Scandals, gaffes and the “brat” of the year: it's the Indo Daily’s 2024 political awards

As 2024 draws to an end, the Irish Independent’s political team looks back at some of the more extraordinary moments of the year inside Leinster House and out and about on the election trail. From pricey bike sheds to campaign catastrophes, this year was another headline-grabbing one for politician…

Extra: Gisèle Pelicot rape trial - 51 men sentenced to 428 years in jail including her ex-husband

Gisèle Pelicot’s story of being drugged and raped by 50 men for over a decade has shocked the world. The defendants were branded ‘Mr Everyman’ by the French press and they even included her ex-husband. Today they were sentenced collectively to 428 years in prison. Host: Tabitha Monahan …

MAGA 2.0, Conor McGregor's downfall and Oasis hysteria... our news wrap of the year   

2024 is almost in the history books and it was yet another eyebrow-raising 12 months on both the Irish and international stage. From the violent chaos of the US presidential election and the much more subdued voting here at home, to the many scandals and individuals that made headlines, the Indo Da…

The Loughinisland massacre, the journalist's secret sources and the PSNI’s unlawful spy tactics

On 18 June 1994, UVF members burst into a local pub in Loughinisland Co. Down and fired on the customers, killing six and wounding five others. The investigation failed to catch the killers. Journalist Trevor Birney helped make the documentary ‘No Stone Unturned’ about the murders but was arrested …

‘Had we known the red flags, she might be alive today’ – Heartbroken mother of murdered model Nadine Lott on deadly danger signs

Jealousy, coercive control, abusive texts, withholding money: Claire Lott tells of the behaviour that might set alarm bells ringing, as she recounts the heartbreaking story of her daughter Nadine, who was murdered by ex-partner Daniel Murtagh in front of her six-year-old daughter Kya. Host; Ellen C…

Extra: What will the closure of Israel’s embassy in Dublin mean for Ireland’s reputation internationally?

Israel’s decision to close its embassy in Dublin has taken many people by surprise. It has left people asking why Ireland has been singled out and if the accusation of “antisemitic actions and rhetoric” will damage Ireland's reputation on the world stage. Host: Ellen Coyne Guest: Gabija Gatave…

40 years of Band Aid - Christmas, charity and controversy

When the BBC aired journalist Michael Buerk's harrowing reports of Ethiopian famine in 1984, few could have imagined the enduring legacy they would inspire. Among those watching was Irish musician Bob Geldof, who became determined to help in the only way he knew how. So, how did Band Aid's iconic C…

Revisited: Infiltrating Ireland - how a male model turned garda ended up a spy for MI6 

The incredible story of how former male model Patrick Crinnion rose through the ranks of garda intelligence, only to join a network of MI6 spies designed to infiltrate the Irish State. Host: Fionnán Sheahan. Guest: David Burke

Inside the Eoin Hayes scandal that left shaky Soc Dem’s red-faced and ‘very angry’

The next government has yet to be officially formed, but we have our first major political scandal of the new season. Step forward Eoin Hayes, newly-elected Social Democrats TD for Dublin Bay South, who became the center of attention of a chaotic press conference this week when the subject of his p…

Katy French: Ireland’s original “It Girl” and her tragic death

If the Celtic Tiger era were to be given a face, it would surely be Katy French. The model and socialite embodied the glamour and excesses of Ireland’s boom period before her tragic death in December 2007. This is the story of Ireland’s original IT Girl. Host: Ellen Coyne Guest: Melanie Fin…