Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we investigate the G Division, the elite plainclothes detective unit of the Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) charged with hunting down Irish revolutionaries. We trace their evolution from a force tracking receivers of stolen goods in 1842 to a political weapon battling Fenianism and the Land League under legendary spymasters like John Mallon.

The story explodes during the Irish War of Independence, when the G Division became the primary intelligence agency fighting the IRA. We break down the deadly game of espionage between the G-Men and Michael Collins, highlighting the role of double agents like Edward Broy who leaked critical intelligence from within Dublin Castle. Learn how Collins' "Squad" systematically dismantled the division through a ruthless campaign of assassinations against detectives like Patrick "The Dog" Smyth and Daniel Hoey. Tune in for a deep dive into Irish history, police surveillance, and the ultimate collapse of British intelligence in Dublin.