The Murderer, the Memoirist & the Mystery That Lingers

On episode 123 of The Fifth Court, we’re joined by Mark O’Connell, Irish Times contributor and author of the acclaimed A Thread of Violence, his gripping account of the life — and crimes — of Malcolm MacArthur.

In conversation with barristers Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL, and recorded at the inaugural Kilkenny Law Festival 2025, O’Connell reflects on:

• The extraordinary access he had to MacArthur
• The unsettling contradictions at the heart of the man and the murders
• And the personal and ethical tightrope of writing about someone capable of extreme violence

He also shares behind-the-scenes stories and details that didn’t make it into the book — including a few surprises even seasoned observers may not know such as his preoccupation with dust...

If you thought you knew the MacArthur story… think again.

The episode also includes recent important cases drawn from the Decisis casebook and discussed by Mark Tottenham BL and Peter Leonard BL.

These cases are brought to you thanks to Charltons Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners, Georges St. Dun Laoghaire, Dublin.

This episodes cases include;

• A professional negligence action against two firms of solicitors
• A Judicial Review of a Compulsory Purchase Order of a farm brought against a Local Authority
• And, a Summary Judgement case involving a loan that had a number of previous 'owners'.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or at thefifthcourt.ie

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