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PODCAST

Stray Bullets

The Stray Bullets podcast, hosted by E.S. Haggan, frequently discusses the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), often drawing on Haggan"s experiences as a former RUC/PSNI officer.The podcast delves into various aspects of the RUC, including:The Troubles: Haggan openly addresses policing during the Troubles, including religion, politics, sectarianism, and related ideologies.Collusion: Episodes explore allegations of RUC collusion with loyalist paramilitaries and related inquiries like the Stevens

true crime documentary

All Episodes

28:50

'Hoover-Gate' and the Strategy of Heading Off...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/08/18

The recent 'Hoover-Gate' news report brought back some old memories, as well as a look at the ongoing strategy used to delay and (sometimes) derail being disciplined or summoned to court as a defendant. I should mention also, though, that it's a strategy found in other police service's too. Top police officer facing possible sack retires before misconduct hearing Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you. Support the show Médecins Sans Frontières Unicef

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59:25

Racism in East Belfast, Outsiders. and the Lingering...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/08/13

Cursory thoughts about some of the rot affecting youth culture in working-class protestant areas of Belfast and the cinema of adoration through hate. TikTok bans Belfast vigilante group’s videos as PSNI labels its actions ‘racism, pure and simple’ Vigilante groups targeting migrants in street patrols in Belfast ‘greatly concerning’ Bibliography Taylor, S. Responding to Racist Incidents and Racist Crimes in Ireland: An Issue Paper for the Equality Authority, Dublin, Equali...

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17:19

Minor Addendum for: Catholic Police Officers in the...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/08/09

Listen to the Catholic Police Officers in the RIC, RUC and PSNI Part IV episode prior to this - I just wanted to expand upon an anecdote I spoke (briefly) about in the above episode. Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you. Support the show Médecins Sans Frontières

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68:18

Isolation: Catholic Police Officers in the RIC, RUC...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/08/08

The fourth instalment in which I discuss the experiences of Catholic Police Officers in the RIC, RUC and PSNI. Click on the link below - it'll make more sense after listening to this episode. Many thanks! Isolation Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you. Support the show Médecins Sans Frontières

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15:57

Brief Preamble to Catholic Police Officers in the...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/08/06

A brief preamble. Catholic Police Officers in the RIC, RUC and PSNI Part III will follow in the next Stray Bullets instalment, due very soon! Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you. Support the show Médecins Sans Frontières

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27:51

No Songs for the Children

Stray Bullets ·

2025/07/17

An unexpected interlude. I had planned to bridge episode II and III of 'Catholic Police Officers in the RIC, RUC and PSNI' with a trailer, but unplanned events look set to overtake me and, as such, I'm unsure now of the possible duration between II and III. In the meantime - time of mean-spiritedness - I couldn't ignore the latest disgrace in our ignoble history, that of Goldsprings of Comber LOL opposition to a local cross-community event hosting children from ten different cultural backgrou...

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70:20

'A Black Man is better than a Fenian': Catholic...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/07/10

The second episode in which I look at the experience of catholic officers within the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. A glimpse of how catholic officers are exposed to isolation, sectarianism and even racism and matters of faith, both external to the job and within it. Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you. Support the show Médecins Sans Frontières

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64:50

They Had Their Loyalties: Catholic Police Officers in...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/06/27

The first of two episodes in which I examine the experience and prospects of catholic police officers in Northern Ireland's RIC, RUC and PSNI. As ever I'll stray from organisational mythology (RUC) and may go off tangent now and again. Thanks for your patience. Bibliography Arthur, P. Government and Politics of Northern Ireland, Longman, London, 1984 Boyce, D.G. Nationalism in Ireland, Croom Helm, London, 1982 Brady, C. Guardians of the Peace, Gill and Macmillan, Dubl...

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8:07

'Who Are The Disloyal?' Northern Ireland and the...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/06/14

Forthcoming episode... Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you. Médecins Sans Frontières

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29:41

Northern Ireland, the Far-right and the Failure of...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/06/13

Sorry, just another impromptu episode, this time impassioned by the disenfranchised youth of our community being exploited by our organised crime groups and the far-right. This time we're othering many innocent people within our ethnic communities and allowing ourselves to be further exploited by fascists, bigots and racist demagogues. Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you. Médecins Sans Frontières

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27:09

Addendum for All the Elements of a Police State John...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/06/01

Some additional musings I (typically!) omitted. This relates to the John Montague: All the Elements of a Police State episode, so listen to that before this. Many thanks! Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you. Médecins Sans Frontières

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52:48

'All the elements of a police state': John Montague's...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/05/30

A look at John Montague's short story, The Cry. Set in 1959 it offers an opportunity to examine Northern Irish policing practices during the 1950s and 60s. The impetus for Montague's story was his actual witnessing the assault of a young catholic man by members of the Ulster Special Constabulary (B Specials). As such, The Cry offers a window into catholic fatalism and apathy at a time when there was a furthering fracture of policing between political and conventional roles. The former encoura...

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2:46

Northern Ireland: A Police State?

Stray Bullets ·

2025/05/24

Trailer for my next episode in which I take a look at new look nationalist attitudes towards policing in Northern Ireland prior to the Troubles. Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.

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49:20

State-Terrorism and PIRA's 'No Alternative' to...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/05/14

A look at the concept of 'state-terrorism' and if such is in itself rendered incoherent in a climate of violent insurrection. Also, the 'showcase ambushes' by British Special Forces. Were these not in effect the lethal confrontation of two opposing forces, one personifying the Irish Republican (understood?) risk of their own blood sacrifice, the other effecting a stop and destroy operation against a well-armed for? No easy answers, but I continue to try and understand the myriad dynamics whic...

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33:07

Kneecap: The Politics of Protest

Stray Bullets ·

2025/05/01

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.

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42:36

State-Terrorism and PIRA's 'No Alternative' to...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/04/27

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 Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or quest...

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6:03

New Episode Dropping Very Soon

Stray Bullets ·

2025/04/20

Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.

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34:56

Policing in Northern Ireland: Another Troubles'...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/04/04

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 the right thing' after murdered GAA official court ruling Chief constable 'speec...

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55:07

State-Terrorism and PIRA's 'No Alternative' to...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/03/23

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, Rogelio, The IRA and Armed Struggle, London and New York: Routledge, 2007 Hennessey, Thoma...

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42:13

The Post-Policing Gaze: Problems of Ego and Reputation

Stray Bullets ·

2025/03/21

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. Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.

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67 results

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