Ed Moloney

Edmund "Ed" Moloney(born 1948/49) is anIrishjournalist and author best known for his coverage ofthe TroublesinNorthern Ireland,and the activities of theProvisional IRA,in particular.

He worked for theHiberniamagazine andMagillbefore going on to serve as Northern Ireland editor forThe Irish Timesand subsequently for theSunday Tribune.He is currently living and working inNew York City.His first book,Paisley,was a biography ofUnionistleaderIan Paisley,co-authored byAndy Pollak,and published in 1986.

In 2002, he published a best selling history of the Provisional IRA,A Secret History of the IRA.A second edition of the book was published in July 2007. This was followed, in 2008, by a new edition ofPaisley: From Demagogue to Democrat?,of which Moloney is the single author.

In 1999, he was voted Irish Journalist of the Year.

Moloney directedBoston College'sBelfast Project,which collected interviews with republican and loyalist militants.In March 2010, the bookVoices from the Gravewas published, which featured interviews withBrendan HughesandDavid Ervine,compiled by researchers from the project. He based the book on the interviews given by Hughes and Ervine. Excerpts from the book published byThe Sunday Timesrelate to Hughes discussing his role and that ofGerry Adamsin the PIRA.

Events recorded in the book include both men's actions in regard to the disappearance ofJean McConvilleand others,Bloody Friday,and the sourcing of IRA weapons, among other details of Hughes' IRA career.In October 2010, Irish broadcasterRTÉaired an 83-minute television documentary co-produced by Moloney based onVoices from the Grave.In February 2011,Voices From the Gravewon the best television documentary prize at the annualIrish Film and Television Awards(IFTAs).

The killing of Pat Finucane

On 27 June 1999, Moloney published a story based on his 1990 interviews he had with UDA quartermasterBilly Stobie.Stobie claimed that, in a separate incident, the Special Branch had framed him by planting guns at his home. He related his version of the circumstances ofPat Finucane's death to be published as assurance should anything untoward happen to him. The account was published when, as part of theStevens EnquiryStobie was arrested and charged with Finucane's murder.

Moloney refused to comply with a court order that he should give to the police notes he had made during the interviews.He faced jail or heavy fines but, in October 1999,Lord Chief JusticeSir Robert Carswellruled at theHigh Court in Belfastthat the judge had been mistaken in ordering Moloney to turn over his notes to the police.

Views

SupportingGlenn Greenwald,Ed Moloney wrote in 2013:

"Most ominously in their efforts to silence dissent from within government, Obama/Holder are seeking to criminalize the media, insinuating in some prosecutions that by facilitating a whistleblower, journalists can be accomplices in crime. So far the White House has shied from actually following through with charges but it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that they may try to over the Snowden case, hence the fierce hostility to the radical journalist Glenn Greenwald in establishment politican [sic] and media circles. "

Assassination attempt

In May 2020,Villagemagazine revealed attempts to assassinate Ed Moloney andVincent Brownehad been planned in 1982.

In theFebruary 1982 Irish general electionSinn Féin the Workers' Partyhad won three seats and found themselves in a position of power.The three TDs voted forCharles HaugheyofFianna Fáilas opposed toGarret FitzGeraldofFine Gael.After the election Ed Moloney wrote two articles on Sinn Féin – The Workers' Party for theIrish Times.The first dealt with the party's political journey and appeared in print.The second, which dealt with the continuing existence of theOfficial IRAand its criminal activities, did not.An unknown member of theIrish Timespassed Moloney's article to the Official IRA.Ed Moloney said that this part "never appeared and I was never officially informed nor given any explanation by theIrish Times.I cannot even say whether my copy was even shown above the level of sub-editor ".

Ed Moloney then passed on his research toMagill,edited then byVincent Browne.A two-part series was published in the March and April 1982 issues and they sold out.It was embarrassing for Sinn Féin – The Workers' Party.

The Official IRA set Moloney up to be murdered, though it isn't clear if this was done before or after the publication of theMagillarticles.Two members of SFWP told theUlster Defence Associationthat Moloney was in theIrish National Liberation Army.

Ed Moloney ended up in the UDA HQ in Gawn Street, facingJohn McMichael,Davy Payneand a third member of the UDA Inner Council that Moloney did not name, but who was still alive in May 2020.Payne in particular had a history of involvement with sectarian torture and murder.Cathal Gouldingand the Official IRA must have known that if the UDA had fallen for their allegations, the latter would have abducted and tortured Ed Moloney before murdering him, with Davy Payne as most likely choice for interrogator.Moloney was told that the UDA Inner Council didn't believe the allegations.

Although Moloney did not record the date of his confrontation with the UDA, he said he handed over material toMagill"some time after" the encounter.The assassination attempt was thus meant to kill him and suppress information that had not been published by theIrish Times.

External links

• Official website