PODCAST

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack

Ireland’s original independent left leaning news, politics, and culture podcast that doesn’t take itself too seriously and still punches well above its weight. Join critically acclaimed & derided hosts, Martin McMahon and Tony Groves as they delve into the news of the day, pull apart the spin and challenge you to be an activist. This is the non-corporate, ad free, non-plastic-podcast reality that the medium is made for. There will be shenanigans!

news politics

All Episodes

44:08

Catherine Connolly is Our President, What’s Next?

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack ·

2025/11/11

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshackCian Prendiville was Head of Digital Organising on the Connolly for President Campaign, and late last week he joined me to talk about those history making months, the highs, lows and the learnings he wants us to take forward into a new keepleft.ie movement. Great insights, great enthusiasm and great strategic planning; even this old cynic was impressed. Cian's piece is out now

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AI Bubbles, Infrastructure Deficits and Breaking the...

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack ·

2025/11/10

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Prof Constantin Gurdgiev returns to talk about Trump’s attack on economic data, the ridiculous surge into AI investment, the booming markets, the fraying social contract, the EU, China, Russia and Ukraine and even a few words on the Connolly presidency victory. There's a lot in this. But please listen. The Connolly Campaign podcast with the campaign's head of digital, Cian Prendiville is out now

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26:03

The World is a Hotel, Gaza is my Home

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack ·

2025/11/07

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshackSojood Bakroon is a graduate of Literature at Al-Aqsa University in Gaza. She is a writer and a poet, who hopes to amplify the Palestinian voice and let the world know about Palestine and Gaza. She is now in Ireland doing English and Communication at UCD. In this PalCast episode, she shares her experience of loss, displacement and fonding hope and sadness after leaving Gaza. “The world is a hotel and Gaza my home,” she says. She hopes to return back to

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The Collison Corrections and Access to Justice

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack ·

2025/11/05

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshackThe great and the good fell over themselves to praise the recent John Collsion think-piece in the Irish Times. But nobody really stopped to ask "is he right?" In this Echo Chamber Podcast we are joined by Planning and Environmental Expert, Sabrina Joyce-Kemper and Solicitor, Fred Logue. Sabrina shares her lived access to justice experience as part of the Greater Dublin Drainage Project and Fred talks about the factual errors in the Collison piece. If you

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31:03

There’s No Ceasefire Outside My Window

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack ·

2025/10/31

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshackCW: Contains personal stories that some listeners may find upsetting. This week Israel broke the ceasefire with devastating consequences, killing over 100 people, including 46 children. Somehow most western media is reporting that they've now reinstated it. We live in terrible times. Our guest, Hala Al-Khatib is a 20-years-old writer and poet from Gaza and she speaks of the horrors that her neighborhood and all of Gaza went through on October 28,

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36:10

The Genocide Changed Me – Noor’s Story

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack ·

2025/10/23

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshackNoor Abu Mariam, is a Business Administration student, a writer, and the social media manager for Gaza Great Minds School. She is passionate about using storytelling and digital media to share the voices and experiences of people in Gaza. She shares how she saw body parts for the first time in her life while being displaced to the south from Al-Shatii refugee camp. Noor was displaced at least 15 times and despite all the upheaval she hopes to finish her

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Law and Order in the Presidential Election

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack ·

2025/10/21

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshackDr Cian Ó Concubhair is Assistant Professor in the Dept of Law in NUI Maynooth, lecturing in Criminology and Criminal Justice. His doctoral research examined police-media relations, and the power of news media and policing. So as the presidential election has gotten more 'law and order' political media coverage than ever before, I thought he'd be the perfect guest to talk us all through it, and I wasn't wrong. I really enjoyed this and got a lot out of it

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38:20

The Ceasefire and Counting Our Losses

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack ·

2025/10/19

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshackBaraa Qandeel is a Palestinian poet, translator and writer from Gaza. She works in marketing and has suffered immensely during the genocide losing friends and family, and surviving an airstrike nearby that left her in shock for hours. She joins us from Gaza to talk about the ceasefire and what people around her think about it. She discusses conversations amongst her friends about their experiences in what she calls 'triggering sessions.' Tune in for

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The Housing Crisis will get Worse by Design with Eoin...

The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack ·

2025/10/17

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Echo Chamber Podcast, Sinn Féin's Housing Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin sits down with Tony to talk about Catherine Connolly, left unity, the groups that are shaping the government's housing policy and why social housing can be beautiful. He also correctly calls Tony deranged. But they don't fall out... Baraa'h Qandeel in Gaza on the "ceasefire" is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-141438094 Please support Dignity for

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