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The Good Listener Podcast

The Good Listener Podcast

By: John Hadden
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An interview podcast© 2025 The Good Listener Podcast Social Sciences True Crime
Episodes
  • SOUTH ARMAGH IRA MAN TELLS HIS STORY | Prison Breaks, Ambushes and Robert Nairac | Martin McAllister
    Dec 17 2025

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    For this episode I'm joined by ex- South Armagh man Martin McAllister who you may have seen in the recent BBC documentary on Captain Robert Nairac.

    Martin shares his experiences including guerrilla warfare in the fields of South Armagh, being part of one of the IRA's biggest prison escapes and being shot while attempting to ambush British soldiers. He tells us about the british army medic who intervened and potentially stopped his fellow troops from k*lling Martin and how this had a profound effect on him.

    Martin speaks in depth about the importance of empathy, even during a violent conflict, and how he came to hold such views. Martin has spent decades searching for the remains of "the disappeared", a group of people who the IRA m*rdered but have never disclosed their place of burial, including one of the most enigmatic figures from the troubles, Captain Robert Nairac.

    00:00 Early days of the troubles in Crossmaglen
    06:05 Joining the IRA
    12:05 Training
    17:20 British Army “No-Road” Policy & Helicopters In South Armagh
    20:30 “Bandit Country” Nickname
    23:30 ROBERT NAIRIC
    28:05 Breaking Out Of Max-Security Prison
    41:40 Returning to Active Service
    43:50 SHOT & CAPTURED BY BRITISH ARMY
    49:50 EMPATHY
    57:28 KINGSMILL
    1:14:02 Quest to find Robert Nairac & “the disappeared”
    1:16:10 Martin’s thoughts on recent BBC documentary that he featured in

    PLEASE HELP OUT THE SHOW IF YOU CAN SPARE IT.. THANK YOU
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/goodlistenerpodcast

    CONTACT THE SHOW: thegoodlistenerpodcast@gmail.com

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    1 hr and 31 mins
  • HUGH JORDAN - Journalist | D*ath Threats, Running Sources & Conflict in 1990s Belfast
    Dec 9 2025

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    My guest for this week is long-time Belfast -based journalist, Hugh Jordan. Hugh explains what being a journalist was like during some of Belfast's most turbulent years as elements of the Loyalist and Republican paramilitaries tried to derail the peace-process and plunge the North back into violence.

    Hugh tells us about how he acquired and kept his sources during this time, often members of the IRA, UVF, UDA and more. He speaks about the dangers that come with his role, threats that have made against his life, being assaulted on the job and meeting some of the conflicts most famous "touts"/informers.

    He also shares stories about the Shankill Butchers, ex- SF publicly director Danny Morrison and how Hugh repaired his relationship with Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair. Hope you enjoy!!

    00:00 Intro
    4:10 Paisley’s role in early violence in N.I
    16:00 Sources within the IRA
    26:10 Dealing w/ sources
    34:10 Sources lying ?
    36:40 Meeting with INLA
    40:30 Willie Carlin & Ray Gilmour
    52:25 Paramiltaries post- troubles
    57:00 Cameron Hastie
    1:00:30 Basher Bates
    1:06:45 Danny Morrison story
    1:10:50 Naming Thomas “Slab” Murphy
    1:15:00 Patching up relationship with Johnny Adair
    1:24:50 RUC man Ronnie Flanigan
    1:32:30 Hugh gets PUNCHED on the job

    PLEASE HELP OUT THE SHOW IF YOU CAN SPARE IT.. THANK YOU
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/goodlistenerpodcast

    CONTACT THE SHOW: thegoodlistenerpodcast@gmail.com

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    1 hr and 52 mins
  • The Man Who Led The Black & Tans | Churchill's Man in Ireland - Henry Tudor
    Nov 10 2025

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    This week I'm joined by the author of "An Accidental Villain: A Soldier's Tale of War, Deceit and Exile", Linden MacIntyre. This book explores the life of Henry Hugh Tudor, a close friend of Winston Churchill who, during the height of Irish War Of Independence, was appointed as the de-facto chief of police (RIC) in Ireland which put him charge of arguably the single most hated group in Irish history - "the Black and Tans".

    BUY THE BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Villain-Soldiers-Deceit-Exile/dp/0735282021

    PLEASE HELP OUT THE SHOW IF YOU CAN SPARE IT.. THANK YOU
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/goodlistenerpodcast

    CONTACT THE SHOW: thegoodlistenerpodcast@gmail.com

    TIMSTAMPS
    00:00 Intro
    06:30 2nd Boer War
    10:05 How did his time in Ireland effect Tudor ?
    18:45 To what degree did Churchill shield Tudor from Cabinet scrutiny ?
    24:50 Burning of Cork & Sack of Balbriggin
    43:00 Life after army

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    1 hr
All stars
Most relevant
Really nice podcast by someone who understands that the purpose of a podcast is to let the guest speak.

Fun fact - many artists aren't nice people. If most people looked through their collections of whatever type of art they enjoy, they would find creators they have wildly different views to. It doesn't mean the art can't be enjoyed.

This show really detailed what Mr Linehan has been confronted with, purely for stating a view that a minority of people disagree with.

By cancelling him, so many of us are missing out on his astute and witty writing. The world is less without his contribution.

History has warned us against what is happening to Mr Linehan and others. I'm delighted podcasts like this exist as a record of how far down the wrong path our society has gone.


Here's to many more brave recordings like this one.

Bravery of a Talented Man

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