TwoMacs Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Vinny O'Donnell - The making of the acclaimed 1986 'Up Tyrone' cassette. When Kevin McCabe struck a penalty to the net to take Tyrone to their first All Ireland final in 1986, the county rejoiced while musicians Vinny O'Donnell and Joe McCurry quickly penned a song, 'Come on Tyrone', that has become the theme tune of All Ireland appearances.  Literall...

Send us Fan Mail Nick Griggs - a running sensation Since hitting the running tracks just seven years ago, Nick Griggs' performances have been nothing short of sensational. At 16, he had the athletics' world sit up and take notice when he won the European Under 20 crown at 3,000 metres.  Since then the 20-year-old Newmills lad has broken a host of middle distance records, has the best  ti...

Send us Fan Mail Hurling As Poetry In days gone by, a wise old poetry-loving Kiltegan priest told Martin Mac that hurling is the poetry of Gaelic sport. He spoke of the sheer grace and beauty of the game when it is played well, it's hallowed history that dates back to antiquity and of the legendary players,  Ring, Doyle, Nicky English, Joe Canning..  featured in hurling's ever growing Ha...

Send us Fan Mail Niall Hanna: Portrait of an Artist Martin Mac returns to talk to Niall Hanna, the singer/songwriter from Derrytresk, a friend in more ways than one; since renowned singer Geordie Hanna was both Martin's uncle and Niall's grandfather.  Niall tells how he grew up listening to recordings of his grandfather's songs and learning to play trad music. But in his teenage yea...

Send us Fan Mail Feargal McCrory - From Brackaville to Brooklyn following a dream. Fearless Feargal McCrory has made huge physical and emotional sacrifices in his quest to win a World boxing title. That mission continued after last year's title challenge defeat, when the fight was stopped, leaving him hugely frustrated as he felt he had the answers to carry on.  Feargal recalls the sounds and...

Send us Fan Mail Leo Quinn - Family, Football and Fun! Leo Quinn enjoys the craic!.. Team Leader for Mid Ulster Youth Service, he is a life-long Coalisland Fianna member brought up in the traditions of the club. His father Tommy was long-term club secretary and team bus driver and older brother Martin managed the minors to championship victory.  Leo also recalls his own great minor win and happy c...

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...