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BBC Radio Ulster

The teams assume nothing as they examine events through fresh eyes.

Assume Nothing

A fierce warrior turned master strategist, he led elite SAS troops on missions that shifted the tide of World War II. Decorated four times yet denied the Victoria Cross. Was it down to a typo or a face that didn’t fit? Today, his legend burns brighter than ever, fuelling a renewed campaign to honour him with the Victoria Cross.

4. Parachuting into War with a Gramophone

Blair Mayne instils a maverick form of discipline, mourns a brother-in-arms, and forms the tip of the spear to liberate Europe from the Nazis.

3. The Power of the Unthinkable

In the shadows of the Middle East, Blair is pulled into a secret war fought far from the headlines. Recruited by a newly formed unit known only to a few - the SAS - Blair wages chaos and destruction behind enemy lines, where no rules apply.

2. Vagabonds and Gentlemen

Blair Mayne floored his own boxing coach at Queen’s University in Belfast, shot a springbok on the 1938 British & Irish Lions tour, and later stood sharp as a solicitor. The life of this Newtownards war hero was built for the big screen, but did they get it right? Soft-spoken leader of men, or natural born hell raiser? We find out about the Real Blair 'Paddy' Mayne.

1. Let’s rob the bank next door...

The story of two journalists who investigated an unsolved mass murder in Northern Ireland.
Six men were shot dead by Loyalist paramilitaries in the Height’s Bar, Loughinisland on the 18th June 1994. 

No-one has ever been charged or convicted. 

Episode 8 – Who Watches the Watchmen

As the dust settles on a historic judgement by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal – Barry and Trevor say their fight is not yet over, demanding a full public inquiry to reveal the full extent of surveillance. 

Can a wide-ranging review of surveillance powers commissioned by the Chief Constable of the PSNI provide answers - and can a balance between national security legislation and the need for transparency ever truly be achieved?

A BBC Northern Ireland Production

Episode 8: Who Watches the Watchmen

The story of two journalists who investigated an unsolved mass murder in Northern Ireland.
Six men were shot dead by Loyalist paramilitaries in the Height’s Bar, Loughinisland on the 18th June 1994. 
No-one has ever been charged or convicted. 

Episode 7 – Full Disclosure

Barry and Trevor prepare for a rare public hearing of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal – but last minute disclosures from police forces across the U.K bring repeated adjournments – and raise serious questions about how wide the net of surveillance against journalists has been cast.

A BBC Northern Ireland production

Episode 7: Full Disclosure

When the High Court finds the warrants were unlawful, the police investigation comes to an end. But Barry is concerned that he may have been placed under surveillance and he approaches the only court in the UK which can tell him if that’s true.

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal has the power to find out if he was spied on unlawfully, but rarely find in favour of claimants. Years pass with no response – then, an unexpected revelation. One that will have far-reaching consequences for journalists and multiple police forces.

Episode 6: A Short History of Spying

Released on bail, Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney begin a legal fight to challenge the legality of the warrants. Central to their case is the question of what the judge who granted the warrants was - and wasn’t - told by police.

The judgment will be viewed as a landmark ruling on the rights of journalists to protect sources; were the warrants unlawful?

A BBC Northern Ireland production

Episode 5: Ex Parte v Inter Partes

The story of two journalists who investigated an unsolved mass murder in Northern Ireland.

Six men were shot dead by Loyalist paramilitaries in the Height’s Bar, Loughinisland on the 18th June 1994. 
No-one has ever been charged or convicted. 

Episode 4 – Operation Yurta

On the day of the film’s Belfast premiere, police announce a new investigation – into the suspected theft of sensitive documents from the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland.

Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney are arrested nine months later and their homes and offices are searched. 

While they are questioned about four offences - theft, handling stolen goods, unlawfully disclosing personal data and offences under the Official Secrets Act - their legal teams must make an urgent decision.

Readings by

Ian Davidson
Steven Calvert
Aoibheann McCann
Antoinette Morelli

A BBC Northern Ireland production

Episode 4: Operation Yurta

The story of two journalists who investigated an unsolved mass murder in Northern Ireland.
Six men were shot dead by Loyalist paramilitaries in the Height’s Bar, Loughinisland on the 18th June 1994. 
No-one has ever been charged or convicted. 

Episode 3 – No Stone Unturned

While a second Ombudsman investigation gets underway, journalists Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney start work on a new documentary about the Loughinisland massacre.

When the Ombudsman’s report finds elements of the police prevented a proper investigation to protect informants, Barry uses the leaked documents to unlock the identities of chief suspects – but should they name them in the film?

Readings by:
Steven Calvert
Aoibheann McCann
Antoinette Morelli
Brian Kernohan

A BBC Northern Ireland production

Episode 6: A Short History of Spying

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