Rebel Matters Podcast

129: Kelly Early: Spotify's Links to the Arms Industry

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Before the end of 2025 we stopped publishing the show to Spotify because of the links between its then CEO Daniel Ek and arms manufacturers. Spotify h...

128: Discussing Irish Neutrality with Niamh Ní Bhriain, Fionn Wallace and Rory Rowan.

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Our guests for this episode are Niamh Ní Bhrian, Fionn Wallace, and Rory Rowan. This conversation was recorded in December 2025 after our guests had ...

127: Hasan Piker - US Politics, Socialist Discourse and International Palestine Solidarity

03 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest on Rebel Matters is Turkish-American political commentator Hasan Piker. We discussed politics, the United States and Palestine solid...

#126: Dave Zirin - The NFL and the United States Military

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week Ainle speaks to American political sportswriter Dave Zirin about the overlap between sports and politics. Rebel Matters is available on many...

#125: Amu Gib - Prisoner for Palestine on Hunger Strike in HMP Bronzefield

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a conversation with Palestine Action prisoner Amu Gib, and was recorded on the 18th day of their hunger strike in HMP Bronzefield.  D...

#124: Hazem Jamjoum - Ghassan Khanafani and Palestinian Liberation

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week we hear from Hazem Jamjoum, a Palestinian cultural historian, educator, editor, and translator. He has recently launched Safarjal Press, a p...

123: Moana Maree Maniapoto - Indiginous Rights in Aotearoa

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is Moana Maniapoto, Māori musician, songwriter, activist, documentary maker, journalist, and  TV presenter. Moana's music has been...

122: Iarrthóir ar Uachtáranacht na hÉirinn Catherine Connolly

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is also available in English wherever you listen to podcasts. An tseachtain seo labhair muid leis an Iarrthóir Uachtarántachta Catherin...

121: Presential Candidate Catherine Connolly

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is Irish Presidential Election Candidate Catherine Connolly. Massive thanks to Catherine for taking time out of her schedule at this...

120: Mansoor Adayfi - 15 Years in Guantanamo (Part 1)

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is Mansoor Ahmad Adayfi, whose memoir Don't Forget Us Here recounts his experiences during 15 years spent in the prison at Guantanam...

119: Updates from Occupied Palestine

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An update from Ainle who has been working in the Lajee Centre in the Aida Redugee Camp in Bethlemhem for the past seven weeks with the Aclaí Paelstin...

118: Greg Stoker: US Imperialism Leading Genocide in Palestine

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we hear from Greg Stoker. Greg is an anti-imperialist left wing activist and US veteran with a strong presence on social media since O...

117: Mars Verrone. 'Union' and The Power of Independent Film.

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is with Mars Verrone, producer of the documentary Union which is a fatastic film about the Amazon workers labour union, which was ...

116: Michael Magee. 'Close To Home' And Breaking Into The Publishing World As A Working Class Author

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is with Belfast author Michael Magee who released his acclaimed debut novel Close To Home in 2023. We discussed West Belfast in th...

115: Mohammad Alazza. Palestinian Resistance and International Solidarity.

30 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is a conversation with the director of the Lajee Centre in the Aida refugee camp, Bethlehem Palestine. We discuss the situation in...

114: Eoghan McNeill. Reporting on Ireland's Complicity in Genocide.

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is with Eoghan McNeill from The Ditch. We discussed the recent Ditch reports on the use of Irish airports and airspace for the tra...

113: Salah Hamouri. Imprisonment, Deportation, and Priorities of International Palestine Solidarity

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Salah Hamouri is a Palestinian lawer from West Jerusalem. In this episode we discuss the events that led to Salah's arrest and deportation, the currre...

112: Ed Horgan. US Military Use of Irish Airports and Airspace in the Name of Genocide.

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ed Horgan is a founding member of the Shannon Watch campaign and has been monitoring the use of Shannon Airport and Irish airspace by the US military ...

111: Síomha Brock

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is a special episode, and one that was a long time in the making. Síomha Brock and I sat down by the fireside and recoded this conversation whil...

110: Navigating Overwhelm

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode is a solo run discussing strategies and routines to handle periods of high workload. I discuss the idea of checking in with ones-se...

109: Echlas Al-Azza

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We are back on the road! This is the first episode in a while after my 3 month spell living and working in the Aida refugee camp on @aclaipalestine To...

108: Caoimhe Butterly

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we have an International Women's Day special with Caoimhe Butterly. I first met Caoimhe when we hosted a delegation of Zapatistas at ACLAÍ in 2...

107: Conor Hammersly

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week's epsiode is with my long term friend Conor Hammersley, and in this episode we discusses the isssues of male violence towards women and men'...

106: Fidelma O'Kane

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fidelma O'Kane from the Save Our Sperrins anti-gold mining campaign is our guest on episode 106. This chat was a massive eye opener for me. What I tho...

105: Tomás Mulligan

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tomás Mulligan is our guest for episode 105 of Rebel Matters. We discussed the supposed 'development' that was planned for the Cobblestone Bar last y...

104: Huna Amweero

07 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Ainle chats to screenwriter, radio presenter, and at time of writing president of Radio Skidrow in Sydney Australia. The chat ranged f...

103: Timmy Long and James Leonard

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is our first proper episode back after the bit of. Break over the last few months. I recorded this chat with Timmy and James from the Two Norries...

102: Catching Up and Restarting The Show

31 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It has been 15 weeks since the last episode and this one is a short catchup with Ainle to get the ball rolling again. The chat veers towards ACLAÍ, o...

101: Some of my mum's music

16 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When I was in Belfast recently I put this special edition together featuring tracks from my mum's rather extensive and broad ranging CD collection. A ...

100: Ainle gets interviewed Darragh Graham

10 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For the 100th episode I sat down with long term pal and guest from episode #6 Darragh Graham and he interviewed me rather than the standard format of ...

99: Harrison Gardner

04 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks guest is builder Harrison Gardner, who I first got to know while attending his How To Build Everything Out Of Anything course in the summer...

98: Mazin Qumsiyeh

14 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks guest is Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, a founder of the Palestine Museum of Natural History and the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Su...

97: Richard Howard

07 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is Richard Howard, author of Space for Peace: Fragments of the Irish Troubles in the Science Fiction of Bob Shaw and James White. W...

96: In Memory of Salah Ajarma

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week is half solo-run and half conversation in memory of our dear friend and comrade Salah Ajarma who passed away suddenly at his home in the Aid...

95: Briege Voyle

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Between the 9th and 11th of August 1971, the 1st Battalion of the British Army's Parachute Regiment murdered 11 innocent civilians on the streets of B...

94: Taz Kelleher and Geraldine Carton

02 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Useless Project was started by Geraldine Carton and Taz Kelleher in November 2018. Powered by energy, enthusiasm and positivity, the pair highligh...

93: Tom Fowler

19 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ep 93: #SpyCops - the Undercover Policing scandal, with Tom Fowler Back in January, we got in touch with a member of the Cardiff Anarchist Network ...

92: Bernadette and Deirdre McAliskey

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode, the 92nd in the series, coincides with International Women's Day. To mark the occasion we are joined by life-long civil rights activi...

91: Craic Boi Mental

26 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We're so pleased to get to speak with the relentlessly prolific underground Irish hip-hop artist and producer Craic Boi Mental. As well as being one h...

90: Laurence Fenton

12 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We are very proud to be part of #DouglassWeek, the weeklong, wide-ranging celebration of the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass's visit to Ireland ...

89: Margaretta D'Arcy

05 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is with artist, actor, peace activist, playwright and pirate radio queen, Margaretta D'Arcy. Margaretta has campaigned for decades...

88: Ian Lynch

22 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Investigate this hideous din.  We welcome Ian Lynch as our first Rebel Matters guest of 2021! Many listeners will know Ian from the acclaimed folk gr...

Ep 87: Be Healthy.

08 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks show is a solo run episode with Ainle taking a news year's look at health. A kind of crossover episode encompassing Ainle's professional ex...

86: Kate McGrew

11 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I talk to Kate McGrew (also known as Lady Grew) about sex work in Ireland and SWAI, the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland. SWAI is an orga...

85: Stevie G

27 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Stevie G is a DJ, radio presenter, a producer, a promoter and a youth worker who, for the past number of years, has been helping to nurture and amplif...

84: Virginia O' Gara

13 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is Virginia O' Gara who co-founded the vegan food company My Goodness in Cork in 2014. We chatted about the Food Not Bombs movement,...

83: Gan Ainm (No Name)

30 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode is a solo run with Ainle and is the first show in 5 weeks on account of a family bereavement. Ainle chats about a few aspects of hi...

82: Gemma Dunleavy

25 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is Dublin songwriter and producer Gemma Dunleavy whose recent EP 'Up De Flats' is a direct response to the ongoing developments in ...

81: Laurence McKeown

18 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am in conversation with author, screenwriter, playwright and former Provisional IRA volunteer and prisoner of war Laurence McKeown. Lauren...

80: Carol Bridgeman

09 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We just posted an emergency episode in support of the current sit-in that is being staged by the former Debenhams workers on Patrick Street Cork on th...

79: Hyper-Capitalism and Self Care

04 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode is a solo run on the back of a week or so of feeling slightly off and somewhat stressed without being able to put my finger on exac...

78: Timmy Creed

28 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I chat with actor Timmy Creed who has a one man show called Spliced that examines his relationship with our national game of hurling, showca...

77: Personal Narratives and Anti-Social Behaviour

24 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode was recorded under the Milky Way at Mahon Falls in the Comeragh Mountains of County Waterford. On account of the events of the nigh...

76: Creative Energy In Post Lockdown Life

10 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode is the first in a few weeks, and is one of the rare episodes where it's me doing a solo run talking about the lockdown life, the hu...

75: Donal Fallon

12 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode is a chat with historian and Three Castles Burning host Donal Fallon. We talked about the role commemorations have in the telling o...

74: Tai Carpenter

03 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I just released a special episode of the show with Tai Carpenter who is on the board of Don't Shoot Portland, which is a nonprofit organisation based ...

73: Aodh Ó Corcráin

02 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Comhrá leathan le mo shean-chara Aodh Ó Corcráin a bhfuil aithne air mar Bhéal Feirsteach agus mar chócaire., agus a chaith blianta thall i dTír...

72: Roxanna Nic Liam

29 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episodes is a quarantine chat on the importance of the arts in Ireland with actor and spoken word artist Roxanna Nic Liam There is a spoke...

71: Áine O Gorman

22 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode I discussed climate change on a global , national, local, and individual level with Áine O Gorman, who works for Friends of The Earth...

70: Abdallah Maraka

15 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest on the show is a friend who gives walking tours in the old city of Hebron in Palestine, one of the most politically charged areas of...

69: Mary Hickson

08 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I chatted with Mary Hickson who runs the Sounds From A Safe Harbour festival in Cork every two years, the pioneering collaborative festival ...

68: Mark Graham

24 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Graham from King Kong Company, and the Irish Music Industry podcast joined me this week for a chat on the show. We chatted about King Kong Compan...

Ep 67: Ainle in Palestine

17 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The main section is an interview I did from Palestine with Somhailre Mag uidhie from Raidió Fáilte and is in Irish. There is an extended intro in En...

66: Easter Sunday Special -

12 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

To make Easter Sunday 2020 I recorded myself reading Bobby Sands' One Day in My Life. "Written on toilet paper, with a biro refill, and hidden inside ...

65: Síobhra Quinlan, Aisling O' Riordan, and Emmet Condon

10 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This chat was recorded as part of the Quiet Lights festival in Cork in late 2019, and covers a lot of ground around the background and work that goes ...

64: Hoba and Ahmad Hmidan

03 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode is with brothers Ahmad and Hoba and we discussed growing up in Nablus under Israeli occupation, being an artists in Palestine, and ...

63: Siobhán De Paor and Diarmuid Lyng

31 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode was recorded around the kitchen table in the home of Siobhán De Paor and Diarmuid Lyng who together run Wild Irish Retreats. I hav...

62: Maysa Daw

27 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode was recorded in a café in Ramallah while I was there setting up the ACLAÍ Palestine community gym in the Aida refugee camp. Thank you t...

61: Lewis Kenny

24 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week is the first instalment of the next batch of episodes, and is a sit-down with my good friend Lewis Kenny. 

60: Jenny Higgins

31 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A chat with Jenny about her involvement in the Gaza Women's Yoga and Circus Hub recorded as part of the very first Cork Podcast Festival. This episode...

59: Maria Gillen

20 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week I chat with storyteller, drama therapist, and Cork Yarn-Spinner Maria Gillen. We discussed strength from softness, the impact of technology ...

58: Steve Lally

13 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A conversation recorded in South Armagh with storyteller Steve Lally. We discussed how Steve became a storyteller, the writing of his latest book, 'Ir...

57: Solo Run

06 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week is a solo run on making December a 'healing month' to finish the year on a positive note, which I started thinking about on the way back fro...

56: Solo Run

27 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A solo run on the merits and negatives of black Friday. Is it a good time to big a bargain, or a marketing campaign of manufactured desire and scarcit...

55: Calvin James Sweeney

11 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week I chat with Calvin James Sweeney who formed the SCOOP foundation with his brother Andy in 2009, and has been over and back from Syria 18 tim...

54: Seamus Kennedy

13 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week I sat down with recent All Ireland hurling championship winner and Tipperary hurler Seamus Kennedy. 

53: Solo Run

23 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week is a recording of my rambling thoughs and self-chats as I made my way to Coumshingaun Lake in the Comeragh Mountains, Co Waterford. 

52: Solo Run and Granny Chats

16 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks marks 50 years since the British soldiers landed in Belfast and Derry, and 6 years since ACLAÍ opened its doors for business. In this epis...

51: Ainle on Middle East Monitor

09 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The full recording of an interview I did recently with the Middle East Monitor. Article interview can be read at link below. Short surprise at the ver...

50: Solo Run

28 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we look at the stories behind 2 ballads. Joe McDonnell, and The Ballad of Mairéad Farrell. Links below for full songs: https://www.youtube....

49: Radie Peat

21 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode comes from the kitchen of Lankum's Radie Peat. We talked about how Radie ended up as a professional musician, Lankum, Dublin, Pull...

48: Solo Run

14 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week is another solo run where I discuss some of the basics of starting and running a small business using the last 6 years of ACLAÍ as an examp...

47: Solo Run

07 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A solo run with Ainle Ó Cairealláin that includes an update on the Palestine Community Gym, the impact of positive and negative social infrastructur...

46: Clare Sands

31 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

45: Charles and Andrew Hendy

24 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A fantastic conversation about hip hop, Ireland, RTÉ, folk music, fashion, punk, and buying skunk from a local drug dealer. 

44: Mary Crilly

17 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A conversation with the founder of the Cork Sexual Violence Centre (formerly known as the Rape Crises Centre). 

43: Lisa O Flynn

10 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A casual conversation with DJ Lish Oh on the best way to have a great time at festivals from what to bring, how to look out for each other, and how to...

42: Martin Davoren

03 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Executive Director of the Sexual Health Centre in Cork Martin Davoren on breaking down the stigma around sexual health, sex work, and the services pro...

41: Mohammad Alazza

26 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode os a chat with Mohammad Alazza. Mohammad is a refugee from the village of Beit Jibreen who was born and lives in Aida Refugee Camp...

40: Solo Run

19 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week is a solo run with host Ainle Ó Cairealláin on birthdays, age as a social construct, people as consumers, and pain management. Support Reb...

39: Solo Run

12 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is based on a talk I gave in Headway to a group of stroke and acquired brain injury survivors, and covers some of the philosophy behind A...

38: John Fleming

05 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week I spoke to counsellor, and coach John Fleming on his work in the area of mental and sexual health, and transactional analysis. 

Ep 37: Gearóid Ó Cairealláin

29 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

  Shuí mé síos le m'athair Gearóid Ó Cairealláin san eagrán seo agus phlé muid cúrsaí Gaeilge i mBéal Feirste agus saol Gheaóid mar gnío...

36: Alex Homits

22 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I sat down with Alex Homits of the Connolly Youth Movement at the Connolly Barracks in Cork, and discussed the liberated building that the CYM are cur...

35: Solo Run

15 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode looks at the amount of exploitative advertising and marketing in the health and fitness world, a run through some basic principles of ...

34: Séanna Breathnach

08 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In conversation with Séanna Breathnach, ex POW and current Belfast City Councillor for Sinn Féin. The main part of this episode is in Irish, with a ...

33: Dan Lambert

01 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is with Dan Lambert from the Bang Bang Café in Phibsborough Dublin. This episode was recorded before KNEECAP performed a daytime gig ...

32: Fatin Al Tamimi

22 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week is a discussion with Fatin Al Tamimi (chair of Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign), that was recorded at the IPSC office in Dublin. I als...

31: KNEECAP

15 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode is with Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap from KNEECAP who are making waves in the hiphop world over the last year or so. KNEECAP picked up...

30: Joe McGinley

08 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is a chat with lead students strength and conditioning coach for the Leinster Rugby Academy, Joe McGinley, and it is very much two...