About this episode

Niall Boylan discusses the impact of media and political rhetoric on the climate of political hatred with Senator Rónán Mullen.

Niall speaks to Independent Senator Rónán Mullen about the increasingly hostile and dangerous nature of modern politics following the killing of former British government minister and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe. The 78-year-old former MP was found dead at her home in Devon following what counterterrorism police have described as a targeted attack. Although investigators are still working to establish the precise motive, her killing has renewed concerns about the safety of politicians and other public figures. Speaking at a Mass for Ann Widdecombe in Dublin, Senator Mullen warned that Ireland is “not immune” to political violence. He said everyone involved in public debate must be careful about their language, because an unstable or radicalised person may interpret hateful comments as permission or encouragement to act violently. Niall and Senator Mullen examine why politics has become so bitter, personal and divided. When Niall began working in radio, relatively few people constantly defined every issue in terms of “the left” and “the right”. Today, those labels dominate political discussion, with people frequently treating anyone who disagrees with them not simply as…

People in this episode

Host: Niall Boylan

Guest: Rónán Mullen

Topics covered

• political violence
• media influence
• political discourse
• social media
• public safety
• political division

Keywords

• political hatred
• media
• Ann Widdecombe
• Rónán Mullen
• social media
• political violence
• public debate

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Reform UK

Places: Ireland, Devon

More episodes of The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up)

• #829 Did Ireland Progress, or Simply Lose Its Identity? · July 21, 2026 · 57 min
• #830 No Passport, No Backround Check, No Problem, Welcome To Ireland · July 21, 2026 · 1h 29m
• #827 6,329 People, Ten Years Unemployed: Are They Wasters? Cut Them Off? · July 20, 2026 · 1h 23m
• #001 Don't Call Me Darling: Her Husband Wears Her Knickers! · July 20, 2026 · 59 min
• #826 E-Scooters: Give THe Gardai More Power To Enforce A Ban · July 20, 2026 · 55 min
• Not Suitable for Broadcast, Episode 8: "The Hook Is Back" With Niall Boylan & George Hook · July 17, 2026 · 47 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up) podcast page.