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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

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All Episodes

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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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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