DiscoverThe Good Listener PodcastSOUTH ARMAGH IRA MAN TELLS HIS STORY | Prison Breaks, Ambushes and Robert Nairac | Martin McAllister
SOUTH ARMAGH IRA MAN TELLS HIS STORY | Prison Breaks, Ambushes and Robert Nairac | Martin McAllister

SOUTH ARMAGH IRA MAN TELLS HIS STORY | Prison Breaks, Ambushes and Robert Nairac | Martin McAllister

Update: 2025-12-17
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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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SOUTH ARMAGH IRA MAN TELLS HIS STORY | Prison Breaks, Ambushes and Robert Nairac | Martin McAllister

SOUTH ARMAGH IRA MAN TELLS HIS STORY | Prison Breaks, Ambushes and Robert Nairac | Martin McAllister

John Hadden