Stray Bullets
Having served over thirty years in the RUC / PSNI I was medically retired with CPTSD. Dissociative Identity Disorder also evolved in me as a residue of CPTSD. I wrote a novel, 'The Bitter End of Dreams', through which I hoped to reflect the experiences of working class folk caught in the grip of a sectarian conflict. I set my story in Belfast, but replaced the Judeo-Christian god with that of Mithras. I also gave Northern Ireland an extra county. Such counterfactual alterations opened up for me the opportunity to place my story deep within the NI Troubles without being shackled to specific timelines, events and real people - thus avoiding the risk of libelling anyone, while being able to write a story, familiar to many, and retaining a sense of place and the tragedy of the Troubles. I'm going to talk openly about elements of policing the Troubles, religion, politics, sectarianism and our toxic ideologies. I've explored these topics in my novel, as well as the placing of actual events and atrocities; albeit heavily disguised or deeply submerged in subtext.To better frame my thoughts I will, firstly, discuss each chapter in sequence before reading that chapter. In this way I should be able to complete a spoken word version of my novel while using the opportunity it provides to elaborate on its creation process in the context of the NI Troubles.Thank you. *Apologies to the many folks who conversed with me on several social media platforms. Due to the level of hate, including threats, from ex-RUC colleagues I've decided to stay off social media and the like. I'm very dismayed by such reaction, but, in hindsight, no longer surprised.*
Episodes
Another impromptu episode. This time about the Irish hip hop band Kneecap and the recent furore they've stirred. My reasons for talking about them will become evident. I've also added some memories about policing Divis.
Kneecap row: police assessing ‘kill MP’ and ‘up Hamas, up Hezbollah’ footage
Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.
This episode further examines the Provisional IRA's assertion that there was no alternative to armed struggle.
Works cited:
White, Robert W., Provisional Irish Republicans: an Oral and Interpretive History, Westport, Greenwood Press, 1993
Hennessey, Thomas, Northern Ireland: the Origins of the Troubles, Dublin, Gill & Macmillan, 2005
Smith, Anthony D., Nationalism: Theory, Ideology, History, Oxford, Blackwell, 2001
Just another impromptu episode in respect of the PSNI Chief Constable's recent despondency at our politician's seeming indifference to the policing budget, and the fact that 'fit for duty' police numbers are dangerously low and overstretched.
I also briefly talk about my feelings surrounding the continuing intransigence of the Intelligence Services concerning the murder of Sean Brown.
Benn should 'do th...
Moving forward I consider some statements made in the past by PIRA volunteers in respect of 'engineering' the conflict, or, conversely, having the armed struggle forced upon them by the actions of the British.
As ever I must admit to straying off on one - or two - tangents, such as a 'murder safari', a term I've coined for, well, it'll become evident...
Sources referred to in this episode:
Alonso, Rogeli...
Another impromptu episode, of sorts, before I continue my look at PIRA's 'no alternative' to violence and state-terrorism.
Here, I'm momentarily reflecting upon Special Branch handlers, Northern Irish policing and Catholic recruitment as well as the 'post-policing gaze' that preoccupies an awful lot of police officers: past, present and probably future.
The first episode looking at a new series of topics. I've an awful lot to unpack in succeeding episodes, so this is more of an episode in which I will begin to establish some factors preceding the Troubles as well as considering a small part of PIRA's Green Book and which leads me on to present day Northern Ireland's plague of violent organised crime groups.
Sources
Patterson, Henry, The Politics of Illusion: a Politi...
A brief addition as I wanted to close-up any loose ends before moving on to a new episode in which will be looking at PIRA and their assertion that there was no alternative to violence.
It just remains for me to post two links in respect of the killing of Pearce Jordan in 1992 by the SSU.
RUC man who shot unarmed PIRA man told doctor job had been "great until ceasefire"
Pausing my consideration of Stakeknife and asset handling for now. I sure I can pick up this thread again once the Op Kenova report is finally published, but for now I want to concentrate on future episodes examining other topics in the context of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Troubles.
I close this episode with a few anecdotal reflections on the PIRA ceasefires as well as a 'class' system of sorts within...
Another very short interlude just in respect of those who've been discovering my first couple of episodes and if my novel is still available.
The link is here. It's self-published as I wrote it as personal therapy, more than anything else. I've kept the price for the paperback as low as I can (it really just covers Amazon's costs etc.). I've embedded portions of actual events I was aware of while i...
A lot packed into this episode, partly by design, partly by divergence. Continuing on the theme of assets, handlers, TCG and RUC Special Branch. How were things managed, or mismanaged? Troubles' history remains fertile ground into which black propaganda may be seeded by both state and non-state actors. Each 'side' alluding that they fought a 'just war', but all sides drowned in their dirty war.
Thi...
2025 and many journalists, as well as 'security commentors', circle John Boucher's suite and Sir Iain Livingstone's secretary as they vie for an 'exclusive' and / or interview upon the publication of the full Op Kenova report. Already there's been a gradual flurry of activity in the form of publications touting to have the real story of 'Stakeknife' and the clandestine world of murder an...
This episode concludes (for the time being anyway!) my look at the RUC and accusations of collusion. However, as I write this more seeds of research into this topic are dropping into my inbox!
Nevertheless, this episode shifts from the early 1920s through to the recent Troubles, and via Ireland and Palestine. I sincerely hope you find something of interest and I remain grateful for any reviews / thoughts / feedback etc.
This episode will, more or less, set up the episode(s) to follow. I'll discuss aspects of how Britain once looked to deal with internal threats and / or insurgency. Beginning with the 19th centaury I'll look at some examples of how Britain sought to deal with riots or unrest within its own borders as well as that of Ireland.
I also draw on some of my own experiences to extrapolate some historical occurrences to ...
Another unplanned episode. This time I consider Michelle O'Neill's laying of a wreath at the cenotaph in Belfast on Remembrance Sunday and the reaction to same. I guess the theme of this episode is the complex reality of Ireland and this got me thinking about Francis Ledwidge also, so I've included a very brief musing on the complex (contradictory(?)) reality personified by Ledwidge. I was hoping to include Robert Gr...
This episode continues my look at the Royal Ulster Constabulary and allegations of collusion. To be honest, I naively thought that I would, most likely, have provided an overarching look at the subject in a couple of episodes. I was wrong. Given the amount of material I've obtained, together with ex-RUC and military colleagues I've gathered much more.
In this episode I conclude my look at books by RUC Special Br...
This is just an extremely brief update to let you know what to expect on the next episode.
Also, Buzzsprout have put a link on the Stray Bullets webpage which lets you send me feedback about the podcast (they call it 'fan mail', but that's quite subjective I imagine!).
Many thanks,
Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.
This episode continues my look at allegations of collusion against the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Obviously, there's nothing revelatory within (other than some aspects of agent handling and possible pitfalls of such). There's nothing to breach the Official Secrets Act either.
In saying all that I sincerely hope that the biographical book extracts, I'll quote from, by a retired member of RUC Special Branch a...
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