Behind the Story
Tune in for insightful and informed conversation as Fran McNulty, Paul Cunningham and some of RTÉ's top journalists digest the news stories of the day. Expect deep dives, analysis, interesting guests, and maybe even some laughs along the way. Email: behindthestory@rte.ie New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Episodes
Voters turned out in their highest numbers in decades in an election that was described as make-or-break for Israel, but provisional results suggested no clear path to power for either Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or his main opponent, Gadi Eisenkot.
On this episode, Alexander Cornwell, senior correspondent for Reuters in Tel Aviv joined Paul Cunningham to explain the political fallout, what happens next and what it means for t...
Although President Trump is not on the ballot paper, the US midterm elections will decide how the final phase of his presidency will play out. And there is a lot at stake as Democrats try to win majority control of the US Congress.
On this episode, Dan Geary - Mark Pigott Professor in U.S. History at Trinity College Dublin – guides us through what is happening, where to watch and what it all means for US politics.
See om...
Israel's general election takes place next week, the first since the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel. Our Deputy Foreign Editor Heaphy talks to us from Tel Aviv, on what many see as the most pivotal elections in Israel's history, with global implications.
Later, RTÉ’s GAA correspondent Marty Morrissey takes Eamon Horan through the proposed rule changes in hurling.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...
Iarnród Eireann's scrapped IT project is back in the headlines, when it was revealed today that Indra, the company contracted to do the work, is seeking €30m as part of final accounts. Public Policy correspondent with the Irish Times, Martin Wall, joins Paul to explain the background to the failed project and what the plan is to rescue it.
Later, Security analyst, Declan Power discusses the possible end of the Triple Lock and ...
Violent protests and looting spread across several cities in France over the weekend, as over a half a million people took to the streets on a wide variety of issues. The authorities plan to implement localised curfews in some areas to deal with the deteriorating situation. Senior lecturer in European Politics at UCC, Emmanuelle Schon Quinlivan joins Paul to explain the background to the crisis.
Later, Adam Maguire discusses t...
Award winning author Sally Rooney's books will no longer be available for sale in the UK due to her support for Palestine Action. Human rights lawyer, Caoilfhoinn Gallagher joins Fran to discuss the situation and why sweeping anti-terrorism legislation is having a far reaching impact on protest and culture.
Later, Arts and Media correspondent Evelyn O'Rourke goes behind the scenes of NBC's Today show and looks at the success o...
Big Tech, Big Business and lots of politicians are attending the International AI Summit at the RDS. Fran and Paul are joined by Bloomberg's Tom MacKenzie to discuss AI in Europe.
Later, Liz Carolan of The Briefing.ie and Charlie Taylor of the Business Post chat about the ups and downs of AI, dress codes and bad merch!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After five and a half years of illegal detention in Iraq, Robert Pether landed in Dublin airport on Monday morning. He was greeted by family and friends and spoke of his time in a Baghdad prison and subsequent struggle to survive before he was allowed leave the country.
His lawyer, Irish man Peter Griffin, took up his case, pro-bono in 2021 having heard about Robert's case in his son's school newsletter. Peter speaks to host K...
The decision by the US Defence Department to live stream the execution of a man convicted of murdering thirteen unarmed soldiers at a military post in Texas in 2009 has sparked global headlines.
The Pentagon announced earlier this week it would execute Nidal Hasan in December in the first military execution for more than 60 years.
On this episode of Behind The Story we talk to death row lawyer Clive Stafford-Smith who has represent...
IVF services have expanded dramatically over the last few decades. Infertility treatments are widely promoted but concerns are mounting over how effective and/or safe some of these 'add-ons' are.
RTÉ Investigates Deputy Editor Aoife Hegarty joins Paul to discuss 'Fertility Uncovered' documentary that includes stories of couples trying to have a baby and also looks at public funding for IVF.
See omnystudio.com/listener for...
Ministers Harris and Chambers unveiled Budget 27 in the Dáil this afternoon. Income tax changes, welfare increases, carbon tax paused, just some of the headline announcements but will there be any more money in your pocket when inflation is taken into account?
Chief Economist with Deloitte Ireland, Kate English joins Fran and Paul on a whistlestop tour of the key points of the budget.
See omnystudio.com/listener for...
From next month, another new charge will come into effect on goods bought outside the EU. The €2 'union handling fee' will be implemented on Nov 1st, this is in addition to the €3 customs charge that had applied since July. Consumer Affairs correspondent Aengus Cox joins Fiona Mitchell to explain the new fees and how customers may not be aware of the new charges.
Later, Chief Royal Correspondent with Newsweek, Jack Royston dis...
Protein water? protein cereal or how about protein infused vodka? Protein products are everywhere but earlier this week the Bank of America issued a warning to the food industry that the protein craze could have peaked.
Dietician Sarah Keogh and RTE business desk reporter Adam Maguire join Fran to discuss the products, proteinmaxxing, who's making money and how much protein does a person really need.
See omnystudio....
Thousands of public sector workers began a work to rule in protest at the government's reluctance to talk pay! Teachers, nurses and other sectors are threatening further strike action in the coming weeks. Work and Technology correspondent Brian O'Donovan joins Paul to explain what's going on.
Later, hacking, leaking and dishonesty at the heart of one of the Premier League's biggest clubs. Football finance expert, Associate Pro...
The stand-off between protestors and the Orange Order continues on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown. Sinn Fein and the DUP clash over the proposed parade with the row threatening to collapse the power sharing executive at Stormont. Host Karen Creed is joined by Prof Deirdre Heenan to analyse the situaton.
Later, Political Editor with the Examiner, Elaine Loughlin discusses the online bidding process for buying a house and how co...
The Republic of Ireland are due to play Israel on Sunday in the Nations League tournament in Hungary but pressure continues to mount on the players and the FAI to pull out of the fixture. Fran and Eamon discuss the increasingly tense situation as more protests are planned this weekend against the games.
Later, UCD Lecturer in Politics Graham Finlay discuss the speeches made at the United Nations this week and whether the...
A cancer diagnosis can cost far more than many patients expect. Cancer survivor Aoife Murphy and Irish Cancer Society CEO Nikki Gallagher join Paul Cunningham to reveal how falling incomes and mounting medical and travel expenses can leave families facing a financial crisis alongside treatment.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
New research by Safefood shows that 12% of 15-24 years old consume an energy drink once a day. Support is also growing for age restrictions on the sugar and caffeine rich drinks. Dietician Sarah Keogh joins Maggie Doyle to discuss the findings and explains why caffeine is linked to sport performance.
Later, Work and Technology correspondent Brian O'Donovan outlines why tech giant Google has been fined over €400 million over th...
Emmy award winning actor, producer and comedian Chris Addison joins Paul and Evelyn to discuss his new comedy drama, Tall Tales and Murder.
Chris, who is also known for playing 'Ollie Reeder' in the cult TV show, The Thick of it, chats political satire in a Trump dominated world, Nigel Farage and why audiences like a bit of dark comedy.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On Monday, US rapper Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran's support acts following comments he made in early September in support of Palestine. Irish artists, Aaron Rowe and Beoga quit the tour in support of Macklemore on Tuesday. Arts and Media correspondent Evelyn O'Rourke joins Paul to explain how this is the biggest controversy facing singer-songwriter ED Sheeran.
Later, Suzanne Lynch of Bloomberg analyses EU Commission ...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
DISGRACELAND is an award-winning music and true crime podcast about musicians getting away with murder and behaving very badly. Jerry Lee Lewis's 5th wife? Dead. Sid and Nancy? Both dead. Why? Because musicians are insane, and insane things happen to them. Why did we lose Amy Winehouse at 27? Was Debbie Harry really abducted by Ted Bundy as she claims? Is Patti Smith not just the "Godmother of Punk", but also the "Original True Crime Girl"? What really happened the night of the Jay Z nightclub stabbing? What do the Diddy indictments truly reveal? All these stories and more, on artists from every genre and their true crimes, in our massive 260-plus story archive. The Dead, the Stones, Johnny, Willie, Frank, Kurt, Courtney, Gaga, Lana, Taylor, and too many to name. DISGRACELAND is music history come to life through audio storytelling as you've never heard it before, with revealing facts: yes, assassins are the real reason the Beatles quit touring—reclaimed myths: no, Mama Cass didn't die from choking on a ham sandwich––and constant reckoning between art and artist––all told through the lens of true crime. This is the podcast for the self-proclaimed "Disgos", the musically obsessed and the true crime heads; the outsiders, the independent thinkers who know that the best history is the history that gets buried. DISGRACELAND is where host Jake Brennan tells the stories they didn't want told. The kind you'll end up telling someone else. Get ready to uncover hidden truths and buckle up for truly edge-of-your-seat storytelling. New, fully scripted, sound-designed episodes are released every Tuesday. Bonus chat-style episodes where Jake responds to voicemails, texts, and emails from Disgos hit on Thursdays, and "Rewind" episodes from our archive drop on Sundays. DISGRACELAND is not a journalistic podcast. It's an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. Certain dialogue and scenes are dramatized, as is common in scripted entertainment based on real stories. Sources and credits for each episode are available at www.disgracelandpod.com. To unlock ad-free listening, exclusive content, and connect with your fellow Disgos, go to www.disgracelandpod.com to become an All Access member. Rocka Rolla.