The State of Us Podcast
1) Christmas with May McFettridge
For nearly forty years John Linehan has played the Queen of the one liners May McFettridge. It’s a role he assumed almost by accident after a chance invitation on to a radio phone-in show from presen...Show More
2) Uniquely NI: How the Troubles still fuel homelessness
Exposure to sectarian and political violence in childhood is a defining feature in the lives of homeless people in Northern Ireland. That’s according to research into how people living in hostels here...Show More
3) Britain’s ‘golden egg’ spy in the IRA
He was Stakeknife, Britain's top spy in the IRA. And he was also Freddie Scappaticci, a west Belfast man who rose through the ranks of the IRA, before fleeing Northern Ireland decades ago when claims ...Show More
4) The cocaine in Northern Ireland’s water
Blue-green algae, pollutants – and cocaine?The health of Northern Ireland’s lakes and rivers has been in the spotlight for some time and now scientists have found the widespread presence of drugs – in...Show More
5) The latest Irish church abuse crisis
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) is the biggest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland, with more than 200,000 members across the island.And it has never had its moderator, or head of the...Show More
6) Olympic boxer Aidan Walsh: Why I’m delighted to quit the ring
When Aidan Walsh announced his retirement from boxing last month, and said he was doing so with relief, it was clear his relationship with the sport is complicated.There were great days, not least win...Show More
7) Familiar faces return to count The State of the Budget
Taxes, child benefits, electric cars and milkshakes - yes, we’re talking the Budget and how it could affect you.To help us along we invited some past guests of the programme back on to better understa...Show More
8) Jim Browning: Meet the mystery hacker scamming the scammer
Jim Browning has more than four million followers on YouTube, is a star of the BBC’s Scam Interceptors programme and makes his living uncovering and exposing people trying to grift their way to your m...Show More
9) EXTRA: Religious education in schools – Supreme Court ruling explained
The Christian religious education (RE) taught in schools in Northern Ireland is unlawful, the UK Supreme Court has ruled.In a unanimous judgement the UK's highest court allowed an appeal by an unnamed...Show More
10) Cookstown hotel crush: The ‘open wound’ of Greenvale
Earlier this week, Tara and Declan spoke to two fathers who lost their sons in a crush outside a County Tyrone hotel almost seven years ago – and during the conversation were struck by the fact that m...Show More