The Shrapnel Podcast

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this episode we welcome back friend of the pod, researcher and writer Iain Turner. Iain chatted to the lads about progress on his book which is an authoritative history of the UVF; we talked about the Dublin & Monaghan bombings 50 years on; the difficulty of obtaining records for research; the NIO public history project; loyalist paramilitaries and truth recovery and a whole lot more. The latest Shrapnel Fragments Special Episode is out now here:

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The lads did their second live show as part of the Imagine! Festival of Ideas and Politics at Belfast's Crescent Arts Centre. We were joined by a panel of three previous guests representing alternative voices from within the broad spectrum of loyalism. Beano Niblock is a former loyalist prisoner and the writer of the acclaimed play The Man Who Swallowed A Dictionary (2023) about the life of his former comrade David Ervine. Niblock is a vocal advocate for loyalist storytelling and the power of arts as means of communicating historical experience. Emma Shaw is the founder and CEO of the Phoenix Education Centre, a profit for purpose community interest company in East Belfast that nurtures community self-help and promotes strategies to tackle low educational attainment and barriers to the workforce. David Adams is a former spokesperson and councillor for the UDA-linked Ulster Democratic Party who was heavily involved in negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement. Having experienced what he described as a ‘messy divorce’ from loyalism in the mid-00s, he has spoken openly about the need to have informed conversations about reconciliation as a priority in any debates over the constitution. The Shamim Malekmian immigration reporting interview is out now here:

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack The lads did their second live show as part of the Imagine! Festival of Ideas and Politics at Belfast's Crescent Arts Centre. We were joined by a panel of three previous guests representing alternative voices from within the broad spectrum of loyalism. Beano Niblock is a former loyalist prisoner and the writer of the acclaimed play The Man Who Swallowed A Dictionary (2023) about the life of his former comrade David Ervine. Niblock is a vocal advocate for loyalist storytelling and the power of arts as means of communicating historical experience. Emma Shaw is the founder and CEO of the Phoenix Education Centre, a profit for purpose community interest company in East Belfast that nurtures community self-help and promotes strategies to tackle low educational attainment and barriers to the workforce. David Adams is a former spokesperson and councillor for the UDA-linked Ulster Democratic Party who was heavily involved in negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement. Having experienced what he described as a ‘messy divorce’ from loyalism in the mid-00s, he has spoken openly about the need to have informed conversations about reconciliation as a priority in any debates over the constitution. The latest Fresh Batch is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-101021413

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Billy Hutchinson is the former leader of the Progressive Unionist Party and was a key figure in the negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. In this episode Billy talks to the lads about the current state of unionism and loyalism, class frictions within the pro-union body politic in NI and the importance of grassroots voices. The Dirty Linen podcast with Martin Doyle is out now:

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Emma Shaw is a loyalist community activist from East Belfast. She is the founder and CEO of the Phoenix Education Centre, a community interest company working to tackle educational underachievement in her community. In this episode of the podcast Emma talks to the lads about the importance of education and peer empowerment, loyalist identity and actively challenging stereotypes about loyalism. The Blood on the Dancefloor Podcast with Jordan Dunbar is out now:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-91689805

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Claire Mitchell is a writer and researcher from Belfast. Her recent book The Ghost Limb was published in 2022 to critical acclaim. In this episode Claire chats to the lads about the book, the spirit of 1798 and the United Irishmen, her work with Billy Mitchell and progressive loyalism in the early 00s and the journey of self-discovery she embarked on which led her to discover the ghost limb of alternative Protestants rooted in the era of the United Irishmen. Emma Shaw: Empowering through Education podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-91269012

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Moore Holmes is a loyalist activist, community advocate and commentator. As a teacher he is passionate about educating the next generation through the think tank and advocacy group, Lets Talk Loyalism about appropriate political steps and articulating a coherent argument for the Union from a loyalist perspective. In this episode we talk to Moore about the Union and community political advocacy at the grassroots in loyalist communities. The Ghost Limb podcast is out here:

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Colin Harvey is Professor of Human Rights Law in the School of Law, Director of the Human Rights Centre, a Fellow of the Senator George J Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, and an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Irish Studies. He is also a Commissioner on the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, a campaigner for a new Ireland and member of Ireland's Future. In this episode we talk to Prof. Harvey about the constitution and what a rights based society might look like. The Ghost Limb podcast is out now:https://www.patreon.com/posts/90361039

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Stephen R. Millar is Lecturer in Anthropology and Ethnomusicology. His research and teaching focuses on music, conflict, and cultures of resistance, with an emphasis on Britain and Ireland. Stephen's first book Sounding Dissent: Rebel Songs, Resistance, and Irish Republicanism (University of Michigan Press 2020) explores how Irish republicans have used rebel songs to resist against the hegemonic power of the British state. Stephen's current book project, under contract with Oxford University Press, examines the interconnection between Ulster loyalist songs and political violence in Northern Ireland from the Troubles to the present. In this episode we talked to Stephen about the importance of preserving political music as part of our historical understanding of communities in conflict. The Moore Holmes - Colin Harvey 2 Parter is available now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-89959808

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please help keep the mics on at:patreon.com/tortoiseshack Eilish Rooney is Emeritus Scholar in the School of Applied & Social Policy Sciences and at the Transitional Justice Institute (TJI) in the School of Law at Ulster University. As an academic and social activist from Ballymurphy, West Belfast her pioneering work at University of Ulster on the Transitional Justice Grassroots Toolkit and cross-community dialogue has garnered respect across the sectarian fault lines of Belfast and further afield. In this episode Eilish talks to the lads about her experiences of the developing feminist movement at the advent of the Troubles, the profound effect that the Ballymurphy Massacre and the recent inquest had on her community and her own creativity and the importance of advocating and articulating your social and political point of view in a way that does not diminish others. Tickets for the Live Show:https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/tortoise-shack-live-tickets-698299581847?aff=erelexpmlt

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this episode the lads are joined by Robert Gibson. Robert's father Jackie was a bus driver who was killed on Bloody Friday, 21 July 1972 when the Provisional IRA set off a series of bombs across Belfast. He talks about the effect that his father's murder had on his family, his search for the truth about what happened in Belfast on that notorious day and how difficult it is for families of those murdered during the Troubles to get clarity on the circumstances around their loved ones' deaths. Live show tickets:https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/tortoise-shack-live-tickets-698299581847?aff=erelexpmlt Lough Neagh Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-89222152

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack John Barry is Professor of Green Political Economy at Queen's University Belfast School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics. In this episode of Shrapnel the lads talk to John about his research on loyalism, encouraging self-discovery and organic intellectualism, agonism, Britishness in a new Ireland and generous majorities. Tickets:https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/tortoise-shack-live-tickets-698299581847?aff=erelexpmlt Wealth Tax Pod:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-88796012

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Beano Niblock is a playwright, poet and former loyalist prisoner. His current play, The Man Who Swallowed A Dictionary, charts the life of former PUP leader the late David Ervine. In this episode of Shrapnel Beano talks to the lads about how he came to write the play, what his friendship with David was like and the way in which former loyalist prisoners are reticent to tell their side of the story. The Man Who Swallowed A Dictionary is written by Beano Niblock and directed by Matthew McElhinney. It is on in the Lyric Theatre, Belfast from 29 Aug - 10 Sept and then goes on tour across NI. The play is produced by Green Shoot Productions. Tickets available at: https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/whats-on/the-man-who-swallowed-a-dictionary Full version of this podcast including the listener Q&A is available now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-88418330

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack On Thursday July 20th Sam travelled down to Dublin to take part in the tortoise shack live at the sugar club. It was a special night with amazing people, a very lively audience some great contributors. In this part you'll hear from Sam, writer, campaigner and host of the Lost in Implementation podcast, Emma DeSouza and cohost of the Echo Chamber Podcast, Tony Groves. We talk Loyalism, nationalism, the middle ground, health, housing, education, the Good Friday Agreement, a border poll, political cowardice and lots more. I hope you enjoy it as much as the audience did. Part 2 featuring the journalists behind the Ditch website, Roman Shortall and Eoghan McNeill is out now here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/86683661

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Shrapnel Returns. As a soft launch Sam and Gareth decided to talk about the NI conflict, its legacy and some of the difficult conversations that need to be had if things are ever to move forward. They also answer some listener questions and talk about what's to come in Season 2. It’s great to be back! Last tickets:https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/tortoise-shack-live-tickets-632859177837

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack We were delighted to be joined by author and academic Paul Burgess for our inaugural live show. Paul discussed his new book Wild Colonial Boys (Manchester University Press) - a revealing and no holds barred autobiography charting his early life growing up in loyalist north and west Belfast, his passion for class politics and music and his ascent to fame with Ruefrex. The Working Class Activism in Academia Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-98820246

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Join us in 2023 at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this end of series episode, Sam and Gareth, look back on a successful first run of Shrapnel. The lads talk about Loyalism, mental health and the cost of living crisis, and link these important themes to the conversations with guests they've had on in season one of the pod. Shrapnel will be back next year after Sam and Gareth have a break and recharge for a brand new series. The diary is already filling up. Thanks for all your support and feedback. Have a great break.

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } Ed Spence is the nephew of Gusty Spence. In the late 1960s Ed, along with his father Billy, campaigned for the release of Gusty Spence who maintained his innocence against a murder charge. When the Northern Ireland conflict began to escalate Ed and Billy started a Loyalist prisoners welfare association called The Orange Cross. In this episode of Shrapnel, Ed talks about the campaign to clear Gusty's murder charge and the issues facing loyalist prisoners in the early Troubles. Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } On Friday Nov 18th, Shrapnel cohost Sam Mcilwaine came down from Belfast to the wonderful Axis Theatre in Ballymun to chat all things Northern Ireland, Loyalism, Unionism, socioeconomic issues and politics with Echo Chamber host, Martin McMahon. This is a great conversation and features an engaged and lively Q&A with members of the audience. Don't miss it. We want to again thank Dean, Aifric and the Axis team for a brilliant night. Join us and help keep the mics on at patreon.com/tortoiseshack

.wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 170px; min-width: 170px; max-width: 170px; } E.S. 'Ed' Haggan is a former Royal Ulster Constabulary officer who is active on Twitter as @redbrickedslums. He describes himself as 'a writer of fiction about Irish terrorism and the lives it damages'. In this episode Ed talks about his experiences of living with CPTSD, shifting from wanting to be a marine biologist to joining the RUC as a teenager in 1986 during the tumult following the Anglo-Irish Agreement and experiences of policing in North and West Belfast and South Armagh and Newry. Ed also talks about his love of mysticism, mythology, black metal and power noise. Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack *PIRA is a reference to the Provisional IRA **Varg Vikernes is a founding member of the early black metal scene in Norway and was later imprisoned for murder ***Michael Moynihan is an American writer and journalist