Newtownards man Paddy Mayne was an unconventional soldier – a founder member of the SAS. He is one of the central characters in the BBC’s hit war drama, SAS: Rogue Heroes 

But there is much controversy over how he has portrayed, foul mouthed, thuggish and with a very dodgy accent. Military historians in particular, say that’s not how he was.   

And this publicity has once again brought old questions to the fore – why was Mayne never given the Victoria Cross? And even, should he be given the honour posthumously?    

Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Andrew Madden. 

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Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood to start legal action against the Tate brothers over social media posts aimed at her. Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan are self-professed ‘Alpha Males’ and now aspiring politicians with their own ‘Bruv Party’. This spat comes as Elon Musk called Labour MP Jess Phillips a ‘Rape Genocide Apologist’. Meanwhile, as Donald Trump returns to the White House Mark Zuckerberg says Meta is going more ‘Masculine’. How did the Tates get so much influence and are the ‘tech bros’ really that much of a threat to democracy?  

Kurtis Reid and Margaret Canning join Ciarán Dunbar.

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HMS Maidstone, an ex-Royal Navy Ship, was used in the early 1970s to hold internees. In January 1972, a group of IRA prisoners swam 270 meters through an ice-cold Belfast Lough in a bid to escape, greasing themselves in butter to squeeze out of the ship’s portholes. They then hijacked a double-decker bus before slipping across the border, humiliating the authorities. 

Ciarán Dunbar is joined by James Durney, author of ‘Jailbreak: Great Irish Republican escapes’. 

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A fierce clash between GAA president Jarlath Burns and former Derry manager Rory Gallagher has led to the threat of legal action and a split in public opinion. Was Burns right to raise his concerns about Gallagher’s potential appointment to a new gig? 

Kevin Doyle is joined by Colm Keys, Fionnán Sheahan, and Tessa Fleming.

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Unionists fiercely resist calls for a border poll for on a United Ireland, but that was not always the case. David Trimble campaigned for a poll in 2002 – secret files reveal he was dismissed. Newly released Dublin files reveal former taoiseach John Bruton was suspicious not only of Sinn Féin and the SDLP, but even his own Department of Foreign Affairs. Other files reveal a young John F Kennedy was happy enough with partition of Ireland and how Roger Casement was a source of controversy long after his execution. 

Ralph Reigel from the Irish Independent joins Ciarán Dunbar.

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Edgar Graham was murdered in broad daylight at Queen’s University on 7 December 1983. 

A law lecturer and unionist politician, Sam McBride examines his life and legacy and tracks down the colleague accused of setting Edgar up for the IRA. 

This episode was originally published in December 2023. 

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