2025, So How Was It For You?

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It's that time of year again where we sit and reflect on the year gone by and talk optimistically about our pessimistic future. And who better* to do that than Mr irishelectionprojections.com Harry McEvansoneya and The Gist's Simon McGarr. *we asked better people, but they had better offers. The Trump-Venezuela podcast with el Pais journalist Nicholas Dale Leal is out now here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-146527115 Palestinian author Mahmoud Mushtaha podcast is here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-146076759

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack From Housing Tzar’s to Children’s Health Ireland and on to Israeli military equipment, The Ditch has had another busy year. Add in their collaborations with other international media outlets and it’s fair to say that they have punched well above their weight. Eoghan McNeill joins me to look back over it all. The Trump-Venezuela Podcast:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-146527115 The Sanctuary Runners Donation:https://eventmaster.ie/fundraising/campaign/step-up-for-solidarity-the-12ks-of-christmas Support Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/call-to-stand-143037542

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Listener favourite, US-Based Irish-Russian Prof of Economics, Constantin Gurdgiev is back to wrap 2025 and this is a belter. Please listen and enjoy Constantin on Trumponomics, EU sclerosis, Ireland's windfall taxes vs Irish quality of life and what a vision for the future might be. Thank you, Constantin for your contributions as always. The Ditch 2025 Review Podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-146018449 The Sanctuary Runners Donation:https://eventmaster.ie/fundraising/campaign/step-up-for-solidarity-the-12ks-of-christmas

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Cambodia was already one of the most disadvantaged places in the world long before the latest escalation with Thailand. Joining us to talk about the displacement of over a million people, the ongoing bombing and the impact it is having on the ground is Managing Director with seebeyondborders.org Pheung Pov and CEO with same, Colm Byrne. We also discuss the impact western countries reducing and cutting their Overseas Aid Budgets is having on the most vulnerable. Hint: It is catastrophic. The Ditch Wrap of the Year podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-146018449 If you or someone you know can help please reach out at [email protected]

Ali Al Omari is a Palestinian-Philippino artist and architecture graduate, who holds a masters degree from the Victoria University of Wellington. His work focuses on Palestinian art, Sumud and Resistance through architecture. In this episode, he talks about architecture in Palestinian history including that of Gaza, a city that rises from the ashes, just like the Phoenix, tune in for the full episode. View Ali's work here:https://www.filemail.com/d/ybtuqoyfindbthf The Ditch 2025 Review Podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-146018449 The Sanctuary Runners Donation:https://eventmaster.ie/fundraising/campaign/step-up-for-solidarity-the-12ks-of-christmas Support Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/call-to-stand-143037542

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Dr Niall Conroy is Adjunct Professor of Public Health in UCC, but you’ll remember him as the fella who handled the COVID 19 pandemic public health response in Queensland, Australia. He returns to the shack to talk about the worst flu outbreak in years and what we should do to protect ourselves and others. He also talks about the inequalities baked into the health system. The Leilani Farha Podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-144371201 The Sanctuary Runners Donation:https://eventmaster.ie/fundraising/campaign/step-up-for-solidarity-the-12ks-of-christmas Support Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/call-to-stand-143037542

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this echo chamber podcast, I’m joined by Prof of Human Rights and Law at QUB, Colin Harvey, to talk about the potential of a new United Ireland. We discuss the work that has already taken place, the conversations that are being held and the ways in which governments need to step up. The Constantin Gurdgiev podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-145972391 The Leilani Farha Podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-144371201 Support Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/call-to-stand-143037542

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this PalCast, Yousef talks with Tony about the most recent events in Gaza, including the devastating floods, what's happening in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and how the aid situation is nowhere near where it needs to be. They outline the differences between the reality on the ground and the ridiculous narrative that the ceasefire is holding. The Colin Harvey - United Ireland Podcast here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-145049560 The Leilani Farha Podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-144371201 Support Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/call-to-stand-143037542

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Jude Sherry and Frank O'Connor are the driving forces behind the #DerelictIreland movement. They’ve been working relentlessly for years to bust the myths and political narratives that say that getting vacant or derelict properties back into use as homes is too complex and costly and , despite many hurdles, they are winning. Their recent appearance at the Oireachtas shows that. So it was a real pleasure to be rejoined by them both, and in-person, for a deep-dive into their work, art, advocacy and even the cost to them professionally for not giving up. The Colin Harvey - United Ireland Podcast here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-145049560 Conor McCabe breaks down the Irish economic "miracle" podcast:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-145126732 The Leilani Farha Podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-144371201 Support Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/call-to-stand-143037542

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Prof Richard Murphy is back and he's not pulling any punches. We talk the UK's self-sanctioning budget, the Labour-becoming-the-Tories, but somehow worse, the fight between Zack Polanski's Populist Ecosocialist Green Party and Nigel Farage's Populist Far Right Reform Party and heck, even Gramsci gets a mention! The Conor McCabe Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-145126732 The Christy Moore Podcast here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/135485064?collection=1509929 Support Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/call-to-stand-143037542