• Tipperary Turf War: Inside the Magnier–Regan Land Battle
    Jul 17 2025

    There is a battle-royal underway at the High Court in Dublin. Two of Ireland’s wealthiest men are going head-to-head over a historic estate—and the outcome could reshape the Munster land market.

    On Newstalk Daily, Ciara Doherty is joined by Niall Sargent, current affairs correspondent with The Currency, to unpack the background to the legal showdown between racing tycoon John Magnier and multi-millionaire developer Maurice Regan.

    In this podcast, we explore the rise to fame and wealth of Magnier and Regan, the vast land, bloodstock and business empires they’ve built, and the disputed €22.5 million sale of the Barne Estate in Clonmel, county Tipperary. The interview also looks at how handshake deals, offshore trusts and court injunctions are shaping the case—and examines the growing pressure on local communities as deep-pocketed buyers drive up land prices.

    A story of power, legacy, rural Ireland —and a rising tide of land consolidation.

    📰 You can read more of Niall Sargent’s reporting on thecurrency.news

    📩 Got thoughts on this story? Email us at newstalkdaily@newstalk.com

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    20 mins
  • Jake’s Amendment: Why Sinn Féin Wants to Expand Coroners’ Verdict Options
    Jul 16 2025

    Content Warning: This episode contains references to mental health and the loss of life. Listener discretion is advised.

    On today’s episode of Newstalk Daily, Ciara Doherty explores how the death of one young boy who took his own life was recorded, and why Sinn Féin is calling for a change to the Coroner’s Act of 1962.

    Stephanie McGill-Lynch lost her 14-year-old son Jake to suicide in 2013. His inquest concluded with an open verdict, leaving his family without the full recognition they believe was needed. Now, Stephanie is campaigning for Jake’s Amendment — a proposed legal change that would allow coroners to cite iatrogenic factors (relating to medical treatment) as a cause of death where appropriate.

    Ciara is joined by Stephanie and Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward, who explains the party’s legislative proposal and its potential impact on families and future inquests. Together, they discuss the challenges families face following the death of a loved one to suicide, the limitations of the current legal framework, and why Stephanie believes that acknowledging iatrogenic loss is a vital part of justice and healing.

    If you’ve been affected by anything discussed in this episode, help is available:

    Call the HSE Mental Health Information Line free, 24/7, on 1800 111 888, or text HELLO to 50808 to speak anonymously with a trained volunteer at any time.

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    18 mins
  • Christian Horner: The Rise, the Fall, and What It Reveals About F1
    Jul 15 2025

    Christian Horner is out.

    Last week, the Red Bull Racing team principal, reality TV personality, and Formula 1 power broker was sensationally sacked after two decades at the top of the sport. But why now? And what does this shock move reveal about the power struggles, internal politics and off-track pressure at the heart of modern Formula 1?

    In this episode of Newstalk Daily, Ciara Doherty takes a deep dive into the world of F1 alongside two leading motorsport journalists. The podcast explore Horner’s dramatic fall from power, tensions within the Red Bull camp, what this means for the team, the personal dimension of his exit — including his high-profile marriage to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell — Horner’s next career move, and why this story goes far beyond the pit lane.

    Formula One has never just been about the racing.

    Ciara’s guests are:

    🚥 Luke Smith, Senior F1 Writer for The Athletic and author of On The Grid: The Inside Track on Formula 1, and
    🏁 Thomas Maher, Irish F1 journalist with PlanetF1.com.

    📘 Luke’s latest book, On The Grid: The Inside Track on Formula 1, is published by Simon and Schuster.

    📧 Got thoughts on the show? Email us at newstalkdaily@newstalk.com — we’d love to hear from you.

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    21 mins
  • Conor McGregor’s Record: Beyond the Octagon
    Jul 14 2025

    Conor McGregor is back in the news — and back in the courts.

    Last week, the High Court heard that a civil action against McGregor by former friend and sparring partner Artem Lobov will likely be heard this autumn. ‘The Russian Hammer’ alleges he was cut out of the €500 million Proper No. Twelve whiskey deal.

    On what happens to be the birthday of the MMA fighter and would-be presidential candidate, Newstalk Daily takes a closer look at the legal legacy of one of Ireland’s most controversial public figures.

    Ciara Doherty is joined by courts correspondent and crime podcaster Frank Greaney to chart the growing list of civil suits, criminal incidents, and political controversies that continue to define McGregor’s life — well beyond the UFC Octagon.

    The episode covers the civil jury ruling in favour of Nikita Hand, who sued McGregor for rape in a Dublin hotel — and the subsequent appeal. It looks at the UFC Brooklyn bus attack in 2018, the Marble Arch pub assault, and various driving offences. Ciara and Frank also examine McGregor’s social media activity during the Dublin riots, which led to an incitement to hatred investigation, and his increasingly vocal support among far-right circles.

    🎧 Guest: Frank Greaney
    🎙️ Listen to Frank’s podcast Inside the Crime: newstalk.com/podcasts/inside-the-crime
    📩 Got thoughts on the episode? Email us: newstalkdaily@newstalk.com

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    23 mins
  • Erin Patterson and the Mushroom Murders: Why I Couldn’t Look Away
    Jul 11 2025

    This week, Erin Patterson was found guilty of murder and attempted murder after an 11-week trial in Morwell, a small town in Victoria, Australia.

    The jury concluded that Patterson killed her former parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Gail’s sister, Heather. Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, was the sole survivor. The victims had been served a beef Wellington laced with lethal death-cap mushrooms.

    At the close of the trial, Ciara Doherty reflects on why this case gripped her—and so many others. Why did Erin Patterson commit such a horrifying crime? What made her take the stand in her own defence, despite overwhelming circumstantial evidence and her own admissions of lying?

    On today’s Newstalk Daily, Ciara is joined by Amber Johnston, a courts correspondent with 9 News in Melbourne. Amber has covered the case extensively from the very beginning, and met Erin Patterson, offering firsthand insight into one of Australia’s most disturbing criminal trials.

    Guest: Amber Johnston, Courts Correspondent, 9 News Melbourne

    📱 Follow Amber’s reporting and courtroom updates on Instagram: @amberelizabethjohnston

    📧 Got a question or comment? Email us anytime at newstalkdaily@newstalk.com

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    23 mins
  • Presidency or Party? What’s next for Mary Lou McDonald—and Sinn Féin?
    Jul 10 2025

    With the summer recess looming, Sinn Féin leads in the opinion polls. The party has led a noisy — and at times confrontational — left-wing opposition to the coalition government. And its leader enjoys strong approval ratings and widespread first-name recognition across Ireland.

    So why is Mary Lou McDonald now hinting at a possible new role? Just months ago, when asked about running for president, the Dublin Central TD was quick to dismiss the idea: “It won’t be me.” This week, however, she declined to rule out the possibility entirely.

    What’s changed? Could Sinn Féin nominate its leader for this autumn’s presidential election — and what might that signal about the party’s future direction?

    Ciara Doherty is joined by Shane Coleman, presenter of Newstalk Breakfast, to unpack why Mary Lou McDonald might pursue the Áras, what her potential candidacy could mean for Sinn Féin, and who could step up to lead the party in the Dáil if she steps aside.

    📩 Join the conversation by emailing newstalkdaily@newstalk.com.

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    20 mins
  • Cartels, Coastlines, and Cocaine: Ireland’s Drug Pipeline Exposed
    Jul 9 2025

    Ireland is awash with cocaine. Our coastline leaves us highly exposed. And the traffickers know it.

    In this episode of Newstalk Daily, Ciara Doherty explores how Ireland became a key gateway for international drug cartels, what’s being done to stop them, and why the crisis keeps escalating.

    We hear from former naval commander Eugene Ryan, who led some of the country’s biggest drug interceptions, and Cormac O’Keeffe, security correspondent with the Irish Examiner, on how gangland networks, weak defences, and global cartels are fuelling the trade.

    From the MV Matthew to today’s smuggling routes, this episode traces the drug pipeline bringing cocaine from cartel hands to the streets of Ireland and beyond — and asks: are we equipped to stop it?

    Guests: Eugene Ryan, former Irish naval commander and MAOC(N) co-founder, and Cormac O’Keeffe, Irish Examiner security correspondent.

    📩 Contact the podcast at any time by email to newstalkdaily@newstalk.com.

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    21 mins
  • Measles, Misinformation & RFK Jr: The Vaccine Hesitancy Effect
    Jul 8 2025

    This week, the United States reported its highest number of measles cases in 33 years. Across Europe, outbreaks are spreading in countries like France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. Now, Irish health officials are urging caution for holidaymakers heading to affected regions.

    Meanwhile, a major new report in The Lancet reveals that Ireland has the second-lowest rate of childhood vaccination in Western Europe — raising urgent questions about how vulnerable we really are to a domestic outbreak.

    On Newstalk Daily, Ciara Doherty is joined by immunologist Professor Luke O’Neill, host of the Show Me the Science podcast, to discuss:

    Why measles is surging again worldwide

    How vaccine hesitancy — and misinformation — could be fuelling the rise

    The controversial influence of US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

    And how social media is shaping public opinion on childhood vaccines

    🎧 Listen to Luke’s podcast – and every episode of Newstalk Daily – on the GoLoud app or at newstalk.com.

    📩 Got questions or feedback? Email us at newstalkdaily@newstalk.com.

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    20 mins