Ex-TEEN UDA FOOTSOLDIER tells his story | RUC Collusion, Sectarian Violence & Escaping the Conflict | Graham Cousins

The Good Listener Podcast

Graham Cousins grew up protestant in East Belfast and spent his late-teen years and early 20s in the Ulster Defense Association better known as the UDA, a loyalist paramilitary group formed in the early 70s. He has since become close friends with ex-paramilitaries from the other side including my last guest, ex-b*mb-maker Packy McMahon (https://youtu.be/R5XJQrUCeMk?si=zCipaXh0uMIK6P0j)
Graham speaks to us about his mindset during the early 70s, his reasons for joining up, his thoughts on the UDA’s policy of targeting innocent Catholics and how he left the group.
Graham shared some interesting thoughts/insights into his mentality during the UDA days, the time that RUC officers let him “steal” their weapons, his memories of Ian Paisley, thoughts on a united Ireland and much more
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
6:20 RUC COLLUSION w/ UDA
10:10 Why join UDA not UVF
15:05 How were catholic families intimidated out ?
16:55 How did graham feel about his UDA activities at the time?
18:00 Does Graham identify as British ?
21:45 Ian Paisley
27:15 How did he view the UVF ?
29:10 Any respect for the IRA ?
31:25 Would Graham have known the main hitmen in the UDA ?
35:45 Women in the UDA
37:50 Dual membership UDA/UDR
39:35 Living in England