Whenever I want to get stuck into a really great chat about US politics, Irish politics, or any kind of tending social issue, I have a couple of go-to guests that I love to thrash things out with – and Karl Deeter is one of them. We don’t always see eye to eye, but in my opinion that's often the essence of a great conversation. As a mortgage-broker turned tech-founder, Karl is well-known for his knowledge of the property market and various economic issues, and he’s a regular on radio and tv giving his expert views on these subjects. But he's also very interested, knowledgeable and opinionated on politics, geo-political issues like conflicts around the world, and even the challenges of just having an opinion in the first place! He always has so much to say, and in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast we get stuck in to issues like the General Election, Trump, The Monk, Irish attitudes to Israel and loads more. COMEDY – it’s the eve of the election and the politicians are leaving voicemails on out hotline like nobody’s business. And Simon Harris is feeling particularly sparky! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Comedian Ross Browne has written for and starred in several hidden camera shows including RTE’s The Fear and Scorchio, alongside Fred Cooke, Hilary Rose and Jennifer Zamparelli. And he has also personally pranked The White House, CIA headquarters and Enda Kenny! (here’s a link to the one with Enda) Ross is also a lead writer for the latest series of The Young Offenders, he has an Amazon Prime Special show, and he’s a successful stand-up comic. Oh – and there’s the small matter of his former career as a professional wrestler! So as you can imagine, we had tonnes to talk about in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast, and a lot of laughs were had. COMEDY – It seems politicians are all about getting on podcasts these days, so we've been getting quite a few requests for 'air time' from election candidates this week! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

So much has changed for Dave Moore since he last joined me here on the Mario Rosenstock podcast. Not only has Today FM’s Dermot and Dave show now become ‘The Dave Moore Show’, after Dermot Whelan left to focus on his mindfulness career, but Dave can now call himself an author! He has just published his first book, ‘Dave's Bad Jokes’ - a carefully curated collection of questionable gags sent into the show by listeners over the last few years. Press play to hear all about it, and indeed some well-known personalities phoning in to read out their favourite bad jokes Dave and I also nerd out over music, accents, and comedy, and he talks about life on air without the co-host he has shared a studio with for over 20 years. COMEDY – Matt Cooper loses the rag over Donald Trump’s crazy cabinet appointments Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

He has been on our screens with Ireland AM for 25 years and on stage in your favourite pantos for over 30, Alan Hughes must be the hardest working man in showbiz. He’s also so refreshingly honest, irreverent and funny – the perfect ingredients for a guest on The Mario Rosenstock Podcast. In this episode we talk all about Alan’s remarkable career, what drives him to work so hard , misbehaving celebrities, why he thinks panto is suffering from political correctness and lots more Comedy – Donald Trump, Matt and Ivan, and Louis Walsh all leave messages for Alan on The Mario Rosenstock Podcast hotline. Produced by Patrick Haughey, Audiobrand.

I am obsessed with US politics. Not only is it full of drama and fascinating characters, but the results of this upcoming election could have a real, tangible impact on Ireland. So I wanted to get stuck into all things election-related with one of Ireland’s best-known experts on this subject. Larry Donnelly was born in Boston into an Irish-American family steeped in politics – most notably, his uncle Congressman Brian Donnelly, introduced the “Donnelly visa” enabling more Irish people to legally emigrate to the United States. Just over 20-years ago, after a short trip to Ireland, Larry knew that he wanted to move back to the family’s ancestral home and he now lives in Co Galway, and lecturers in NUIG. In this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast Larry talks about growing up in one of America’s most Irish-American cities, the moment that he knew he wanted to move ‘home’ to Ireland, how America (and Ireland) has changed in his 20+years in Galway, and why the Trump/Harris election is so hard to call. COMEDY – There’s a lot of excitement about Larry’s appearance and The Mario Rosenstock Hotline has been hopping! Check out the voicemails from Matt Cooper, President Higgins, Donald J Trump, and Joe Biden!  Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

I’m pretty sure that you will not have heard an interview with Tánaiste Micheál Martin quite like this one before. The man is great craic, full of funny stories and banter – it’s a side to him that we rarely get to see in the Dail and on current affairs shows, but we certainly get a taste of it in this episode.  We talk about his love of impressions, and he even does a few for us! He tells me what he thinks of my Gift Grub caricature of him, he also talks about his relationship with Leo Varadkar behind the scenes, time he spent in the north trying to understand the unionist perspective, the return of Bertie and his rumoured bid for the Presidency, getting into bed with Sinn Fein, and and lots more.  We actually stayed in studio chatting for over an hour and a half and so we’ve decided to break the conversation up into two parts, the first of which you’re about to press play - and if you'd like to hear part 2 afterwards, jump back to Oct 2023 on this menu. I hope you enjoy what I think is a very different kind of interview with one of Ireland best-known politicians.  Comedy – Eamon Dunphy and John Giles discuss the massive cocaine haul off the Irish coast this week.  Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

This is one of my favourite interviews from last year. I’ve always noticed that rugby players, in particular retired rugby players, have brilliant stories to tell. There’s so much craic and mischief going on behind the scenes in the changing room and when they’re off on tour and then you and I are lucky enough to hear all about it, when a sufficient amount of time has passed and its safe to share the stories! Tommy Bowe is one of those great former rugby internationals who also happens to be a brilliant storyteller, so I was delighted when he agreed to join me as special guest here on the Mario Rosenstock Podcast. I got some juicy behind-the-scenes stories and gossip which I think you’ll enjoy, but we also talk about his childhood growing up in a border county when the British army very much still a presence there, how he very nearly did not become a professional rugby player, his new career as a TV presenter (known for regular hilarious gaffes – 10 siblings, anybody?), and his successful clothing company XV Kings which has just turned 10 years old. COMEDY - David McWilliams reminisces about causing trouble on ‘culchies shopping day’ on 8th December in his youth Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ride a motorbike alone from the bottom of South America to the very top of North America? My guest on this episode did just that. Peter Murtagh, having retired from the Irish Times after decades of doing the work he loved to do, hopped on his motorbike, and spent eight months travelling 45,000 kms alone through deserts, mountains, jungles and cities, and he joins me to tell me about the places he saw, the people he met, and what he has learned about himself and the world. Check out Peter’s book about the whole experience: 'Tip to Top: The Journey of a Lifetime, From Chile to Alaska'. COMEDY – whats the story with the Irish ‘Summer’ this year? The Mario Rosenstock Podcast hotline has been hopping with messages from well-known voices. Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

In the 12 months since Tony Kelly was on this podcast, his life has completely transformed. The comedy character that he created at a house party over ten years ago, is now the central character in a feature film that has gone global, streaming on Apple TV and Amazon Prime.  So Tony is back on the pod to tell me all about how it all happened and where to next. We also talk about his personal struggles with alcohol and drugs and how that side of his life has been going for him since the very dark times he went through not so long ago.  COMEDY – Tony gets voicemails from Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Brendan O’Connor, and the great John Mullane!!

I am a tennis nut. I have been playing and loving the sport since I was ten years old and continue to love it to this day. So I’m delighted to be joined on this episode by the best tennis player ever to come out of Ireland. Conor Niland played for many years at a professional level, he was coached at the tennis academy run by legendary coach Nick Bollettieri, and he even qualified for Wimbledon, one of the only Irish players ever to do so. He has also met and played some of the tennis greats and on this episode he takes me behind the scenes of this fascinating world. Conor has just published a fascinating book called ‘The Racket: On Tour with Tennis’s Golden Generation – and the other 99%’, and he tells me all about it in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast. COMEDY – Taylor Swift is in Ireland and her phone is hopping! We got exclusive access to her voicemails Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

Professor John Crown is one of Ireland’s best-known and accomplished cancer experts. He has spent his entire career trying to improve outcomes for patients and fighting to improve the way Ireland’s health system works, so it was no surprise that, recently, John was crowned with the Outstanding Contribution to Cancer Medicine and Research Award from the Irish Association for Cancer Research. In this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast we talk about John’s fascinating background, what inspired him to become a cancer specialist, what we all need to do (and stop doing) to live longer, healthier lives, where the health system has gone wrong and how John believes it can be fixed. COMEDY – we throw back to one of my favourites: RTE boss Kevin Bakhurst has just introduced a salary cap for RTE presenters – his voicemail box is hopping! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Brendan Ogle is one of Ireland’s best-known activists and trade unionists. Having fought Margaret Thatcher and her plans to privatise the railways in the UK, Brendan returned home to Ireland in the early 90s and has been fighting for workers’ rights and social justice ever since. He has now decided that its time to move from protest to politics, and to try to effect change as a member of the European Parliament. Brendan is always a compelling podcast guest – he’s a real character, he’s got loads of war stories from the decades he has spent in the trade union movement, and its clear that he has plenty of fight left in him yet. COMEDY – Donald Trump’s phone has been hopping ever since he was found guilty of falsifying his business records. Check out the messages he has been getting from some well-known Irish people Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Laura and Rob are from very different worlds. Laura is a stand-up comedian and actress, best known The School and Bridget and Eamon on RTE. Rob is one of Ireland’s most successful Olympians, competing in five different Olympic games, and winning a gold medal at the Moscow World Championships. But together they present a very successful podcast called Red Raw where they talk very openly about their lives and share stories about body image, trying to conceive, Rob not hitting puberty until he was 17, and Laura being a virgin into her mid 20s Nothing is off the table when it comes to their podcast – and nothing was off the table when it came to our chat too. COMEDY – with 2fm losing some of its biggest stars, some of Ireland’s favourite podcasters audition for their roles… Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

When Niall Boylan joined me here a couple of years ago we had a fascinating conversation about his 30-yearr career in radio, his reputation as a so-called ‘shock jock’, and his incredible life story. But recently Niall decided to put his lifelong radio career on hold so that he can run as a candidate in the Dublin constituency in the upcoming European elections.   Having spent so many years as a phone-in radio presenter Niall believes that he has a unique  understanding of Irish voters and the kind of representation they need at a European political level. In this very open and honest conversation about some of the big issues facing this country right now, Niall explains why he’s the man for the job and what he plans to do. COMEDY – Niall’s hosting a phone-in about OnlyFans, and some very familiar voices call in to express their opinions.. The Mario Rosenstock Podcast is produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand

A story like Israel’s war on Gaza naturally gets wall to wall news coverage. But sometimes blanket coverage over a prolonged period of time can start to lose its power, we start to get inured to it and its impact decreases. So in order to keep getting the message out there, you need a new angle - and comedian and writer Tadhg Hickey certainly has that angle. Tadhg has become very well-known over the last few years for unique brand of comedy, which highlights  global political issues in a very fresh and accessible way. He has always covered the Israel / Gaza conflict but over the last few months he has doubled down on it. Tadhg joined me earlier this week for a very interesting conversation about this terrible conflict, how and why it all started, why it might sound the death knell for Zionism, and how he’s trying to do some good through comedy. Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

We hadn’t planned to talk about it, but the tragic situation in Gaza and the failure of well-known people in the wellness industry to speak out about it, was one of the highlights of my chat with broadcaster and podcaster Sile Seoige. It’s a subject about which Sile feels incredibly passionate right now and she explains why in this episode. But of course we talked about all sorts of other things in the hour we spent together, like Sile’s hugely successful podcast Ready to be Real, some of the tough personal episodes she has been through , and what she has learned from them , and that recent controversy about the Irish language, stirred up by Sile’s former Newstalk colleague Ivan Yates! Comedy – Daithi O’Se, Ivan and Matt, and Blindboy leave voicemails for Sile on the Mario Rosenstock Podcast Hotline. Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand. NEWS: GIft Grub Live 25 (Brand new show celebrating 25 years of Gift Grub on the radio) @3ARENADUBLIN - ON SALE HERE https://www.ticketmaster.ie/mario-rosenstock-tickets/artist/2188743

Something that has always fascinated me about former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy  is how she could have one of the toughest, most serious and emotionally impactful jobs in the country and yet be so upbeat and positive outside of the job. In a way maybe that’s the only way one can successfully do it. Marie and I get in to all of that in our chat, as well as what its like being a pathologist, why she wanted to become one, the famous case that made her decide it was time to go, and lots more. Check out Marie's GoLoud Podcast HERE The Mario Rosenstock Podcast is produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand NEWS: GIft Grub Live 25 (Brand new show celebrating 25 years of Gift Grub on the radio) @3ARENADUBLIN - ON SALE HERE https://www.ticketmaster.ie/mario-rosenstock-tickets/artist/2188743

Lots of people THINK about running for election, lots of people TALK about it, but very few actually do it. Having spent many years loosely involved in politics, Cormac Lucey has now decided to go all the way, and he has just thrown his hat into the ring of the local elections in June. Cormac is a Sunday Times columnist, a lecturer in Finance in Trinity College, and a very familiar face and voice on media. I wanted to know what makes somebody like him, after years on the fringes of politics, decide to enter the fray – and he had a lot to say about it. Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand NEWS: GIft Grub Live 25 (Brand new show celebrating 25 years of Gift Grub on the radio) @3ARENADUBLIN - ON SALE HERE https://www.ticketmaster.ie/mario-rosenstock-tickets/artist/2188743

What a story we have for you on this episode. Nadia Adan was born in Somalia but had to flee when the war broke out, and after years of travel, refugee camps, and time in prison, she and her mum found refuge in Ireland, where they have lived happily for over 20yrs. Her passion for hard work and business have made Nadia very successful and she’s now Ireland’s only female car showroom owner, known for her unique approach to marketing on social media and her controversial stance on electric cars. In this chat, Nadia shares her amazing backstory, her entrepreneurial journey, and her opinions on electric cars, social media, and immigration. Comedy – Simon Harris’s phone has been hopping since he became Taoiseach, check out the voicemails! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand NEWS: GIft Grub Live 25 (Brand new show celebrating 25 years of Gift Grub on the radio) @3ARENADUBLIN - ON SALE HERE https://www.ticketmaster.ie/mario-rosenstock-tickets/artist/2188743

Anna Geary has a lot of strings to her bow: All Ireland-winning camogie captain, coach on RTE’s Ireland’s Fittest Family, radio presenter, former contestant on Dancing With The Stars… the list goes on. She’s also now an author, having just published her first book. It’s called Anna’s Game Plan and it's a practical toolkit to help people become more confident and be more in control. Achieving everything that Anna has achieved so far has taken courage, confidence, resilience, and the ability to handle that inner voice that can sometimes seem to work against us, and in this chat she talks about how she has done that, and how we can do it too. Produced by Patrick Haughey of AudioBrand NEWS: GIft Grub Live 25 (Brand new show celebrating 25 years of Gift Grub on the radio) @3ARENADUBLIN - ON SALE HERE https://www.ticketmaster.ie/mario-rosenstock-tickets/artist/2188743