Nicola Tallant is the award winning Irish crime journalist, writer and podcast behind books such as Clash Of The Clans, Flesh & Blood and The Witness which told the tragic  story Joey “The Lips” O’Callaghan. She has made it her life’s work to report on Ireland’s most violent criminals, drug gangs and the wider issues of criminality. When you read her work and listen to her podcasts it’s not hard to see why she is the three time (and current) holder of the Irish Crime Journalist of the Year title. In this conversation I had the chance to ask about current state of Ireland and its drug epidemic, her introduction to the crime journalism and why she is never scared. In the extended cut (Patreon) we have the space and time to talk about the newer crime bosses such as Mr Flashy and what makes them different, verifiable truth and her instinct when looking a source in the eyes, and much more.   To hear every episode in full and to gain access to the entire back-catalogue of over 600 Irishman Abroad episodes that are not available on iTunes for just the price of a pint every month visit www.patreon.com/irishmanabroad Supplementary research provided by John Meagher. Our charity partner is jigsawonline.ie. In these tricky times, Jigsaw provides a range of resources, advice and care for your people to help them strengthen their mental health and the skills needed to navigate life. Please visit their website and consider making a donation. For updates on future episodes and live shows follow @jarlath on Twitter, visit www.jigser.com or email the show directly on [email protected]. Disclaimer: All materials contained within this podcast are copyright protected. Third party reuse and/or quotation in whole or in part is prohibited unless direct credit and/or hyperlink to the Irishman Abroad podcast is clearly and accurately provided.