The Good Listener Podcast

John Hadden
  • 5.0 (5)
  • DOCUMENTARY

An interview podcast

  1. The TRUTH About The SHANKILL BUTCHERS

    28 APR

    The TRUTH About The SHANKILL BUTCHERS

    Send us Fan Mail In this clip from our upcoming episode, historian and author, Dr. Gareth Mulvenna talks about some of the myths and half-truths that surround the Shankill Butchers, a group of UVF members who terrorized Belfast's catholic community during the height of the troubles. FULL EPISODE COMING SOON BUY GARETH'S BOOK : https://www.amazon.com/Tartan-Gangs-Paramilitaries-Loyalist-Backlash/dp/1781383251

    25 min
  2. SOUTH ARMAGH IRA SHOOT AT IRISH COP - Ex Garda John O' Brien Tells His Story

    26 APR

    SOUTH ARMAGH IRA SHOOT AT IRISH COP - Ex Garda John O' Brien Tells His Story

    Send us Fan Mail Retired Garda (Irish police) John O' Brien joins us once again, this time to discuss his career as a police officer during the most dangerous times in recent Irish history. He tells us about his posting in "the south" along the border with the conflicts' most notorious area, South Armagh, better known to some as "Bandit Country". Despite the IRA's rule against engaging Irish state forces John was fired at as he and his colleague gave chase and the two Gardai were lucky to escape unharmed. John also tells us about the Special Branch unit of the Irish police and it's role in conflict as well as his thoughts on Garda collusion with republican paramilitaries and the role that IRA had in the m*rder of infamous Irish criminal, Martin "The General" Cahill. 00:00 Intro 1:45 John’s understanding of Northern Ireland’s civil inequalities in 1968  07:10 Starting Garda training  16:35 First Postings   28:35 SOUTH ARMAGH BORDER POSTING 48:00 Garda Special Branch  1:24:25 GARDA COLLUSION W/ IRA ?? 1:33:08 Martin “The General” Cahill (m*rdered by the IRA)  PLEASE HELP OUT THE SHOW IF YOU CAN SPARE IT.. THANK YOU https://www.buymeacoffee.com/goodlistenerpodcast  CONTACT THE SHOW: thegoodlistenerpodcast@gmail.com

    1hr 45min
  3. DERRY IRA MAN TELLS HIS STORY

    30 MAR

    DERRY IRA MAN TELLS HIS STORY

    Send us Fan Mail Christopher “Pinta” McKnight grew up in Derry’s Bogside as this city erupted in violence and as a 15 year old boy he lied about his age and joined the Provisional IRA. Chris talks to us about his life in the IRA which included moving weapons and explosives as a young member , training camps in the Donegal Mountains and working closely with one of the troubles most notorious figures, Martin McGuinness. He tells us about his time on the “blanket protest” and being in Long Kesh during the pivotal 1981 Hunger Strike led by Bobby Sands as well as being the victim of one of Derry’s famous “touts”. My guest recalls being there for the Battle of Bogside and how losing a childhood mate on Bloody Sunday turned him from a Catholic teen who was friends with a British solider to a young man intent on joining the IRA and waging war on the security forces. Chris has since ran for public office for Sinn Fein and earned a degree in Law & Politics from Ulster University. 00:00 Growing Up In pre-conflict Derry 06:35 BATTLE OF THE BOGSIDE  18:25 Bloody Sunday  41:15 Joining The IRA 46:50 Training Camps 53:00 Martin McGuinness, Claudy B*mb & South Derry  58:50 Prison 1:16:10 In Long Kesh When Bobby Sands Died  1:22:45 Martin McGuinness as Chief of Staff 1:25:58 Thoughts on Commercial B*mbing Campaign  1:26:30 INLA in Derry? 1:28:00 Ray Gilmour  1:31:45 Did Steaknife come to Derry ? 1:34:40 Cell Structure in Derry 1:43:45 Frank Hegarty  1:47:50 Derry IRA vs Belfast IRA  1:50:00 Attempt to recruit Chris as an informant  1:51:20 Was Martin McGuinness an informant or agent ? 2:01:55 Did Chris see Martin McGuiness change over time?  2:06:30 Thoughts on “Proxy B*mbs” and Joan Mathers M*rder (1981) 2:10:20 “Pinta” Nickname  2:11:55 Move towards Politics

    2h 21m
  4. FEAR & LOATHING IN TROUBLES-BELFAST | LSD, Riots & Solidering in The IRA's Backyard | Stu Griffiths

    24 MAR

    FEAR & LOATHING IN TROUBLES-BELFAST | LSD, Riots & Solidering in The IRA's Backyard | Stu Griffiths

    Send us Fan Mail Stuart Griffiths is an ex-british paratrooper who was stationed in Belfast and East Tyrone during the late 80s/early 90s. His book “Pigs Disco” explores the sub-culture of hard dr*g use in his regiment including LSD and other substances which would get a soldier kicked out of the army. He speaks about the reality of life on patrol in some of Belfast’s most hostile areas, facing both the IRA and also a population who had particular contempt for the parachute regiment, for obvious reasons. Stu tells us about the toxic environment in the paras and how this plus the conflict itself took it’s toll on his mental health. He also talks about his time in East Tyrone and how his friend getting his legs blown off by a landmine had an effect on Stu as well as adjusting to adjust to life after the army while dealing with the mental scars of PTSD. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 “Pigs Disco”  17:45 On Patrol 23:00 BORN THE DAY AFTER BLOODY SUNDAY  37:10 Memorable Night in Belfast  52:05 Colluding With Loyalists?? 57:40 Working with RUC (Police)  1:02:10 East Tyrone  1:14:30 Running into Ex-IRA member in Belfast  1:18:15 PTSD BUY THE BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/ParaTripper-Para-Pap-STORY-Book-ebook/dp/B0GSVXF7M9?ref_=ast_author_mpb PLEASE HELP OUT THE SHOW IF YOU CAN SPARE IT.. THANK YOU https://www.buymeacoffee.com/goodlistenerpodcast  CONTACT THE SHOW: thegoodlistenerpodcast@gmail.com

    1hr 34min
  5. Son Of Stakeknife Victim Speaks Out | Paul Wilson On Father's PIRA M*rder & His Search For Answers

    9 MAR

    Son Of Stakeknife Victim Speaks Out | Paul Wilson On Father's PIRA M*rder & His Search For Answers

    Send us Fan Mail In June 1987, Thomas Emanuel Wilson, a member of the Official IRA, was abducted and subsequently m*rdered by the Provisional IRA’s “nutting squad”. Like so many of the killings involving Freddie Scappaticci, better known as “Agent Stakeknife”, the victim was lifted and m*rdered on the pretense of being an informer or a “tout”, but he wasn’t.  Paul Wilson was a very young child when his father was m*rdered and since taken it upon himself to dig as deep as he can to find the truth and possibly get the authorities to do more. Paul discusses his father’s life, the circumstances of his death, his dealings with the Operation Kenova team and the additional names & information that he has unearthed in the course of his own hunt for the truth.  TIMESTAMPS  00:00 Recent Meeting with Kenova Team 1:35 Paul’s Father’s 1987 Life & M*rder (Thomas Emmanuel Wilson) 18:15 When Did Paul Become Aware of Scap (Stakeknife) 23:15 Mi5 Tampering in Kenova Investigation  29:25 Paul’s Journey Of Discovery  35:05 The PIRA’s “Internal Security Unit”  47:35 Further Investigations ? 56:50 Freddie Scappaticci  1:11:15 Kenova Team  PLEASE HELP OUT THE SHOW IF YOU CAN SPARE IT.. THANK YOU https://www.buymeacoffee.com/goodlistenerpodcast  CONTACT THE SHOW: thegoodlistenerpodcast@gmail.com

    1hr 24min
  6. DID THE UVF ACT ALONE ?? | Irish Cop Investigates The Worst Attack of The Troubles | John O' Brien

    9 FEB

    DID THE UVF ACT ALONE ?? | Irish Cop Investigates The Worst Attack of The Troubles | John O' Brien

    Send us Fan Mail John O’Brien is a retired Detective Chief Superintendent of An Garda Síochána, the national police service of Ireland. Over the course of a distinguished policing career that spanned more than 38 years, he held a succession of senior operational and strategic leadership roles.   John also served as National Head of Interpol and Europol, playing a pivotal role in fostering cooperation between Irish law enforcement and international policing organisations. His assessment regarding the Mass Murder of 34 innocents on the 17 May 1974  is that the UVF — acting alone — did not possess the technical, operational, or organisational capacity to execute the Dublin car bombings. John lays out the case based on a layered accumulation of forensic findings, expert military testimony, comparisons with the UVF’s historical bombing record and analysis of the sophisticated planning required for the Dublin operation. 00:00 Could the UVF have acted alone ? 03:20 THE DAY OF THE B*MBINGS ?????? 13:25 “The Killing Years” 29:20 The B*mb Signature 47:23 EXPERT MILITARY OPINION 58:20 British Strategy & Kenova 1:09:35 Did the UVF get help planning the attack 1:31:00 Final Thoughts BUY JOHN'S BOOKS : https://www.jaobrien.ie/home

    1hr 33min
  7. CATHOLIC PRIEST HELPS IRA PRISON ESCAPE | Ex-Republican Prisoner Tells The Story

    25 JAN

    CATHOLIC PRIEST HELPS IRA PRISON ESCAPE | Ex-Republican Prisoner Tells The Story

    Send us Fan Mail **NOT A CLIP FROM MARTIN'S LAST INTERVIEW** Ex-republcian prisoner Martin McAllister joins us again to share the story of one of the IRA's most brazen and risky one-man prison escapes, an escape that was masterminded & executed in the space of 2 hours. It resulting in an IRA man walking straight out of the British internment camp, all while being assisted, unwittingly, by one of the top prison guards.   Martin, not content with having once taken part in a mass-jailbreak from Portlaoise max-security prison, employed his skills of observation and opportunism to free a fellow republican prisoner who started the morning completely unaware that he would walk straight out of Long Kesh that day.

    32 min
  8. Ex-RUC Officer Reflects On A Career Spent In Conflict | Sam Thompson

    21 JAN

    Ex-RUC Officer Reflects On A Career Spent In Conflict | Sam Thompson

    Send us Fan Mail For the episode I’m joined by ex Royal Ulster Constabulary and PSNI officer Sam Thompson. Sam spent his teen years growing up in a 1970s Belfast and remembers seeing his city descend into chaos and violence as the conflict erupted. Despite this Sam elected to join the police force which brought him face to face with danger in some of Northern Ireland’s most deadly areas including East Tyrone, Armagh and Springfield Road in Belfast. Sam shares stories about narrowly avoiding death at the hands of the IRA 3 times within a week and how some of his fellow officers weren’t so quite lucky. We spoke about the importance of conversations about the conflict and of preserving the stories/memories of those who were there as well as how Sam ended up making friends with ex republican paramilitaries.  00:00 Making friends with ex-IRA men  06:25 Growing up  19:30 Joining the RUC  38:40 INLA in Armagh  43:45 British soldiers telling Loyalists that they’re “Not British” 47:07 BELFAST (Springfield Road station) 57:00 UDR  59:55 Collusion ? 1:29:15 Most memorable moments from Sam’s career 1:32:15 Thoughts “Say Nothing” tv series  1:35:45 Sam’s writing  1:43:00 Common misconceptions   BUY SAM’s NOVEL: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nights-Armour-Samuel-Thompson/dp/178117699X PLEASE HELP OUT THE SHOW IF YOU CAN SPARE IT.. THANK YOU https://www.buymeacoffee.com/goodlistenerpodcast  CONTACT THE SHOW: thegoodlistenerpodcast@gmail.com

    1hr 53min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

An interview podcast

Information

  • Creator
    John Hadden
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    129
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Good Listener Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Good Listener Podcast

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