Ian Willoughby
@Ian_Willoughby
Irish journalist, and Czech citizen, resident in Prague. Opinions mine, not those of my employer, @RadioPrague. Contact: [email protected]
The really interesting clock in Brno is its unique fountain clock, comprising a large frame with water “raining” from the top to create numbers, images etc., even in different colours. Impressive!
Filmmaker Dužan Duong's super debut Summer School, 2001 made a big impact at @KVIFF. Our conversation covers everything from why Vietnamese families often send their kids to the home country for a while to a new project scheduled for release in 2030. english.radio.cz/czech-vietname…
“Czech police have proposed criminal charges against Tokyo-born far-right leader Tomio Okamura and his SPD party over anti-immigration posters used during last year’s EU election campaign.” euractiv.com/section/politi…
In #Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, near the front line, children are learning in underground schools to the sound of sirens, not bells. Watch Czech journalist Janek Rubes visit a space where war hasn't stopped education, play, or hope.
Today marks Czech National Day 🇨🇿 at @expo2025japan, with the participation of President Petr Pavel. Upon arrival, he signed the World Expo guest book and met with Japanese Princess Takamado. #EXPO2025 #expo2025Czechia #CzechPavilion 🇨🇿🤝🇯🇵
I'm the most pro-Western Czech politician says the woman who just condemned her Social Democrats to sure oblivion by joining forces with the pro-Russian Communist Party. If you didn't laugh you'd cry, etc.

I learned a LOT reading Chad Bryant's brilliant book Prague: Belonging in the Modern City, which was recently launched in Czech, and speaking to him for the interview below. Seriously, this should speak to anybody with any interest in modern 🇨🇿 history. english.radio.cz/pragues-hidden…
Centuries my arse. Someone told me tour operators funnel tourists to several different "traditional" statues on Charles Bridge to prevent bottlenecks.
This dog's been rubbed shiny for centuries, as people in Prague believe it brings good luck.
Some bands should just never get back together
Viktor Orbán says he hopes the V4 (Visegrád Four, 🇨🇿🇭🇺🇸🇰🇵🇱) will be revived in a year—meaning he’s banking on Andrej Babiš winning in Czechia & the Polish gov't falling, so his illiberal alliance can get back together. Meanwhile, polls show Orbán will be voted out in 9 months.🤷♂️
American singer, poet, and activist Patti Smith has voiced support for RFE/RL, calling attention to the importance of independent journalism and warning of funding threats under the current US administration. rferl.org/a/patti-smith-…
Why will ANO supporters burn their Silné Česko hats in a year's time? Wrong answers only 😀

Is this a "wow"? The Communists did terrible things to Czechoslovakia and its people but given there is a still active Communist Party (albeit now nationalist) in 🇨🇿, is this law not unworkable/meaningless? Or am I missing something?
⚡ Wow! Czech Republic bans communist propaganda — up to 5 years in prison President Petr Pavel has signed a law that equates communism with Nazism. Creating or supporting movements based on communist ideology can now lead to up to 5 years behind bars. The law explicitly bans…
At the Czernin Palace, we received a rare collection from the London estate of Jan Masaryk, preserved thanks to his secretary, Lumír Soukup. We sincerely thank Ms. Alenka Soukupová for this exceptional gift. Part of the collection will become a feature of Masaryk’s apartment.
I've just been speaking to the super cool filmmaker Dužan Duong about his debut Summer School 2001, which was one of the hits of this year's @KVIFF. Interview coming soon on @RadioPrague!

Interesting to see the media refer to dezoláti (something akin to H Clinton's deplorables) as dezoláti. I guess it's both pejorative and accurate 😂

Cool: Agnieszka Holland's Kafka biopic Franz is to get its world premiere at the forthcoming Toronto IFF. filmcenter.cz/en/news/the-li…

"Czech journalist faces hate campaign after exposing abuse allegations against MEP" This story is shameful. It would be no loss at all if the bizarrely named, falling in polls Motorists disappeared after the briefest flash in the pan in Czech politics. euractiv.com/section/politi…
Cool Prague outdoor cinemas klaxon! expats.cz/czech-news/art…