New podcast tells story of Sinn Féin by those who lived every moment

A new seven-part podcast series explores the extraordinary development and ongoing controversies surrounding one of Europe’s most controversial and consequential political movements.

Hosted by veteran political journalist John Lee, From Bomb to Ballot: The History of Sinn Féin traces the political movement’s evolution from 1969 to the present day.

The series hears from key figures, including former IRA members, prime ministers, and political leaders, to give a powerful examination of the party’s impact. From its roots in the Troubles to its historic 2020 electoral breakthrough, it chronicles a political narrative that continues to create intense debate.

Among those who feature are former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern – architect of the Good Friday Agreement, current Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris, former IRA members turned Sinn Féin politicians Martin Ferris and Dessie Ellis, former British Army serviceman and Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith and author, and former politician Mairia Cahill.

The series tackles controversial topics from the hunger strikes to the bombing campaigns of the 1980s.  In one sequence, listeners sail with a former sitting Sinn Féin TD to the exact spot in the Atlantic Ocean where he collected a cache of weapons destined for IRA use.

The podcast also explores the ongoing controversies surrounding Sinn Féin as it faces up-to-the-moment scrutiny over its handling of recent misconduct allegations and asks to what extent the party has shrugged off the vestiges of its more militant past.

Host John Lee says: “As I watched the stunning election results roll in on that February night nearly five years ago, I knew this was a story we had to tell. 

This is a riveting tale, how the former political wing of the Provisional IRA could be on the brink of power in Ireland, and in Bomb to Ballot, we tell it through the voices of the people who saw it happen.”

From DMG Media, all seven episodes will be available on all podcast providers from Friday 22 of November.