Voted 'Best of 2025' by Apple Podcasts.
Shane Daniel Byrne celebrates 10 years of marriage equality, taking listeners on an emotional journey exploring the decades-long fight for LGBT+ marriage. From the deeply personal stories of queer activism and resistance, he explores the cultural shifts that eventually made the historic 2015 referendum possible. The series includes live standup from Shane's sell-out run at Vicar Street in Dublin, as he revisits a time that transformed Ireland completely.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
In the final episode of the series, Shane chats to Irish royalty - Panti Bliss - aka Rory O'Neill. Panti talks about growing up gay in rural Ireland, their early days of drag, a changing Dublin and their incredible speech at the Abbey Theatre that went global. Thank you so much for listening to this series, it has been a passion project for everyone involved and a true honour to feature so many inspiring voices. Le grá, le chéile - Paul and Shane xoxox
Ireland Said Yes is an Onic Original.
Written and Presented by Shane Daniel Byrne.
Developed and Produced by Paul Macgregor, Series Producer.
Audio design, mixing, and sound editing - Fionn O'Brien and Paul Macgregor.
Visual design - Stephen King O'Farrell and Conor Daly.
News archive, courtesy of RTE, Virgin Media, BBC, Channel 4 News, CNN, Euronews, Getty Images and Associated Press. Archive images and video courtesy of Getty Images.
Music and sound effects courtesy of Audio Network and Epidemic Sound.
Legal Counsel - Hugh Hannigan and Claire Telford.
Executive Producer - Sasha Hamrogue.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
30 Oct 2025
Mary McAleese
In this special chat, former President of Ireland Mary McAleese talks with Shane about her pivotal involvement in the 2015 referendum, being an LGBT parent and how the Catholic Church still needs to change.
Ireland Said Yes is an Onic Original.
Written and Presented by Shane Daniel Byrne.
Developed and Produced by Paul Macgregor, Series Producer.
Audio design, mixing, and sound editing - Fionn O'Brien and Paul Macgregor.
Visual design - Stephen King O'Farrell and Conor Daly.
News archive, courtesy of RTE, Virgin Media, BBC, Channel 4 News, CNN, Euronews, Getty Images and Associated Press. Archive images and video courtesy of Getty Images.
Music and sound effects courtesy of Audio Network and Epidemic Sound.
Legal Counsel - Hugh Hannigan and Claire Telford.
Executive Producer - Sasha Hamrogue.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
22 Oct 2025
Katherine O'Donnell
Paul Macgregor (Series Producer) chats to academic, activist and author Katherine O'Donnell about her memories of 2015, before and beyond. Katherine is Professor of the History of Ideas at UCD School of Philosophy. She has been an activist for many years, specialising in feminist justice issues and LGBTQ+ activism. She was a co-founding member of the Irish Lesbian and Gay Archive, now deposited as a living archive with the National Library of Ireland. She works with the Justice for Magdalenes Research group, who were instrumental in having the State issue an apology to the victims and survivors of the Magdalene Institutions, and in successfully lobbying for the Magdalene Redress Scheme. In 2023, she published her first novel Slant, which was shortlisted for the 2024 Kate O’Brien Award.
Photograph of Katherine O'Donnell courtesy of Emma Jervis.
https://www.instagram.com/emmajervisphoto (https://www.instagram.com/emmajervisphoto)
Ireland Said Yes is an Onic Original.
Written and Presented by Shane Daniel Byrne.
Developed and Produced by Paul Macgregor, Series Producer.
Audio design, mixing, and sound editing - Fionn O'Brien and Paul Macgregor.
Visual design - Stephen King O'Farrell and Conor Daly.
News archive, courtesy of RTE, Virgin Media, BBC, Channel 4 News, CNN, Euronews, Getty Images and Associated Press. Archive images and video courtesy of Getty Images.
Music and sound effects courtesy of Audio Network and Epidemic Sound.
Legal Counsel - Hugh Hannigan and Claire Telford.
Executive Producer - Sasha Hamrogue.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Who has been a guest on Ireland Said Yes
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Joe Caslin
Ailbhe Smyth
Mary McAleese
Panti Bliss
Una Mullally
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
221 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 37 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
61
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
Host of Ireland Said Yes?
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