Stray Bullets
Having served over thirty years in the RUC / PSNI I was medically retired with CPTSD. Dissociative Identity Disorder also evolved in me as a residue of CPTSD. I wrote a novel, 'The Bitter End of Dreams', through which I hoped to reflect the experiences of working class folk caught in the grip of a sectarian conflict. I set my story in Belfast, but replaced the Judeo-Christian god with that of Mithras. I also gave Northern Ireland an extra county. Such counterfactual alterations opened up for me the opportunity to place my story deep within the NI Troubles without being shackled to specific timelines, events and real people - thus avoiding the risk of libelling anyone, while being able to write a story, familiar to many, and retaining a sense of place and the tragedy of the Troubles. I'm going to talk openly about elements of policing the Troubles, religion, politics, sectarianism and our toxic ideologies. I've explored these topics in my novel, as well as the placing of actual events and atrocities; albeit heavily disguised or deeply submerged in subtext.To better frame my thoughts I will, firstly, discuss each chapter in sequence before reading that chapter. In this way I should be able to complete a spoken word version of my novel while using the opportunity it provides to elaborate on its creation process in the context of the NI Troubles.Thank you.
*Apologies to the many folks who conversed with me on several social media platforms. Due to the level of hate, including threats, from ex-RUC colleagues I've decided to stay off social media and the like. I'm very dismayed by such reaction, but, in hindsight, no longer surprised.*
Stray Bullets
Belfast: A Tale of Two Cities. Part One
In this episode I'm looking at how Troubles era Belfast has been represented in fiction. I'll be providing some thoughts and examples of such. Another aspect I touch on is that of 'The Other', which gives me an opportunity to recite some Heaney, too.
In Part Two - which will form Stray Bullets episode 3 - I'll be talking about my observations and thoughts on the tribalism, sectarianism and totems which I encountered during my service in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and, latterly, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, from the mid-1980s.
My novel The Bitter End of Dreams is still available via Amazon and you can send me any feedback etc at Twitter: @redbrickedslums
Click here if you’d like to send me a comment or question. Thank you.