Timeline
2 October 2023
The Ireland Podcast launches
Episode 1 is published.
17 October 2023
Sharon Shannon
First internationally recognised guest (Episode 4).
31 October 2023
Bríd Rodgers
First political guest (Episode 6).
21 November 2023
Jim Rooney
First Grammy Award-winning guest.
11 December 2023
Shane MacGowan's Funeral
First major national event covered.
25 December 2023
Phil Coulter
First major musician secured without a personal introduction.
30 January 2024
Sister Rita Minehan
First member of the clergy interviewed.
7 February 2024
Liam Ó Maonlaí
First major musician to record in the studio without a personal connection.
15 April 2024
Fiachra Trench
First in-depth long-form music interview.
20 May 2024
Paul Muldoon
First Pulitzer Prize-winning guest.
21 May 2024
Lillis Ó Laoire
First sean-nós (old style) singer featured.
29 May 2024
Tony Scullion
First All-Ireland-winning guest.
10 June 2024
James Joyce Centre
First interview with a major Irish cultural institution.
31 July 2024
Armagh Senior Football Team
First All-Ireland-winning team featured.
12 August 2024
Terry Woods
First member of The Pogues interviewed and the podcast's highest-performing episode to date.
4 September 2024
Episode 100
The podcast episodes reach three figures.
30 September 2024
Irish Cultural Centre, London
1st Irish episode recorded outside of Ireland.
11 November 2024
Iain Carlisle
First CEO of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland interviewed.
30 November 2024
Steve Lillywhite
First six-time Grammy Award-winning guest.
14 January 2025
James Fearnley
First original member of The Pogues interviewed and a new highest-performing episode.
12 February 2025
Bertie Ahern
First former Taoiseach interviewed.
5 March 2025
Daniel O'Donnell
First interview with Daniel O'Donnell.
16 April 2025
Mike Garson
First member of David Bowie's band interviewed - his longest serving band member.
26 June 2025
Lord Chris Patten
First member of the House of Lords interviewed.
30 June 2025
Gary Lineker
First interview since he left BBC.
1 July 2025
Wayne McCullough
First Irish WBC world champion interviewed.
30 July 2025
Emer Cooke
First episode recorded in mainland Europe.
11 August 2025
Liam Ó Cuinneagáin
First episode recorded in a Gaeltacht.
8 October 2025
Alastair Campbell
First former Director of Communications and Strategy to a UK Prime Minister interviewed.
19 November 2025
Episode 200
The first episode of the 200's.
22 January 2026
Steve Vai
First guest with more than five million social media followers.
14 April 2026
Graham Linehan
First interview with a widely polarising public figure.
18 May 2026
Slash Chords Explained
First dedicated music theory episode.
27 May 2026
Returning to China
First episode recorded in Asia.
16 June 2026
Racist Attacks in Belfast
First current affairs explainer episode.
9 July 2026
Jeffrey Donaldson | John Manley
First episode to surpass 160,000 YouTube views, becoming the podcast's most-watched long-form interview to date.
30 August 2026
Record social media reach
Video content published by The Ireland Podcast generated 2,291,427 views across social media in a single day, the project's largest daily audience to date.