LISTEN: Irish American true crime history podcast launches
The real-life story of Dave Rupert, a seemingly ordinary man who infiltrated the heart of a dangerous faction of the Irish Republican Army, is told in "Under‐ belly: The Rebel Kind," the second in‐ stallment of Entropy Media's "Underbelly Series."
"Underbelly: The Rebel Kind" is told through the eyes of veteran journalists Bob Herguth and Abdon Pallasch, whose interviews with Rupert set them on a thrilling journey deep into the world of espionage, exploring the challenges, sacrifices, and hidden truths of one of the most daring undercover operations in recent history.
The first episode of “Underbelly: Rebel Kind” was released on Wednesday, March 13 and a new episode will drop every week, with 12 episodes in this season.
From Trucker to Top Spy
Dave Rupert was an unlikely agent; he was a low-profile ‘coin-operated’
Chicagoan - originally from upstate New York - with entrepreneurial dreams and a willingness to do whatever it takes. He wasn't your typical spy recruit, but a curiosity about Ireland and the promise of a paycheck was all it took. Rupert’s unassuming persona and ability to blend in despite being nearly 7 feet tall made him the perfect undercover asset for the FBI and MI5.
In "Underbelly: The Rebel Kind," listeners will discover how Rupert navigated the dangerous world of the Real IRA, a mili‐ tant Irish republican group, collecting crucial intelligence that ultimately led to the 2003 conviction of IRA kingpin Mickey McKevitt.
Exclusive audio recordings - made in se‐ cret locations with Dave Rupert by vet‐ eran investigative journalists Abdon Pal‐ lasch and Bob Herguth - offer unprece‐ dented access to his covert operation. Listeners will hear firsthand the risks he faced, the challenges he overcame, the romances and friendships and the sacri‐ fices he made along the way.
The narrative is further enriched by the insights of Pallasch and Herguth, who worked with veteran podcast producer Dalton Main to bring their story togeth‐ er.
"The Troubles," the decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland, cast a long shadow. The podcast explores the lasting impact of such a long and torturous conflict on the people of Ireland and Northern Ire‐ land - along with the Irish American identity.
“Dave’s story, his daring, is a remark‐ able, and I’d say critical, bookend to the decades of modern violent conflict in Ireland between nationalists and union‐ ists,” Herguth says.
“No one suspected the Chicago trucker mopping the floor of his pub on the Northern Ireland border was the most successful spy in the history of ‘ The Troubles’ and would help save the Peace
Process,” Pallasch says. “Underbelly: The Rebel Kind" transcends the true crime genre by shedding light on the complex lives hidden beneath the surface. It explores the human stories within undercover operations, revealing not just the thrill of intrigue, but the in‐ dividuals navigating the murky waters. From the calculated moves of operatives navigating shifting loyalties, to the ordi‐ nary lives unwittingly drawn into a hid‐ den world, this podcast delves into the gray areas where motivations and con‐ sequences intertwine. “Underbelly: The Rebel Kind” isn’t just about heroes and villains, it’s about the real people and real consequences of paramilitary groups - and the one guy who put himself right in the middle of it all.
Underbelly The Series
Tune in to "Underbelly: The Rebel Kind" on major podcast platforms to hear about one of the most unexpected cov‐ ert operations in modern history. “Underbelly: The Rebel Kind”, the second podcast from Entropy Media, follows the success of their debut, “Underbelly: Brokers, Bagmen, and Moles”, released in April 2023.