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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

38:28

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

Stray Bullets ·

2025/03/07

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 Political History of the IRA, London, Serif, 1997 Jackson, Alvin, Ireland 17...

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9:13

Trailer for State-Terrorism + Did PIRA Really Have No...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/02/22

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

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17:30

Stakeknife and the Ripple of Terror. Addendum: 'Enjoy...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/01/31

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" PEARSE JORDAN INQUEST FINDINGS DELIVERED Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. T...

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46:59

Stakeknife and the Ripple of Terror. Part III: Court...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/01/29

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 the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Click here if you’d like to sen...

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11:00

Brief response re queries about my novel

Stray Bullets ·

2025/01/17

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 in the RUC, together with blending the testimonies of real world individuals, as well as a bit of ...

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8:40

Brief re some upcoming episodes for 2025

Stray Bullets ·

2025/01/15

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

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58:55

Stakeknife and the Ripple of Terror. Part II: An...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/01/13

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.This episodes concludes with three murders: two by Irish republicans, one by the RUC.Future episodes...

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49:18

Stakeknife and the Ripple of Terror. Part I: Just War...

Stray Bullets ·

2025/01/03

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 and betrayal in which he operated. So, this episode begins my venture into the muddy waters of terrorism by s...

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63:58

'A sledgehammer used to miss a fly':...

Stray Bullets ·

2024/11/30

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.In the next episode I'll be looking at terrorism from a (possibly) differen...

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64:06

'Better to have one man whom you can hang':...

Stray Bullets ·

2024/11/20

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 that of the Troubles.In the next episode I'll be looking at 1920s Ireland up to re...

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39:26

All The Dead Men's Dreams: Sinn Féin, Commemoration...

Stray Bullets ·

2024/11/15

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 Graves too, but decided to leave him for a future episode.I hope my delivery th...

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47:39

The Royal Ulster Constabulary and Collusion:...

Stray Bullets ·

2024/10/30

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 Branch officers. In respect of collusion I only found the two mentioned in this and ...

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10:12

Quick Changeover

Stray Bullets ·

2024/10/19

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.

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27:37

The Royal Ulster Constabulary and Collusion: Agent...

Stray Bullets ·

2024/10/09

This is the concluding episode in which I look at issues related by a retired RUC Special Branch officer as quoted from the work cited below, as well as my thoughts on such. Work cited in this episode:Barker, Alan, 'Shadows: Inside Northern Ireland's Special Branch', Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd, 2004 Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.

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60:43

The Royal Ulster Constabulary and Collusion: Agent...

Stray Bullets ·

2024/10/09

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 are of some interest, together with my own thoughts on the issue - plus the odd anecdote...

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29:40

The Royal Ulster Constabulary and Collusion:...

Stray Bullets ·

2024/09/19

This is an interim, or rather impromptu, episode of sorts. In it I consider my working relationship with an Intelligence Cell within the British Army during the very early years of my career, and how it became affected following the brutal murder of Loughlin Maginn in 1989.As such I hope to complete a more comprehensive and concluding episode looking at allegations of collusion and the RUC.I hope you enjoy these episodes - if that's the right word?! - and I am once again heartened by the cont...

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26:27

Blue Lights and Love Squads

Stray Bullets ·

2024/08/28

Another unplanned episode, but one generated from a number of questions I've received from listeners asking if I'd planned to discuss Blue Lights Season 2 in much the same way as I did for Season 1. Also, the anecdotes about illicit love trysts in the PSNI was of great interest (which also featured as part of the Blue Lights episodes). To be honest they still occur and, as such, follow similar paths (maybe not so much with GCHQ involvement, though!) as I've previously alluded to.However, I re...

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52:35

The Royal Ulster Constabulary and Collusion. Part I:...

Stray Bullets ·

2024/08/26

Given the contentious nature of the subject topic discussed in this episode I've added some caveats which I've outlined at the beginning. I'd just have to reiterate that the episode just reflects my own personal observations plus awareness of incidents, and remain my own interpretations of such.Having said that, I feel this subject will inevitably run into another episode. It's much too deep a topic to bottom out in under an hour. Before I begin work on Part II then if there's anything y...

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32:42

Armagh GAA Bags All-Ireland Win As PSNI On Hot Coals...

Stray Bullets ·

2024/08/01

Another 'impromptu' episode! This time I'll be (hurriedly, sorry time waits ... ) discussing the political rants following Armagh GAA winning the All-Ireland title on Sunday 28th July 2024. Moreso, because a PSNI Community Policing Officer joined in with his community celebrating in Camlough (I used to just be flown over it and dropped off nearby for foot patrols) by proudly flying the Armagh GAA flag from his livered vehicle.As ever, in Northern Ireland this divided sections of the community...

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54:56

Our Troubled Past: The Glory and the Grief

Stray Bullets ·

2024/07/28

In this episode I attempt to conclude my thoughts on the aspects of Forgiveness and Recrimination in Northern Ireland's post-Troubles' society. In saying that, I'll add the caveat that I'll most likely be revisiting nuances of such topics threaded through future episodes.For the time being I'm looking at how we memorialise the past in terms of 'isolating' sacred spaces from the eyes of the 'other', along with other related aspects, and how this may hamper reconciliation.Some works cited:Micha...

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