Anne Cadwallader is a former journalist who covered The Troubles during some of it’s worst years and wrote one of the leading books on the proven collusion that occurred during The Troubles between British Govt/law enforcement and Loyalist paramilitaries.

Anne’s book and research focusing mainly on the period of 1972-1978 and group known as the Glenanne Gang, a loose collection of loyalist paramilitaries and, more worryingly, members of the RUC (police force in N.I at the time) who provided weapons, intel and more to help the group kill innocent Catholics who, almost exclusively, had no connection to the IRA.

We discussed the infamous loyalist murderer Robin Jackson, the RUC officer John Weir whose evidence shed light on the collusion and blind-eye-turning took place. Anne tell us about the Dublin/Monaghan b*mbs which killed 33 and injured scores more, the Miami Showband Massacre and the evidence that links the Glenanne Gang to these atrocities.

We spoke also about Operation Kenova, Operation Denton, the Legacy & Reconciliation Bill and their implications.

Please subscribe and leave a rating if you enjoy the show.. thank you very much.

00:00 Anne’s background 
5:33 First hearing of collusion between British Govt. & Loyalist paramilitaries 
9:33 RUC’s relationship with the Catholic and Protestant and the RUC’s history 
13:53 Why the UDA (Ulster Defence Association) was not classed as a “terrorist group”? & who were the UFF (Ulster Freedom Fighters)?
16:03 Earliest examples of COLLUSION 
18:13 THE GLENANE GANG 
24:38 JOHN WEIR (RUC) & ROBIN JACKSON “The Jackal” 
31:18 Robin Jackson’s work with the RUC & UDR 
34:53 DUBLIN/MONAGHAN B*MBING & MIAMI SHOWBAND MASSACARE and collusion involved 
40:33 Did John Weir’s superiors know ??
43:43 John Boucher’s Operation Kenova & Denton and Legacy and Reconciliation Bill 
57:53 Will British security/intel officers brought to trial or convicted? 
1:02:38 Pat Finucane m*rder

FULL VIDEO EPISODES
 https://youtu.be/-_Fs3cVE54E?si=3kyrx-5PN61ON9cm

ANNE'S BOOK
https://amzn.to/3YUQjWM

Seamus continues his story at the point where he is caught and arrested by the RUC for a job gone-wrong. He tells us about the physical and mental torture inflicted by the prison guards in Long Kesh (H Blocks) and the lengths that Seamus and his colleagues went to during the "Blanket Protests" or 'Dirty Protests".

Seamus describes the inhumane methods employed by the guards to break the IRA prisoners and end their fight for political-prisoner status during his 10 year detainment in Long Kesh.

He shares the tragic story of how his brother, Michael, was falsely labeled an informant after being interrogated by the IRA internal security unit which included the now-infamous British agent Freddie Scappaticci, better know as "Steaknife". This began a decades long journey by Seamus to clear his brother's name and expose the British Intel handlers who he believes are responsible for planning and orchestrating his brother's stitch-up in order to protect their own informants within the Provos.
Seamus reveals new uncovered internal IRA documents from that he says will expose the "dirty-war" methods of British Ministry of Defence.

***PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & LEAVE A RATING TO HELP OUT THE SHOW***

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Getting caught and arrested 
9:53 H-BLOCKS (LONG KESH)
20:00 Beatings and torture by guards & relationship with prison guards 
30:13 BROTHER’S EXECUTION after being FALSELY-LABELLED an informant 
52:43 Seamus’ writ served on the Ministry of Defence 
1:18:50 Government report on H-Block abuse of prisoners 

SEAMUS' BOOK
https://www.anceathrupoili.com/en/shop/no-greater-love-the-memoirs-of-seamus-kearney/?fbclid=IwAR3N-PWRQ4lB7ibPb24sLcRQ2idr50fKRBb8zz54QQr9F_-3FcA1zPrHrog

Seamus Kearney is a former IRA volunteer who grew up in sectarian Belfast and came of age as the Troubles were building up.

He spoke to me about experiencing anti-catholic discrimination including having to change his first name while working his first job as well as seeing his area attacked by a sectarian mob after being abandoned by Army and RUC.

Seamus described his rise through the ranks in the IRA from the youth wing to being in an active service unit during one of Northern Ireland’s  bloodiest decades. 

PART 2 COMING SOON
 
 00:00 Growing up in sectarian N.I 
 17:23 Seeing his area attacked by sectarian mobs
 35:18 Bloody Sunday 1972 & joining the junior wing of the IRA

Jo Berry was 27 when she tragically lost her father, Anthony Berry, in 1984 after the IRA detonated a bomb a Brighton hotel targeting Margret Thatcher and her cabinet.

Despite the grief and devastation that her father's murder inflicted on her, she quickly came to the realization that she was seeking to understand the people responsible for her father's death not seek revenge. This decision eventually led her to meeting face -to-face with the IRA member who planted the bomb, Patrick McGee after he was eventually caught, imprisoned and released.

This meeting and subsequent conversation between the two began a journey of healing and understanding for both which resulted eventually in the pair touring the world giving over 300 speeches together.

Please subscribe and leave a rating if you enjoy the show.. thank you very much.

00:00 INTRO, growing up with a politician  
06:30 Life at the time of losing her father 
8:55 Hearing the bad news 
13:16 Attempts to meet with Patrick McGee
18:15 FACE-TO-FACE WITH PATRICK MCGEE (IRA bomber responsible for Brighton bomb)
27:05 Meeting again 
36:40 Forming a friendship eventually 
40:15 Will Jo ever be able to meet the others involved in the bomb???
42:40 Speaking tours w/ Patrick McGee 

Colin Breen was an RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary, the police force in Northern Ireland up until late 90s) Officer during the period of extreme violence and murder known as "The Troubles".

Colin shared with me his own experiences of investigating murders, bombings and trying to maintain order during such a tremulous time. He spoke about being shot at twice by Loyalists and 3 times by Republicans, the methods of counter surveillance officers had to employe and arriving to, what was supposed to be, his own murder scene.

Colin told me many harrowing stories of the traumas and trials faced by members of the RUC including being blown up, injured and shot at as well the uphill battle of investigating such a huge number of murders with a police force stretched so thin.

Please subscribe and leave a rating if you enjoy the show.. thank you very much.

Colin's books: https://amzn.to/44AwnKE 

TIMESTAMPS 

00:00 Background & Northern Ireland during The Troubles 
8:30 Catholic/Protestant ratio within the RUC
16:05 Republican or Loyalist targeted more by RUC 
20:45 Any clashes with other agencies ?
22:45 Accusations of collusion between RUC & Loyalists 
25:35 Rough handed methods in the RUC ??
29:15 Typical day in policing The Troubles 
36:30 booze/burnouts 
46:25 SHOWING UP TO WHAT WAS TO BE IS OWN M*RDER SCENE 
54:25 Run into people from work while off duty ?
58:00 Being shot at 5 times (3 by Republicans, 2 by Loyalists) 
59:05 Any empathy for the goal of united Ireland ?
1:03:35 Current role of IRA/other papramilitiraies 
1:06:25 Colin’s books 

Matt Thornton has been practicing and teaching martial arts around the USA and the world for decades and is the founder of the now world famous MMA gyms, Straight Blast Gym (SBG).
We discussed the best ways for the average person to gain the practical skills nessceray to defend themselves and their loved ones, the biggest misconceptions floating around about what works and what doesn't and the ever-present industry of fake martial arts that offer their students nothing more than false confidence.

Matt gave his break down of a recent incident on the NYC subway in which a crazed homeless man named Jordan Neely was killed using a chokehold after violently threatening passengers and the arrest & charging of the man you stepped in. Matt also gave his take on the viral "BJJ is useless" clip from Andrew Tate and his opinions on Tate's street fighting advice.

Matt's recent book "The Gift of Violence:Practical Knowledge for Surviving and Thriving in a Dangerous World" is a brilliant and very insightful, highly recommended.
BUY HERE : https://amzn.to/3rxGpxI

Please subscribe and leave a rating if you enjoy the show.. thank you very much.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Matt’s own background & BULLSH!T martial arts
11:00 Are we in history’s most peaceful time??
14:05 Advice to the average person who wants to learn HOW TO DEFEND themselves 
20:10 ANDREW TATE - “BJJ is useless” CLIP
25:18 Biggest misconceptions 
28:54 Jordan Neely NYC subway incident 
36:10 Self defense vs. stepping in for someone else 
40:40 General advice to stay safe 
44:45 KEEPING YOUR KIDS SAFE 
48:40 SBG Gorilla- backstory 

Mubin Shaikh is a former extremist turned counterterrorism operative and expert, who, at the age of 18 encountered the Taliban in Pakistan after a life in Canada up until then. He spent years as an extremist became an undercover agent for the Canadian govt. after the events of 9/11 changed his perspective.

Mubin and I discussed his twists and turns in his life path and how he turned from someone campaigning against the west to working for the Canadian to help prevent a terror attack. He told me about the roots of the "Arab-terorrist" stereotype seen on countless movie screens, what exactly "jihad" is and what it isn't as well as how he goes about deradicalizing the young men who are in the position that he once was.

Please subscribe and leave a rating if you enjoy the show.. thank you very much.

00:00 Intro
06:50 Parent’s attitude towards western culture
11:00 Comment on grooming gangs in UK
11:50 The “Arab/Muslim Terrorist” stereotype 
14:00 First contact with jihadists 
20:50 What is “jihadism” ? 
26:35 Common traits among extremist recruits 
30:00 Becoming a spy for Canadian Govt. 
38:50 De-radicailizing young men 

Mubin's book https://amzn.to/44fmYbt  

Ireland is currently in the process of passing into law the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022.

If passed Ireland will have some of the strictest hate speech laws in the world and it will be possible to prosecute citizens for simply possessing material that is interpreted as an incite to hate.

I spoke to Alexander Sheridan from Free Speech Ireland about the bill's contents, what citizens can be targeted for if passed, the vagueness/subjectivity of the various terms and protected catergories, Leo Varadkar's inability or unwillingness to state the govt's position on gender and much more

00:00 Intro 
02:50 WHAT CAN YOU BE PUNISHED FOR UNDER PROPOSED LAWS?
 7:55 Similar laws elsewhere in the world ??
11:35 Vagueness of new legislation 
14:00 GOVERNMENT’S STANCE ON GENDER??
16:30 How close to passing are the proposed laws? 
22:40 CAN THESE LAWS BE USED TO SHUT DOWN PROTESTS & TARGET JOKES?
30:00 Where to find Free Speech Ireland 

If you do enjoy the podcast please subscribe and leave a rating to help us grow

https://twitter.com/FreeSpeechIre

Peter Taylor has covered “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland since Bloody Sunday in 1972 and has written several books on the subject. His latest work is “Operation Chiffon” (link below) revels and details the back-channel communications that existed between the IRA and British intelligence and helped form a path towards eventual peace in Northern Ireland.

Peter and I spoke about the extent to which British Intel agencies operated in Northern Ireland and sometimes even the Republic, the recently deceased British spy within the IRA: Stakeknife and the investigation that just took place into British troubles-era handlers of informants.

We also discussed the elusive topic of how to actually define what a “terrorist” is, how they differ from freedom fighters if at all and the motivation for Peter's coverage of N.I. 

Peter’s latest book : https://amzn.to/3oUZhpj
Killing Thatcher by Rory Carroll: https://amzn.to/3NrqtFR

*** TIMESTAMPS***

00:00 Intro
5:20 Ramping up of British intelligence agencies role in Northern Ireland
16:20 Why the meetings between IRA and British intel were kept a secret
20:50 STAKEKNIFE (IRA’s biggest rat)
32:20 Any possible repercussions for Troubles-Era British intel handlers ?
36:40 Operations that cross the R.O.I/ N.I border
37:45 Garda (Irish law enforcement) Special Branch
42:15 IRA attacks on UK mainland- effect on peace talks
48:45 WHAT IS A TERRORIST?? 
58:10 What drew Peter to covering “The Troubles”/Northern Ireland

If you do enjoy the podcast please subscribe and leave a rating to help us grow

This week I spoke with Rory Carroll, author of 'Killing Thatcher"/ "There Will Be Fire" which details the IRA's plot to assassinate Margret Thatcher and her cabinet using a bomb a Brighton hotel in 1984.... and came incredibly close 

Rory spoke to me about the years of planning that went into the attack, the effect and closeness of the bomb itself, how far Thatcher was from dying that night and how it effected her going forward.

We spoke about the infamous "We only need to be lucky ONCE.." statement that the IRA put out the next day and the IRA's "England Dept." which was tasked with bringing the conflict to British shores.

00:00 Peter’s own background 
02:50 The Troubles up until 1984 Brighton Bombing- context 
05:10 Previous IRA attempts on live of political figures ??
08:20 “The England Dept.” of the IRA & planning the bomb
17:10 Were British Intel expecting the attack to come??
19:40 HOW CLOSE THEY ACTUALLY CAME 
22:30 IRA STATEMENT the next day- “WE ONLY NEED TO BE LUCKY ONCE..” 

*** If you do enjoy the podcast please subscribe and leave a rating to help us grow*** 

AUDIO BOOK LINK -  https://amzn.to/3MIRK4W

HARDCOVER - https://amzn.to/43CFDgK