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Irish listeners have never had more to choose from, and the charts show a country that likes its podcasts varied. The Apple Podcasts chart for Ireland currently has The Rest Is Politics: US and Indo Sport near the top, with Crime World, My Therapist Ghosted Me and The Indo Daily close behind. Irepod's own chart, which draws on several sources, tells much the same story: politics, true crime, comedy and sport all in the top ten.
Sport is also where listeners are most likely to hear betting talk, from preview segments to sponsor reads, so this list ends with a short section on that. First, here is what is topping the charts and why.
Comedy and conversation
My Therapist Ghosted Me, hosted by Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally, sits in the top five on Irepod's chart and the top four on Apple's. The format is weekly, relaxed and chatty, and the pair promise "100% honesty", which is probably the secret of its pull. Alongside it, the Vogue & Amber podcast and The Tommy, Hector & Laurita Podcast show that personality-led comedy has a loyal Irish audience. These are shows people put on in the car or on a long walk, and they tend to build habits rather than one-off listens. The appeal is company: friends talking with no agenda beyond making the listener laugh, which is a different job from the news podcasts further up the chart.
News, politics and history
The Rest Is Politics: US tops Irepod's chart, a sign of how closely Irish listeners follow American politics. The Indo Daily offers the opposite pace, in depth stories of about 20 minutes, while The News Agents and The David McWilliams Podcast cover current affairs and the economy, the latter with the stated aim of making economics easy and accessible. The Rest Is History, from Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, shows that long, well-told stories about the past still draw a crowd.
True crime keeps climbing
Crime World, Lines of Enquiry and The Trial of Russell Brand all sit in the top ten. Lines of Enquiry stands out because it is presented by former Garda detective John Sweetman, which gives the show a local credibility that a generic true crime series lacks. The Trial of Russell Brand, a Times Investigates series, shows how an investigative team can turn a single story into a hit.
Sport, and what listeners should know about betting talk
Indo Sport, with Joe Molloy and guests, is the highest ranked sports show on both charts, and it runs daily from Monday to Friday. Football and rugby shows from OTB Sports, The42 and others fill the rest of the week. Sports podcasts can carry betting segments or advertising reads, and that is worth knowing before pressing play. A preview show that discusses prices is giving opinion, and an ad read is paid promotion. Both are legitimate parts of the medium, but a listener is better off knowing which one they are hearing.
Listeners whose interest runs from sport to gambling itself have a separate genre to explore. The directory MillionPodcasts ranks casino podcasts by Apple reviews, ratings and monthly listeners, and its top four are all talk shows rather than tipping services: You Can Bet on That, hosted by Mark DeVol and Dr. Mike, which rates 4.9 on Apple from 437 US reviews; Crap Vegas, from two craps fans in Las Vegas; The Blackjack Apprenticeship Podcast, which tells the stories of card counters; and Gambling With an Edge, from authors Bob Dancer and Richard Munchkin. These are mostly American shows about strategy and casino culture, and none is a guide for Irish players. Those who want to see how real money online casinos work in Ireland can start with a Gambling.com guide, then treat any podcast as entertainment rather than advice.
Ireland's rules on gambling have changed this year. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland says remote betting licences began on 1 July 2026, and that licensed operators must verify age, pay out winnings and close accounts on request. Other licence types are being rolled out in phases. Listeners who hear an offer on a show can check whether the operator holds a licence from the regulator before signing up, and treat any pitch as a sales message, not editorial advice.
Rugby is the next season to follow
With the Nations Championship, the 2027 Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup ahead, rugby podcasts are in demand. Irepod has put together five Irish rugby podcasts to follow this season, including The Irish Rugby Pod, hosted by former Ireland international Ian Madigan, which joined the Sport Social Podcast Network on 3 November, and The Counter Ruck from The Irish Times. It is a good example of a niche show finding its audience just as the calendar fills, and the sport section of the charts may look different by the time the Six Nations arrives.
Back to the list
Irish podcasts are in good health. The charts reward big names, but they also reward consistency, a clear voice and a subject listeners care about. Whether the preference is comedy, news, crime or sport, the top ten has a show to start with, and the next episode is usually already waiting.