Casement's Leftovers

What happens when scions, aristos, tycoons, speculators, moguls and tech gets thrown into a blender? We’re living it. In this episode of Casement’s Leftovers; Helen, Matt and Glen come together to chat Techno-feudalism. When so many of the global hyper rich are treated like deities and given unprecedented access to policy and power, can the serfs push back? What organisational strategies have worked in the past? Is blowing the taxi driver a way of avoiding the sticky fingers of capital? And why does Elon look like that? Answering the big questions with small minded answers. Listen to your mam’s favourite inverts, right here. Support the Show.

Leo Varadkar has resigned, and we couldn’t be more upset about it Support the Show.

With an almighty Helen-shaped hole to fill, Glen and Matt recruit culture journalist Gary Grimes for a Boys Only episode on Pitchfork, and the culture media landscape in general. We talk lay-offs, the devaluing of culture writing, the changing tide of popular music, the artifice of celebrity, the cancer of fake authenticity, Stan culture, and the future of music & culture journalism. Do people even read articles anymore? How do you get a celeb to agree to an interview? And – obviously – what would Mark Fisher think of it all? Gary is a freelance journalist with words in the likes of Rolling Stone, The Economist, The i, W, Dazed, Interview, Attitude, Wallpaper*, The Face and HeadStuff. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram @gary_is_hip Support the Show.

Last Friday, January 26th, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its provisional ruling in South Africa’s case against Israel, ruling that there is a “significant risk of Genocide” in Gaza. Both supporters of Palestine and Israel have declared the outcome of the case as a victory, while there has been disappointment that there was no order for an immediate and total ceasefire. So what are we to make of the ICJ’s ruling? Can we expect Israel to change its behaviour? And if not, what must we do to force them to? With us to help us answer these questions is Dr. Thomas MacManus, Senior Lecturer in State Crime at Queen Mary University London and Acting Director of the International State Crime Initiative (ISCI). Tom is an expert in international law and was able to explain and contextualise the ICJ’s ruling for us, while remaining focused on what the rest of us – ie. those concerned about the situation in Palestine – can and must do now. Following this, Helen, Glen & Matt expand a bit of some of the key arguments from the interview, and get into a discussion about Palestine and the utility of international law, while also trying to point a hopeful way forward for the pro-Palestinian movement and the people of Gaza. Outro Music: Issam Hajali - Khobs Support the Show.

Bob Cratchit. Ron Weasley. Daniel Blake. Working class characters are often painted as humble folk, morally pure and deserving of our sympathy. But what if they're...not? Join us as we discuss truly progressive portrayals of the working class in film. Instead of patronising, what if films instead gave people agency over their own lives? Instead of portraying poverty as a purifying force, what if films were honest about the negative consequences of oppression on the subject? What if – and bear with me here – but what if working class people were sometimes bad? We start our first episode of 2024 with a quick discussion on the Golden Globes and Academy Awards, before jumping into a chat about a number of films, some which we think do the working class a disservice, and others that we feel are much more honest and human in their portrayals. Up for discussion are: Support the Show.

Ever wondered why so many gays throughout history are so tragic, resilient and brave? This month Casement's Leftovers set fire to condescending stereotypes with incomparable author and historian Huw Lemmey. Huw -along with his co-host and author Ben Miller- have released the essential read; "Bad Gays", which explores identity formation and some of the more icky homosexuals which didn't make the draft for Pride month martyrs. Helen and Glen chat with Huw about awful gays, how same sex attraction has been characterised throughout history and what terrible dead queens can tell us about queers today. This christmas be sure to play this episode around conservative family members. Maybe turn it into a drinking game. Every time we say a slur, you take a shot? Merry Christmas to you and yours! Support the Show.

The decade from 2010-2020 saw more mass protests around the world than at any other point in history. But why did, so often, these huge movements result in the exact opposite of what they had set out to achieve? We are joined by American writer and journalist Vincent Bevins (of The Jakarta Method) to discuss his new book, If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution. We have long been fans of Bevins' work, and we were delighted to be joined by him as we try to make sense of a decade of contention. From Säo Paolo to Hong Kong and from Cairo to Kyiv, the decade saw mass explosions of people taking to the streets. What were these protests about, and what did they ultimately achieve? What lessons can we learn from a decade which saw regimes topple – only to be replaced by something worse? And, most importantly, how can we finally bring Joseph Kony to justice? Catch Vincent talk about his book at Connolly Books TONIGHT, November 30th . If We Burn is available everywhere now, including in audiobook form. Last few tickets for next week's live show, Thursday Dec 7th. Support the Show.

Happy Halloween! We’re bringing you the scariest thing imaginable: an off-the-cuff episode. Glen, Matt and Helen challenge each other to watch their favourite horror movies (except Glen who doesn’t understand genres) and lap up each other’s reviews. We talk Freudian fears of violence and technology on the collective subconscious (guess the director), the limits of experimental arthouse horror and the bone-chilling terror of ending up cringe when you were going for camp. 17:30: Videodrome (1983) 52:30: Skinamarink (2022) 01:13:25: Interview With The Vampire (1994) Buy tickets to our live show Live Show Tickets! Support the Show.

On reclaiming the history of the 1970s rent strikes We were delighted to be joined by Fiadh Tubridy & Aisling Hedderman from CATU to discuss the latest CATU publication Rent Strike, which tells the untold story of one of the great Irish tenants' struggles. We discuss the details of NATO (National Association of Tenants Organisations) and the success of the rent strikes themselves, but also we try to apply the learnings to the modern day: what can we learn from the rent strikers of the 70s? What's different now? And what's the most disgusting but legal thing you are allowed to throw at the Gardaí? This was a really insightful and enjoyable conversation about housing and organising but also about community, history and connection. Hope you enjoy x Join CATU Buy Rent Strike at Connolly Books Tickets for our Christmas show Support the Show.

On a critique of political economy for Ireland We were delighted to welcome researcher & author Conor McCabe on to the podcast to discuss the political economy of Ireland and its importance for the Irish left. This is a long but incredibly insightful discussion, as Conor refocuses our attention to the things that matter: who has power in Ireland? What is the real class makeup of the country? And why is everything about cows? Conor is a fantastic writer, educator and researcher who guides us through the works of great thinkers like James Connolly and Peadar O Donnell before offering a brilliant analysis of the economic and political situation of Ireland today. How can we reconcile Ireland's dual role as both victim and beneficiary of imperialism? Why have the Irish left abandoned consciousness-raising in favour of moral points scoring? And why should all good Marxist analysis follow the example of The Wire? Conor's excellent book Sins of the Father Casement's Christmas Cabaret Party TICKETS Outro Music: Christy Moore - James Connolly Follow us on socials and spread the word x Support the show

For tickets to CCCP: Click Here. Pumpkin spiced lube, cable knit harness' and eating soup for fun. Start off October properly by letting your overheard, smoking area nightmare unravel before your ears. What was supposed to be a thoughtful meditation on American Imperialism and the "Fall"-ification of Irish Autumn culture turns into a series of bust ups, tantrums, rants, embarrassing childhood reveals, and unwanted advice from the unqualified. Support the Show.

We are joined by The Ditch investigative journalist Paulie Doyle to set the record straight on the latest silly season media obsession: CRIME. Is Dublin really more unsafe than it was before? Why do the media seem so hell-bent on generating a moral panic about it? And just exactly how much money is Putin giving to The Ditch? It’s a wide-ranging conversation that touches on class, violence, criminal podcasts (not this one), the media, gangland and more. We also ask Paulie about The Ditch and how its model of investigative journalism differs so massively from what we see in the mainstream media. Make sure check to out Paulie’s great reporting in places like The Ditch, VICE and Jacobin. Support the Show.

On fatphobia and attraction. That's right baby, we're talking about desire again! We're joined by the wonderful Ellen to talk about everything from fatness and beauty standards to dating and Love Island. How can we free ourselves from society's oppressive and limiting standards? Is it possible to love and to fuck in a feminist way? And is Lizzo maybe just a stuck-up bitch? As always, please feel free to reach out to us via Instagram, Twitter or email (casementsleftovers@gmail.com), and make sure to tell your friends about us x Support the Show.

In a desperatere attempt to stay current and relevant, (most of) the Casements crew watched the new Barbie movie and churned out an episode on it! Tune in for tepid takes on the film’s production, its post-modern meta-narratives, and its middle brow feminist politics. This Barbie thought the film was fine! Support the show

It’s that time of year again. A time when businesses paint their inner colon rainbow, for your cash. When straight lads in the smoking area talk about how they held hands with a boy once in school. When basic gays walk around topless, proudly displaying their months of hard work in the gym. In short, it’s Pride month. Your favourite republican gonzo journalists are out on the prowl, talking to the public, getting their opinions on all things LGBTQIA. They spill their guts on coming out, on gender, on public shame and the struggle of straight identity in a world run by a gay iluminati. Join Helen and Glen as they bravely take the plunge, get drunk and talk to randos in the name of socialism and gay liberation. Support the show

Listen up, sheeple! Are you tired of being force-fed mainstream political news and culture? Do you want a podcast that's not afraid to take a cynical, irreverent look at society? Then you need to check out "Casement's Leftovers". In this episode, hosts Matt, Helen, and Glen sit down with the up-and-coming artist and PHD Christopher Michael to talk about his new movie "In the end we all become our avatars". Chris delves into the fascinating world of media and spirituality, exploring the concept of digital afterlives and immortality through the lens of AI art. But let's be real, you're not tuning in to "Casement's" for some ivory tower intellectualism. You're here for the snarky commentary and biting wit of our hosts. So if you're ready for a podcast that will make you both laugh and question the status quo, then "Casement's Leftovers" is the show for you. *This advertisement has been written by an AI. Don't worry, we're not planning on taking over the world. We're your friends!* Support the Show.

Andrea Long Chu has claimed that "everyone is female and everyone hates it", but what does that mean? Join us this for this very special 50th episode of Casement's Leftovers for a deep dive into one of our favourite theorists and writers, the recent Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Andrea Long Chu. Get ready for a new theory of gender that not has not only upended the field of gender studies, but also our way of thinking about what it is that makes us human. How are we all female? What part does desire play in our gender identity? And can sissy porn really make you trans? Helen also talks in depth for the first time on air about their own experience of gender, offering an insight into their conception of what it means to be non-binary. All this and more in this new episode on one of the world's best living writers. You've Been Femaled. Support the Show.

It’s the first day of Eurovision semifinals. We know you’ve been anxious. You’ve been saying to your friends “Casements haven’t dropped their annual Eurovision episode yet. I don’t know which entries I’m allowed to like?” They’re sick of hearing it. Don’t worry - we’re here, and we brought acclaimed Dublin musician PureGrand (a.k.a Luke Faulkner), expert in all things The Past. We discuss the best and worst of Ireland’s entries past and present, the way the Brits even manage to colonise a song contest from the place they voted by referendum to leave, and write a new definition of camp to rival Susan Sontag. Tune in ASAP to find out whether it’s cancellable to like Wild Youth. We also get Luke to preview some of this year's favourites. Does the return of former Swedish Eurovision winner Loreen represent a threat to Ireland's record? How has J.K. Rowling helped Ireland's chances of success at this year's tournament? And who is this year's hottest contestant? Before all that we have about ten minutes of technical difficulties and another ten minutes of actually rather interesting chat with Luke about his philosophy of music, and pop music’s relationship to the past and to the future. As always, send us your hate mail at casementsleftovers@gmail.com, or abuse us on Twitter, Instagram and/or TikTok. Support the Show.

Sick and tired of the SILENCE from the LAMESTREAM media, the Casements gang get together for a very special episode about the latest scandal dribbling meekly out of the anus that is this Irish government. Who is Niall Collins? Did he know his wife was going to buy the public land he voted to sell? And what exactly can we get away saying on this podcast before we get sued? As always, drop us a line at casementsleftovers@gmail.com, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Grá mór daoibh go léir x Support the show

Last week saw the visit to Ireland of United States President Joe Biden, and the Casements gang dig behind the tweets and headlines to reveal what it all actually means. We use the illustrious occasion as a jumping-off point to talk about American-Irish relations more broadly, and to ask tough questions like: what are the limits of nationhood and identity? What will a post-FFFG Ireland do on the global stage? And is it okay to be cringe as long as you are seizing power? We address the controversy over Mary Lou McDonald’s supposed hypocrisy while taking the Irish media class to task as they fail to do their jobs (yet again), before having a wide-ranging discussion about Ireland’s role as the best little postcolonial nation. Will our relationship with America – and our national identity more broadly – change under a Sinn Fein government? Or are we destined to forever be the imperial whipping boys? Don't forget you can email us at casementsleftovers@gmail.com and can also get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or TikTok. Support the Show.