Little by little the sink fills up… Filling the Sink is a podcast in English on all things Catalan. Every month the Catalan News team explores a different aspect of Catalonia, from news and politics, to society and culture. Whether you live in Catalonia and need some of the current issues explained, or you’re simply curious about what makes this place tick. Either way, Filling the Sink has got you covered. Don’t worry if you don’t know much about this corner of land nestled between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean. As they say in Catalonia, "de mica en mica, s‘omple la pica" - little by little, the sink fills up.
Filling the Sink is a podcast from Catalan News.
Education crisis – Strikes, PISA, and what comes next
Catalonia's education system is facing a turbulent start to the new school year, with teachers continuing to strike over pay, working conditions and investment in schools.
In this episode of Filling the Sink, Lorcan Doherty and Cillian Shields look at the background to the long-running dispute between teachers' unions and the Catalan government, and hear from teachers and parents taking part in the latest mobilisations, as well as education officials responding to the strikes.
We also look at Catalonia's controversial PISA results. A "technical incident" meant that almost a quarter of selected students were exempted from the tests, making the results invalid for comparison with previous years or other regions.
And with further negotiations, a proposed increase in education spending and more mobilisations on the horizon, what happens next for Catalonia's education system?
22 Jul 2026
Learning Catalan – From classes to conversation
Expanding career opportunities, helping children with their homework, building friendships and relationships, and feeling at home in Catalonia – these are just some of the reasons Catalan learners give for learning the language.
This episode of Filling the Sink explores what it's like to learn Catalan, and the challenges and opportunities facing the language today.
Lorcan Doherty is joined by Jordi Ballart from the CPNL (Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística) and Catalan learner Grace Ferris to discuss the current state of the language, the growing demand for Catalan classes, and the transition from the classroom to real-life conversation.
Cillian Shields speaks with CPNL teacher Mafalda Palà and one of her students, Alejandro Merayo, who moved to Barcelona from Argentina and has embraced learning Catalan as part of settling into life in Catalonia.
We also drop in on a Speak Catalan meetup, organised by Eloi Rodrígues and Arnau Torner, where learners and native speakers gather in cafés and other venues to practise Catalan through conversation in a fun, informal setting.
30 Jun 2026
The Sagrada Família – 100 Years after Gaudí
100 years since the death of architect Antoni Gaudí, his vision, the Sagrada Família, is almost complete.
This episode marks several milestones: the centenary of Gaudí's death, the Pope's inauguration of the Sagrada Família's Tower of Jesus, and the 250th episode of Filling the Sink!
Lorcan Doherty explores the life and work of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and his masterpiece, the Sagrada Família, in conversation with Marta Otzet, Director of Culture and Social and Educational Outreach at the basilica.
Cillian Shields takes viewers on a tour of Gaudí's Barcelona, exploring his dragon-inspired designs, fascination with the natural world, and the tragic accident that ended the architect's extraordinary creative life.
Anna Glass looks at the relationship between Gaudí and Eusebi Güell, the industrialist whose financial support helped bring many of the architect's ambitious ideas to life.
Who has been a guest on Filling the Sink
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Albert Velasco
David Borrell
Antoni Mur
Zenia Hellgren
Mariona Jorba Solsona
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
979,107
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.9 / 5
13 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
30 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 64 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
58
Social presence
0
YouTube
86
Engagement
90
Contact Filling the Sink
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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