They were children when the Celtic Tiger collapsed. Teenagers when the IMF arrived. And now, they’re adults in an Ireland that in many ways still hasn’t fully recovered.

The “Bailout Babies” are the generation born into the boom and shaped by the bust. They never benefited from the good times, but they’ve lived with the consequences ever since, in housing, work, relationships, politics, and mental health. And in 2025, it feels like something has shifted.

From CMAT’s Euro-Country to Kneecap’s cultural breakout, from housing protests to emigration, this generation suddenly seems to be everywhere — angrier, funnier, more creative, and more politically engaged than before.

On this Christmas Eve podcast, Sean Defoe is joined by journalist Adam Maguire, author of The Bailout Babies, to ask who this generation really is, and why this year feels like their coming-of-age moment.

They talk about growing up during the crash, the long shadow of austerity, the housing crisis as a barrier to adulthood, and how living in box rooms into your thirties reshapes dating, work, and family life. They also explore why inheritance has quietly become a housing plan.

Adam Maguire’s The Bailout Babies is published by Gill Books.

What happens when millions of people online seem to decide, almost overnight, that they don’t like you? A harmless Christmas special. Fifty-six minutes of cooking, crafting, and cosy domestic cheer. And yet, once again, Meghan Markle found herself at the centre of a full-scale online pile-on.

The reviews were ferocious. The tone was personal. And the backlash felt wildly disproportionate to the crime — if there even was one. On today’s podcast, Sean Defoe looks at why certain public figures become lightning rods for outrage, and why Meghan Markle continues to provoke such an emotional reaction.

He’s joined by journalist and writer Mary McCarthy, whose crime was watching With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration on Netflix — and actually enjoying it. Together, they talk about snobbery, misogyny, racism, and the strange expectations placed on women in the public eye. From British tabloids to social media dogpiles, from lifestyle branding to Christmas escapism, this is a conversation about who we choose to hate — and why.

With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration is streaming now on Netflix.

For decades, Irish food suffered from a reputation it struggled to shake. Overcooked vegetables, low expectations, and the idea that good eating was something you travelled abroad to find. Then something changed.

Irish restaurants grew more confident, more creative, and far more ambitious. Today, Ireland is home to dozens of Michelin-listed restaurants, an internationally respected dining scene, and a generation of chefs who take Irish ingredients — and Irish food culture — seriously. So, when did Irish restaurants actually get good?

On today’s podcast, Sean Defoe is joined at the restaurant table by chef, food historian, and TU Dublin lecturer Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire. From Ballymaloe to modern neighbourhood bistros, from Michelin stars to vegetable-led menus, Máirtín traces the long evolution of Irish dining — and explains why this was less a sudden revolution than a slow, cultural shift in how Ireland eats, cooks, and thinks about food.

They talk about the role of foreign travel and chef training abroad, how Michelin fits into the story, and whether Ireland’s current golden age of restaurants is sustainable amid rising costs and staff shortages.

📘 Book recommendation

Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire is the co-editor of Irish Food History: A Companion, published by the Royal Irish Academy — an award-winning deep dive into how Ireland eats, cooked, and understood food across centuries. A serious contender for the foodie Christmas list.

📩 Get in touch

Have thoughts, memories, or strong opinions about Irish restaurants past and present? You can email the podcast at newstalkdaily@newstalk.com.