Richard Deacon’s biography of British agent Maurice Oldfield claims: “But MI6’s main success was in establishing agents inside the Garda, the Irish army and government Departments. One of the most vital informants was a senior Garda officer who up to 1981 (at least) was still in that force. He had not only provided information on the IRA but on the activities of the former Taoiseach, Mr Haughey, and other prominent political figures.”
The member of the Garda Siochana, known as ‘The Badger’, was based in Monaghan and had been an MI6 agent since the early 1970s. When interviewed he said that he was sanctioned by senior officers. One former British soldier Captain Fred Holyroyd has described how he was running the Badger and many other members of the Gardaí.
The Badger was important to the British. According to the New Statesman magazine, two files on him in the office of Teddy Taylor MP went missing even though the office was locked. The other file disappeared from 10 Downing St.
The first Garda mole to be exposed was Sergeant Patrick Crinion, a clerk in Garda HQ. Fred Holyroyd claimed that he controlled several senior Gardaí in the 1970s. The role of the Gardaí in aiding and abetting the Brtish army and the RUC should not be forgotten. In fact it would be a good idea to have an Inquiry into that role.
I am wondering are there any British moles in the Garda Siochana today?
Hardly surprising that the Free State media have. Ever touched in this sensitive issue. Crinnions son was in my class in Dublin when he was yanked out of class one day, never to be seen again, Australia was their destination I heard. It also transpired that much paperwork was overlooked in the attic by investigators who were likely working for the Brits also. Then there was the Litteljohn brothers, first ever Tiger robbery in Ireland! Convicted and sentenced to prison but secretly released by the FG government of the day!
There was a suspicion of collusion in the murder of Eddie Fullerton in Buncrana.
The fact that this isn’t considered an ‘international incident’ makes me believe that a lot more than an Garda Siochana have been infiltrated. There was also a notorious garda unit in Dublin that took orders from Britain. They were particularly vicious, I can’t remember the station they worked out of (somewhere near Dolphin’s Barn?) but if you ask a republican from the 80s early 90s they could tell you. I would say they are still in the force and probably promoted since then. Remember the 2 RUC special Branch men killed coming from a meeting with the Garda? One of them had links to the Glenanne gang- makes you wonder about Dublin and Monaghan bombs as well. I fear the Brits still have their hands so dirty we will never get the truth.
Did the Brits need moles in the Garda Síochána. Did that body not tip the Brits off about the Gibraltar 3?