What do you think?
Rate this book
Kincora: Britain's Shame
For over four decades the story of the extraordinary evil that occurred at the Kincora Boys’ Home in East Belfast in the 1970s and the shocking attempts by MI5 to cover it up have haunted our political and social terrain for decades. Award-winning former BBC journalist Chris Moore has been working on the story since it first emerged in 1980, and has uncovered a horrific catalogue of failed opportunities to put an end to the sadistic activities of the men who were running the home, in particular those of prominent Orangeman and MI5 source William McGrath.
What has emerged over the course of Moore’s investigation, in which he has gained exclusive access to witnesses, secret documents and whistleblowers within the British intelligence services, is that not only were the boys in Kincora systematically sexually abused, but that some were forced into a countrywide paedophile ring, whose members included Lord Louis Mountbatten. Moore also exposes MI5’s attempts to cover up what actually happened and that the organisation knew as early as the 1970s that the boys in Kincora were being abused.
Kincora is a shocking exposé of how the British state failed to protect some of its most vulnerable members.
What has emerged over the course of Moore’s investigation, in which he has gained exclusive access to witnesses, secret documents and whistleblowers within the British intelligence services, is that not only were the boys in Kincora systematically sexually abused, but that some were forced into a countrywide paedophile ring, whose members included Lord Louis Mountbatten. Moore also exposes MI5’s attempts to cover up what actually happened and that the organisation knew as early as the 1970s that the boys in Kincora were being abused.
Kincora is a shocking exposé of how the British state failed to protect some of its most vulnerable members.
Audible Audio
Published July 10, 2025
30 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 5, 2025
This is a tricky review to write, as I wish to be sensitive to the feelings of victims and survivors of this abuse.
I have concerns about the author’s use of language, which appeared to me to at times interchange terms about homosexuality with those of paedophilia. I do not think this was intentional, and perhaps a further edit might have handled the language in what I would consider to be a more sensitive way.
I dropped a star from my review entirely for this reason. I want to reiterate that I think this was unintentional, based on the overall tone of the book and clear concern it showed for victims. I hope this might be addressed in any future editions.
I have concerns about the author’s use of language, which appeared to me to at times interchange terms about homosexuality with those of paedophilia. I do not think this was intentional, and perhaps a further edit might have handled the language in what I would consider to be a more sensitive way.
I dropped a star from my review entirely for this reason. I want to reiterate that I think this was unintentional, based on the overall tone of the book and clear concern it showed for victims. I hope this might be addressed in any future editions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2025
MI5 covered up and enabled a pedophile ring operating on both sides of the Irish border in order to blackmail the powerful men involved in abusing children. The current monarch’s great uncle was one of the most prolific abusers of children. Vile stuff but what do you expect from them?
June 17, 2025
fascinating, well-researched & utterly shocking. Continued corruption, cover-ups and a failure to protect those who needed it most for over 50 years and it seems like the truth is no closer.
December 14, 2025
While this is important in regard to the depth of corruption within the British government, especially in order to protect pedophilic royals, the author cheapens his work with his own prejudices. His constant implications that pedophilia and homosexuality are one and the same would be like if I said that all heterosexuals are pedophiles because of Jeffrey Epstein and Andrew Windsor.
However, the victims of Kincora deserve justice. The British population should be angrier.
However, the victims of Kincora deserve justice. The British population should be angrier.
May 25, 2025
A good book that is written like a conspiracy theory. the fact that MI5 would go so far in preventing justice of those facing sexual abuse in Kincora is unbelievable but its all true. I wish it gave more information of William McGrath in particular his british-israeli ideas as I find that area particularly interesting.
February 21, 2026
A shocking and difficult true story of the serial sexual abuse of the weak and powerless (boys from ages 8 to 16 in a care-home) by the powerful and enabled (and in some cases, ennobled) at the Kincora Boys Home in Belfast.
From 1979 onwards, BBC journalist Chris Moore was under strict orders from his bosses to stop investigating what was going on at Kincora Boys Home in Belfast. He ignored that order and instead spent almost his entire working life (46 years) doing just that.
Inevitably when describing the describing the daily rape of vulnerable boys in a care-home run by social services, it is easy to be desensitised to the act being described. Too easy to become involved in the cover-up, which involved (almost by serendipity) MI5 because one of their ‘assets’ (a political and religious leader and agitator) was one of the management team at the boys-home (he was also the biggest sadist in the place and may have been involved in attacks on boys on the street - including abductions and possibly worse - as well). But I think we shouldn’t become inured to either the word or the act of rape. If we can, we should try and imagine the fear and horror that came with being assaulted in this way every day, and being powerless to stop it. For that is the real story of the twenty-two years that Kincora Boys Home was in operation (1958 - 1980): serial brutal sexual abuse.
For me it was no surprise to hear that children in a home run by ‘authorities’ were being used as sexual playthings, as that has been the experience of my friends and family of friends who have spent time in care-homes and seminaries across Ireland (in the north and in the republic). The reason being the sort of people (ie monsters) that are attracted to running these places.
We learn that many people failed to act on complaints from the boys (who once went en-masse to the offices of social services in central Belfast to report what was going on, only to be failed yet again). We also learn that many people and organisations were both visiting Kincora to attack children and also actively covering up their own crimes and the crimes of others. But we also learn of many brave people (police, journalists, etc) who disobeyed orders to stop investigating the home, and who ultimately prevailed.
I knocked off one star of a five star book because the author appears (perhaps inadvertently) to support the idea of others (including the subsequent investigations into Kincora and related cover-up) that the attacks happened because the management team were all ‘homosexuals’ (actually two of the three were bisexual, but that is beside the point). Eg he says proof that one of the team was indeed a homosexual (something he had denied repeatedly) was belied by what he was doing at the boys home. Surely someone writing a book in the 2020’s (and his editors) should know that rape has nothing to do with sex / sexuality and is instead an act of violence, power and control? I am perfectly prepared to accept that at the time of the initial enquiry, linking what happened to sexuality was indeed one of the stupid assumptions of the time, but I am sorry that the author chose not to correct this false belief. And it wasn’t just one slip of the (electronic) pen either - statements linking homosexuality to abuse are rife throughout the book. Suffice to say that one of the immediate actions of the local soils services and health board when Kincora was exposed in 1980 was to ban homosexuals from all care positions. This seems unbelievable now, but it really did happen.
Read it if you care about children whose families cannot take care of them, for whatever reason.
From 1979 onwards, BBC journalist Chris Moore was under strict orders from his bosses to stop investigating what was going on at Kincora Boys Home in Belfast. He ignored that order and instead spent almost his entire working life (46 years) doing just that.
Inevitably when describing the describing the daily rape of vulnerable boys in a care-home run by social services, it is easy to be desensitised to the act being described. Too easy to become involved in the cover-up, which involved (almost by serendipity) MI5 because one of their ‘assets’ (a political and religious leader and agitator) was one of the management team at the boys-home (he was also the biggest sadist in the place and may have been involved in attacks on boys on the street - including abductions and possibly worse - as well). But I think we shouldn’t become inured to either the word or the act of rape. If we can, we should try and imagine the fear and horror that came with being assaulted in this way every day, and being powerless to stop it. For that is the real story of the twenty-two years that Kincora Boys Home was in operation (1958 - 1980): serial brutal sexual abuse.
For me it was no surprise to hear that children in a home run by ‘authorities’ were being used as sexual playthings, as that has been the experience of my friends and family of friends who have spent time in care-homes and seminaries across Ireland (in the north and in the republic). The reason being the sort of people (ie monsters) that are attracted to running these places.
We learn that many people failed to act on complaints from the boys (who once went en-masse to the offices of social services in central Belfast to report what was going on, only to be failed yet again). We also learn that many people and organisations were both visiting Kincora to attack children and also actively covering up their own crimes and the crimes of others. But we also learn of many brave people (police, journalists, etc) who disobeyed orders to stop investigating the home, and who ultimately prevailed.
I knocked off one star of a five star book because the author appears (perhaps inadvertently) to support the idea of others (including the subsequent investigations into Kincora and related cover-up) that the attacks happened because the management team were all ‘homosexuals’ (actually two of the three were bisexual, but that is beside the point). Eg he says proof that one of the team was indeed a homosexual (something he had denied repeatedly) was belied by what he was doing at the boys home. Surely someone writing a book in the 2020’s (and his editors) should know that rape has nothing to do with sex / sexuality and is instead an act of violence, power and control? I am perfectly prepared to accept that at the time of the initial enquiry, linking what happened to sexuality was indeed one of the stupid assumptions of the time, but I am sorry that the author chose not to correct this false belief. And it wasn’t just one slip of the (electronic) pen either - statements linking homosexuality to abuse are rife throughout the book. Suffice to say that one of the immediate actions of the local soils services and health board when Kincora was exposed in 1980 was to ban homosexuals from all care positions. This seems unbelievable now, but it really did happen.
Read it if you care about children whose families cannot take care of them, for whatever reason.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2026
The more I learn about Irish history the more depressed/murderous I become. In a place where oppression and suffering was already so rampant these abominable horrors just push me over the edge. The fact that British authorities were covering this up then giving these vile disgusting creatures one digit sentences (while wrongfully imprisoning a plethora of Irish and giving them ridiculous sentences over the smallest things) makes me want to go over there and throw some Molotov cocktails/administer some slow and extremely painful street justice on these pedophiles myself. Words cannot express the sorrow I feel for so many innocent children that suffered at the hands of these sickos. The author and victims who came forward are so incredibly brave and I am so glad that amidst all this darkness and depravity some good samaritans kept fighting to investigate and bring these horrors to light. These poor boys deserved so much more than they got and I’m just sickened at the absolutely inept powers of authority that so massively let them down.
December 4, 2025
I grew up very close to this building, I thought it was beautiful, beautiful trees, a little glass sun house in the garden that I wanted to play in as a kid. Over the years you hear many stories and my heart is broken for the survivors of this and disgusted by those that could have stopped it and put people to justice for the hell they caused.
This is a book that everyone in the UK and Ireland needs to read..... then the world.
I would have given it a 5 but the use of some of the language is outdated and old fashioned.
This is a book that everyone in the UK and Ireland needs to read..... then the world.
I would have given it a 5 but the use of some of the language is outdated and old fashioned.
February 4, 2026
Really tough read. The depth of description of the actual abuse carried out on the boys is deeply distressing.
Having lived my life in N Ireland nothing surprises me when it comes to MI5/6, the British Government and indeed our own public figures.
They should all be ashamed for the ruined lives of young boys.
Sealing files for another 30/40 years is completely unacceptable.
I held back the 5th star simply because the book would benefit massively from references and an index.
Well done Chris Moore for shining a light on this. Keep on digging.
Having lived my life in N Ireland nothing surprises me when it comes to MI5/6, the British Government and indeed our own public figures.
They should all be ashamed for the ruined lives of young boys.
Sealing files for another 30/40 years is completely unacceptable.
I held back the 5th star simply because the book would benefit massively from references and an index.
Well done Chris Moore for shining a light on this. Keep on digging.
December 26, 2025
A very detailed and researched book, and evidence. Well done Chris Moore, I can’t even imagine how many obstacles you had to get through for the book to make it to print. A horrific period, and so many unanswered questions. Thoughts and prayers to all the young men, that had to suffer unimaginable abuse from these monsters. And shame on the government and individuals who covered it up. And continue to do so.
May 22, 2025
The conspiracy around the Kincora paedophile ring is the blackest of marks against Britain’s name. It should be an albatross hung round the necks of every security forces agent involved in the conspiracy and its cover-up.
Every single Irish person, and person interest in Irish political history, should read both this book and ‘Who Framed Colin Wallace?’ by Paul Foot.
Every single Irish person, and person interest in Irish political history, should read both this book and ‘Who Framed Colin Wallace?’ by Paul Foot.
June 4, 2025
A meticulously researched and well written account of the Kincora scandal which exposes the hypocrisy and evil which lies at the heart of the British establishment. Importantly the book doesn’t overlook the innocent victims and the suffering endured by them and their families over the decades. Well done Mr Moore.
September 23, 2025
Lucid and gripping, the evils visited on the world by the establishment here should never be forgotten. But take aways: "Dickie" Mountbatten was a paedo. Paisley definitely knew about McGrath for ages and didn't do anything about it before it became public knowledge.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2025
Excellent journalism by someone who wouldn’t give in.
August 23, 2025
Madness what goes on & you wouldn't realise it - also as always high profile cover-ups & denials
March 11, 2026
Shocking. Yet another establishment coverup.
March 12, 2026
This book is about the abuse that took place at the Kincora boys home in Belfast and the wider implications which includes questions about the British establishment. This is a shocking book about a scandal which raises more questions than it answers.
It is well written and seemingly well researched but the structure is a little difficult to follow.
Chris Moore is an experienced journalist who has reported for many years about this scandal. He interviewed Andrew Lownie whose book about the Mountbattens cover some of the areas raised in his book.
A real problem with the book is the lack of an index and there are no references which is a serious issue and I think really reduces the value of this book as an authoritative source of information .
Some of the language used in the book seemed to be quite outdated.
For readers unfamiliar with the politics, history, organisations and legal set up in Northern Ireland I felt the book could be confusing. It would have helped to have had a glossary of all the terms that were used and also a list of names of people mentioned in the book with some information about them.
It is well written and seemingly well researched but the structure is a little difficult to follow.
Chris Moore is an experienced journalist who has reported for many years about this scandal. He interviewed Andrew Lownie whose book about the Mountbattens cover some of the areas raised in his book.
A real problem with the book is the lack of an index and there are no references which is a serious issue and I think really reduces the value of this book as an authoritative source of information .
Some of the language used in the book seemed to be quite outdated.
For readers unfamiliar with the politics, history, organisations and legal set up in Northern Ireland I felt the book could be confusing. It would have helped to have had a glossary of all the terms that were used and also a list of names of people mentioned in the book with some information about them.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews