TwoMacs Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Kenny Archer (Part 2) - Celebrating champions in Croke Park, Istanbul and Dungannon Square. A Liverpool fanatic, Kenny recalls the night of a life-time in Istanbul, the Tyrone reporters in the press box in Croke Park when the Sam Maguire Cup was won and pays tribute to Dungannon Swifts on their marvellous Irish Cup win.  He also gives an insight into the selection process of the G...

Send us Fan Mail Kenny Archer (Part 1) - Deputy Sports Editor of the Irish News & Liverpool fanatic. When Kenny and Ronan two writers, newspaper columnists, sport lovers and Merseyside rivals got talking, it was inevitable the conversation would go on for a while.. . In the first part of TheMacs podcast, Kenny recalls the stars of his youth who fired his imagination: Campbell/Ward, Ovett/Coe,...

Send us Fan Mail Bugsy McMahon - all his world's a stage. Currently enjoying a sell-out run with The Snapper, actor, director and all-round stage devotee Bugsy McMahon enjoys a chat with Ronan Mac and TwoMacs producer Oliver, also a theatre veteran.  Bugsy (why Bugsy?!) recalls a childhood inspired by his late mother Eithne RIP, a fabulous musician, and father Aidan a great Tyrone midfielder...

Send us Fan Mail Pearse Kelly - When Coalisland was snooker loopy Dennis Taylor's epic World Snooker title win is all of 40 years ago this week.  We celebrate a time when snooker in Coalisland was vibrant with players of all abilities and ages on the green baizes.  Snooker aficionado Pearse Kelly recalls men like Jim Joe, his son Joe, Vincent Gervin and Louis Conlon who ran Gervin's Hall...

Send us Fan Mail Bernadette McAliskey (Devlin) Part 2 Still campaigning for justice and equality for all.   Bernadette continues her journey as she advocates for justice and equality, not least for the bombarded population of Palestine, and all those downtrodden by capitalist greed and the rise of fascism. She recalls 'The Greatest' Muhammad Ali requesting to meet her and attending &apos...

Send us Fan Mail Bernadette McAliskey (Devlin) Part 1 -   The early years and making her mark.   Born in Molesworth Street in Cookstown, by the age of 21, Bernadette was the MP for Mid Ulster and on the front line of the march for Civil Rights in the North of Ireland.  Just nine when her father John died, she recalls her parents love and a note they sent annually to school to protect their childre...

Send us Fan Mail Sean McCabe & Sean Quinn - Part II The second half of our Podcast with the Two Seans (McCabe & Quinn), Clonoe and Brackaville stalwarts.  They recall how clubs often sought Joe McCabe's advice when facing difficulty with the rule makers while Sean McCabe also pays tribute to his wife Dolores, who had a fantastic football and camogie career.  Credo award recipient Sean...

Send us Fan Mail Part 1 - The Two Sean's. GAA stalwarts Sean McCabe from Clonoe and Sean Quinn of Brackaville join us for a wide-ranging discussion filled with hurling and football stories and memories, local and All Ireland. On the weekend Naomh Colum Cille held their dinner dance and presentations, Sean Quinn reflects on a great night with a poignant tribute to their player Caolan Devlin RI...

Send us Fan Mail Malachy Falls - Reeling in the Memories. Malachy remembers way back to being lifted by his mother to look across Lough Neagh at the blitz on Belfast during World War II. Born in Aughamullan, Falls' family bar, post office and grocery shop was a hub of activity. His father died when Malachy was just five and he recalls being taught by his sisters in primary school, being carri...

Send us Fan Mail Tommy Corr - boxing history maker and football star. Tommy Corr from Clonoe excelled in the boxing ring, in 1982 becoming the first fighter to win a medal for Ireland at the World Amateur Championships. In a stellar football career,  he played in a raft of county finals with his beloved O'Rahilly club.  The former Olympian, who was a household name in Ireland, shares memories...

Send us Fan Mail Johnny Cummings - Go, Johnny, Go! The inspiring Johnny Cummings from Coalisland recalls his journey to the Paralympic Games in Beijing, until health reasons ended his swimming career, the onset of dark days and coming back into the light with the love and support of his family, friends and the local community. There was no room for self-pity as his parents engendered in Johnny a s...

Send us Fan Mail Damian O'Hagan - A school boy destined for greatness  Ronan in conversation with Damian O'Hagan that goes right back to their days in  Primary school when he was taken out of class to play with the big boys on the school team. An incredible underage footballer and athlete , Damian recalls a career, now into its sixth decade, that includes playing in an All Ireland final...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Herron - A breath of fresh air. There's never been a dull moment with Tom Herron from Coalisland, who recalls his fascinating journey from bookmaker to psychologist.  Following the death of his father, when he was a boy Tom faced more trauma in Primary School while college was a mix of terror and madcap capers.  Catapulted into running a bookies when he was a teenager, he...

Send us Fan Mail Cathal O'Neill - On Song Player To perform well is to be "on song," and the term applies to newly appointed Derrytresk chairman Cathal O'Neill in more ways than one. Not only has he achieved great success on the football field at club and county level, but he also won the All-Ireland singing competition at the 2011 fleadh in Cavan. In 2015 he released an album...

Send us Fan Mail The Story Continues John Lennon sang: 'So this is Christmas and what have you done? Another year over, a new one just begun.' In this first podcast of 2025 Ronan and Martin reflect on the past year with special reference to stories and their adventures as TwoMacs.  Each human life can be told as a story with its own cast of characters. Ronan speaks about a past podcast a...

Send us Fan Mail There's only one Mickey Mansell!.. The Clonoe Cyclone dropped in for a chat before heading  off to the World Darts Championship set to commence at Alexandra Palace on Sunday.  Fresh from his marvellous display at the Grand Slam of Darts, Mickey recalls how retrieving a thrown-out dart board began his passion for stepping up to the oche, competing in Gervins, his mentor Tommy...

Send us Fan Mail Mark Shields - Local Treasure You've heard the phrase 'national treasure', well this week's guest is a local treasure named Mark Shields, who currently teaches English/Drama at St Patrick's Academy in Dungannon. Most national treasures are elderly but Mark is still (comparatively) young and has packed an awful lot into his life on the planet. Back in the n...

Send us Fan Mail Anne Cadwallader - uncovering the truth. This week's TwoMacs Podcast comes from the home of distinguished investigate journalist Anne Cadwallader.  Anne is best known as author of Lethal Allies: British Collusion in Ireland (Mercier Press, 2013) written when she worked at the Pat Finucane Centre for Human Rights.  For years there were claims that loyalists were helped and gui...

Send us Fan Mail Sounding a Retreat The Two Macs are back together, with Ronan facilitating a discussion on meditation and spirituality between Martin and special guest Philip Morgan. Philip is a local yoga teacher whose students come from all walks of life, including the Catholic priesthood. Yoga is all about yoking body and mind together in healthful harmony, and Philip is a great example of jus...

Send us Fan Mail Kevin Hanna - GOAT Storyteller . Yes, it's the return of the man who never went away. Kevin tells stories of a country childhood and of his early working life, bizarre 1970s fashion and a trip to see Queen in Slane, which are guaranteed to both startle and fascinate listeners. There's tales of having to catch the Sunday dinner, using a ferret to snare rabbits and setting...

Send us Fan Mail Micky Carolan recalls life in Coalisland going back to the 1950s, a time of happy school days, when kids learned to swim in the canal, local coal mines were operating, many shopkeepers lived in the town and future World snooker champion Dennis Taylor sold ice cream at the cinema on Lineside. He also tells the tragic story of his Grandfather Michael McGinty who was killed in an att...

Send us Fan Mail Originally from Omagh, singer/songwriter Jonny Nixon (a good friend of Martin's) is now based in Belfast. He and Martin have a lively chat about music and the creative process, as well as meditation and spirituality. The two friends recall their experience of being on a Buddhist retreat led by American Jesuit priest Robert Kennedy. (Not another reference to the Kennedys! You...

Send us Fan Mail At the age of 35, Gareth Devlin, aka Manies, captured the imagination of a nation of TG4 GAA viewers when he was in a shoot-out with the great David Clifford. He talked to his former neighbour Ronan about his many years with his beloved Stewartstown that included All Ireland finals 18 years apart, an Ulster Club All Star, pays tribute to Feargal Logan and recalls his team-mates fr...

Send us Fan Mail Martin and Ronan recall decades of work that took them from building sites to websites and their dream jobs. Recalling a time health & safety rules were virtually non-existent, a newspaper & milk round, gathering spuds and turf, a flying kettle, when Tyrone Crystal was thriving through to school janitor, window cleaning, factory work and those heady days of teaching and jo...

Send us Fan Mail History on Screen Ronan and Martin discuss how various historical events have been depicted in films and on television. The sensational US tv series Roots is discussed as is Jim Sheridan's Oscar nominated movie In the Name of the Father and Robert Redford's Quiz Show, as well as The Program a movie depicting the career and uncovering of cycling cheat Lance Armstrong. Fil...