In this episode of The Ireland Podcast, writer Graham Linehan joins for a wide-ranging, long-form conversation.

The discussion covers a career in comedy, including the creation of Father Ted, along with how life and work have evolved in recent years. Broader cultural and societal topics are also explored, including the role of media and institutions, and the challenges of discussing difficult issues in today’s climate.

This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation.

The Ireland Podcast aims to create space for open, respectful dialogue and to present a range of perspectives, allowing listeners to make up their own minds.

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In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Fender Jackson speaks with writer and producer Graham Linehan about his life and career before, during, and after controversy. Known for shaping modern Irish and British comedy through Father Ted, Black Books, and The IT Crowd, Linehan reflects on creative risk, cultural change, and the personal consequences of speaking publicly on divisive issues.

This episode focuses on background, origins, and how Linehan understands the events that led him from mainstream television into activism and independent journalism. The conversation explores questions of free expression, social pressure, disagreement, and what it means to be heard without endorsement.

Footnote:

The Ireland Podcast has no religious or political agenda. It isn’t aligned with any party, movement, or belief system. The aim of this podcast is to explore ideas, experiences, and disagreements that exist in Irish life - especially the ones people find difficult to talk about.

Graham Linehan is a writer whose work shaped modern Irish comedy and whose views have placed him at the centre of one of the most contentious cultural debates of our time. In this conversation, Graham speaks for himself and from his own experience.

The Ireland Podcast does not agree or disagree on behalf of the listener, but to ask questions, to probe his thinking, and to allow the audience to hear his arguments directly.

We believe it’s possible to listen critically without needing to declare allegiance - and that hearing a person out is not the same as adopting their views.

This episode reflects that principle. You don’t have to agree with what’s said here. But we believe serious conversations deserve to be heard in full.

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In this long-form conversation, producer and musician Bill Laswell reflects on the making of Album, the 1986 record by Public Image Ltd.

Laswell discusses how the project came together in New York, recording early tracks with legendary drummer Tony Williams, and later bringing in musicians including Ginger Baker, Steve Vai, Bernie Worrell, and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

He describes the recording process, the use of first takes, and the production philosophy behind the album’s distinctive sound. The conversation also explores how the music was constructed, the role of improvisation in the studio, and how different musicians helped shape the final record.

Laswell also addresses a long-circulating story that Miles Davis once appeared at the sessions. In the interview he explains that the visitor was actually Ornette Coleman, who briefly stopped by the studio but did not record. The anecdote has circulated in different forms over the years, and John Lydon also revisits the story in his memoir Anger Is an Energy: My Life Uncensored, where he reflects on the same period from his own perspective.

The result is a detailed look at one of the most unusual recording sessions of the 1980s and the creative decisions that shaped the album.

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