The true-life story of Jenny James and the Atlantis commune in Burtonport, County Donegal, has it all: primal scream therapy, free love, Garda raids, political controversy and a tragic death in Colombia.

On today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty speaks to bestselling Irish author Carmel Harrington about her 14th novel, The Nowhere Girls. The story follows Vega, an investigative journalist determined to uncover the truth about her own past after discovering she was one of two children abandoned on a Dublin train platform in 1995. Her journey stretches from 1990s Dublin to the countercultural communes of Vermont in the 1960s, and on to an Irish commune in the wilds of Connemara.

While researching the book, Carmel came across the story of the Screamers. Drawing on archive documentaries and first-hand accounts, she reflects on the blurred line between communal living and coercive control — and why children born into such environments often carry the deepest consequences.

The Nowhere Girls is published by Headline.

Step inside Carmel Harrington’s world — explore her novels, latest releases and the story behind the stories on her official website:

👉 Visit Carmel Harrington’s website: http://carmelharrington.com/

There, you’ll find everything from book details to news and events, straight from the source.

Stripe is back in the headlines — and this time the numbers are eye-watering. The Irish-founded fintech company is reportedly arranging a tender offer that would value it at around 140 billion dollars, a dramatic jump from last year and a figure that puts it among the most valuable private tech firms in the world.

So, what exactly is Stripe? If you’ve ever paid for something online — from shopping to subscriptions to gig work — there’s a strong chance Stripe powered the transaction behind the scenes. Founded by Patrick and John Collison from Co Tipperary, the company set out to make online payments radically simple for developers. That simplicity turned into a global payments infrastructure business operating in more than 100 markets, with dual headquarters in Dublin and San Francisco.

In this episode, Ciara Doherty is joined by Charlie Taylor, Technology and Innovation Editor at the Business Post, to explore the extraordinary story of how two teenage coders built a fintech giant

Bord Bia is at the centre of one of the most explosive rows in Irish farming in years. Protests outside and inside its headquarters. A Dáil motion calling for the chair to go. Farmers, Sinn Féin and the government pulling in opposite directions.

At the heart of it all is Larry Murrin, Bord Bia chair and CEO of Dawn Farms, and the revelation that a small share of the company’s beef is sourced from Brazil. Supporters say it’s a standard global supply chain practice. Critics say it shreds the credibility of Ireland’s food brand.

On today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty is joined by Francess McDonnell of Agriland, who has been tracking the controversy from the start and has spoken directly to Murrin, and by Thomas Hubert, editor of The Currency, on the politics, the pressure on government, and what this row tells us about power, trust and fault lines in Irish agriculture.

🌍 The backstory behind the beef fight

Brazilian beef, EU trade rules, and the Mercosur deal didn’t come out of nowhere. In our recent explainer, we looked at how a Brussels trade agreement became a lightning rod for farmers — and why it still looms over today’s Bord Bia crisis.

🎧 Listen back here: https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/newstalk-daily/beef-business-and-a-brussels-bust-up