Just ordered that there now.
Just started “Into the Dark: 30 Years in the RUC” by Johnston Brown.
Here is the Amazon blurb:
Johnston Brown was hailed by Martin Dillon as “the superb investigator who was central to bringing `Mad Dog’ Adair to justice.” According to Dillon," . . . the day [Brown] publishes the story of life in the RUC, from the troubled 1970s to the 1990s, a veil will be lifted from the undercover war . . … ". Into the Dark is that story.
Johnston Brown served in the RUC for nearly 30 years. Recruited into the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) only two years into his service, he quickly established himself as a detective of outstanding ability. He was to lead the investigation into the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane, and it was he who was responsible for finally bringing Johnny Adair to book. Brown was, however, quickly to discover that he was up against another even more deadly enemy than the criminals he was pursuing: those sinister elements of RUC Special Branch who for reasons of their own were determined to thwart his success. Brown found to his cost that they would stop at nothing to do so . . . Into the Dark offers a gripping insight into life in the RUC: the day-to-day reality of policing the streets of West Belfast during the dark days of the PIRA hunger strike, and what it was like to be a detective stationed in the “killing fields” of North Belfast during the 80s. The narrative lays bare some of the key terrorist personalities, as well as those operating within the Special Branch to pervert the course of justice as a means of asserting internal control. The book is written in very clear and straightforward language and tells the story of the corruption at the heart of the RUC Special Branch during the recent troubles. Brown spent 30 years in the force, mostly as a detective in the CID branch and was responsible for bring some very important murderers to justice. His brave, honest and modest personality shines through every page.
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Must get that book. Going by interviews he’s given, Jonty Brown was a proper cop.
Will throw up a review once you’ve read it please?
Only a few chapters in. He seems to have had a very tough childhood. Seems like he wanted to join the police for the right reasons too.
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I will indeed.
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Bought Gary Murphy’s book on CJH
Reviews see mixed
Disappointed with Pat Nevins autobiography.
Pats seems a decent enough sort but a bit needy
I bought this after you put it up. Finished it this evening, a decent read.
Chevron seems an interesting character to say the least while Shane McGowan comes across as a tortured enough soul at times in it
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How are you going with this?
Kindle boy sorts that, I’ve 4 library books renewed already since I bought it as I can’t get at them-
So far so good. RUC seemed like an awful place to work. Seems that the CID, Special Branch and regular police were all battling with each other. Informers let off the hook to do what they want as it suited one lot over the other. Lots of bad eggs as well.
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Glad you enjoyed it.
I also read it on the recommendation. It is a Netflix series waiting to happen
Yeah. Lots of drinking, drugs, riding and larger than life characters. It couldn’t fail
Got that on my kindle and finished it last night. Certainly a page turner.
got back to this remark after a long evening
I think Jonty’s “naivete” with regard to Special Branch is a tad overplayed. He was 30 years a cop and most of that in CID and yet his wilful disregard of SB’s sins is galling. He repeatedly emphasises the “good” guys he encountered in SB.
In his conclusion, he insists on the “most RUC men were decent unbiased cops” and yet he has told us that after giving evidence to Stevens he was ostracised by most of his colleagues.
He paints a picture of a corrupt police force and then tries to draw a veil over the corruption,
Is that some sort of delusion on his part?
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finished it last night myself. Would agree with your summary. A lot of bad apples in police, SB in particular but not only.
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Would our resident history expert(s) have any opinion on Mr Ferriter? Is this liable to be a “balanced” view?
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Some fella on with Daithí and Maura now discussing this era
Must be Paraic Ó Rúairc from what he’s talking about
Edit: Tomás Mac Conmara
Well respected
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