Welcome to the Gunplot podcast from RTE's Documentary on One.

This is the first of four extra episodes.

As you'll know, if you've listened to the previous episodes,

in the course of his research for a thesis and a book on the arms crisis,

the historian Michael Heaney came across audio tapes recorded in court

during the second arms trial of October 1970. The tapes covered two afternoons, but we wonder if

there are more out there, in a box, in a filing cabinet or a attic. If you come across them,

we'd love to hear from you. Please write to Documentaries at RTE.e.i.e.

That's Documentaries at RTE.e.

In the next four bonus episodes, we're going to play the tapes we have in their entirety, with introductions from Michael Heaney.

The first tape is from the afternoon of October 16th, 1970.

Captain James Kelly is on the stand,

and he's been cross-examined by counsel for the state,

the prosecution, Seamus McKenna.

This is basically in the courtroom war to the knife.

This is Council for the State, Seamus McKenna, going for Captain Kelly by the throat.

And this is Captain Kelly, the cabin man, the tough army officer, hunkering down in the witness box, giving him

clipped, short, brittle answers, dealing with him as he was being received by McKenna.

These are two boxers slugging it out and Kelly is giving no quarter.

All of this is captured really well by Tom McIntyre in his wonderful book through the Bridewell Gate.

Captain Kelly was fighting for his life here and he was up for it and provided the state with a very tough contest.

So you see that in the tone of voice that's being used here.

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