The Ombudsman of the PSNI has announced an investigation into the murder by the IRA of alleged informers. Just to add balance to the job of apportioning blame to these heinous crimes, the Historical Investigations Directorate is quick to point out that as part of this investigation they will also be enquiring into the possibility of collusion in at least 20 such murders by the British security forces. If this all sounds so absurdly familiar, you would be right. Guess who the Directorate have put forward as their number one suspect for such collusion? Yes, you’ve guessed it. None other than Freddie “Stakeknife” Scappaticci.

Scappaticci of course has been involved in a long running battle with the authorities ever since the Stevens Enquiry requested the pleasure of his company back in 2007 to discuss the very same matter. As is common knowledge, he has always denied being Stakeknife but Scappaticci cannot avoid being hauled…

That Desmond Boal and Ian Paisley should die within six or seven months of each other seems somehow fitting. Paisley died last September and Boal last week, their exit from this world signalling not just the final act in a partnership that has left an indelible mark on Irish politics and history but the passing of an age, the like of which we will probably never see again nor soon even be able to imagine existed.

Desmond Boal in an undated photograph

It was the most curious of collaborations, the gifted, cerebral, agnostic and very worldly barrister and the mesmeric, back street preacher cum demagogue united only by their aversion to the establishment forces that dominated their community. In the end the former’s principles could not find houseroom with the latter’s ambition and the alliance foundered. But in-between, in a few short years, they together made history.

I was going…