The Indo Daily

A “significant” bomb built for “catastrophic” damage, and a suspected plot to bring violence to the streets of Derry.
It was the stuff of Ireland’s past, but events last week clearly illustrated that it is also Ireland’s present. The foiling of an alleged New IRA plot to detonate a bomb was a stark reminder of the dissident republican activity that quietly continues on both sides of the border.
At the heart of the case are two suspects: Simon O’Donovan (44), an employee at the National Museum in Collins Barracks, and Isobella Perrie Sullivan (25), a law student.
On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Ken Foy, crime correspondent at the Irish Independent, to look at how the plot was uncovered – and what comes next.
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The famous residents of an exclusive suburb just outside Barcelona have included footballers like Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta, and international pop stars like Shakira. Recent World Cup winner Lamine Yamal is currently enjoying the spoils of a multi-million euro purchase there.


But a German businessman’s address in the neighbourhood has now scuppered his chance of application to be declared bankrupt in Ireland.


Last year, 44-year-old former convict Denis Melcher, who had amassed debts of close to €8m, convinced Ireland’s High Court to adjudicate him bankrupt.


As part of this process, Melcher submitted a sworn statement in which he declared that he was living in a modest rental home in Carlow.


However, at the time, Melcher was secretly spending €8,500 per month to lease a four-storey mansion overlooking Barcelona, with an option to purchase the property for €2.6m.


The revelation has raised fears that the Irish bankruptcy regime is now seen as an easy target for foreign nationals looking to shed colossal debts.


On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent Legal Affairs Editor Shane Phelan to examine the implications of this curious case.


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Amy Winehouse’s time at the top was brief, but her impact was anything but.
With era-defining tracks like Rehab and Back to Black, she laid bare her life through brutally honest songwriting, delivered in a voice that was as soulful as it was unforgettable.
But alongside the awards and global success came something darker.
Winehouse’s rapid ascent was shadowed by addiction, relentless scrutiny, and a tabloid culture that often seemed to feed off her struggles.
And the media machine didn’t stop after Amy Winehouse tragically passed away aged just 27; if anything, it found new gears to crank up.
Her death, though tragic, was not altogether unexpected for those who had watched her very public battle play out in real time.
Fifteen years on, is the entertainment industry more protective of its stars?
On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Tessa Fleming is joined by Phil Udell, music lecturer at Ballyfermot College of Further Education and artist manager with Word Up Collective, and by Ian Winwood, music journalist and author of Bodies: Life and Death in Music, to look at the legacy of Amy Winehouse.
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On a spring morning in June 2001, an eight-year-old girl gathered moss for her grandmother’s hanging baskets in a forest near Ballinamore in Co Leitrim. The child let out a scream: she had discovered a body. The remains belonged to Enniskillen businessman Gerry McGinley, and it was clear that he been murdered. He had been killed by his own wife Julie and her lover. But it wasn’t a simple tale of adultery. It involved hotel sex with strangers, lies, blackmail and videotape – and included many prominent people in Fermanagh.
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Today's Indo Daily was originally released on April 14, 2026, and is brought to you by our sister podcast The Bel Tel, as Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Andrew Madden.
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Taoiseach Micheál Martin put boots on the ground in Ukraine this week, travelling to Kyiv for a quick tete-a-tete with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Mr Martin was there to lend Ireland’s support – to the tune of a further €125m, no less - and it really does seem like the Ukrainian president could use a helping hand right about now.
As the war with Russia rumbles into a fifth year, Mr Zelensky is facing new battles on the home front, as political rivals and vocal protestors wield their own weapons.
His decision to sack popular defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov led to street demonstrations, while the president also dismissed Ukraine’s army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi just days later.
Is the leader once hailed as “the spirit of Ukraine” gradually losing his grip on power?
On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent senior journalist Sean Pollock for a look at the political, military and everyday life in Kyiv.
The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism
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