Special Branch - The Irish Files

Captain Defoe local commander in Armagh in the North travels incognito to a quiet law office in Waterford - he asks to speak to Mr. Coil as a matter of urgency. Coil / C.I. O'Donnell of Special Branch - shows him into his small office. Defoe explains he is stationed currently at the old Drumadd Barracks in Armagh and is responsible for planning and action raids on suspected para-military objectives. He was also responsible for a secret listening station within the barracks for GCHQ. This is why he sought out help from Special Branch - he had contacted his superior in the ministry of Defence who in turn told him to come see a certain solicitor in Waterford. This confused him, but he followed orders and here he is! Paddy Coil leaves the room to check on Defoe and see if he is who he says he is. Reception in minutes comes back with a background check - Defoe is being short-listed for a future in MI5 (although he is not aware of this), currently he is a Captain in the Coldstream Guards (Second to None) and is being given responsibilities to check his trustworthiness in confidential work. C.I. O'Donnell returns and shows Defoe his real credentials, but tells him nothing of the background check.

C.I. O'Donnell is summoned to a hearing conducted by Sir Robert Frey appointed by the Home Office to investigate corruption and betrayal in Special Branch in Northern Ireland. In particular the ethical conduct of undercover operations. While as Paddy Coil, his undercover name, working out of a Waterford law firm, O'Donnell understands the fine line between the letter of the law and covert operations in reality. Under the official secrets act and the rules of counter espionage he needs to tread carefully not to fall foul of political intrigue. Investigators from MI5 descend on the Waterford office (as well as those in other parts of the Island such as Dublin, Belfast and Londonderry. Then in a private session with Sir Robert he is asked to spy on his own people. How will he navigate the tricky business of spying on the spies? Meantime, IRA commander Toombs - needs to protect his sources in MI5 and Special Branch - this enquiry and investigation could mean more exposure than he would like. Time to cut the heard and make disappear the ones that have stopped being useful? O'Donnell gets caught up in the murder of colleagues that seem to be dropping like flies in the wake of his own investigations for Sir Robert!