The Troubles Podcast
The Troubles were a period of time in Northern Ireland which many people today do not know a lot about. In this podcast we will delve into each individual bombing and attack that happened during the 30-year period. This is a non-partisan podcast that focuses solely on the facts and the accounts of the individuals involved.
Episodes
Martin McGartland – Part 2: No Safe Haven
In the conclusion of my conversation with former undercover agent Martin McGartland, we dive into the aftermath of his dramatic escape in Belfast and the challenges he faced while living under threat in England, as gunmen would eventually f…
Martin McGartland – Part 1: An Informer’s Leap for Life
This is an interview with Martin McGartland, who is a former informer who was kidnapped by the IRA after they became suspicious of his activities. There is a lot in this interview, including first hand accounts of how he became an informer,…
Podcast Merch is live + Bonus Episode over on Patreon
Get Troubles Podcast Merch here: https://visualanticsapparel.com/collections/the-troubles-podcast Also over on Patreon I have just released a bonus episode. It is a bit older than my usual ones and focuses on one of the seminal moments dur…
An Interview with UVF Loyalist, Eddie Kinner
In this final episode of season 5 of the Troubles Podcast, I talked to Eddie Kinner who joins the UVF at a young age and then was involved in a gun and bomb attack on a pub when he was 17. We talk about his past, and how he feels about life…
Martin McGuinness Part Two - Government to Good Friday and Beyond
This episode focuses on Martin McGuinness as a politician and the rocky path to peace, which would be strained on many occasions. There was peace, then the threat of it all falling apart, problems with decommissioning and even a presidentia…
Martin McGuinness Part One - From Paramilitary to Politician
This week on the podcast comes the first in a two-part series on the life of Martin McGuinness. In this episode we cover Martin's rise to prominence and the role he played in some of the pivotal moments of the troubles. Learn more about yo…
The Killing Of Sergeant Joe Campbell
Sergeant Joe Campbell was a Catholic RUC officer who was well respected by the people he looked after in the small seaside village of Cushendall up in the Glens of Antrim. At the time, the RUC was an overwhelmingly Protestant police force a…
The La Mon Hotel Bombing
The La Mon House Hotel Bombing was a no-warning incendiary bomb attack on unsuspecting patrons in a hotel, which saw 12 people lose their lives. This attack was a complete disaster for the Provisional IRA and firmly cemented the thought in …
Raymond Gilmour and the Lonely Life of an Informer
Raymond Gilmour was born and raised in Derry and decided to become an informer as a teenager. He joined the INLA and then the Provisional IRA and all the while he was passing information on to the RUC and British Army. Then when he was expo…
Kidnapped: The Don Tidey Story
Don Tidey was kidnapped by the Provisional IRA in the hopes that his employer would pay the significant ransom that they demanded. What ensued instead was the largest manhunt in the history of the Irish State, which would see people lose th…
The Glenanne Gang: Part Two
In this second episode we examine James Mitchell and his farm at Glenanne. We then dive deep into two bar attacks, one which was carried out by serving members of the RUC, and the other which took place under the watchful eye of the British…
The Glenanne Gang: Part One
This two-part episode focuses on the Glenanne gang, who were a secret informal alliance of Ulster loyalists based in the village of Glenanne. These were a group of loyalist which included members the the paramilitary group, the UVF, but als…
Why is there Rioting in Belfast in 2024?
This is a short episode to explain why there has been rioting in the streets of Belfast in the early days of August, 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Life on the Blanket with Richard O'Rawe
Richard O'Rawe joined the Provisional IRA when he was a teenager. He was eventually arrested and spent a number of years taking part in the blanket protests which would eventually lead up to the hunger strikes. Richard was there for it all …
The Disappearance of Shergar: The World’s Most Famous Racehorse
It was a dark evening in February, 1983, when three armed, masked men arrived to the home of Jim Fitzgerald.His family were locked in a room. One of the men said to him "We have come for Shergar. We want £2 million for him." He was taken at…
'When the Hammer Turns Against the Sickle': Civil War Amongst The Republican Revolutionaries, The INLA vs The IPLO
The two socialist Republican paramilitary groups were the INLA, Irish National Liberation Army and the IPLO, the Irish People's Liberation Organization.These were two organisations who sought to fight against the colonial occupation of Brit…
The Troubles Podcast Live in London on May 22nd
I'll be putting on a live show in London later this month with Kevin and Jason from Shite Talk: An Irish History Podcast. It'll take place on Wednesday, May 22nd at the London Irish Centre. Ticekts are £12 and the show starts at 19:30. Be g…
The Irish Priest Who Armed the Provisional IRA
This week's episode focuses on the life of Father Patrick Ryan, a Catholic priest who had a unique relationship with the Provisional IRA and Libyan Dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. Through Father Ryan, the Provisional IRA received millions in cas…
The Darkley Church Killings
It was a Sunday evening in November, 1983 and 65 people were attending service at the Mountain Lodge Pentecostal Church Service. The church was a small wooden building on the outskirts of the Northern Irish village of Darkley, in the county…
Life in the Irish Army During the Troubles: Kevin Owens
Here's the link to The Troubles Podcast live show in January 25th, 2024:www.puntcomedy.com/event-details/the-troubles-live-podcastIn this episode, Kevin Owens talks about life in the Irish army during the Troubles, and explained what life w…
The Man Who Swallowed a Dictionary: David Ervine
David Ervine began as a loyalist paramilitary but had a remarkable change of heart while in prison, and upon his release dedicated his efforts to political discourse, and acting as a political voice for the UVF. But it wasn't easy, and ther…
A Lifetime Reporting on the Troubles with Peter Taylor
Peter Taylor is a journalist who had an unparalleled level of access across the divided and sectarian communities in Northern Ireland. He has made multiple documentaires and written many books about the Troubles, and was trusted by paramili…
Fired Upon By the Provisional IRA: Chris Thrall's Story
Chris Thrall deployed as a Royal Marine into Northern Ireland in 1989. He knew very little about the conflict in Northern Ireland before arriving, and it wasn't long before he would see first-hand, what the troubles was like for a member of…
Stephen 'Top Gun' McKeag and the UDA's Roaring Ninties: Part Two
In this episode we will focus on the attacks associated with Stephen 'Top Gun' McKeag, his fall from grace from the UDA and the circumstance which would lead to his eventual demise. This episode was written by John Livingstone, and you can …
Stephen 'Top Gun' McKeag and the UDA's Roaring Ninties: Part One
This two-part episode focuses on Stephen 'Top Gun' McKeag, who was a prominant member of the Ulster Defence Association. He was also responsible for many killings of Catholics in Northern Ireland. This first episode will talk about how the …
The Provisional IRA in the Republic of Ireland with Gearóid Ó Faoleán
This week's episode features my chat with academic and historian, Gearóid Ó Faoleán. We talked about the Republic of Ireland's response to the growth of the Provisional IRA and how they dealt with the rise of Republicanism. We talk about ho…
The Remembrance Day Bombing
The Remembrance Day Bombing was an IRA bombing which was carried out in the town of Enniskillen in Northern Ireland. The Provisional IRA claimed that they were targeting members of the security forces but instead ended up killing mostly eld…
A Legacy of Peace: Bertie Ahern Talks About His Role In The Good Friday Agreement Peace Talks
Bertie Ahern was the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland during the peace talks in Northern Ireland. I sat down with him in March 2023 to talk about his memories during this period, and the many times it felt like it was all going to fall …
The Good Friday Agreement Explained
The Good Friday Agreement was a mammoth undertaking which was the result of multiple failed agreements and a quest for peace for the people of Northern Ireland, This epiosde focuses on the sheer effort that was involved in finding peace for…
The US Marine Who Joined The IRA
This episode is about John Crawley, who joined the US Marines with the intention of returning back to Ireland to then join the IRA. He hoped he could bring his expertise to what he believed was one of the best paramilitary groups in the wor…
The Three Funerals of Frank Stagg
Frank Stagg was a Republican prisoner from Ireland who died on hunger strike in 1976. In this episode we will learn about what happened afterwards, as the Irish Government went to significant lengths to prevent his funeral from becoming a r…
The Romper Room Killing of Ann Ogilby
It’s 9am in the morning of July 29th, 1974 and council workers are cutting grass near the M1 Motorway near Belfast, when they discover the body of a woman lying half submerged in stagnant water. It was clear that the woman had been badly be…
The Hyde Park and Regent's Park Bombings
It was a sunny morning in Hyde Park in London. On this morning in Hyde Park, the Household Cavalry were taking part in a changing of the guard ceremony. As they passed by a parked car, a nail bomb that was hidden in the trunk of the car was…
The Hooded Men Part Two: Aftermath and the Legal Case
This is the second part of an episode focusing on the Hooded Men. In this episode Jim talks about his life after being interrned and then I will go into more detail about the complex legal case surrounding the courts definition of the word …
The Hooded Men Part One: Jim Auld
With the arrival of internment in 1971, hundreds of Northern Irish men were picked up by the British Army and then detained without being charged for months at a time.The Hooded Men is the name given to 14 men who were subjected to somethin…
Behind the Mic at Crimecon 2022: What it Takes to Make a Podcast
To celebrate International Podcast Day here's a short episode where I sat down with some podcasters based in the UK and talked about the process of making episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Loyalism 101: The UVF and the UDA Part 2
This episode focuses on the two major feuds that occurred between the UVF and the UDA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Loyalism 101: The UVF and the UDA Part 1
This episode is an introduction to the two largest loyalist groups that took part in the Troubles; the UVF and UDA. This first part focuses how they came to be, their similarities and differences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit pod…
The Most Wanted Man in Ireland: Dessie O'Hare
Dessie O'Hare was a Republican paramilitary who was known for his brutality as well as his ability to evade the authorities on both sides of the border. This episode tells the story of his life, and the role he played in one of Ireland's mo…
Soldiers of the Troubles: Colin Ferguson
Colin Ferguson served two tours in Northern Ireland as a soldier with the British army and in this episode of the podcast he talks about what life was like as a soldier in Northern Ireland in the nineties. Learn more about your ad choices. …