Excellent interview, very interesting to hear the other side … growing up in West Belfast, I would’ve been involved in confrontation with British soldiers on a near daily basis.. sometimes it was a bit of crack winding them up. Other times it was fisticuffs and bricks lookingback I hated the uniform and what it stood for (occupation)of my country, but not the person… on holidays over the years, I have met many ex soldiers who served in the north I’ve even had a pint with a few and Talked about the crazy times, always found them to have similar attitudes to this guy..
Yeah. I’ve met many an ex Brit on holidays. I was never fighting them but I was catholic. It’s kind of like after ww2. I’m sure the Americans, Brits and the Germans got along fine after the war was over . The Middle East now. That’s a whole new level of savagery
@@TheNoSuchThingPodcast same thing happened to me.....met a few in Spain and actually got on well with them and went drinking with them all day....and I'm from a nationaliist area......have to let go of the past
Egg banjo gets its name from when the egg joke envitably drips on the eater's top and they hold the sandwich out of the way as they attempt to 'strum' the mess off their top with the other hand, resembling them playing a banjo.
The men and women who fought against the British army in the North of Ireland ,. Were not ' Terrorists ' . They were people who loved their country and fought to defend it . Just as the British people would do if their country was invaded .
Thanks John looking forward to this how do you rank this one . I was thinking you know who would be good to get on and I recon he would do the pod with you as he wants our history documented. Mr Anthony McIntyre. Aka Boston tapes maybe nit mention them to him.
When a British soldier can reflect on the insanity of the Ulster plantation we are on the right path. That said the republicans must recognise that that happened 400 (don't quote me) years ago, and so generations have been here. I hope that both cultures can be accepted and all will prospure when Ireland is united. Please God peace will prevail until that day and there after. Peace between the Green and orange 🇮🇪
@@jackietreehorn5561 I don't see any other alternative. I also think that we have to stop generalising "the other," I am not saying you don't have a point, and stereotypes are there for a reason. But hopefully we are all capable of change over time, mainly through the mistakes we make. And that means everyone has to give each other the benefit of the doubt, aka blind trust. And that's risky and sometimes stupid. But the trust begins with intergrated "Cross community," schooling. And let revenge be the laughter of everyone's children Green and Orange, Ulster men and women, all.
@@thejohnoreillymusic I agree with you 💯 percent....the past is there to be learnt from and integrated education is the only way forward in the north.... sadly communities are still segrated and before the peace walls come down the mental barriers need to be dismantled first, easy to say and hard to do.... young people now are starting to mix more and only over 20 years ago was unheard of.... Long may it reign...
Tommy McKearney has said that the ETB would not have had to get approval for the Loughgall operation from higher ups. (So higher ups wouldn't have knowledge of it).
Hey Ralph, I came across this and listened to your memories - good to see (& hear you) again after so many years - clearly such formative years for you - after your account, I watched the BBC 'Helmand: Tour of Duty' documentary to try to understand more about soldiering service for the country. Best Wishes, Simon
That's why I watched this. Have lots of connections to there myself but don't know much about what happened there during the troubles (apart from Enniskillen)
@@keithp6699 the infamous south armagh sniper rifle was transferred to west cavan where it was used to shoot across the border into belcoo barracks - 1 british soldier killed.
I was stopped at a checkpoint back in the 80s in south Armagh and a soldier said to me I don’t want to be here it’s just a job to me or something like that .
"men" that age and lack of operational experience should never have been here to begin but the army was not the answer to the initial problems, hence their dispatch here.
That was fantastic Ray. It was interesting when you said many of the soldiers were ex miners in thatchers Britain . I’m sure any of them with a brain had a lot of animosity against the establishment.
Funny how the “oppressed” people decided to kill more innocent people of their own than the government ever did Funny how communist IRA can be portrayed these days by the flag waving yanks
Im not questioning his sincerity, but when he says due to the atrocities committed by both sides, he seems to side step the atrocities committed here by British soldiers and state collusion and in a broader context, all over the British colonial empire..so he needs a wee reality check on that!!
@@RalphBrooker-gn9iv fair enough, as i said, i was not doubting your sincerity, ive met one or two ex soldiers who served here and their opinions have changed similar to yours, .. In 1974 i was 6 year old, my father was out in the pub drinking with his brother and friend, when he left for home, he was maybe 100 yards from our house but he couldnt hold a piss in so he stopped at an entry, once he came out of the entry he was shot by a royal marine soldier from the bilet he was in, also he was shot with dum dum rounds, he was completely innocent but the soldier claimed he thought he seen a gun, but ofcourse that was a common practice, plus even if he had been a volunteer, he would never have been allowed a weapon, i also seen my father lying in the pool of blood as he crawled to our front door, he got last rites and so on, luckily he managed to survive, doctors couldn't believe he did, but ive often wondered how that soldier felt over what he done...
Fair play to ye for the honesty👏👏, its a thing ive noticed with past serving soldiers over here, the respect they had for adversaries, and the realisations in hindsight later down the years of what it was really all about...i seen a program where a soldier years later came to meet a legend that was martin meehan R.I.P, the former soldier admitted taking part in a terrible beating of martin, but was opening and visibly sorry for what he done, martin himself wept, it was a heartfelt moment that was incredible, they sat and chatted and had a pint, now bear in mind, martin had taken the lives of many soldiers, but it was just an incredible thing to see...
@@trickydickyjoethe same soldier served in ardoyne and on record after being hit with a brick said to his platoon shoot the first Irish bastard that moves.....he shoot a young lad too...with no involvement in BBC documentary called facing the truth
We never had any business in Ireland, we just made things much worse. The Protestant People immigrated to Ireland, and like the immigrants in Britain today, should of blended in to Irish Culture and Traditions. No Double Standards.
@Somerset-uf2nw so what did I steal I live in northern Ireland and would rather remain part of the uk, when you say I need to blend in to irish culture how do you mean it's insulting for you to call someone an immigrant who's family have lived here for generations, would you say the same to a UK citizen from a Indian background
@deanrobinson4129 Did the British immigrants ask the Irish People as an Island, did they want a part of their Country to remain in the so called UK?? It was annexed off without a Referendum in 1921,, (sign a Treaty giving away the Six Counties or else.) The Indian, Pakistani People that immigrated to England, live under Westminster Rule The British immigrants to Ireland should be Ruled by Dublin Parliament. Would we allow the Indian People draw an Artificial line around where they are in high numbers, and wish to be ruled by India?? Hell No Mate. Stop playing the victim.
Defending the border's of the UK pal, an internationally recognised country, even recognised by the irish state Remember it was 2 ira men that signed the ango irish treaty, collins and Griffith, no one forced them to do it.
I would like to see Ireland united and prosper like all Western European nations in the 21st century, but I do understand that we Irish live beside a nation which we have lots of family connections to and as such in the 21st century we need them to be Wealthy ...stable and Democratic........In reality, their future is our future.......
The multitude of different comments I’ve seen is one of the reasons the troubles went on for so long. The British army went in under orders because the police had lost control and the catholic community being the minority in the north were persecuted. At first we were seen as hell to them , but one wrong action and the troops took the brunt of the violence . Seen things only the top guys on both sides would know . Which I’m not going to talk about . Everyone has a point of view and the thing you miss is you are all right .
The IRA were not a mass movement before bloody Sunday and after that people joined in droves....and with sectarian hatred thrown in the mix was a shit storm.... English people never knew the extreme bitterness here and was alien to their way of life....
This guy is frankly so apparently without credibility of patrolling South Armagh. G40 does not overlook Forkhill!! If you don’t know, don’t try to BS the audience. 2 year continuous tour in Crossmaglen… you’re right it wasn’t like Fermanagh. If you want progressive innovation… mk15 barrack buster mortar, infra red detonation, audacious helicopter shoots, delayed detonation of mortar base plate…and more
You don't know what you're talking about. Minor geographic error (more than 30 years after the events) reference location of G40 doesn't mean he wasn't there. I was in Ralph's multiple for the 1987 1RHamps deployment to South Armagh so I ( Pte Mick Delea) can vouch for everything he said so wind your neck in mate.
@@ExSquadie wow, seemed to touch a nerve! Minor geographical errors… if you served there you don’t forget strategic positions, unless you’re recanting what you’ve been told, or you were QRF at the Mill and went to Cross a couple of times.
@@sthamster4766 Get a better grip of your mother tongue . One cannot recant something which someone else has told you. You didn't touch a nerve you pissed me off.
@@sthamster4766 Get a better grip of your mother tongue. One cannot recant something which someone else has told you. You didn't touch a nerve you angered me.
14:00 Here(and elsewhere, where applicable), you could flash an image of what youre talking about on screen, would make the quality seem much better with little effort.
📢DOING A Q&A SOON.. Drop any questions below or email thegoodlistenerpodcast@gmail.com
Thanks a million and hope ye enjoy the episode!!!
Excellent interview, very interesting to hear the other side …
growing up in West Belfast, I would’ve been involved in confrontation with British soldiers on a near daily basis.. sometimes it was a bit of crack winding them up. Other times it was fisticuffs and bricks lookingback I hated the uniform and what it stood for (occupation)of my country, but not the person… on holidays over the years, I have met many ex soldiers who served in the north I’ve even had a pint with a few and Talked about the crazy times, always found them to have similar attitudes to this guy..
Yeah. I’ve met many an ex Brit on holidays. I was never fighting them but I was catholic. It’s kind of like after ww2. I’m sure the Americans, Brits and the Germans got along fine after the war was over . The Middle East now. That’s a whole new level of savagery
@@TheNoSuchThingPodcast same thing happened to me.....met a few in Spain and actually got on well with them and went drinking with them all day....and I'm from a nationaliist area......have to let go of the past
Big up ballymurphy inla all day hehe
@@jackietreehorn5561 my stepma is from there. She is not to be fooled with
Fantastic interview , Thank You both for the enlightenment
Good interview, he was fair with his assessment and judgement.
@@John-eo4zm 🇮🇪✊
A lying scumbag
Egg banjo gets its name from when the egg joke envitably drips on the eater's top and they hold the sandwich out of the way as they attempt to 'strum' the mess off their top with the other hand, resembling them playing a banjo.
@@pmac792 Nothing tasted better than egg banjos after a long cold patrol.
The men and women who fought against the British army in the North of Ireland ,. Were not ' Terrorists ' . They were people who loved their country and fought to defend it . Just as the British people would do if their country was invaded .
Very good pod!👍
Thanks John looking forward to this how do you rank this one .
I was thinking you know who would be good to get on and I recon he would do the pod with you as he wants our history documented.
Mr Anthony McIntyre. Aka Boston tapes maybe nit mention them to him.
When a British soldier can reflect on the insanity of the Ulster plantation we are on the right path. That said the republicans must recognise that that happened 400 (don't quote me) years ago, and so generations have been here. I hope that both cultures can be accepted and all will prospure when Ireland is united. Please God peace will prevail until that day and there after. Peace between the Green and orange 🇮🇪
Would never hear the same analysis from unionists in the north..... tolerance isn't one of their characteristics
@@jackietreehorn5561 I don't see any other alternative. I also think that we have to stop generalising "the other," I am not saying you don't have a point, and stereotypes are there for a reason. But hopefully we are all capable of change over time, mainly through the mistakes we make. And that means everyone has to give each other the benefit of the doubt, aka blind trust. And that's risky and sometimes stupid. But the trust begins with intergrated "Cross community," schooling. And let revenge be the laughter of everyone's children Green and Orange, Ulster men and women, all.
@@thejohnoreillymusic I agree with you 💯 percent....the past is there to be learnt from and integrated education is the only way forward in the north.... sadly communities are still segrated and before the peace walls come down the mental barriers need to be dismantled first, easy to say and hard to do.... young people now are starting to mix more and only over 20 years ago was unheard of.... Long may it reign...
I was up in school on the Convent hill and witnessed that attack in Bessbrook in 1987.
No matter what he says they are the enemy never had any right in Ireland and never will have any right in Ireland
Agree, saying that The new refugee immigrants need to be welcomed Ireland needs diversity Dublin looks lovely now!
@@paulmills3030 and that's sarcasm!!
@paulmills3030 the Irish immigration to many countries
@@paulmills3030You're some eejit. Brits out everyone else in nowadays is it? Sinn fein are traitors!
@@tobiasgriffinyea legally and we work
The truth will not be televised
John any chance getting Martin Mc Gartland on the pidcast
Tommy McKearney has said that the ETB would not have had to get approval for the Loughgall operation from higher ups. (So higher ups wouldn't have knowledge of it).
Hey Ralph, I came across this and listened to your memories - good to see (& hear you) again after so many years - clearly such formative years for you - after your account, I watched the BBC 'Helmand: Tour of Duty' documentary to try to understand more about soldiering service for the country. Best Wishes, Simon
The only bandits in armagh were the ones wearing British uniforms
Great interview. You do amazing woek
A newly-released MOD file has revealed that an Army helicopter, said to have crashed in a 1978 air accident, came down trying to avoid IRA gunfire.
It was a Gazelle near Jonesborough and it's been known about for decades
At the beginning of this I couldn’t get ‘the Sam song’ out of my head! 💥🚁
Hi mate I was cop in bandit country
Very interesting stuff fermanagh.
That's why I watched this. Have lots of connections to there myself but don't know much about what happened there during the troubles (apart from Enniskillen)
@@keithp6699 the infamous south armagh sniper rifle was transferred to west cavan where it was used to shoot across the border into belcoo barracks - 1 british soldier killed.
I was stopped at a checkpoint back in the 80s in south Armagh and a soldier said to me I don’t want to be here it’s just a job to me or something like that .
He Probably duffed his school exams at the time so joined the Army ,little did he realise he was going to be cannon fodder!
"men" that age and lack of operational experience should never have been here to begin but the army was not the answer to the initial problems, hence their dispatch here.
@@mickeypye2593no soldiers are men, they are all kids
That was fantastic Ray. It was interesting when you said many of the soldiers were ex miners in thatchers Britain . I’m sure any of them with a brain had a lot of animosity against the establishment.
Send location
Don't worry be happy Welcome to Crossmaglen 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
What's the context behind that don't worry be happy wasn't that a sign of like a helicopter falling or something
Crosmaglen Ira literally were convicted paedos
@@CheGuevara110100 just an homemade sign that met the brits while on patrol to remind them where they were standing.
Some regiments were very professional, particularly the marines. The Scots/ Black watch, Paras were hated and feared.
The occupation forces complain about the the oppressed people fighting back
He literally considered to being a legitimate target. Wtf are you moaning about.
Wtf are you rambling about? You can't even contruct a coherent sentence.@@martyryan4212
Funny how the “oppressed” people decided to kill more innocent people of their own than the government ever did
Funny how communist IRA can be portrayed these days by the flag waving yanks
What r you on about 🙄@@martyryan4212
@@martyryan4212I'm sure he will not mention the abuse, beatings, and harassment the British army committed on a daily basis
Im not questioning his sincerity, but when he says due to the atrocities committed by both sides, he seems to side step the atrocities committed here by British soldiers and state collusion and in a broader context, all over the British colonial empire..so he needs a wee reality check on that!!
I have to accept some of that. And it’s one of the things I’d have worded differently.
@@RalphBrooker-gn9iv fair enough, as i said, i was not doubting your sincerity, ive met one or two ex soldiers who served here and their opinions have changed similar to yours, ..
In 1974 i was 6 year old, my father was out in the pub drinking with his brother and friend, when he left for home, he was maybe 100 yards from our house but he couldnt hold a piss in so he stopped at an entry, once he came out of the entry he was shot by a royal marine soldier from the bilet he was in, also he was shot with dum dum rounds, he was completely innocent but the soldier claimed he thought he seen a gun, but ofcourse that was a common practice, plus even if he had been a volunteer, he would never have been allowed a weapon, i also seen my father lying in the pool of blood as he crawled to our front door, he got last rites and so on, luckily he managed to survive, doctors couldn't believe he did, but ive often wondered how that soldier felt over what he done...
Fair play to ye for the honesty👏👏, its a thing ive noticed with past serving soldiers over here, the respect they had for adversaries, and the realisations in hindsight later down the years of what it was really all about...i seen a program where a soldier years later came to meet a legend that was martin meehan R.I.P, the former soldier admitted taking part in a terrible beating of martin, but was opening and visibly sorry for what he done, martin himself wept, it was a heartfelt moment that was incredible, they sat and chatted and had a pint, now bear in mind, martin had taken the lives of many soldiers, but it was just an incredible thing to see...
@RalphBrooker-gn9iv would you accept living under those conditions? Could you accept that lack of liberty in your life?
@@trickydickyjoethe same soldier served in ardoyne and on record after being hit with a brick said to his platoon shoot the first Irish bastard that moves.....he shoot a young lad too...with no involvement in BBC documentary called facing the truth
We never had any business in Ireland, we just made things much worse.
The Protestant People immigrated to Ireland, and like the immigrants in Britain today, should of blended in to Irish Culture and Traditions.
No Double Standards.
Enjoyed the scrumpy down there in Somerset, welcome to your new immigrant arrivals, and enjoy your new religion
You have not one clue about the way things were over here
@@deanrobinson4129 I think everyone can understand theft surely??
@Somerset-uf2nw so what did I steal I live in northern Ireland and would rather remain part of the uk, when you say I need to blend in to irish culture how do you mean it's insulting for you to call someone an immigrant who's family have lived here for generations, would you say the same to a UK citizen from a Indian background
@deanrobinson4129 Did the British immigrants ask the Irish People as an Island, did they want a part of their Country to remain in the so called UK??
It was annexed off without a Referendum in 1921,, (sign a Treaty giving away the Six Counties or else.)
The Indian, Pakistani People that immigrated to England, live under Westminster Rule
The British immigrants to Ireland should be Ruled by Dublin Parliament.
Would we allow the Indian People draw an Artificial line around where they are in high numbers, and wish to be ruled by India?? Hell No Mate.
Stop playing the victim.
Anyone any ideas who this women was who used the PCP as a toilet?
U mean to comment on porn hub
The British army shouldn't have been there in the 1st place
The British presence in Ireland is the unionist population, it took sinn fein IRA 30 years of killing to realise that fact.
Defending the border's of the UK pal, an internationally recognised country, even recognised by the irish state Remember it was 2 ira men that signed the ango irish treaty, collins and Griffith, no one forced them to do it.
FACT. British soldiers in a foreign Country. But what's new.
@@roverM30dsThe North of IRELAND is not a country. It's an occupied province of the Country of IRELAND 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
@@irishmade8136 yes correct, the country is called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Nice man but still the enemy.
It’s over FFS move on …
Black and Tan ☘️
I would like to see Ireland united and prosper like all Western European nations in the 21st century, but I do understand that we Irish live beside a nation which we have lots of family connections to and as such in the 21st century we need them to be Wealthy ...stable and Democratic........In reality, their future is our future.......
Correct, were more or less the same people. There's virtually no genetic difference whatsoever
Saint Angelo airport just outside Belfast? War tourist 🤔
No wonder England is falling…
Ireland is falling faster.
Who asked for the British Army, short memories.
10:20
November 1987, that unit was subsequently disbanded
Sorry but this guy being interviewed hasn’t a clue , his recollection is very sketchy ,some of the things he say are just fantasy
The multitude of different comments I’ve seen is one of the reasons the troubles went on for so long. The British army went in under orders because the police had lost control and the catholic community being the minority in the north were persecuted. At first we were seen as hell to them , but one wrong action and the troops took the brunt of the violence . Seen things only the top guys on both sides would know . Which I’m not going to talk about . Everyone has a point of view and the thing you miss is you are all right .
The IRA were not a mass movement before bloody Sunday and after that people joined in droves....and with sectarian hatred thrown in the mix was a shit storm.... English people never knew the extreme bitterness here and was alien to their way of life....
Tiocfaidh ar la
This guy is frankly so apparently without credibility of patrolling South Armagh. G40 does not overlook Forkhill!! If you don’t know, don’t try to BS the audience.
2 year continuous tour in Crossmaglen… you’re right it wasn’t like Fermanagh.
If you want progressive innovation… mk15 barrack buster mortar, infra red detonation, audacious helicopter shoots, delayed detonation of mortar base plate…and more
You don't know what you're talking about. Minor geographic error (more than 30 years after the events) reference location of G40 doesn't mean he wasn't there. I was in Ralph's multiple for the 1987 1RHamps deployment to South Armagh so I ( Pte Mick Delea) can vouch for everything he said so wind your neck in mate.
@@ExSquadie wow, seemed to touch a nerve! Minor geographical errors… if you served there you don’t forget strategic positions, unless you’re recanting what you’ve been told, or you were QRF at the Mill and went to Cross a couple of times.
@@sthamster4766 Get a better grip of your mother tongue . One cannot recant something which someone else has told you. You didn't touch a nerve you pissed me off.
@@sthamster4766 Get a better grip of your mother tongue. One cannot recant something which someone else has told you. You didn't touch a nerve you angered me.
This channel is getting more 1 sided unfortunately, used to be brilliant
"unfortunately" .. depends which side you're on
@@jacquiewalton1996 so it's all about sides with you?
@@markyinbelfastxx9088 *Didn't you read your own comment* ??? ..
"This channel is getting more 1 sided unfortunately"
This boy is soft in the head.
The the the wu wu wu ah ah ah that was eh Wu ah the the the. Unlistenable.
14:00
Here(and elsewhere, where applicable), you could flash an image of what youre talking about on screen, would make the quality seem much better with little effort.
Tiocfadh ar la