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.
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The Irish Revolution was a module taught by renowned historian Professor Michael Laffan in the School of History and Archives, UCD from the mid-1970's until his retirement in 2010. The course covers a tumultuous period in Irish history and examines the interaction of different groups (in particular unionists, moderate and radical nationalists, and the British), the causes and impact of events (such as the Home Rule Crisis, the Easter Rising, and the Treaty), and patterns of continuity and di ...
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The Dark State is an influential podcast about the security threats facing modern Ireland and the world. The podcast is hosted by the journalist John Mooney, who interviews experts on organised crime, terrorism, national security and defence to bring you an inside perspective on the most pressing issues of the day. Subscribers can access new episodes on Apple Podcasts and Patreon. Some episodes are made freely available to promote a better understanding of security issues.
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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 also members of the police force the RUC and the British military regiment the UDR. In this first episode we lear…
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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/adchoicesBy Oisin Feeney
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Life on the Blanket with Richard O'Rawe
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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 and in this episode we talk about his role during the hunger strikes as well as his thoughts on Freddie Scappa…
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The Disappearance of Shergar: The World’s Most Famous Racehorse
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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 gunpoint to a nearby stable where Shergar the horse was sleeping. The horse was loaded into a horsebox, and …
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'When the Hammer Turns Against the Sickle': Civil War Amongst The Republican Revolutionaries, The INLA vs The IPLO
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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 British Rule and free the working class of capitalistic dominance. However, instead of romantic struggle they wou…
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The Troubles Podcast Live in London on May 22nd
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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 great to see some of you there! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…
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The Irish Priest Who Armed the Provisional IRA
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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 cash, but it was his engineering work with Provisional IRA bombs, which would end up saving the lives of many par…
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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 of Armagh, which was close to the border with the Republic of Ireland. The popular hymn, 'Are You Washed in t…
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In this episode of The Dark State, John Mooney is joined by James Nixey, an expert in international relations and security affairs at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, to dissect the looming threat posed by Russia to Europe and its implications for Ireland. From Russia's geopolitical goals to the role of hybrid warfare and Ire…
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In this episode of The Dark State, John Mooney talks to Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware, authors of God, Guns, and Sedition: Far Right Terrorism in America. The guests provide an overview of their book, exploring the roots and contemporary manifestations of white supremacy. They discuss the perception of white supremacy as a threat to democracy, its e…
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John Mooney talks to Calder Walton, one of the world’s leading intelligence and national security scholars, about his ground-breaking book, Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West. The conversation extends beyond historical analysis as Walton draws pertinent parallels to the present geopolitical landscape, offering valuable insights …
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John Mooney speaks to the former government advisor and Irish Times columnist Gerard Howlin about the government's handling of immigration. Will anti-immigrant campaigners run for election and eat into the Sinn Fein vote? This is the first of two podcasts on the issue.By The Dark State
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Life in the Irish Army During the Troubles: Kevin Owens
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Here's the link to The Troubles Podcast live show in January 25th, 2024: www.puntcomedy.com/event-details/the-troubles-live-podcast In this episode, Kevin Owens talks about life in the Irish army during the Troubles, and explained what life was like... From searching in lakes for Libyan arms dumps to dealing with Gardai who may have been helping ou…
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Safeguarding Ireland: A Deep Dive into Cybersecurity
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Join host John Mooney for a compelling conversation with Eoin Keary of Edgescan as they delve into the critical landscape of cybersecurity in Ireland. Keary also sheds light on Edgescan's mission to fortify Irish businesses against cyber threats and shares his expert projections, forecasting the emerging cyber threats anticipated to surface in 2024…
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The Far Right managed to encourage hundreds of people to engage in violence and looting in Dublin city on Thursday night. Gardai were attacked, buses set on fire and shops looted. John Mooney speaks to Ciaran O'Connor from the Institute for Stratedgic Dialogue about what happened, how it was organised online and what's likely to happen next.…
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John Mooney talks to Aaron Edwards of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst about the UVF statement ordering its East Belfast Brigade to stand down.By The Dark State
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Ireland's Unfolding National Security Crisis
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John Mooney talks to the Fianna Fail senator Lisa Chambers on the likely appointment of an external candidate to protect Ireland's national security.By The Dark State
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Operation Harvast: The IRA Border Campaign
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John Mooney talks to Barry Flynn about Operation Harvest, the IRA Border Campaign 1956 - 1962. Flynn is the author of Soldiers of Folly.By The Dark State
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There have been many different IRAs but where does the name come from and when did it become associated with terrorism. John Mooney talks to Dr Séan Ó Duibhir.By The Dark State
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The Man Who Swallowed a Dictionary: David Ervine
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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 there would be many who wanted to take his life. This is the story of the man who championed constructive unionism…
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The Garda Representative Association (GRA) says morale is on the floor promptring gardai to retire early or in some cases resign. John Mooney talks to Laura Young about why she quit the force.By The Dark State
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A Lifetime Reporting on the Troubles with Peter Taylor
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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 paramilitaries to tell the world their stories. In this episode we talk about his life, his memories of Bloody Sunday,…
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Why do criminals seek out attention and publicity?By The Dark State
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John Mooney talks to Roy McComb, the former deputy director of Britain's National Crime Agency about the fallout from the online publication of the names, ranks and posting of every police officer and police staff in Northern Ireland.By The Dark State
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Fired Upon By the Provisional IRA: Chris Thrall's Story
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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 the British armed forces. Republicans targeted his barracks with mortor bombs, and he was also fired upon whi…
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John Mooney and Aaron Edwards of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst discuss the accidential disclosure of information about all of the Police Service of Northern Ireland's serving officers and staff. What are the ramifications?By The Dark State
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Stephen 'Top Gun' McKeag and the UDA's Roaring Ninties: Part Two
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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 find more of his writing by searching @TheTroublesArchive on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi…
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Beijing's latest efforts to make friends in Ireland
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Liu Jianchao, a senior figure in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) who stands accused of heading up the illegal repatriation of pro-democracy activists who oppose the regime, visited Ireland last month to meet a government minister, politicians and a think tank. What was the purpose of his visit? John Mooney talks to Laura Harth of Safeguard Defend…
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Stephen 'Top Gun' McKeag and the UDA's Roaring Ninties: Part One
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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 UDA restructured in the early 90's and what led to the rise of C-Company.This episode was written by John Livi…
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John Mooney talks to James Doherty about the history and evolution of Irish smuggling from the 1700s to modern times.By The Dark State
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The Provisional IRA in the Republic of Ireland with Gearóid Ó Faoleán
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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 how the IRA made explosives, whether they helped or hindered the heroin epidemic in Dublin, how Republicanism an…
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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 elderly civilians. A lot of this episode focuses on where the IRA were getting their bombs from, which took them …
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Reposting this episode of the Dark State from last year which covered the not so secret agreetment which allows the Royal Air Force to protect Irish skies. Our guest is George Allison of the UK Defence Journal who spoke about Ireland's inability to patrol its own airspace.By The Dark State
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A Legacy of Peace: Bertie Ahern Talks About His Role In The Good Friday Agreement Peace Talks
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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 apart. We then talked about Northern Ireland today and what affect Brexit has had on the Good Friday Agreement…
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John Mooney talks to Joanne Stocker, a defence analyst at Storyful about the leaking of highly classified US intelligence documents.By The Dark State
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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 what many percieved as a neverending war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice…
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John Mooney talks to Eoin McNamara about Finland's membership of the AllianceBy The Dark State
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John Mooney talks to Mark Randell about dog fighting and other types of serious crime involving animals. Randell is a former anti-terrorist officer who now trains law enforcement in animal crime.By The Dark State
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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 world. But once he joined, things weren't exactly what he expected, and in the end, the Provisional IRA were more…
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John Mooney and Aaron Edwards of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst provide analysis on the New IRA attack on DCI John Caldwell.By The Dark State
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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 rallying cry to the Republican movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…
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John Mooney talks to Raffaello Pantucci about the relationship between China and the EU. Pantucci also provides insight into the worsening relations between Beijing and Washington, and those spy balloons.By The Dark State
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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 beaten before she was killed. The woman was soon identified as mother of four, Ann Ogillby. But who killed her a…
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Understanding Ireland's Anti-Immigration Protests
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John Mooney discusses the anti-immigration protests taking place across Ireland with Dr Orla Lynch of University College Cork.By The Dark State
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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 detonated. The bomb was made up of 11 kilograms of gelignite and 14 kilograms of nails which turned into dead…
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The Hooded Men Part Two: Aftermath and the Legal Case
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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 'torture'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…
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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 something known as the 'five techniques' by the British Army. In this episode I'll be talking to Jim Auld, who was on…
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Hezbollah: The murder of Private Seán Rooney
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Many of the podcast's supporters asked for this episode on Hezbollah and the murder of Private Seán Rooney to be made available for everyone to hear to counter the ongoing disinformation campaign on his murder. John Mooney talks to Hanin Ghaddar of the Washington Institute about Hezbollah and its alleged involvement in the brutal murder of Private …
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Talking to the Terrorists: Dissident Republicans
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John Mooney talks to Tim O'Connor, one of the four members of the Independent Reporting Commission (IRC), the statuatory body which monitors the progress being made to end paramilitarism in Northern Ireland. O'Connor discusses the IRC's fifth report and why its encouraging the Irish and British governments to engage with paramilitary organisations …
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John Mooney talks to Dr Dan Lomas of Brunel University about the changing nature of intelligence gathering and spying. Will OSINT replace the classic intelligence agent? And what role does intelligence play into the modern world.By The Dark State
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