The Party Line

Debates about free speech tend to rage with very little discussion about the structures that decide who can be heard.Gavan Titley is a professor in media studies at Maynooth, and the author of a new book that takes freedom of speech seriously enough to examine critically its place in Western liberal discourse – and the real threats to civil liberties in our societies today.'What is Free Speech For?' by Gavan Titley https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/what-is-free-speech-for The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, hosted by Harry Browne, with Eoghan McNeill of The Ditch.You can also watch here https://www.youtube.com/@wereontheditch'Comment: Mao Zedong says you're woke' https://www.ontheditch.com/comment-mao-zedong-says-youre-woke/'Europe furious after Finland and Norway break convention by speaking directly to Putin' https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/putin-norway-finland-zelensky-russia-ukraine-war-b3074581.htmlRecording by Emmet WhiteMusic by Fionn DempseyEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world is on fire, but the right remains on the march and street protesters are often fighting rear-guard actions.Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and a prolific global historian and analyst, joins us to try to understand our moment, how we got here and where we're going.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, hosted by Harry Browne, with Paulie Doyle of The Ditch.You can also watch here https://www.youtube.com/@wereontheditch'Israeli national airline illegally transported IDF munitions through Irish airspace in August' https://www.ontheditch.com/israeli-national-airline-illegally/Vijay Prashad Substack: https://luciddialectics.substack.com/ The protesting playwright at Shannon Airport mentioned by Vijay in the first few minutes is of course the late, great Margaretta D'Arcy.Music by Fionn DempseyEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don't mourn, organise!It's part 2 of a Party Line special – The Ditch meets The Phoenix. Don't miss part 1, which is episode 33 in your Party Line feed.In this second panel, recorded earlier this month in the Whistleblower bookshop and café, Phoenix contributors Graeme Keyes, Ian Curran, Sean Mac Carthaigh and Party Line host Harry Browne recall what made the magazine so special, with its unique capacity to combine laughter and anger.With apologies to the live audience, whose excellent contributions had to be edited out for technical reasons.You can also watch here https://www.youtube.com/@wereontheditchMusic by Fionn DempseyRecording by Emmet WhiteEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Goldhawk calling Phoenix fans!It's a Party Line special – The Ditch meets The Phoenix.Recorded earlier this month in a packed People's Hall in the Whistleblower bookshop and café: the long-time editors of the recently liquidated Phoenix magazine joined The Ditch for a wide-ranging conversation.Editor Paddy Prendiville and deputy editor Paul Farrell tell Paulie Doyle what sustained the publication for 43 years, and what finally finished it.And there are a few comments about the Irish Times along the way.Part 2, with a panel of Phoenix contributors, will be out as our next normally scheduled episode from The Party Line.You can also watch here https://www.youtube.com/@wereontheditchMusic by Fionn DempseyRecording by Emmet WhiteEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the Left organises around the world in solidarity with Palestine, the Right has mobilised by embracing the genocide.Writer, Jacobin journalist and podcaster Dan Finn reveals how racist reactionaries have ridden a wave of hostility to pro-Palestinian protest – while media and centrists facilitate their lies.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, hosted by Harry Browne, with Paulie Doyle of The Ditch.You can also watch here https://www.youtube.com/@wereontheditch'Jennifer Carroll MacNeill defends meeting Israeli spy' https://www.ontheditch.com/jennifer-carroll-macneill-defends-meeting-israeli-spy/'Sinéad Ryan: Irish parents must rediscover how to say ‘no’, or an entire generation risks failing to launch' https://tinyurl.com/yazfambmMusic by Fionn DempseyRecording by Emmet WhiteEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Legendary journalist Chris Hedges has reported from all over the planet – including, in recent days, the Garvaghy Road. And he reckons we're heading in a terrible direction. The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, hosted by Harry Browne, with Eoghan McNeill of The Ditch.You can also watch here https://www.youtube.com/@wereontheditchRequiem for Gaza, by Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/482474/requiem-for-gaza-by-hedges-joe-sacco-and-chris/9781787336780'Comment: No going down that road' https://www.ontheditch.com/comment-no-going-down-that-road/'How Russia uses migrants as a weapon against Europe' https://tinyurl.com/3whuhn5rMusic by Fionn DempseyRecording by Emmet WhiteEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ignore the haters – journalist Aaron Maté is a vital voice for peace and for Palestine, in the face of imperial projects to destroy them both.He joined Eoghan McNeill of The Ditch and Harry Browne in the People's Hall to talk about many things, including the USA, Ukraine, and his own relationship with an Irish whistleblower on a Syria story.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, https://www.ontheditch.com.You can also watch here https://www.youtube.com/@wereontheditchPre-order Aaron Maté's 'Their Blood, Our Bullets' https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/Mick Wallace & Clare Daly report on the OPCW https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nh2bbo1wU--hShjknEZH_--KOq2ncZUg/view?usp=sharing Music by Fionn DempseyRecording by Emmet WhiteEven more thanks than usual to Art O'Connor of the WhistleblowerEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether they play or not, the Irish men's soccer team fixtures with Israel have further expanded the space for fighting genocide and apartheid with boycotts.Campaigner, basketball player and researcher Rebecca O'Keeffe tallies up the score for the movement, and makes a final plea for the players to act when the institutions have failed.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, hosted by Harry Browne, with Eoghan McNeill of The Ditch.You can also watch here: https://www.youtube.com/@wereontheditch'League of Ireland partner has received more than $4 million in US Department of War contracts' https://www.ontheditch.com/league-of-ireland-partner/'FAI will remove all sponsor branding for upcoming Nations League matches' https://tinyurl.com/2xd5ncuvMusic by Fionn DempseyEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The media and political establishment acts like we're already at war – and seeing 'threats' everywhere is part of the fight.In a world where just talking can mark you as a hybrid warrior, Trinity College Dublin academic, writer and activist Rory Rowan joins us to discuss what it all means, and fails to mean.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, hosted by Harry Browne, with Paulie Doyle of The Ditch.You can also watch here: https://www.youtube.com/@wereontheditch'Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes boasts about co-leading team that cut 200 tech jobs' https://www.ontheditch.com/social-democrats-td-eoin-hayes-boasts/'Reported drone sighting 'not in same league' as activity seen during Zelensky visit - expert' https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0909/1590825-drone-irish-sea/'REPORT on Hybrid warfare and the protection of the EU’s territorial integrity and critical security and defence infrastructure' https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-10-2026-0212_EN.htmlMusic by Fionn DempseyRecording by Emmet WhiteEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gardaí extracted false confessions and protected their own. Politicians and developers rigged the planning system.And journalist Frank Connolly helped expose the corrupt players and the class interests they represented.We discuss why the stories in Connolly's new book, 'Exposed', are deeply relevant to today's Ireland.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, hosted by Harry Browne, with Eoghan McNeill of The Ditch.You can also watch here: https://www.youtube.com/@wereontheditch'Exposed: Scandals that Rocked the Irish State' by Frank Connolly https://www.irishacademicpress.ie/product/exposed/'Comment: A reflection on An Garda Síochána and whiny proceduralism' https://www.ontheditch.com/comment-a-reflection-on-an-garda-siochana/'Garda suspended following anti-corruption probe' https://tinyurl.com/yxpay94pMusic by Fionn DempseyRecording by Emmet WhiteEmail theditchpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.