Stray Bullets
E.S. Haggan
Publishing Details
About This Podcast
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 Inquiries.
- Catholic officers: The podcast examines the experiences of Catholic police officers within the RUC and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), highlighting challenges like isolation, sectarianism, and racism.
- Specific incidents: Haggan discusses specific events and atrocities related to the Troubles, using his novel "The Bitter End of Dreams" as a framework to explore these topics while avoiding potential libel.
The podcast provides a unique perspective on the RUC and the Troubles, informed by Haggan's personal experiences and detailed discussions of his novel.
'There are no facts, only interpretations.'
Friedrich Nietzsche
Podcasting 2.0 Features
Explore Statistics
Recent Episodes
S4E13 Asset Handling in Northern Ireland: A Return Examination Part II
Continuing my look at asset handling during the Troubles. Some asides included: the light and dark of Special Branch as imagined by popular media (Blue Lights), the aspect of 'reputation',…
S4E12 Asset Handling in Northern Ireland: A Return Examination Part I
Just a revisit to aspects of asset-handling / management post-Kenova. I conscious of not wishing to tread over old ground, but it may be inevitable given how much the subject matter overlaps. If…
S4E11 Stormont's Performative Politicians and the Maintenance of Societal Division
I know. I do tend to stumble through my thoughts, at times spilling out a stream of consciousness. Nevertheless, I just recently realised that it's been just over forty years since I joined the Royal…
S4E10 Forty years ago I joined the RUC
Well, just over forty years ago I joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary. So, I'd like to make my next podcast one in which I over my time in the RUC / PSNI. Hopefully I can draw on events that I've…
S4E9 'To Perfect Murder': The RUC, Collusion and Asset Handling. Coming Soon...
Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.Support the showMédecins Sans FrontièresUnicefPEN International
S4E8 Brief Reflections On The Past Few Episodes
Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.Support the showMédecins Sans FrontièresUnicefPEN International
S4E7 'The Speech Being Irish, The Heart Must Needs Be Irish'
A concise look at colonial mechanisms of suppression of indigenous language, customs and superstitions in the context of 18th century Ireland. The inception of this episode is due to my long interest…
S4E6 Swept Under The Rug: Toxic Masculinity in the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Some succinct recollections about how some females were treated in the RUC, at the time a very patriarchal organisation. Also, to conclude a brief look at Irish right-wing groups and the maintenance…
S4E5 [Trailer] Toxic Masculinity in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and The Irish Language in the age of British Colonialism
Details about some of the subjects I hope to discuss in the next Stray Bullets episode. Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.Support the showMédecins Sans…
S4E4 Addendum for: The Fallacy of 'Paramilitary' Transition in Northern Ireland
Some additional aspects following messages and a few conversations with ex- and still serving police colleagues.'[My father] did not show me how to be sociable. I ended up designing a covert life; I…
S4E3 The Fallacy of 'Paramilitary' Transition in Northern Ireland
A look at how the Northern Irish proletariat continue to allow themselves to be exploited through the maintenance of the legacy of flags and fear. Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or…
S4E2 The Absence of Political Courage in Northern Ireland
I suppose the title should really read: 'Political Courage in Northern Ireland flaps in tatters from upon the lamppost that one of our un/elected demagogues attached it to before intimating a threat…
S4E1 Catholic Recruits and the Police Service of Northern Ireland
A condensed episode considering how Catholics may fare in the Police Service of Northern Ireland. For more in-depth thoughts please see links below:They Had Their Loyalties: Catholic Police Officers…
S3E33 The Corporals Killings, Poetry, and Peace Walls
An additional, unplanned, episode originating from some surplus material (AKA thoughts) I had left over from prior episodes. In this episode I talk about the murder of Derek Wood and David Howes as…
S3E32 Subtle Alchemies IV: Miasma, the Stain of Spilled Blood
The concluding episode of Subtle Alchemies. Herein, I discuss the ideal / innocent victim / victim-perpetrator paradigm as well as looking at the cowardly murders of Edgar Graham and Sean Brown.…
S3E31 Political Miasma and 'Proxy' Sectarianism in Northern Ireland
A somewhat disjointed episode, unplanned and unscripted. Nevertheless, I felt necessary, as such, to get me back into producing an episode following a sharp dip along my mental road. Anyway, in this…
S3E30 Subtle Alchemies III: The Trenches Dug Within Our Hearts
In this episode I look at the construction of victimology in the context of Bloody Sunday as well as that of 'Soldier F'. Also, I consider Organisational Memory, Myth-Making, Blamelessness and Out…
S3 (Audio Trailer for) Subtle Alchemies III: Anger at Heel - Soldier F and Collateral Grief
Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.Support the showMédecins Sans FrontièresUnicefPEN International
S3E29 Subtle Alchemies II: Victims, Aren't We All?
In this episode I move on to discuss the terms 'victim' and 'perpetrator' and that in post-conflict societies these terms are seldom mutually exclusive of one another. Are we much too early, in terms…
S3E28 Flaying the Flag and Destroying Intelligence: An Aside
An brief interlude before I get to Part Two of Subtle Alchemies. Also, please check out the very talented, very brilliant, Emer Maguire who appeared at the Stand Up for Integrated Education Comedy…
Frequently Asked Questions
Stray Bullets has published 91 episodes since November 2021, covering topics in Documentary, Personal Journals.
Stray Bullets is currently highly active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 39m.
