Show Notes
He was the man who presided over one of the country’s most turbulent events, when Ireland’s Celtic Tiger came crashing down. Now, a new book chronicling the political life of Brian Cowen has hit the shelves. Cowen's time as taoiseach was defined by the banking crash, the recession and the financial crisis that transformed the country. So, what led to the Offaly man's political rise? What light does this book shed on his time in Leinster house? And how will history remember the man who handled the bailout? On today’s Indo Daily, Tessa Fleming is joined by the Irish Independent’s Ireland editor, Fionnán Sheahan, to discuss Gary Murphy’s new book, Brian Cowen: Anatomy of a Taoiseach, and the crisis that defined his tenure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More from The Indo Daily
A strike by criminal defence lawyers is causing disruption across Ireland's courts, but the bigger question may be what happens next. With barristers and solicitors warning their action could escalate, pressure is mounting on Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan to find a solution. Is this a routine industrial dispute, or the first big political test of his tenure? On today's Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheahan examines what's at stake for the justice system, the Government and for O'Callaghan himself. He is joined by Irish Independent’s legal affairs editor Shane Phelan and political editor Mary Regan to explain the row, the politics and the potential fallout. And with neither side showing signs of backing down, they ask: who will blink first? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
James McClean’s view that therapy is a “weakness” has been widely criticised. But where does that belief come from? Dan McDonnell, ghostwriter of McClean's new book The Walls, joins Kevin Doyle to discuss McClean’s difficult upbringing, the man behind the controversial opinions and the things he has spent much of his life refusing to talk about. We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
France is burning. What began as student protests over crumbling schools has exploded into riots, looting and a political crisis that is shaking the country ahead of next year's presidential election. As President Emmanuel Macron struggles to restore order, many are asking whether this is a uniquely French revolt or a warning sign for the rest of Europe. Today on the Indo Daily Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Paris-based journalist Catherine Field to explain how France reached this breaking point and why support for far-right leader Marine Le Pen is soaring. Also, Irish Independent political correspondent Cónal Thomas examines whether the same cost-of-living pressures could spark unrest closer to home. And as anger grows across the continent, we ask: could protests in Ireland be on the horizon?
A blacked-out van. A secret meeting. And a quest for answers that would consume decades of one man's life. In the concluding episode of this Indo Daily exclusive, Austin Stack recounts the extraordinary events that unfolded as he pursued the truth about his father's murder. What followed were revelations, confrontations and moments that were almost impossible to believe. More than 40 years after Brian Stack was shot, Austin believes he finally has many of the answers he spent a lifetime searching for. But has that brought justice? Today on the Indo Daily, Kevin Doyle is joined by Austin Stack in the concluding episode of ‘I Know Who Murdered My Father’. The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A respected prison officer, Brian Stack, is gunned down on a Dublin street. The investigation that follows fails to deliver justice. There are no convictions and no closure as his 14-year-old son is left with questions that will shape the rest of his life. As the years turned into decades, Austin Stack and his family began searching for answers themselves. What they uncovered would lead them into a world of secret meetings, hidden truths and extraordinary claims. Now, more than 40 years later, the story reaches another remarkable chapter as the Taoiseach prepares to address the case in the Dáil. But how did a family denied answers for decades get this far? Today on the Indo Daily, Kevin Doyle is joined by Austin Stack in this first of a two-part series – ‘I Know Who Murdered My Father’. The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.