Stray Bullets

Will there be a time when we, in Northern Ireland, see our seemingly parallel divergent histories cross? Our opposing narratives blend with commonality. As a society still raw from sectarian and political conflict many are trying to step away from hate, but there are still those who fear any admission of culpability will render them vulnerable.In this episode I'll be talking about such and more. If there's a way, or even the beginnings of an answer, that will lead us towards healing and away ...

Just a bolt-on tale I omitted to include in the previous episode: 'Rattlebag'.Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.

This episode is, in itself, an interlude before I continue my theme of reconciliation and recrimination. I just needed a breather of sorts and to realign my thoughts, which had been threatening to scatter.Just some (brief) ruminations herein on a few innocuous memories from my time in both the Royal Ulster Constabulary and PSNI. Many thanks to those who've sent me some questions, clarifications as well as very kind feedback. A lot of interest in my Blue Lights themed episodes, plus some ...

In this episode I'll be continuing to look at the aspect of Forgiveness and Recrimination which I began in the episode, 'I Bear No Grudge'. Given the amount of material I've gathered to date, I sense that the topic will continue on for several more episodes.In this episode I employ two poems by John Hewitt: 'The Iron Circle' and 'The Bloody Brae' in the hope that they may assist in illuminating the complex nature of forgiveness in the context of sectarianism, attendant savagery an...

I'd just recorded Part II of my consideration of Forgiveness and Recrimination in a post-conflict Northern Ireland when my SSD gave up the ghost. On retrospect it may have been a blessing in disguise as I wasn't completely happy with the experimental format of the episode, besides I'd only noticed several dropouts in the recording just as I was completing it which would've meant rerecording it!So, I'm going to revise the format and presentation of Part II. It'll also give me a chance to do a ...