K to 343K
Market Insights
Platform Distribution
Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
Total Followers
—
Total Plays
—
Total Reviews
—
* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/17/26 |  Football's tribalism and why it matters | Damien Pearse is a psychologist and he is also a football fan. Why does it affect him so much when his side loses and what does it tell us about the modern world? On Free State today he talks to Dion about why we want to belong and why we identify with the tribes we do. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 43m 30s | ||||||
| 10/15/26 |  Jamie Bryson vs Joe Brolly: A Free State Special | Who is Jamie Bryson and what does he want? On Free State today Jamie Bryson talks to Joe and Dion about Garvaghy Road, the Orange Order and a United ireland.His conversation with Joe is heated and contentious as they talk about these and other issues. What aspects of his cultural identity does he share with people in England and what would his view be if there was a violent response to a border poll being called?Let us know what you think - [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 49m 03s | ||||||
| 10/13/26 |  Zombie Drumcree and the march that died of shame | Anne Cadwallader covered the Drumcree events in the late 1990s. She remembers the tension of those days and the work Rosemary Nelson did at that time. On Free State today she talks to Joe and Dion about Rosemary Nelson's murder. She talks too about Lethal Allies her book about collusion and the Glennane Gang. She explains how she first arrived in Northern Ireland and how as a 'well brought up girl' from London, she had one view of what was happening which changed with time and experience. She also tells us how Tina Turner's intervention led to her receiving death threats from loyalists.Anne's novel Crossing Over is available here - https://www.mercierpress.ie/books/crossing-over/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 54m 05s | ||||||
| 10/10/26 |  Iran, Erectile Dysfunction and the Cold War | “This man's issue and the reason why he did what he did changes the world,” Ben MacIntyre says. “He changed the world that we now live in. Without this person we would probably be living in a different world.”On today’s Free State we learn the story of Vladimir Kuzichkin, a Soviet spy working in Iran whose codename was ‘Redwood’.Redwood had a problem, a sexual problem and the author Ben Macintyre tells us of this problem and why this spy and what he did might have changed the course of history. He explains what drew him to the story and the key ingredient in delivering a book as compelling as this.More details on Redwood can be found here https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/739964/redwood-by-ben-macintyre/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 33m 52s | ||||||
| 10/8/26 |  Does Drumcree spell the end for William Ulsterman? | Drumcree is now a peace dividend. Where once the attempt to march led to violence, destruction and death, now it leads to court wranglings, endless negotiations and the support for the Garvaghy Road residents from Noel Gallagher.On Free State, Dion and Joe look at this death rattle for anachronistic unionism and what it means for a new Ireland. Joe and Dion argue about whether calling a border poll would help. Let us know what you think, email [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 42m 42s | ||||||
| 10/6/26 |  Will Garvaghy Road lead to a United Ireland? | Thousands gathered on Garvaghy Road determined that there would be no going back. A new generation, confident and assured, are determined that the north chooses a different road.But what is it about a parade of elderly orange men that causes these emotions?On Free State today Joe explains why Garvaghy Road represents a new and confident community.Joe and Dion discuss what it means for a United Ireland. What that Ireland would look like might be even more important than a border poll. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 49m 12s | ||||||
| 10/3/26 |  'I was annoyed for a long time about how a lot of Southerners other Northerners' | Louise Kennedy's first novel Trespasses was a beautiful and heartbreaking story of the Troubles. In her new novel Stations she deals with the loss and sacrifice of emigration. Louise talks to Dion about moving from the north to Naas when she was 12 and the truth about emigration and why Ireland has yet to acknowledge it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 43m 03s | ||||||
| 10/1/26 |  Nasty Fucker. The obsession of Peter O’Mahony | In November 2023, Peter O’Mahony sat down for a meeting with his coach at Munster Graham Rowntree where the reality of a professional sportsman’s life became brutally clear.On that same day, Peter and Dion met for the first time to begin work on his autobiography. Peter is the guest on today’s Free State where he talks about why having an obsession with winning was essential to his career and his brief time as a Gaelic footballer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 53m 52s | ||||||
| 9/29/26 |  Ireland’s Shame? From Bazunu to Drumcree | In Drumcree and in Debrecen, we were forced to consider different Irelands last weekend.The determination of the Orange Order to parade down Garvaghy Road brought back memories for so many of the dark days in the north.But does it really show how much has changed?On Free State today, Dion and Joe discuss what happened at Drumcree and in Hungary where Gavin Bazunu told his team mates he didn’t want to play against Israel. Should his team mates have stood with him? What does beating Israel mean for Ireland? Is there any merit in it or are Ireland just participating in the sports washing of war crimes? Email us at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 37m 55s | ||||||
| 9/26/26 |  Jon Ronson on the manosphere and saving Ulster from sodomy with Ian Paisley | Jon Ronson joins Dion on today's Free State to talk about the manosphere, his time with Ian Paisley and his new book, The Castle. Learn more about Jon's new book here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/455289/the-castle-by-ronson-jon/9780241754771 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 35m 32s | ||||||
Want analysis for the episodes below?Free for Pro Submit a request, we'll have your selected episodes analyzed within an hour. Free, at no cost to you, for Pro users. | |||||||||
| 9/24/26 |  Why are Ireland playing against genocide (Israel)? | ‘We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.’With these words, Irelqnd’s manager Heimir Hallgrimsson tried to rally support for his players before they play their first game against Israel.The Israeli Fa responded by saying, ‘We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, We’re playing against the coach who embodies them."With these words, the Israeli FA would seem to be in step with their government and those who attack anyone who criticises the genocide in Gaza.On Free State today, Dion and Joe discuss what should happen next. They disagree about what it says about the players if they play this game against Israel but not about what should happen next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 39m 13s | ||||||
| 9/22/26 |  ‘Yabba-dabba-do, any taig will do’ : The true story of Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair | ‘Three things come with taking a man’s life. The first one is the easy bit – going into a room and shooting somebody… The second is preparing yourself if you get caught coming or going and getting life in prison – could you do it? And the third and final and most important is can you live with it for the rest of your life? And that’s where a lot of people fail.’ Aaron Edwards is the great chronicler of loyalism in this time. His new book details the life of Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair who spoke those words to Edwards and gave a glimpse into the world that made him feared across the north.On Free State Edwards talks to Joe and Dion about Adair. He explains how he got to know him and he discusses the broader loyalist mindset and how it would approach a border poll. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 53m 45s | ||||||
| 9/19/26 |  'Trotsky would have said we are in a classic pre-revolutionary period.' Robert Harris on how democracies die. | Robert Harris's book have always been about power. His latest Agrippa tells the story of the close friend of the Emperor Augustus as they take power folloing the assassination of Julius Caesar. Harris talks to Dion about how power erodes and all empire die as he looks to the modern world and how democracy is failign. You can learn more about Robert's new book here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/463350/agrippa-by-harris-robert/9781529154412 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 47m 01s | ||||||
| 9/17/26 |  Macklemore, the cowardly Ed Sheeran and the new world order | ‘I am not complicit’ Ed Sheeran said in his statement after Macklemore was dropped as a support act on his US tour.Macklemore had been dropped because he said the words ‘Free Palestine’ on stage. Sheeran blamed the promoters and the billionaire Robert Kraft said he put pressure on Sheeran to drop Macklemore.On Free State today we ask what lies beneath the pressure to silence Macklemore .What does it tell us about the world that is being shaped by billionaires? Does the response by those including Sheeran’s other support acts tell us something too about a resistance to this world order? Is there a determination to do something about the helplessness so many people feel about a genocide and much more? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 39m 46s | ||||||
| 9/15/26 |  Donald Trump. The orange man uniting Ireland | What a weekend for Ireland. Donald Trump flew in and across the land, people whooped and hollered as if these were the greatest days of their lives.Before he left, Trump had presented the Irish Open trophy to Shane Lowry, removed tariffs on Irish whiskey and united Ireland.On Free State, Dion and Joe consider the significance of Trump’s comments and whether it brings the prospect of a border poll closer.Who was in more discomfort from his words, Micheal Martin or the unionist politicians who believed Trump was an ally.But there are no allies as far as Trump was concerned. Will those cheers at Doonbeg ensure Ireland and unity are looked on favourably? Or will they, as is so often the case with Trump, be viewed as just another transaction which only has significance until the next payment is due? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 40m 23s | ||||||
| 9/12/26 |  All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace? | The great historian Jill Lepore joins Dion on today's Free State to talk about the history of the artificial state and what we can learn from past movements which attempted to advance the cause of machines. Jill takes us on a journey from the Technocracy movement through to today's AI evangelists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | 50m 12s | ||||||
| 9/10/26 | Israeli settlementsUK politics+4 | — | UKIsrael | GazaWest Bank | Ed MilibandIsrael+5 | — | 39m 38s | ||
| 9/8/26 | unification of Irelandpolitics+4 | Paul Howard | A Nation Once Again | West BelfastIreland | unite IrelandPaul Howard+5 | — | 1h 03m 43s | ||
| 9/3/26 | Donald TrumpQatar+4 | — | Labour Party | QatarWhite House | Donald TrumpQatar+5 | — | 37m 20s | ||
| 9/1/26 | Northern Irelandpolitics+3 | Paul Howard | Kitchen Appliances : The Musical | Northern IrelandBelfast+1 | Andy BurnhamNorthern Ireland+7 | — | 46m 36s | ||
| 8/29/26 | refereeingabuse+3 | William Ralston | — | — | refereeabuse+4 | — | 55m 40s | ||
| 8/27/26 | SwedenIreland+4 | Philip O’Connor | Free StateSweden Democrats+1 | SwedenIreland | Sweden Democratsneo-Nazis+3 | — | 50m 53s | ||
| 8/25/26 | trade wartrust in leadership+3 | — | Free StateGold Hat Productions+2 | CanadaUnited States+1 | trade warMark Carney+5 | — | 35m 03s | ||
| 8/22/26 | biological warfarepandemic preparedness+3 | Annie Jacobsen | AcastGold Hat Productions | — | biological warpandemic+3 | — | 44m 20s | ||
| 8/20/26 | James McCleansocial media abuse+4 | — | Free StateGold Hat Productions+1 | — | James McCleansocial media+5 | — | 32m 02s | ||
| 8/18/26 | tragedymedia+4 | — | Free StateGold Hat Productions | BatterseaLondon | Jason Ardaytragedy+4 | — | 40m 25s | ||
| 7/21/26 | World Cupfootball+3 | Dion Fanning | — | New York City | World CupGianni Infantino+5 | — | 33m 07s | ||
| 7/18/26 | World Cupjournalism+5 | Eamon Dunphy | RTE | IrelandSaipan | Eamon DunphyWorld Cup+5 | — | 58m 39s | ||
| 7/16/26 | professional sportEngland football+4 | — | — | England | Englandfootball+6 | — | 43m 57s | ||
| 7/14/26 | sportwinning+4 | — | Acast | Mayo | MayoAll Ireland+5 | — | 33m 50s | ||
| 7/11/26 | Putinoligarchs+5 | Martin Sixmith | BBCAcast+1 | — | Putin's billionsoligarchs+5 | — | 41m 44s | ||
| 7/9/26 | crimejustice+3 | Jeffrey Donaldson | — | — | Jeffrey Donaldsonprison+3 | — | 56m 11s | ||
| 7/7/26 | World CupDonald Trump+5 | — | cryptoFIFA+1 | — | World CupDonald Trump+5 | — | 37m 50s | ||
| 7/4/26 | footballmanagement+3 | Richard Fitzpatrick | — | — | Helenio Herrerafootball manager+3 | — | 48m 32s | ||
| 7/2/26 | gamblingsports+5 | — | Acast | FranceSweden | gamblingWorld Cup+5 | — | 48m 30s | ||
| 6/30/26 | gambling addictionsmartphone usage+3 | — | Gold Hat Productions | — | gamblingaddiction+4 | — | 47m 44s | ||
| 6/13/26 | Diego MaradonaWorld Cup+3 | David Arrowsmith | book on Maradona | Mexico | Diego MaradonaWorld Cup+5 | — | 50m 31s | ||
| 6/11/26 | Belfast Riotssocial media+4 | — | — | BelfastGlasgow+2 | Belfastriots+5 | — | 42m 21s | ||
| 6/9/26 | sportspolitics+5 | Sinead Gibney | Social Democrats | IrelandIsrael | IrelandIsrael+6 | — | 46m 43s | ||
| 6/6/26 | western democracypolitical change+4 | John Kampfner | Braver New World | — | democracypolitics+5 | — | 49m 06s | ||
| 6/4/26 | Love IslandFrank McGuigan+3 | Dion Fanning | Love Island | — | Love IslandFrank McGuigan+5 | — | 34m 06s | ||
| 6/2/26 | peaceMiddle East+4 | Aziz Abu SarahMaoz Inon | — | IsraelPalestine | forgivenesspeace+6 | — | 47m 59s | ||
| 5/30/26 | journalismwar+4 | Sally Hayden | — | LebanonIsrael | journalismwar+5 | — | 37m 06s | ||
| 5/28/26 | Sinn Feinby-elections+3 | — | Sinn FeinFianna Fáil | — | Sinn Feinby-elections+5 | — | 32m 59s | ||
| 5/26/26 | artsport+5 | — | Seven Psalms | KerryDonegal | Paul SimonKerry football+5 | — | 31m 48s | ||
| 5/23/26 | IrelandMagdalene Laundries+3 | Louise Brangan | The Fallen | IrelandMagdalene Laundries | Magdalene LaundriesIreland+4 | — | 53m 24s | ||
| 5/21/26 | climate emergencydata centres+4 | — | Acast | — | climate emergencydata centres+5 | — | 36m 51s | ||
| 5/19/26 | immigrationracism+3 | — | Free StateAcast | Congo | Bertie Ahernracism+3 | — | 36m 45s | ||
| 5/14/26 | IsraelEurovision+4 | — | — | IsraelVienna | IsraelEurovision+6 | — | 31m 24s | ||
| 5/11/26 | Universal Basic Incomepublic response+3 | — | Universal Basic Income | — | Universal Basic Incomepublic response+3 | — | 38m 17s | ||
| 5/9/26 | private equitycapitalism+4 | Hettie O’Brien | The Asset Class | — | private equitycapitalism+6 | — | 53m 10s | ||
| 5/7/26 | universal basic incomeAI job threat+3 | — | Free StateAcast | Ireland | free moneyuniversal basic income+3 | — | 50m 16s | ||
| 5/5/26 | IrelandGaza+4 | — | — | IrelandGaza | IrelandGaza+5 | — | 33m 10s | ||
| 5/2/26 | AIpsychopath+4 | Jamie Bartlett | Acasthis new book | — | AIpsychopath+5 | — | 44m 38s | ||
| 4/30/26 | consciencemonarchy+3 | — | — | — | conscienceking+3 | — | 39m 01s | ||
| 4/28/26 | urban-rural divideleadership+3 | — | Garda | IrelandMayo+1 | urban-rural toxicityGarda concerns+7 | — | 48m 08s | ||
| 4/25/26 | Irish independencehistorical figures+4 | Rory Carroll | Free StateGold Hat Productions | — | Roger CasementRory Carroll+5 | — | 39m 06s | ||
| 4/23/26 | managementpower dynamics+3 | — | — | Howth | managerpower+7 | — | 45m 08s | ||
| 4/21/26 | data analysisIreland+3 | Sinead O'Sullivan | — | — | Irelanddata+5 | — | 1h 03m 20s | ||
| 4/18/26 | successfailure+4 | Dave Hannigan | IrelandGold Hat Productions | CorkDublin+2 | Roy Keanesuccess+5 | — | 54m 50s | ||
| 4/16/26 | Irish politicsoil profits+3 | — | IsraelUS+2 | — | Irish politicsLeo Varadkar+5 | — | 47m 47s | ||
| 4/14/26 | fuel protestsIrish prosperity+5 | — | Gold Hat ProductionsAcast+2 | — | fuel protestsIrish prosperity+8 | — | 43m 52s | ||
| 4/11/26 | oil and gasimperialism+4 | Alex Perry | Gold Hat ProductionsAcast | PalmaMozambique | oilgas+5 | — | 43m 23s | ||
| 4/9/26 | Trumpceasefire+4 | — | Benjamin Netanyahu | — | Trump's Derangement Syndromeceasefire+3 | — | 44m 29s | ||
| 4/7/26 | Donald Trumpchurch leadership+3 | — | — | — | Donald TrumpPope Leo+5 | — | 36m 31s | ||
Showing 65 of 430
Pitch Fit is a Pro feature
See how bookable this show is for guests, which brands already advertise, the per-episode ad value, and the best-fit guest and sponsor profile. The numbers are blurred on the free plan.
How readily this show books outside guests like you.
How proven this show is for host-read sponsorships.
For Guests
ProFor Advertisers
ProUpgrade to Pro to unlock guest cadence, sponsor categories, fit scores, and per-episode ad value for this show.
Similar Audience Demographics
Podcasts that attract a similar listener profile
Chart history for Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning
Peaked at #7 in Ireland, top 10 in 1 of 12 tracked markets, currently #7 in Ireland.
| Market | Genre | Peak | Current | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | — | #7 | #7 | — |
| Ireland | — | #18 | #18 | — |
| United Kingdom | — | #21 | #21 | — |
| AR | — | #48 | #48 | — |
| United Kingdom | — | #52 | #52 | — |
| AE | — | #63 | #63 | — |
| Australia | — | #92 | #92 | — |
| SG | — | #107 | #107 | — |
| South Korea | — | #122 | #122 | — |
| TW | — | #139 | #139 | — |
| PH | — | #157 | #157 | — |
| RO | — | #158 | #158 | — |
Chart Positions
12 placements across 10 markets.
Chart Positions
12 placements across 10 markets.