Mick Hawkes is an ex-SAS soldier and 14th intel company (the Det.) operator who worked against the IRA and Loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland as part of his military career. Mick tells us about the daily ins and outs of carrying out surveillance on dangerous insurgents, the differences between republican and loyalist paramilitaries, how he helped to prevent a mortar attack on an RUC and much more.(The first 30 mins or so are a little choppy due to wifi problems but completely fi...

My guest this week is Dr Michael Flavin, child to Irish parents who grew up in Birmingham, England during the IRA’s bombing campaign in England during the troubles.Michael speaks to us about being a part of the Irish diaspora in England, anti-Irish discrimination at the time as well Michael’s writings on IRA leadership and INLA splits.00:00 “NO BLACKS NO DOGS NO IRISH” sign- was it real??03:50 Michael’s parents move to England 07:05 Many other children of immigrants ?08:50 BIRMINGHAM B*M...

For this episode I’m joined by author and lecturer, Thomas Leahy, whose book “The Intelligence War against the IRA” gives a through and detailed account of Britain’s attempts to disrupt and defeat the IRA by way of intel gathering.We discuss the various methods of intel collection, what “intel” is and can be used for in this context, the various times of ceasefire during the conflict and the reasons for them.Thomas details why the rural IRA brigades were tougher infiltrate, how technological ...

Dan Lawton’s thrilling new book “The Hunted” explores the story of Kevin Barry Artt and how he was false-convicted of the IRA murder of deputy Maze prison governor, Albert Miles. We speak about the so-called “confession factory” Castlereagh, Long Kesh’s Maze prison, the horrors of the “blanket”/“no-wash” protests and how Kevin Barry Artt took part in one of N.I’s biggest jailbreaks. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 CASTLEREAGH “The Confession Factory” 08:15 LONG KESH & The lead up to ...

Harry McCallion is an ex-paratrooper and SAS solider who served in the north during some of the troubles’ most violent years. Harry tells us about the brutal training regime they underwent before deployment, his thoughts on the mistakes that the British army made, his views on the “Ballymurphy Massacre”, his emotional state while policing violent riots and the effects that the job had on his mental health at the time.Harry shares his insights on the uniques challenges of taking on a “guerrill...

Author, lawyer and past guest of the show, David Burke reveals a previously unreleased statement from ex-Tara member and close-friend of Robin 'the jackal" Jackson, Charlie Simpson uncovering Jackson and the British Army's involvement in one of the trouble's most heinous attacks. We talk through the events of the tragic day, the logistics of the UVF operation and the political goings-on at the time of attack.DAVID'S FREE E-BOOK (much more detail on the topic) https://coverthistory.ie/202...

Brendan Hughes (not to be confused with the deceased Brendan ‘The Dark” Hughes) shares his truly extraordinary life story, a life shaped by his membership of the East-Tyrone PIRA in the early days of the conflict in the North. Brendan tells us about his time ambushing British soldiers in the countryside and robbing banks to fund raise for the IRA and his thoughts on having to take human life for his cause. Brendan shares the incredible story of how masterminded the second ever pris...

My guest this week is ex-b*mb disposal man, Steve Smith. Steve worked as a EOD officer in Belfast during the early 80s and worked to rid the city of IRA & Loyalist b*mbs.Steve gives us his insight into the various types of explosives used throughout the conflict, the differences between IRA & Loyalist b*mb-makers, how it feels to put on the b*mb-suit & approach an explosive device and the effects that such a job can have on one’s mental health.Steve tells us about the unique chall...

Graham Cousins grew up protestant in East Belfast and spent his late-teen years and early 20s in the Ulster Defense Association better known as the UDA, a loyalist paramilitary group formed in the early 70s. He has since become close friends with ex-paramilitaries from the other side including my last guest, ex-b*mb-maker Packy McMahon (https://youtu.be/R5XJQrUCeMk?si=zCipaXh0uMIK6P0j)Graham speaks to us about his mindset during the early 70s, his reasons for joining up, his thoughts on the U...

Patrick “Packy” McMahon is a former provisional IRA bomb maker who was jailed after being caught in the act of manufacturing a 1,500 LB bomb.Packy tells us about growing up as the conflict raged and how his life-long battle with British soldiers began. We spoke about the in and outs of how the IRA manufactured its bombs/explosive devices from beginning to end, the materials used, how Packy avoided being blown up by his own work and the logistics of an IRA bombing operation. Packy shared stori...